Learning from industry leaders and NGOs

ESMT is proving to be a great place to develop a broader appreciation of various industries. It is only a month into our MBA program and we just had a two-day session meeting several organizations from different industries. This was organized by the career services as part of a range of workshops called ‘Transition in Practice’

Over these two days we met officials from NGOs and consulting, manufacturing and telecommunication industries, as well as entrepreneurs from Berlin. We took advantage of the opportunity to obtain a deeper understanding of our academic activities from the industry players themselves. Issues such as corporate culture and image, corporate social responsibility, creating and managing value for stakeholders and decision making at the executive level took centre stage.

The officials of these companies took the time to discuss the effects of current issues such as the euro debt crisis, climate change and diversity and talent management on their organizations.

It was particularly interesting to understand how some of the big global NGOs such as Transparency International ensure that their messages are carefully conveyed in order to get the needed response which will make our world better. Our meeting with Daimler Financial services also gave us with some insights into how much the various sectors (production, finance and after sale service) contribute to the total value of the company.

The Hay group and Kienbaum Management Consultants also gave us information about how the consultancy firms operate and Deutsche Telekom, the German telecom giant, gave us an insight into the future of telecoms.

We also spent time getting to understand what it means to work in these industries and the organizations themselves. Our talks gave us the chance to meet the officials and discuss with them what drives them in their careers. The remarkable career successes of some of these industry leaders leads one to believe that – amongst other factors – dedication and diligence can lead to a successful career.

With a class as diverse as ours – architectural, finance, engineering and entrepreneurial backgrounds, to mention a few, these two days allowed us to develop a deeper perspective of what to expect in these industries and organizations. It was especially useful for those who plan a change of industry.

By: Ernest Kwame Gyimah