By Masami | May 14, 2012
As my status of being able to label myself a ‘student’ nears to an end, I’m going a take a moment to look back at my time in Copenhagen and reflect.
The time has flown by. We’ve covered four terms of core classes, with only a few more electives remaining, we spent a night in the Danish woods practicing leadership, and then we spent three nights, getting lost, in the Swedish wilderness implementing our leadership skills. But there remains just one hurdle left to overcome: the Integrated Strategy Project. I almost can see the light.
I recently had dinner with fellow students and with the visiting parents of one of them. I was asked a question, which I’ve gotten repeatedly: “Why did you choose the Copenhagen Business School?”
My response is always three-fold:
- I wanted to do an MBA in a foreign country with a very international class
- I wanted a 1 year program (lets face it, one year is enough, two years would just be too easy)
- I wanted the class to be small in size, so real relationships can actually be built
This MBA program has met these three points for me. But there was another aspect I wanted to experience and see for myself. Apparently Copenhagen is home to the ‘Happiest people in the world’, yet these happiest people pay one of highest taxes rates in the world. To me this combination is counter-intuitive and I set out not only to get an MBA but to also experience this dynamic. In the eight months I’ve spent in Copenhagen, it still remains a mystery to me and I do not yet to understand the correlation.
I also vastly underestimated the weather fluctuations in Copenhagen. Having lived in Los Angeles for the past three years, I was not prepared for the harsh weather (mild by Danish standards) or the limited hours the sun would be above the horizon. As summer approaches I’ve been told I will fully understand why the Danes are the happiest people in the world. I will no longer need to wear three pairs of gloves and bike in the dark when it’s 3 pm (15:00), while battling 20mph (32kmph) wind, both ways, breaking the laws of meteorology. I’ve been told I will soon get to enjoy ‘’t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flop’ weather with the sun setting at 11pm (23:00). I’m looking forward drinking good beer with good friends with the sun shining down on us at 10pm in a park or near a waterfront……..I really hope I get to experience this phenomena before August 18.
-Michael.T
Michael is a investment associate from USA with an educational background of business administration
Topics: A normal MBA day, Living in Denmark, MBA - a one-year investment in yourself, Why I Chose CBS | No Comments »
CSR round table discussion
By Masami | April 23, 2012
There are many opinions regarding the role of CSR, in terms of its relevancy and prominence within an organisation. Public opinion claim that there are some organisations who put a lot of thought into their CSR activities, whilst too many still perform CSR activities as an after-thought. It is with this in mind that the CBS Full-time MBA Net Impact decided to obtain information straight from the proverbial horses’s mouth by hosting a CSR roundtable. They invited four CSR professionals from four prominent Danish Organisations: Maersk, Novozymes, Carlsberg and Lundbeck, since they are seen to be very CSR oriented.
Janda Campos, Vice President Group CSR & Public Affairs – Carlsberg Breweries A/S; Claus Frier, Senior Sustainability Manager – Novozymes A/S; Uffe Rasmussen, Divisional Director, Corporate Compliance & CSR, – H. Lundbeck A/S; Lene Serpa, Lead Advisor, Sustainability Governance and Innovation, A.P. Moller – Maersk Group., were very happy to be being in the ‘hot-seats’ and faced some tough questions from the audience. Audience members consisted of both undergraduate, and post graduate students from CBS, some faculty members from Copenhagen University, as well as staff members from the companies represented in the panel. Guests were welcomed by Andrey Kuznetzov, the reason for the roundtable was explained by Masami Kanaguri and Fredrik Harboe had the pleasure of posing the hard-hitting questions to the panellists.
The discussions ranged from: ” is CSR is a cost center or a profit center”, to “whether CSR actually does provide companies with the ability to survive in the long run”.
The general consensus between the panellists was that: “CSR is neither a cost center, nor a profit center, but rather an investment center”. They are firms believers in the fact that CSR maintains the cycle of business and provides organisations with opportunities to grow and to have long-term sustainability. Feedback from one audience members was the their key take-away from the session is the fact that ”CSR is an essential element of business”. This ties in with what Dave Packard claimed years ago that: “In order to do good business, you have to do good in the markets in which you work.”
