During my time in New Zealand, I learned that business is a culmination of the surrounding area’s unique factors and the local’s differentiated perspectives. Many contributors determine a business’s mission and success. For instance, I noticed New Zealand’s landscape heavily influences many businesses. The country’s landscape supports opportunities in both the tourism and agricultural sectors. Businesses can capitalize on the scenery through related activities, such as the Gondola ride we enjoyed. On the other hand, the landscape may be fitting for a sheep and dairy farm, which employs a completely different business model that supports many additional businesses, as we learned on our visit. Furthermore, I learned that unique perspectives drive innovation, regardless of the field. Each of the city walking tours we went on revealed various components of the city that were driven by the vision of creative individuals and the town’s history. This can be articulated in many ways, such as preserving the remains of a prominent shipwreck under a mall or creating a statue of a dog that used to roam the port. We saw both in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital. Therefore, when engaging with individuals in any host country, it is important to recognize the varying influences that drive their goals. My initial impressions of international business were not accurate because I assumed businesses everywhere had a universal structure with minimal differences. I have never left the country, so my interpretation of the scope of businesses had been confined to what I have seen in the United States. Nevertheless, businesses reflect their surrounding area and culture. In New Zealand, the Māori culture is honored in many places. I learned the value of consistently remaining open minded when learning about businesses, which broadened my perspective more than I had anticipated. Overall, the International Business study abroad in New Zealand was a life changing experience and I learned so much.
