IMM Program

Executive-MBA students on 2-week residency in China

For the first time ever, China was the location for one of GISMA’s 2-week residencies for its Executive-MBA (EMBA) students. The 39 participants not only delved into subjects such as Strategic Management, International Management and Corporate Analysis, but also explored China’s economy and culture. Lectures, excursions to Chinese firms and contributions by guest speakers made for an enriching cross-cultural experience.

Michael Krächter (43), Purchasing Director at Rheinzink (a subsidiary of Grillo-Werke), was among the EMBA participants who had never before been in China. “The economic importance of the entire Asian region – and of China in particular – is rapidly growing, so I was very enthused about this opportunity to experience such a booming market up close. Although my work isn’t likely to be taking me to Asia in the foreseeable future, as a manager working in a global corporation I will sooner or later be dealing with business associates from all over the world, and naturally also in China,” remarked Krächter.

While on residency, the students were put up in Shanghai’s modern Pudong district, which is also home to the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). The seminars and lectures all took place right on site at the CEIBS campus. Among the companies visited as part of the program was the Roche R&D Center Co. Ltd.

Beer boom in China

Dr. Annegret Zurawski – GISMA’s Academic Director, who accompanied the group to China – spoke of a major highlight of the experience: “One guest speaker really made a lasting impression on everyone: The managing director of the Tsingtao Brewery was giving us some insight into the Chinese beer market, where consumers apparently have a mighty thirst for Tsingtao beer. When asked by a student whether he had any plans to export beer to Europe later on, his astonished reply was that the Chinese market is so immense that only 20 percent of current domestic demand can be met. As he pointed it, it doesn’t make much sense to think about market opportunities in faraway places when the home market is nowhere near saturation point. This impressively reveals how radically different the Asian and European markets can be.”

The art of cross-cultural “small talk”
Beyond learning about Strategic and Marketing Management, EMBA participants also took a close look at the dos and don’ts of cross-cultural communication. Michael Krächter summed it up: “Our lectures keyed us into the essentials of dealing with Chinese business partners, and we immediately had the chance to put our new knowledge into practice on our excursions to Chinese companies. For me, one important revelation was that the Chinese are not accustomed to getting right to the point. Instead, they talk about this and that before ultimately addressing the business issues at hand. So if you don’t want to end up overwhelming or even offending a Chinese negotiation partner, it’s important not to burst right out with what’s on the agenda.”

Some participants chose to stay on in China after their residencies for further immersion in the Chinese culture. “I was very fortunate in that a fellow student of mine has a colleague based in Beijing who kindly filled us in on life in Beijing and also took us on a tour of the city. It was a big help to have a knowledgeable guide with us, since English, alone, won’t necessarily get you very far in Shanghai or Beijing.“

The IMM program

The “International Master’s in Management” (GISMA’s MBA program for executives) is a collaborative effort on the part of GISMA Business School in Germany, Purdue University in the U.S., the TiasNimbas Business School in the Netherlands and the CEU Business School in Hungary. The IMM gives executives the chance to earn an MBA without taking a break in their careers. As part of the program, every year participants from all over the world get together for three two-week residencies at each of the four collaborating business schools as well as in Shanghai.The application deadline for GISMA’s Executive-MBA program is December 31.