Posts Tagged ‘electives#8217;

Richard Barnard, current student of the International MBA program – Class of 2010, speaks about the next step in his career after coming back from his internship.

All the International MBA students are now back for either a term of electives, Core Period 3 classes or Core Period 2 classes depending on whether they are November 2010 intake students who did not go on internship, those that did or students from the April 2011 intake.

Personally, I have returned and joined a new class filled with the students who were selected for the International MBA in Practice internship option. We are studying the Core Period 3 content. The atmosphere within class is noticeably different from that which I experienced before the internship; it is clear that whilst committed to completing the course, all the students are significantly focused on the next steps of their careers, post-graduation. A key reason for this is that we have all proven ourselves on our internships, some have been fortunate to receive concrete job offers from the companies they interned in, whilst the others have gained renewed confidence in their marketable skills, and thus everyone’s perspective is now stretching beyond Core Period 3 to the job market. With the IE Careers fair scheduled for the week commencing Monday 3 October; thus we are all fine tuning our CVs and grabbing what time we have to reflect on the positions and companies we wish to apply for.

Our former classmates are likewise preoccupied with defining the next steps of their careers. Having completed Core Period 3 classes before the August holiday these students are now engaged in their first term of electives. The scheduling of the electives is variable and thus organizing social gatherings is becoming more important, so that friendships fostered during the first 2 terms do not diminish. The breadth of electives on offer is impressive and thus all students have the chance to either focus intensely on areas of particular specialization, or to embrace a broader approach and seek new and challenging insights by choosing a diverse selection of elective subjects.

No matter if we are studying core subjects or electives all the International MBA students are having to balance continued academic learning with active job searches and, of course, taking the time out to enjoy special moments with all the great friends we’ve made whilst on the program.

For those students who joined IE in April 2011, I wish you good luck with your Core Period 2 classes and urge you to strongly consider the International MBA in Practice option. Firstly, it provides an excellent means to road-test the knowledge you are gaining on the program; secondly, it definitely helps to raise your professional visibility within the job market.

Only 3 months until graduation for the November 2010 intake … let’s make it memorable!

IE Business School’s International MBA allows students to customize their MBA experience during the Elective period, known as IMBA+.

Amongst the many options students are offered is the opportunity to spend an intensive week at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in Shanghai as part of a Short Exchange. During this time, students will learn about China and its unique business practices through the module “Doing Business in China.” They will also have time to network and explore China’s commercial and financial capital.

Cheung Kong is the first and, at the moment, only private business school in the whole of China and has fast become one of the Asian leaders in business education.

Please click here to read a recent article published in Expansion y Empleo about Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. (article in Spanish)

During the International MBA program students have the opportunity to participate in several real consulting projects. The IE Consulting Project (IECP) is offered during the elective period and this April marked the conclusion of the April 2010 class’s IECP where 16 International MBA students presented their final projects to senior management at Unilever.

This year four teams of four students each worked on projects closely aligned with Unilever’s core activities such as Corporate Social Responsibility, Strategic Planning and Process Improvement. In order to complete these projects teams met with senior management but also visited Unilever facilities in Europe.

Duncan McIver, Works Director of Unilever’s Aranjuez facility concluded: “Once again I am extremely impressed with the caliber, professionalism and enthusiasm of the students and the work they have produced. Some projects were more strategic and others more operational, but in all cases the conclusions and recommendations have been practical, and applicable immediately to our business.”

To learn more about the International MBA program and our teaching methodology please click here:

One of IE Business School’s key values is entrepreneurship. The school was founded in 1973 by a group entrepreneurs and we are proud that 10% of our alumni start their own ventures after gradauation. Jeremy Melul, International MBA Class of 2009 graduate,  decided to start his own company Jogabo after finishing the program. We interviewed Jeremy where he shares his experiences with the MBA but also his current situation with his new venture:

Hi Jeremy, could you please introduce yourself?

My name is Jeremy Melul, I am both French and English and I graduated from the 2009 International MBA program. I currently live in London UK but I am a citizen of the world after having lived in London, Paris, Brussels, New York, Boston, Palo Alto, Sydney, Cape Town, Madrid and Pune. I work for my own startup, “jogabo”.

Why did you come to Madrid and IE?

I came to IE because I was looking for a more innovative program and something more geared towards entrepreneurship. I also wanted to diversify my US centric network a bit. After having done my Bachelor at Tufts, and my Master at Stanford, Europe was really my only option and I have to admit that the advantages of being in Madrid and getting to re-learn Spanish in such a wonderful environment really influenced me. Oh and did I mention the weather in Madrid?

Describe your International MBA experience
It was an amazing experience but it sure went by fast. Obviously I got a lot of the knowledge I was seeking coming in as an Engineer looking to get the bigger picture on things. But that is obviously not the only reason I decided to get an MBA.

Tell me about “Jogabo” the company you founded
Jogabo is the social and easy way to play soccer. Our aim is to make amateur soccer “bonito” by connecting soccer enthusiasts, facilitating the organization of games and adding a social layer of fun and competitiveness to the beautiful game. If you look at how people get their games organised or how they go about looking for playing opportunities it is quite astounding and archaic. It is a painful and inefficient process that requires using multiple disconnected tools and usually leads to many people actually not playing, which to me is the biggest concern. At any given time and location, there are many games being organized and many players potentially looking for other players. Unfortunately, they are just not aware of each other’s interest, and are not connected in any way. When you think about all the tools that are out there, be it smartphones, facebook, twitter, location aware devices (you name it), this shouldn’t happen! What we are doing is building a location aware web application for the soccer community that allows users to organize games, share their plans and discover opportunities to play in their area. Organizers can create games, invite players and get simple tools to manage their event. Players can follow games their friends are planning, as well as games that match their location and interests thereby helping them discover playing opportunities they would ordinarily be unaware of.

