College of Business Instructor Inspires Business Students to Think Globally
by Dr. Annie Becker, Dean of the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business
Mr. Tim Muth, adjunct professor and director of student and program assessment at Florida Tech, has a passion for teaching international business. Undergraduate students in his Global Business Perspectives class are challenged to explore different aspects of international business including culture, customs, finance, ethics, leadership, and social responsibility, among other key areas. They are empowered to think critically as individuals and in a team environment.
Mr. Muth has under his belt international experience in Asia and Europe serving in vice president positions in marketing, business development (mergers and acquisitions), and supply management. He negotiated and managed several multinational projects and partnership alliances. Mr. Muth led an effort to evaluate potential Asian manufacturing sites and to build a semiconductor plant in Suzhou, China. He also managed a four year strategic alliance with a large European semiconductor company.
Mr. Muth shares with the class his first-hand experience with cultural sensitivity in areas such as negotiation. He provides real-world examples; such as when negotiating in certain global regions, “no” may be initiating a process instead of bringing closure to a business deal.
Mr. Muth’s teaching is critically acclaimed at Florida Tech. A testimonial to his popularity is Florida Tech’s chapter of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society awarding Mr. Muth the annual Excellence in Teaching Award.
Mr. Muth expressed his gratitude to the Florida Tech community. He said, “I would like to thank Phi Eta Sigma and all my students for recognizing me with this very prestigious teaching award.” He continued, “I am lucky to have the opportunity to work with such a talented, intelligent and caring group of students. I am deeply honored to accept this award.” (Florida Tech Press Release, 5-9-2011).
As a colleague notes, “Tim really exemplifies the faculty role of being involved fully in the student learning process as well connecting on a personal level with his students.”
Florida Tech students, representing 106 countries, have expressed their gratitude to Mr. Muth as follows … “danke”, “Do jeh”, “tack”, “merci”, “mahalo”, “grazie”, “”Domo arrigato”, “Ahsante”… “thanks dude”.