A great event with some crucial insights regarding the role of CSR and it was clear that it will continuously evolve and grow within a number of organisations.
Don’t want to miss out on the next event hosted by the CBS Full-time MBA Net Impact? Like our Facebook page by clicking on the following link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/230704116991442/
- Jolene Loelofse
Jolene is a Client Service Manager from South Africa. She is also a head of PR and communication department in Net Impact Copenhagen Chapter organized by CBS full time MBA CSR committee.
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Rejsen fortsætter (The journey continues)
By Masami | April 14, 2012
Seven months ago I packed my bags for Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. It was a journey that was to launch me as an MBA graduate, after a lifetime of yearning for an international qualification and exposure. With all the excitement of a new country and new learning prospects, I was taken aback by the unsettling relationship between the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and possibility being in a top management after qualifying. But I made it and soon found myself on the MBA boat.
After trading the warm South African weather for chilly Copenhagen, I am told that this has been the warmest summer in 100 years. I had seen better days in South Africa. With some days came only 3 hours of sunlight, temperatures below – 10 degrees Celsius and freezing snow. I guess this is part of the international exposure I asked for.
Our academic year started with 47 excited and wax lyrical students from a 23 countries. Now, 14 subjects, 7 Exams, 7 term papers, 10 reflection papers and 2 oral exams later, I detect a slight decline in enthusiasm. Understandably so, the course is taking its toll on all of us, maybe it is Porter who manages to creep up in all subjects.
In about two weeks’ time, we will all be heading to the Swedish bushes for our leadership training camp (military style – I hazard a guess). I think this excursion will fan the flame and see many of us replenish our tanks with vim and vigor. I must confess though that the prospect of spending 4 days and 3 nights in a bush, makes for close flirtation and inspires loose motion in my stomach. I am sitting on pins and needles; wondering for the first time if this is the ‘devil’ I signed up for? This is surely going to shuffle me out of my comfort and ‘safe’ zone and stretch me further and beyond.
Graduation is in 4 months’ time. I can’t wait to throw that hat high up into the sky with pride. I am overwhelmed by the uncertainty of what the MBA will bring. Good fortunes I suppose, fulfilling and high paying jobs, successful businesses, or maybe the fancy title of a CEO. The future’s lips are sealed; we wait in eager anticipation to see how the land lies but at this juncture I can say without fear of contradiction that personal development has been the greatest incentive!
It has only been 4 days since the Easter break but it feels like 2 weeks. The long awaited Integrated Strategy Project has officially started. I foresee sleepless nights but I just have got to put my foot pressed down the accelerator. I come from a country where tenacity is almost as important as patriotism, a place where daily struggles and patience-testing journeys have yielded pleasant results. This is my personal journey and until I see my hat in the sky and gratification on my mates faces, its Aluta continua for us all. It is a journey riddled with thorns, punctuated with a cocktail of emotions yet pregnant with promises for the future, a journey which lies entirely in the hollow of my hand!
No one told me it was going to be easy so I will keep on keeping on. Aluta continua.
-Ledile Chuene
Ledile is a Business Analyst from South Africa with engineering educational back ground.
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Learning to cycle in Denmark (while doing an MBA)
By Matthew | April 10, 2012
As a recent convert to cycling, I love Denmark for its flat terrain and extensive cycling infrastructure. From the beautiful countryside at Jylland to the scenic coastline in Møns Klint, this country was made for cycling. Indeed, cycling is engrained in the bone marrow of these people, as young and old pedal around out of sheer enjoyment. Cycling in Denmark, in my mind, was a dream come true, as an extracurricular activity during the MBA.
But then something changed….
Like all systems of transportation, in cycling there are rules and regulations, norms, do’s and dont’s. This is only natural, or else there’s no predictability or safety on the road. While cycling is a simple activity, almost intuitive, we must adhere to a code of conduct. I’ve learned this the hard way.
