MBA International Business
Assignment (IBA) - June 2015
Zambia
“The IBA was a life-changing experience that has added new dimensions to my
perception of the world we live in and the business opportunities it offers.
“Zambia was the perfect environment to put all my newly acquired ‘Knowledge
into Action’ – with 75% of the MBA achieved before the trip, this helped me
understand the dynamics of the country and how business could respond to
boost performance.
“The diversity and friendly culture of Zambia, biodiversity and the variety of
breathtaking landscapes made the experience overwhelming and so exciting.
“The final reception was a real highlight with a unique opportunity to share
ideas and knowledge between the academic and business community and
realise the added value of working in partnership.”
Roberto Di Nuzzo (Full-time MBA)
“The IBA was phenomenal – the
local businesses we worked with
were, without exception, ambitious,
inspiring, professional enterprises by
any standard. They were led by equally
ambitious, inspiring, brilliant leaders. If
there was any teaching to be done, let
there be no misconception: we were
the students.
“We learned a tremendous amount
and had a truly unique experience. We
managed to provide some real value, too.
The company (Build Trust Constructions) for
which my team was consulting was clearly
grateful, expressing how impressed they
were that we had understood their business
so well, and developed such meaningful
insights, within five days.
“We also visited Victoria Falls and saw white
rhinos, giraffes, elephants, hippos, gazelles,
wildebeests, buffalo and aardvarks.”
Craig Kitto (Full-time MBA)
Japan
“The highlights of the trip for me were the insights and information we were able
to get from the Kobe University students. By speaking with local people, we
could hear their views of Japanese business and improve our understanding of
the way Japanese companies operate.
“The words that come to mind when
reflecting on our trip to Japan are
trust, politeness, respect, humility,
organisation, cleanliness and attention
to detail. These were the feelings we
experienced during every encounter.
“Surprisingly, we experienced difficulty communicating in English. It was only in
Tokyo that people spoke English very well but then still only in the tourist centre.
On the other hand, we experienced how people from different countries behave “We also learned a lot about doing
and communicate when they move abroad (even on a temporary basis).”
business in Japan from the visits
to many respected, established
Pananya Sripairojthikoon (Full-time MBA)
companies such as Rohm Co Ltd,
Shimadzu Corporation, AstraZeneca
KK, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd
(Hyogo Works), Yanmar Nagahama
Museum and ANA Airlines.
“We learned about the
communication gap,
the need for more
innovation, lifelong
employment, diversity
of the workforce and the
high level of trust.”
Walid Khabbaze
(Full-time MBA)
China
“How does one sum up a 10-day
visit to a country with over one
billion people and a culture
different in so many ways from
the UK? With difficulty!
“I think the best way to explain
what CHINA means to me, and
what I personally learned from the
trip, is: C – challenging politically,
socially and economically;
H – historic depth that is slowly
re-emerging; I – infrastructure that needs to be seen to be believed; N – new
markets ripe for new ventures; A – adventure around every corner.
“The IBA was certainly a highlight of the course so far for three reasons –
firstly, the opportunity to visit a unique country (the ‘middle kingdom’) that
otherwise I would not normally have reason to visit; secondly, the chance
to meet and engage with other (full-time and executive) MBA students from
Cranfield; lastly, the sheer adventure and new experiences which China
offered.
“China’s dominance over
the world economy in the
last 10 years has been
labelled as ‘The decade
of the dragon’. The
country has certainly set
a benchmark in terms of
infrastructure in Shanghai,
starting from the amazing
skyline to the widespread
road and rail network. The
whole group had a great
time – days were filled with
company visits and nights dazzled with pubs, parties and dance! This was the
most awesome and memorable trip of my life.”
Anant Kavuri (Full-time MBA)
“My highlights from
this trip would be the
Shanghai high-speed train
(431km/h!); viewing the
Shanghai skyline from a
rooftop bar; Tiananmen
Square and the Forbidden
Palace; the Great Wall;
and lastly, of course, the
food.”
Mike Treffry-Kingdom
(Executive MBA)
Sri Lanka
“My preconceptions about what the week would involve and how it would turn
out were quite far from the reality. I must say sthoothie (the Sri Lankan word for
‘thank you’) to the company (Mahogany Masterpieces) we worked with, our
school and to my team for a truly rewarding experience.
“One of the things I took away from the IBA is that developing countries seem
to have the same basic problems. Cultural differences also add their own
dimension to the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises.”
“Through my EMBA ‘journey’, I have been reflecting, at length, on what
I want to do next. One career option I have been leaning towards is that
of consultancy so I was really looking forward to a real-life opportunity to
experience working as a consultant, without having to go through the stresses
of an actual job change. The IBA gave me that opportunity – and I enjoyed it!”
Teg Badhan (Executive MBA)
Bunmi Afolabi (Executive MBA)
With thanks to David Simmons (Zambia), Chris Binch (Japan), Dr Deirdre Anderson and
Dr Steffi Hussels (China), and Dr Emma Parry (Sri Lanka) who accompanied the students
and helped ensure the success of the IBA.