How did the program help you found your company?
We are a lean startup and are bootstrapping the company for now. This is obviously not what Business School prepares you for. However, the program has helped me prepare for steps we will take in the near future once we start looking for funding and we start hiring people. It is good to know that I am well equipped to tackle the future because it gives me the confidence I need to be able to just concentrate on “now”. And in startups, it is all about what is the most important thing that we need work on RIGHT NOW!

What is the next step for “Jogabo”?
The next step for us is to launch the site in closed beta, which is what we are working on non stop to make our deadline. I am actually in the US right now so that I can work closer to my technical co-founder. You know how the story starts right? “Two guys, in a garage…” so I guess we are trying to improve our odds a little bit that way.

What do you recommend to people starting the IMBA?

I have two main recommendations for new intakes. First of all, get involved in extra curricular activities through the Clubs and take a leadership role if you can. It really enhances yourwhole experience. For me it was the Football Club (obviously) and my MBA experience would not have been the same without it. It was a lot of work in addition to the existingcourse workload: organising the internal league, the 11-a-side team, the teams tournament travels to Paris, Barcelona and Los Angeles and starting the IE GreenLaces Cup. Looking back through, it was a hell of an experience with many opportunities to bond with some of my peers outside of my section. Secondly, take advantage of every minute of your MBA because it goes by fast and it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Work hard but don’t forget to play hard.

Students at IE Business School that are interested in Entrepreneurship can also join the Entrepreneurship Club or participate in Venture Lab where students have the possibility to develop a business idea and make it real. 

Chad Dixon, graduate of the International MBA program, class of 2009, was interviewed by TopMBA.com to share his professional experience post MBA.

Chad is employed by Calderys, a refractory solutions company that offers services to a broad range of industrial sectors. He was  able to secure a position combining both his favorite interests: finance and leadership. He explains the importance that the program played in helping him to achieve this  position:

“As an MBA student I was forced to develop positions on topics, under a wide range of scenarios, and quickly. An intense 15-month MBA helped me develop a certain tact, or even confidence, to move through any unknown territory I encounter.”

For the complete article please click here.

In the elective period class Behavioral Judgment and Decision Making, International MBA students have been engaged in experimental learning using behavioral simulators. In areas such as economics and finance, where traditional methods of predicting real world behavior have been unsuccessful this new methodology is receiving a lot of attention.

As IE Professor Lee Newman asserts: “We can study how people should behave and how people actually behave. Historically, these two approaches have been pursued independently. If we want to design better market mechanisms, craft more effective policies, and create more productive organizations we have to study and teach both perspectives, ideally at the same time.”   

To read more about what this class entailed, click here.

450 professional women had the opportunity of networking in a unique event organized by IE Busines School. Professsor Pino Bethencourt guided the attendees in the new techniques of networking. Pino Bethencourt teaches “Organizational Behavior” in Core Period 1 of the International MBA and electives related to leadership, networking and innovation during the elective period. Take a look of the video to learn more about this event!

Dr. Gayle Allard, International MBA Professor of Economic Environment & Country Analysis talks about what we don’t know in economics.

Professor Allard, teaches “Managerial Economics: Policymaking & the Global Context” in core period 2, and “Country Economic Analysis (a core plus elective) in core period 3. The core plus elective is the first of many elective classes where you can begin making your International MBA a bilingual program by taking the class in Spanish or English. For more information about core period and elective classes taught in the International MBA program at IE Business School check out our website.

Dr. Gayle Allard, Profesora de “Entorno Económico” y “Análisis Económico de Países” de International MBA habla sobre lo que no sabemos de la economía.

La profesora Allard enseña “Managerial Economics: Políticas y Entorno Global “ en el periodo esencial 2, y “Análisis Económico de Países“ (una electiva core plus) en el periodo esencial 3. La electiva core plus es una de las numerosas clases electivas en las que puedes empezar a hacer tu International MBA un programa bilingüe, cursándola en inglés o español. Para más información sobre el periodo esencial y las clases electivas en el International MBA de IE Business School, visita nuestra página web.

There are many reasons why someone decides to study an MBA, however, the common denominator is to have a unique experience in a well known business school that will help you reach your long term goals. “Finding a position in the real world that can fulfil your personal, professional and financial objectives is quite a challenge. You have to focus your efforts and do it for the right reasons.” Miguel Suarez, International MBA prospective student for the November 2010 intake at IE Business School, comments in his post “How safe is an MBA” at the Financial Times MBA Blog.

Some important points to take into account when deciding to study an MBA are: rankings, program length, teaching methodology; including development of interpersonal skills, student profile, faculty members, option to customize the program such as: language courses, electives, long and short exchange programs, the opportunity to get a dual degree with other important institutions, internship options; and last but not least, the location of the campus. 

Miguel Suarez, also explains in his blog post “Why I decided to go to IE Business School”  at the Financial Times MBA Blog, some of the reasons mentioned above. Have a look!