My first lesson was learned when cycling in the streets of Copenhagen on a cold and wet afternoon. In the city, there are often two sidewalks; one for cycles, the other for pedestrians. Due to the lack of vision and a strong desire to get home, I accidentally rode on the pedestrian sidewalk and directly past an old woman walking her dog. She consequently yelled out: ”Are you f***ing braindead?” My first reaction was: in general or just today? Obviously she was appalled by my lack of correct conduct and wanted to let me know that I needed to ride correctly.
My second lesson was gratefully received on a long trip to the old merchant town in Køge, south of Copenhagen together with two classmates. As we reached our destination, we thought we would cycle through the city and get a bite to eat. Again, I foolishly cycled on the pedestrian sidewalk, because of the cobble stones, which I always
suspect hurt my carbon frame. An old couple (again with a dog), noticed my misconduct and the husband positioned himself. As I cycled past them, he body tackled me, leaving me in a state of shock. I must be one of the only living Norwegians who has been body tackled by an old man, in the city of Køge, while on a bike. In the aftermath, I respected his call to duty, his act of risking his life, to uphold a moral standard. And I’m okay now.
My third and final lesson was learnt on the northeast coast close to the city of Helsingør. In times of cockiness, I often cycle on the road, even when there’s a designated pavement for bicycles. I know it’s wrong, I know it can create havoc for the automobiles. But I want to be part of the moving traffic as a source of motivation to ride faster.
Upon abandoning the sidewalk, a car, driven by and old man (probably with a dog in the backseat) beat the horn aggressively and loudly, even swerving closer to my bike to pound home his point. There were no other cars around and no situation to speak of, but I clearly breached the principle. And he wanted to let me know. I gave him the ”thumbs up” to thank him for teaching me yet another lesson.
So, I do try to improve my social skills in cycling. It’s tempting to take shortcuts and bend rules, but luckily there are guardians of the ”Old Code” and in Denmark, people are seemingly willing to risk their lives to uphold them. While I respect their moral stance, I do think their actions can be extreme. The next time I ride on the pedestrian sidewalk, I will consider whether to speed up or speed down.
- Fredrik
Fredrik is a relationship manager from Norway with an educational background in business. Read more from Fredrik in his other post: It’s Good To Be Norwegian in Denmark.
Topics: Living in Denmark, Outside the classroom, Thoughts for the day | No Comments »
What’s In A Name?
By Matthew | February 25, 2012
Now that it’s my turn, I settle down to come up with a meaningful blog. Unfortunately, nothing of a substance pops up in my seemingly overloaded brain. The “I-was-born-intelligent-but-education-ruined-me” sort of feeling overshadows my otherwise calm mind, these days. The Corporate Finance owns half the credit for that. All I do for now is sit idle and stare blankly for a divine intervention with a topic.
Proving futile, as always, I look up only to find array of binders stacked on my bookshelf, not neatly as you may think. Moments later, I was reflecting deeply on what I have learned so far. It’s only been about six months into this MBA program, but the courses say that I have got what it takes to be a leader, at least in theory. What have we not learned? Almost everything under the sun – despite hardly seeing the sun in Denmark. It is not by chance that most of the course names are suffixed with the word “management.” There is some serious management stuff in the course. For instance, Marketing Management, Human Resource Management, Change Management, Operations Management and Strategic Management all have “management” proudly tagged in the title. Yet, the word management hasn’t found a place in MBA, literally. It would have been apt to call Master of Business Management, instead. I ask to myself, is management a part of administration or is it the other way round. After some thought, I decide not to spiral around yet another chicken-and-egg analogy. After all, what’s in a name?
William Shakespeare said in Romeo and Juliet “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” The MBA by any other name would smell as sweet. If not for sweet, it would definitely smell sweaty, for we sweat a lot as a fulltime-MBA’ians. Not only has the title of the program, but the course also has some fuzzy names. Even before I could familiarize myself with the name of one course, the course was already gone and the binder had found a place on my shelf. It is none other than the Supply Chain Management a.k.a Multinational Operations a.k.a Operations Management. In Buddhism, the reincarnates come in three forms; mind, body and speech. This subject for sure has come in all of the three forms.
