International business curriculum design: identifying the voice of the customer using QFD

Purpose – Curriculum development in higher education must be continuously evaluated in this dynamic business environment, where business needs change day‐to‐day. The literature on the application of quality function deployment (QFD) to curriculum design is increasing, with student opinion representing the sole voice of the customer. The purpose of this paper is to present an alternative approach to QFD curriculum design by using a survey of employers, not students, to represent the voice of the customer. Design/methodology/approach – This paper applies the widely used quality management process of QFD to the curriculum development process of a major international business program. Findings – The findings illustrate the application of QFD's house of quality in international business curriculum development and best practices benchmarking. Practical implications – The results of this study are useful to any university to revise or design new academic programs. It presents a methodology to design curriculum based on the voice of the real customer: industry, without forgetting about the expertise of academicians. Originality/value – This study is intended to be one of the first in defining the customer as the industry, instead of just students or academic experts. The combination of all stakeholders in the curriculum design of international business will help universities make better decisions regarding international business programs.