INTEGRATION OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS INTO LOCAL SMEs

Internationalisation and integration are important components of development policies and strategies in almost all types of companies. Each unit and team is affected by the trend towards globalisation which requires certain changes in organisational behaviour and to some extent in the management styles as well. Globalisation is viewed as a social phenomenon. Brands are important as well. The person in the global world wants added value to the product or service and expects to find value, prestige, image or lifestyle. These are appealing topics to research and read about. The target of this research is to explore the need for integration of international students into the business environment in the area. The research tries to answer the question “What needs to be done for the integration of the international students into the local business?” The research explores also questions related to the function of the universities of applied sciences in Finland and the specific role of KyAMK in the area. Branding is assessed as a way to create new meaning of the organisation of KyAMK and to create additional value for the stakeholders.