With the increasing popularity of the MBA worldwide, it has also been notoriously expanded by some as a “Master of Bad Activities,” “Most Bossy Attitude,” “Married But Available,” and so on. Behind the sheepish smiles, most people would agree on this, if not all. Whatsoever be it, the MBA is a globally sought-after degree and for this, we have all the more reason to be happy about being onboard. Come what may, in about six months from now, we shall all be graduating. It shall finally find a place in our CV’s. Theories and models would then be put into practice, a live test in essence.
However, when someone asked me sometime back, would you be able to implement in your career what you learned in MBA? I smiled and gave the smart MBA answer- “It depends”.
It surely depends.
Karma is an executive engineer from Bhutan with an educational background in electrical engineering.
Topics: MBA - a one-year investment in yourself, Thoughts for the day | Comments Off
Copenhagen in Five Senses
By Thuli | February 20, 2012
Writing papers, sitting in lectures, and poring over readings. Add preparing presentations, working in groups and taking part in other school-related activities. I would think that there isn’t any life outside of school, right? Contrary to popular opinion, there is time to go out and enjoy life in what is ranked among some of the best cities in the world to live in. And as part of one of the concepts I learned very early on in the first Leadership Discovery Process (LDP) module we take as an MBA student, I need to!
As an experienced traveler, I like to explore on my own time and at my own pace. I don’t have any checklists to tick off, preferring instead to be “glad to be in a particular place for no special reason except my five senses,” as one of my good friends put it. As I’ve made Copenhagen my home for a year, I would like to share a few of my favorite sensory experiences I’ve enjoyed around Copenhagen so far – perfect for a short respite from writing a paper or studying a textbook to prepare for lectures!
Taste
The Royal Library (also known as The Black Diamond or Den Sorte Diamant) isn’t just a great place to study if I want to study off-campus, but the Øieblikket café on the ground floor has THE best hot chocolate I have ever tasted. After finishing a term paper, nothing is better than to indulge in a little chocoholic’s delight – hot chocolate and a brownie.
Sound
A particular highlight was a trip with a bunch of my MBA classmates to a karaoke bar on Strøget, the pedestrian street in the center of Copenhagen. It was a blast to sing our favorite songs and cheer on our classmates as they sang theirs. Or sometimes get up on stage and sing with them!
Sight
New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen was such a visual experience. A group of my classmates and friends rang in the New Year on the northern end of “The Lakes,” five rectangular lakes that edge the western end of the city center. As I looked down the length of the lakes (as far as I could see, as the lakes curve), I was awestruck as the sky was lit up with fireworks of all shapes, sizes and colors. And they went off for hours in the streets, over the lakes, everywhere. A visual feast in the dark Copenhagen night as one year ended and a new one began!
Touch
One of my flatmates (also a classmate) invited me shortly after he arrived to start doing yoga with him. Intrigued, I tagged along with him to a local yoga studio and promptly fell in love with it. I realized I never truly felt until I consciously focused on what I was feeling inside your own body. Feeling the ground with one foot as I struggle to hold a tree pose, feeling all the blood rushing to my head in a handstand to finishing off an intense session with a good shavasana, I always feel refreshed, relaxed and optimistic after yoga! The perfect antidote to that mental block on my assignment.
Smell
There are so many smells around Copenhagen, from the hot dog stands peppered throughout the city center to the slightly musty smell of the old churches. There are smells I may not enjoy as much, but those aren’t important. My favorite smell in Copenhagen so far is, however, in plentiful supply. A leisurely walk along a seawall blasts me with the smell of the sea. Even on top of the speed at the wind may be buffeting, the fresh and invigorating smell equips me with the energy to power through the tasks I’ve been putting off.
These sensory experiences have added additional life and color to my experiences studying at CBS, elevating my experiences with a truly amazing MBA program. Paying a little closer attention to my senses has given me a deeper appreciation for everything in my life that has brought me to this point, one I didn’t expect to be in just one year ago. Funny how so many things can change in the space of a year!
Kai is a former airline ground operations trainer/subject matter expert from the United States with an educational background in international relations.
