Assisting small and medium-sized foreign companies with U.S. market entry strategies
Mission
The mission of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) is to support activities leading to international economic development in the North Texas region. Through workshops, academic courses, and conferences, our students, faculty, along with industry and community partners, share knowledge and best practices on how to contribute to regional economic growth through foreign direct investment (FDI). Our academic courses allow students to apply global business skills to real-world business problems by performing market research for international companies seeking to expand their operations to the North Texas region.
Market Entry Strategies (IMS 4350)
IMS 4350 Global Market Entry strategies is a semester course offered in both the Fall and Spring semester with 3 credit hours. The course focuses on developing market entry strategies for international based companies and aims to equip students with the necessary skills to navigate and succeed in the complex global business environment. Partnerships with foreign companies seeking to expand into the USA market allows students to conduct market analysis, apply global business skillsets and prepare market entry recommendations for companies to consider.
Interested in Participating?
Learn more about the Application ProcessSymposium
Organized by the Center for Global Business at UT Dallas, these events focus on International business activities in North Texas. Various economic development and foreign direct investment topics are offered in a transformative half-day experience. Engaging keynote speakers and interactive sessions are designed to enrich your international business practice. Network with peers from a wide range of international business professions, industries and organizations. Events are focused on not only advancing knowledge and staying at the forefront of international business trends but also on building connections within the North Texas International Business Ecosystem.
Engagements
List of ways to engage with the GDI Program
- Interact with foreign delegations
- Connect with local International Chambers of Commerce
- Volunteer for GDI committees
- Become a Mentor for GDI students
- Participate in GDI student organizations
- Be a speaker at a Symposium
- Become a GDI event sponsor
- Become a GDI donor
The GDI program started as a way for UT Dallas students to participate as interns for a local economic development agency to identify and recruit foreign companies that were interested in expanding their business into the USA market. The GDI program has grown into an umbrella of activities that individuals and companies interested in international business can engage in.
Looking to get Engaged?
Contact Us Here!
Lawrence P. Howorth, Program Lead
Lawrence P. Howorth is currently the Program Lead for the Global Development
Initiative (GDI), part of the Center for Global Business within the Naveen Jindal
School of Business at The University of Texas at Dallas.
Through Lawrence’s company, HOWORTH International, which specializes in
advising and supporting companies with international market entry strategies,
new client companies are recruited and onboarded each semester to participate
in the GDI program.
In addition to leading recruitment, he provides mentorship to both students and
client companies as they develop U.S. market research. Periodically, he also
facilitates opportunities for follow-on research, internships, and employment that
benefit both students and participating companies.
The Global Development Initiative consistently delivers high-value market
research and practical market entry insights for client companies considering
expansion into the large and competitive U.S. market.
GDI Testimonials
GDI Student – Japanese Company
GDI Student – Japanese Company, Class of Spring 2022 (Building Hardware Manufacturer)
The Global Development Initiative was an experience I’ll never forget. My team and I had the pleasure of working with a Japanese manufacturer. We learned how to navigate meetings that take place in different time zones and had a successful project despite the presence of a language barrier. Through this internship, I gained hands-on experience conducting extensive marketing research. My team and I learned how to work together despite our busy schedules and put together a final product we are very proud of.
GDI Student – Stan Bradshaw
GDI Student – Stan Bradshaw
Serving as a mentor in the Global Development Initiative program at the Jindal School of Management, UT Dallas, has been a fun and rewarding experience for me. I have worked with student teams for the past five or six semesters, assisting client companies in Mexico, Sweden and South Korea.
GDI Student – Swedish Company
GDI Student – Swedish Company, Class of Spring 2021 (Building Sensors, Internet of Things)
Worked as the Project Lead of the GDI program, we have learned to provide insightful research concerning market analysis, entry strategies, and industry channels for an international IoT solutions company. I learned valuable skills relating to managerial operations, team coordination, project coordination, and creating a productive environment for my team and company. I utilized all facades of my college education concerning disciplines of marketing, HR management, managerial accounting, business models and strategies, finance, organizational behavior, and international business.
GDI Client Company – The United Kingdom
GDI Client Company – The United Kingdom, Company Founder & CEO, Fall 2022 (Automotive Insurance Marketplace)
The GDI program was extremely valuable, the work was accurate following the project specification and in depth. Learning weekly on our project calls gives a true feeling of progress making our calls something exciting to look forward to. Working with the students was something I had never done before, personally, it was a rewarding experience, taking the chance to talk about your business and your plans to a new audience is a fantastic refresher experience and one I would recommend.
GDI Student – Swedish Company
GDI Student – Swedish Company, Class of Spring 2022 (Rural Broadband Development)
I am extremely pleased that I was able to participate in the Global Development Initiative (GDI) internship program. For me, the experience was wonderful and enlightening in many ways. Having to meet mentors and interns who have their distinct individuality, but share a similar cooperative motivation was a first for me. There was never a lack of moments in our collaborations, whether we were serious about accomplishing our goals or laughing about random topics that I would have never expected to appear.
GDI Client Company – Spain
GDI Client Company – Spain, Chief Executive Officer, Fall 2023 (Over-the-counter Medications)
I am writing to highly recommend the Global Development (GDI) Program – having had the pleasure of working closely with you over the past few months at Mucosa Innovations. The (Student) Team has constantly demonstrated a strong commitment to professional development and a passion for addressing global challenges.
