Eduniversal Best Masters & MBA Ranking 2021

Several of our master programs achieved top-10 places in the ranking issued by Eduniversal

Every year, Eduniversal’s ranking includes the best Master and MBA programs in more than 50 fields of study worldwide.  This ranking has a sector-specific approach, which is based on criteria that measure the capacity of a programme in providing students with that added value indispensable in today’s job market.

For the 2021 edition, Eduniversal analysed more than 22’000 MBAs and Masters, of which 5416 have been included in its ranking.

We are proud to announce that several of our programs achieved top-10 places in the Best Masters & MBA Ranking 2021 by Eduniversal:

  • MEM – Master in Energy Management, #1 Energy and Natural Resources Ranking in Western Europe
  • MEGMI – Master Executive in Gestione degli Asset Industriali e della Manutenzione, #1 Industrial and Operations Management Ranking in Western Europe
  • iMSCPM – International Master in Supply Chain and Procurement Management, #3 Supply Chain and Logistics Ranking Worldwide
  • BABD – International Master in Business Analytics and Big Data, #3 Big Data Management Ranking Worldwide
  • IMLUX – International Master in Luxury Management, #3 Luxury Management Ranking Worldwide
  • iMPM – International Master in Project Management, #5 Innovation and Project Management Ranking in Western Europe
  • MIT – Master in Master in Management of Research, Innovation and Technology  , #7 Business Intelligence &Strategy Ranking Worldwide
  • GEMOS – Global Executive Master in Operations & Supply Chain, #10 Purchasing Ranking Worldwide

The School obtained excellent results also with:

  • IM4 – Master in Marketing Management – Omnichannel & Consumer Analytics, #13 Marketing Ranking in Western Europe
  • EMMPF– Executive Master in Management Pubblico per il Federalismo, #13 Public Administration / Management Ranking in Western Europe
  • MPAM – Master in Performing Arts Management, #14 Cultural Management/Creative Industries Management Ranking Worldwide
  • AMIE – International Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, #14 Entrepreneurship Ranking Worldwide,
  • GMIM – Global Master in Industrial Management 4.0, #17 General Management Ranking in Western Europe
  • SUM – Master in Management dell’Università e della Ricerca, #20 Public Administration / Management Ranking in Western Europe
  • International Full Time MBA, #25 Full Time MBA Ranking in Western Europe
  • International Part Time MBA, #27 MBA Part Time Ranking Worldwide
  • Executive MBA, #29 Executive MBA Ranking Western Europe
  • MIFRIM – Master in Financial Risk Management, #34 Financial Markets Ranking Worldwide

Leave Your Mark: MIP and non-profit organizations join forces to build a better future for all

An initiative conceived to allow managers, professionals and talented young people who study or have studied at MIP to make available their expertise – pro bono – to non-profit institutions that play a key role in building a more inclusive society and a better future for everyone. An important opportunity for personal and professional growth, but also to give back to the community a part of what was received during one’s education

Commit your resources and energy to build a better and more inclusive society, by participating in a volunteer programme to help non-profit organizations. It is the purpose of the Leave Your Mark initiative, promoted by MIP Politecnico di Milano in partnership with the Gianluca Spina Association. «I believe that business schools must increasingly promote a profound process of change and train managers who are aware how their decisions can – and must – contribute to improving the world in which we live and in which our children will live, and how this is not incompatible with the pursuit of maximizing profits for shareholders», explains Dean Federico Frattini. «This initiative represents the ideal opportunity to test the abilities and skills acquired by our students in the “real world”, while offering important help to the non-profit organizations involved».

 

An important opportunity for growth

This year we chose four non-profit organizations: UNICEF Italia, Cidiesse (Social Solidarity Cooperative) the Daniele Crespi High School and Open Ethics. The project aims to help these four non-profit organizations to improve their processes to increase their efficiency, effectiveness and impact in the environment in which they operate. «Issues that have always been close to the heart of our association, created with the goal of promoting and supporting training and scientific research initiatives involving management, with particular attention to social impact», explains Raffaella Cagliano, president of the Gianluca Spina Association. «We have always favoured educational and professional aspects, and we believe it is important to contribute to managerial education. Leave Your Mark is a project that instantly convinced us, and so we decided to support it. Volunteering is an important opportunity for personal and professional growth, and fully represents the aspiration that every manager contributes to creating a better world for all».

 

Four challenges, four skill sets

An enthusiasm also found among students and alumni, who signed up in large numbers. With over 100 candidates, about twenty were chosen, which were then divided into four teams based on individual skills. Indeed, the goal was to create working groups with complementary skills, able to truly make the difference for institutions that were part of the project.

Professors at the school will coordinate the teams.  For example, Sergio Terzi, Associate Dean for Students Engagement and Supporting Services, will follow the team working with l’UNICEF Italia: the goal is to support UNICEF in developing an engagement and cooperation strategy with Italian companies involved with B2B. The team must be able to identify the most important stakeholders, to analyse and segment the B2B market and to draft cooperation models.

Those who will offer their contribution to Crespi High School, under the supervision of Tommaso Agasisti, Associate Dean for Internationalization Quality and Services, must develop a digitalization model that manages the flow of documentation, while also adopting an ecologically sustainable approach.  An ideal challenge for those who know how to analyse organizational processes, especially in a school setting, and how to manage a digitalization process.