Topics: Living in Denmark, Outside the classroom | Comments Off
MBA Global Consulting Challenge
By Thuli | February 20, 2012
Vibeke Rohde (Denmark) and Felix Schoeller (Germany) will go to California this week for the USC Marshall Business School International Case Competition.
After two months of putting on hold what little there is of their lives , Vibeke Rohde and Felix Schoeller, together with members of their Alpha Team (Nick Ariens [USA]; Richard Hungerford [Canada] and Michael Tong [USA]), will present their strategic solution for an international computer giant in the MBA Global Consulting Challenge at California’s USC Marshall Business School. The Alpha Team will go head to head with 8 teams from other top international MBA Programs.
The quintet are pinning their hopes on the national and professional diversity for an holistic innovative solution to the problem. Vibeke is a lawyer, Felix comes from shipping; Nick is a Business Manager; Richard is from the Clean Tech industry and Michael from Financial Services.
The competition takes place from 23 – 24 February and we wish them luck.
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Ever Been Part of an Advisory Board?
By Matthew | February 13, 2012
No? Then be sure you will get the chance as part of the CBS FullTime MBA. What is an Advisory Board? I found the following definition that nails it quite well in my eyes:
A group of individuals who’ve been selected to help advise a business owner regarding any number of business issues, including marketing, sales, financing, expansion and so on; a body that advises the board of directors and management of a corporation but does not have authority to vote on corporate matters
So what exactly do we do as part of the Advisory Board? Our class got divided into 12 groups of three to four people and were each introduced to different entrepreneurs and companies. The range is from really small companies and governmental to global players, with topics from crowd-funding over expansion to global sourcing. As in real life, some of the challenges are straight forward, others are a bit more tricky and not that defined.In advising the companies we follow a three step model and first analyse the status quo. This is followed by looking into the “what it could be” and is closed by “what it should be.”
Frankly speaking I was sceptical about our roles as Advisors. Working on a strategy of a big and established German company I did not expect to make a big difference with our work. We met up the first time end of November and got introduced to the team and task we will be working with. On our flight home we already had an idea of what we would like to advise on and the next weeks we spent on digging into it and discussing the pros and cons of different solutions and strategies. We came up with a concept that was pretty radical, but was the best in our eyes seen on a long-term basis and for the company as a whole. The problem with it was that the organizational structure that had already been planned by our client would have to be turned upside down. We met up again with the company in February and expected heated discussions about our concept and taking it too far. The core slide of our presentation showed up on the wall, a short moment of silence, a question to confirm that this is showing what they think it is showing followed by wide agreement.
We were stunned!
We had a great meeting, 3.5 hours of deep discussions and straight forward talking. So now we are preparing for the third meeting. Second half of March we will fly to Germany again and show them what in detail we advise them to do. We will go there with the feeling that even in a short time, with a small team, in a big cooperation, you can make a difference!
Julian comes from Germany with experience as a quality engineer and has an educational background in engineering and business.
Topics: Advisory Board, Studying in an international environment | Comments Off
Learning Key Terms and Swear Words – Why I Chose CBS
By Matthew | February 9, 2012
“MBA programme where? Copenhagen?
Is that in Belgium or the Netherlands?”
That was the responses from most of my friends and family and, till today, I am either in either Finland, Germany or
Switzerland. In fact, as a snowflake fell right into my eye as I quickly tried to walk to the metro the other day, I myself wondered, why Copenhagen? Especially with weather where you don’t get to see the sun for days and -10 degrees is no longer just the temperature in your freezer back home.
But then I get to class and I look around at my classmates who represent 25 different nationalities, speak a variety of languages, hail from different parts of the world, and who bring with them work experience that covers all industries you can think of in 5 minutes. And then I know why Copenhagen, why Denmark. And why the MBA…
The reasons does however sometimes get a bit blurry, especially when you have yet another deadline for a 10 page paper, have to try and get concepts like ‘Economies of scale’, ‘ratios’ and plenty other silly terms into your head for an exam, try and organize a meeting with your A-board group, never-mind having to keep track of all the groups you are part of and you ask yourself: what am I supposed to learn and take away with me again? Then a new course starts and you remember concepts like Porter’s 5 forces or the elements of a business model, the impact of variable costs and you smile to yourself and say: yes, this is why I am doing the MBA.