GDI Student – Korean Company
GDI Student – Korean Company, Class of Spring 2021 (Medical Device)
Joining the Global Development Initiative program this semester has been an experience and decision that has allowed me to not only learn but apply the knowledge gained from my classes. Alongside my team, we were able to provide our client Company with market entry strategies and conduct market research, and we were able to obtain a closer, in-depth look into the healthcare industry.
GDI Client Company – Japan
GDI Client Company – Japan, COO & CFO, Fall 2023 (Ed Tech)
Our experience with the GDI Program, driven by a team of dedicated university students’ team and a seasoned business mentor, was remarkably insightful and beneficial. Their fresh perspectives and enthusiastic approach brought important insights to our business, demonstrating impressive professionalism and a keen understanding of our business challenges.
GDI Client Company – Sweden
GDI Client Company – Sweden, Company Co-Founder, Spring 2022 (Rural Broadband)
We took part in the GDI program in 2022. The students who worked with us were very helpful in providing market data that assisted us in our further work for entering the USA market. We would recommend any company, globally, that considers approaching the USA market to take advantage of the facilities and services a GDI Student Project Team can provide.
GDI Student – Republic of Korea Company
GDI Student – Republic of Korea Company, Class of Fall 2020 (Medical Devices)
One of the most formative experiences I had in college was working as a part of the Global Development Initiative. GDI is a program where students conduct market research on foreign small and medium enterprises looking to expand their businesses in Texas. I first came across the program in my freshman year and was immediately intrigued by the chance to interact with clients from around the world.
GDI Student – Israeli Company
GDI Student – Israeli Company, Class of Spring 2023 (All Terrain Vehicles)
I had the pleasure of being a project leader alongside my team members, coach, and mentor. We gained meaningful international business experience in a domestic learning environment. Various skills such as time management, business meeting conduction, and industrial research were utilized. It is one thing to take classes and learn about global business, it is another thing to be engaged in consultation with an international company.
GDI Student – Swedish Company
GDI Student – Swedish Company, Class of Spring 2022 (Rural Broadband Development)
Thank you, Mr. Howorth! And I also want to say thank you for all the help and opportunity you provided me during the Global Development Initiative in 2022. That experience has been priceless during my job interviews as it gave me first-hand involvement working on data procurement and consultation. It was always a talking point and helped me get my current job at Murphy Oil Corporation, so I truly appreciate what you and Professor Zydorek did for us during that course! Thank You!
GDI Student – Canadian Company
GDI Student – Canadian Company, Class of Fall 2020 (Renewable Energy)
We have conducted market research with the GDI program to help an overseas partner company, to establish a business in the U.S. Through this three-month-long program, not only for the oil & gas industry, but we also gained knowledge for the landfills, telecom, and agriculture industries. I am grateful to be part of the GDI program. Thank you to the University of Texas at Dallas, Center for Global Business for the learning opportunities and support to complete the materials. I discovered so much about the industries in Texas that I did not know about before.
GDI Client Company – Mexico
GDI Client Company – Mexico, Company Founder & CEO, Fall 2021 (Renewable Energy)
I had a great experience at the GDI program – you get multiple benefits when participating in it. As for our company, we got very rich information for making decisions on the strategy to enter the USA/Texas market in the energy sector. And as for getting to collaborate with undergraduates, you get the opportunity to understand the new generation, their needs, and skills, and overall, since most of the time you get multicultural participants, the sessions and projects are even richer and fun to team up with. It also opens a good opportunity either to find a project of collaboration with the students or with the professional people involved in the program. I recommend it and persuade any company to become part of it and participate in it. Thanks for accepting us to be part of it.
GDI Student – Tan Moorthy
GDI Student – Tan Moorthy
The GDI program provides students an opportunity to learn about real business through their understanding of the client companies. It also gives students an opportunity to develop analytical, team work and communication skills – all critical for the business world.
GDI Student – UK Company
GDI Student – UK Company, Class of 2021 (Human Resources Management)
Accepting the offer to be a part of the Global Development Initiative in January 2021 was a great decision that helped me grow immensely. The administrators of the program did a great job structuring the program to make good progress, as well as facilitating an effective online collaboration between the companies.
GDI Client Company – Japan
GDI Client Company – Japan, Chief Executive, Spring 2023 (74-year-old Spring Manufacturer)
The GDI Program was one of the essential steps for us in expanding our market to the United States, especially while we could not travel to the USA due to COVID-19. We understand that research is critical, and through this program, being in a team with Students with fresh ideas and guided by professionals with experience, the GDI Program helped us understand cultural and market differences.
GDI Client Company – The Netherlands
GDI Client Company – The Netherlands, Company Founder & CEO, Fall 2022 (Sound Analysis and Monitoring)
Overall, I believe it was a great experience for us and it seems the students were very happy with the project too. It gave us some good business insights and ideas and also strengthened what we already analyzed ourselves. Valuable and actionable results.
GDI Student – Hideto Nishitani
GDI Student – Hideto Nishitani
The GDI program is a very impactful experience for the students because it is a research project, not a hypothetical case study. The students must understand the company’s services/products, analyze the SWOT, and evaluate possible market strategies.
Contact Us
If you have questions about the GDI Program, please email Hubert Zydorek or Lawrence P. Howorth.