| The growing number of trade agreements between countries and the lowering of trade barriers in the 21st century have contributed to an increase in international business activities around the world. International business travel is an essential element of international business yet one that been largely absent from scholarly analysis and the academic literature. The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the phenomenon of short-term international business travel. The researcher employed a phenomenological methodology to analyze interview data from ten participants who have recently engaged in short-term international business travel. The study resulted in a description of the essence of what it is like to travel internationally on business from the perspective of business people who regularly engage in the phenomenon. Phenomenological reduction of the interview data revealed that how the ten participant travelers experience short-term international business travel changed over time. Initially, the participants described their experiences as being new and exciting and causing some levels of anxiety. Limited knowledge of local language, food, business norms, culture, history, and politics all resulted in limited success when the travelers first engaged in the phenomenon. Over time and with more experience, the participants described their experiences as more routine, comfortable, and less exciting. Increased knowledge and understanding of business norms, culture, history, and politics led to greater levels of success in meeting the objectives of their international business trips. |