But it gets hard at times; you get bored of the routine, seeing the same people, being in the same building every day, you miss your friends and family, having to familiarize yourself with yet another course outline, new lecturers and you get frustrated with the fact that even after four months, you still end up buying yoghurt instead of milk!
But then you finally catch the dry Danish humour, you start getting annoyed at slow cyclists and you find yourself giving directions to tourists. And you realize that it is not just about the classwork and getting a top grade in all your subjects…the learning is outside the lecture rooms, outside the building, getting to know your classmates in a pub or a coffee shop, learning and embracing a new culture, competing against classmates at a VCIC competition, having a laugh with them (or them laughing at you) and you realize once again that this is why you are doing it. It is a learning curve which you only get to embark on once, and it’s up to you to lean into the curve and get the most out of it. Both inside and outside the lecture rooms. You even learn whilst copying the latest set of slides in the printing room – even if they are Russian or Spanish swear words.
It is worth the long days spent in a multitude of group meetings, racing against the never-ending paper deadlines and cramming for yet another exam. At the end we will leave Copenhagen with a bunch of new friends we’ll spend years visiting, we will be more tolerant, patient, have a fantastic sense of humour and knowledge gained from both books and classmates.
That is why the MBA programme and why Copenhagen Business School.
Jolene is a client services manager from South Africa with an educational background in marketing.
Topics: A normal MBA day, Living in Denmark, Outside the classroom, Studying in an international environment, Why I Chose CBS | Comments Off
”It´s good to be Norwegian in Denmark”
By Masami | January 27, 2012
So states a well known and long running commercial for leisure cruises between Oslo and Copenhagen. Denmark has indeed been viewed as a choice destination for Norwegians (often in search of cheap beer and cigarettes). In this article, however, I want to draw attention to some cultural and behavioral differences which characterize us fellow Scandinavians.
Business conduct
Denmark is a highly successful trading nation, which is exemplified by their high living standard despite a lack of abundant natural resources. This has obviously fostered a code of conduct in business, which differs from its richer, colder neighbour Norway. Danes are natural deal makers, they love a good bargaining match! Norwegians feel slightly embarrased if anyone tries to bargain down prices. The lesson to be learned is: ”When in Rome…” While Danish businesspeople are not exactly viewed as highway robbers in Norway, they do have a reputation for slacking their moral obligations in business transactions. For evidence, see the ”Danish Language” clip on youtube, where a milkman cynically exploits a ”communication problem”.
Social conduct
My experience with Danes in festive settings, is that they often sing, to the dismay of those around them. They often sing loud, victory songs meant to break the spirit of people nearby. Having played in soccer tournaments against Danes (who unfortunately always won), they seem less inhibited than Norwegians. Perhaps its the ice and snow that makes us less gregarious than our southern brethren or perhaps it´s simply that they drink more alcohol than us. In any case, when Norwegians ask the question: ”Why?”, Danes will counter with ”Why not?”. Norway was once the inferior part of the Danish-Norwegian Union which dissolved in 1814, maybe this history still inhibits us in party settings. At least they have no oil to sing about.
General conduct
Norwegians and Danes are basically the same, despite speaking quite differently. Our culture, law and societal makeup share many important values and principles. But as Norwegians we have to face the fact that Copenhagen is part of continental Europe and much more in tune with developments and change in the Euro area. Danes seem to embrace leadership responsibility and form groups which actually function well! In Norway we are so used to our space and omnipotence that group interaction can often be viewed as a hindrance, rather than a facilitator. There is clearly much to learn here…
So, why do Norwegians flock to Denmark and specifically CBS to get their education? The school is acknowledged by the business community as one of the top educational institutions in Northern Europe and one which teaches relevant management practices. It is not, therefore, only the promise of cheap beer that attracts Norwegian stundets, but an education and experience which will be valuable in whichever path they choose.
Fredrik is a former Relationship Manager with experience from Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Nordea. In his spare time he is an avid race cyclist.
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