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MONTEREY - 05/20/05 - The Monterey Institute of International Studies' Fisher Graduate School of International Business has been awarded a two-year, $183,000 grant to establish a Center for the Globalization and Localization of Business Exports (GLOBE) that will help companies adapt their products and services for export to foreign markets.

The funds - made available through the US Department of Education's Business and International Education (BIE) Program - will be matched by funds from a $2 million challenge grant provided by the Robert and Marilyn Fisher Family Foundation.

The new GLOBE Center will provide consulting, education and research to businesses, and, at the same time, provide students with the opportunity to construct business plans for companies needing "localization" assistance, the school said. 

Localization involves tailoring a product or marketing strategy to the differences in culture, language or regulations of customers in foreign countries - "a service for which more and more US companies are recognizing the need," it said.

The Fisher School will craft a curriculum for the new Center and collaborate with the three other graduate schools at the Monterey Institute, the Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA), the Marina Technology Cluster, and the US Department of Commerce's Export Assistance Center (USEAC) in Monterey to develop and operational plan for the GLOBE Center.

According to the school, the MBITA will develop and deliver a training program on exporting, while the USEAC and the Marina Technology Cluster will provide clients and assist with consultation.

The graduate schools of the Monterey Institute will provide expertise in export policy, software localization, and language issues, and also help with product development, sourcing procurement, marketing, distribution, and financing.

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