Research Support

Learn about opportunities available to USD School of Business faculty

• International Business Research Award
  The Ahlers Center supports and recognizes the international business research of the full-time faculty at the USD School of Business through research awards. These awards recognize published papers, books, book chapters and case studies that are related to international business (including but not necessarily limited to: cross-border activities of firms, international environment impacting operations of firms, cross-country comparative studies, in depth analysis of a non-USA country from international business perspective, and decision-making processes, strategies, structures or organizational forms of international firms). For more information please contact Alyson Ma (maa@sandiego.edu) and view the policies and procedures here.
• Journal Sponsorship and Case Development

  The Latin American Business Review (LABR) is a refereed journal, published four times a year, that facilitates the exchange of information and new ideas between the academic, business practitioner, public policy maker and those in the international development community. The LABR is a joint publication by the USD School of Business and the Graduate School of Business (COPPEAD) at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, the Universidad de Chile, and is sponsored, in part, by the Ahlers Center for International Business.

  Since 1996, the Ahlers Center for International Business, jointly with EGADE/ITESM (Mexico), has endowed an award for the best teaching case presented at the Business Association of Latin American Studies (BALAS) annual meeting.

• Workshops
  • The Ahlers Center assists full-time USD School of Business faculty via financial and logistical support to organize and host mini-seminars, workshops or half-day symposiums on topics in international business including such areas of global entrepreneurship, sustainability, poverty alleviation through business solutions, regional trade/business issues, etc.
    • The aim is to provide the necessary support for a USD School of Business faculty to host a group of scholars with similar research interests or leadership experience in international business for the purpose of collaborating and sharing research and ideas.
    • Expected outcome of the workshop include outlets such as, but not limited to, a joint publication, a special panel at a conference, an edited book or a special guest editorship in a journal consisting of a collection of the workshop or mini-conference articles.
    • In addition, one or more of the visitors might guest lecture in a class or have an open session with students and faculty or the general community during the San Diego visit.
    • The expected allocation of funds per workshop is $15-20K to cover travel and expenses of visitors, as well as any fees related to hosting their visit.
    • A formal proposal is required for the rolling application process. Proposals are reviewed by the Ahlers Center Faculty Advisory Board.
• Academy of International Business (AIB) Conference
  The Ahlers Center will also consider supplementary funding for travel to the annual Academy of International Business (AIB) Conference for presentation in the Competitive Sessions. The expected allocation of funds is a maximum of $2,500 to cover travel, accommodations and registration fees. A formal proposal is required for the rolling application process. Proposals are reviewed by the Ahlers Center Faculty Advisory Board.
• Research Collaboration with International Faculty or Business Leaders

  The Ahlers Center regularly brings in internationally focused business leaders, and faculty to interact with the USD School of Business faculty, students, and the community. The appointment of the role of an International Business Visitor is a gift of the Ahlers Center in recognition of achievement, expertise, leadership or other excellence in the field of international business. Visitors will usually be involved in contributing to the academic activities of the USD School of Business.

  • Shorter, one-week visits, allow time to collaborate on research projects and/or give a guest lectures for students, a faculty research seminar and/or presentation for the business community.
  • Longer visits for extended research projects with a faculty member may also be funded. These should include a research presentation to allow for interaction beyond the inviting faculty member. All presentations and/or research activities must be related to international business as defined in the International Business Research Award.
  • The expected allocation of funds per proposal is a maximum of $5,000 to cover travel and expenses of visitors, as well as other fees related to hosting their visit. A total of $20K is available per year for all visiting appointments.
  • A formal proposal is required for the rolling application process. Proposals are reviewed by the Ahlers Center Faculty Advisory Board.
• Hosting International Scholars

  The USD School of Business is very supportive of visiting researchers being invited to campus to facilitate collaborative research activity. Consideration will be given to invitations that maintain already established scholarly relationships/activities; invitations that seek to establish scholarly relationships with USD School of Business faculty on common research topics; invitations that seek to gain expertise from visiting researchers for USD School of Business faculty. 

  It is expected that visiting scholars will also participate in research seminars, lectures, or other activities that would provide knowledge and insight on topics of interest to USD School of Business faculty. Visiting scholars/faculty are expected to possess the terminal degree in their field or to be pursuing the degree.

  Visiting scholars are expected to be financially supported by their home institution with minimal monetary or other requirements from USD School of Business.

  Process for inviting International Visiting Faculty/Scholars:

  1. Department chair approval with a copy of the request sent to the Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs.
  2. Have a letter signed by the Dean that includes the purpose of the visit, the name of the USD faculty member(s) sponsoring the visit, funding available for the visitor.
  3. Submit to Ms. Allison Howitt, Assistant Director Academic Programs Ahlers Center for International Business, the following information:
     • Full contact information for visitor
     • Resume of visitor
     • USD Faculty member(s) sponsoring the visiting faculty/scholar
     • Dates of approved visit
     • Copy of invitation letter signed by the Dean
     • Purpose of the visit (one paragraph description)
     • Proof of English Proficiency; either TOEFL scores or letter from international sponsor of visiting faculty/scholar (if does not have a degree from an English language institution)
     • Scanned copy of picture page(s) of passport for visitor
     • Scanned copies of any passports for qualified dependents (spouse/children) who will travel with visiting scholar/faculty

Past Research Award Recipients

Here are a few of the recent publications by USD faculty who have received support from the Ahlers Center:

• Pengcheng Zhu, associate professor of finance
  Chang, B., Dutta, S., Saadi, S., Zhu, P. (2018). Corporate Governance and Dividend Payout Policy: Beyond Country-Level Governance. Journal of Financial Research
  
• Alyson Ma, professor of economics & Ryan Ratcliff, associate professor of economics
  Ma, A., Ratcliff, R. (2019). Liability of Foreignness: Product Distance, Institutional Distance and FDI. Internatinal Journal of Economics and Business
  
• Carsten Zimmermann, associate professor of management
  Kortmann, S., Gelhard, C., Zimmerman, C., Piller, F. (2014). Linking Strategic Flexibility and Operational Efficiency: The Mediating Role of Ambidextrous Operational Capabilities. Journal of Operations Management, 32 (7/8), 475-490.
• Maria Kniazeva, professor of marketing
  Kniazeva, M. (2019). Toilet Cult in Bollywood: Marketing Toto in India. Sage Publications
• Rangapriya Kannan-Narasimhan, assistant professor of management Norlander, P., Erickson, C., Kuruvilla, S., Rangapriya, K. (2015). The Offshoring of Knowledge Work and the Emerging Structure of Employment in the Global Economy: A Case of India. E-Journal of International and Comparative Labour Studies, 4 (1), 1-31.