Davide Chiaroni, Associate Dean for Executive Education, instead, will be the tutor for the third project.  Cidiesse has already drawn up an ambitious marketing plan to expand its activity of giving disadvantaged youth access to the labour market, but needs careful budget planning, and the creation of a specific tool. In this case, the required skills range from experience in manufacturing to management, accounting and ERP (enterprise resource planning).

Lastly, Daniel Trabucchi, Assistant Professor for Innovation Management, will lead the team that will help Open Ethics create a culture of transparency in Italy for the digital products that we use every day. A perfect project for those who want to test their knowledge, including that of privacy and personal data management, behavioural economics, Artificial Intelligence, marketing and community management.

 

Volunteering that allows you to grow  

Putting their time, experience, creativity and skills to the service of Leave Your Mark, students and alumni can contribute to building a better future and to concretely help the selected organizations. But not only. This experience will allow them to acquire new skills, to expand their network and adopt a different perspective, compared to that of a traditional work environment.

A big opportunity for growth that has generated a lot of enthusiasm in the community.  For this reason, and for the importance the school places on these issues, as is also shown in the mission of MIP– Leave Your Mark is a project destined to last over time. The 2021 edition was just launched, but we are already thinking about next year!

Why is doing an MBA now more important than ever?

There’s no doubt that the current pandemic has put a lot of things in perspective for the world. The primary factor here is the business landscape, as industries across the world grapple with the new normal and are about to start a long and arduous journey towards recovery. Businesses are re-evaluating their methodologies within the context of the pandemic and restructuring their vision and mission values to fit the new normal. It comes as no surprise then, that a lot of these businesses are looking to invest in managers and leaders who share the same level of consciousness towards the challenges that lie ahead and are able to figure out solutions to lead businesses with their knowledge and acumen.

With things having hit the reset button, it becomes imperative that investing in an MBA amidst the global pandemic makes more sense than ever! Why do you ask? So let’s take a look first at what does an MBA offer?

At its core, an MBA offers you the following key aspects:

  • Technical expertise at managing and leading a business
  • The opportunity to build a network with professionals from diverse backgrounds
  • The chance to specialize in a field suited to the constantly evolving technologies and business landscapes (Innovation, Digital Transformation, Big Data

With the pandemic severely affecting the future prospects for a lot of junior-middle management executives, the crisis also presents a fantastic opportunity to significantly add new knowledge to your current capabilities and add value to your profile. Think of it this way, nobody in the last decade who graduated as an MBA faced the same challenges while figuring out solutions to case-studies or figuring out the current scenarios in the context of Covid.

Add to this, the fact that the pandemic has limited our mobility and so scope for socializing has dropped drastically. With the backdrop of the pandemic, business schools all over the world have had to quickly grapple with the challenges and make the best use of available technologies. At MIP Politecnico di Milano, I was amazed at the rate at which these technologies were initiated for optimum course delivery. Along with the academics, it also allowed me to have live discussions with the professors as well as the wonderful set of colleagues for various assignments, projects and competitions. The fact that we are part of an international program means that I have had the pleasure of growing my network with some of the smartest minds from different parts of the world.

Another important facet of doing an MBA is that it provides an opportunity to evaluate an alternate career path. Of course, most people applying for an MBA dream of landing a top job in their preferred fields of Finance, Operations or Marketing − but what if the job market is lacking in better prospects? As someone studying business administration, I can say that the technical skills that you learn about managing businesses successfully can also provide you with a way to start your own business. The knowledge can give you deeper insights into defining the value of your product or service and enable you to work out a comprehensive business plan in order to take your solution to the market. Business schools across the world today offer their students incubators and a vast network of industry professionals in order to hone their entrepreneurship skills.

Part of studying for an MBA is being able to question the status quo and devise solutions to complex issues. The crisis will demand of business schools the fusion of prevailing knowledge with new intelligence. As new technologies emerge so will the new data points, helping us draw fresh insights into how to adapt the course offering of MBA programs to better suit the needs of the industry. It becomes imperative then, applying to take an MBA in current times will help you equip yourself better for the time when worldwide economies hit the recovery mode and employers will be looking to hire skilled people who can help them navigate the future.

Last but not least, an MBA can help boost your confidence in yourself many times over. It is not a hidden fact − the pandemic has taken a huge toll on our mental health. Being amidst high-calibre individuals with similar thoughts can help you make new friends and significantly boost your inner confidence in your own abilities as a team-player. Most MBA programs are designed in such a way as to help you learn how to manage multiple tasks by learning to prioritise and teaching you how to deal with tight timelines that follow one after the other. These traits help you develop a long-term perspective on getting a return-on-investment out of your course, because as you get higher up in your corporate journey, you need these skills more and more.

To conclude; sure, the pandemic has made us think about a lot of things, with so much uncertainty looming around us; if you’re wondering whether now is the right time to go for a business administration course, I would say that this is the perfect time to unlearn old notions, learn new things, rewire your thinking and upgrade your skillset with an MBA degree.

 

About the author
Rakshit Behel

A results-oriented marketing communications professional helping brands achieve objectives with integrated marketing campaigns built around branded content. From creatively developing and implementing digital marketing and content strategies to measuring performance with analytics and providing insights into useful data, aligned to brands’ business goals; experience of working with clients from different industries: Hospitality, IT, Fintech, Media and Healthcare.

More MBA students are Studying Closer to Home in the Pandemic

For some, localization undermines the cosmopolitan experience of business school

A growing number of working professionals are fleeing the economic downturn and enrolling in business schools to upgrade their credentials. However, unlike in past recessions, many of those flocking to MBA programs this year are staying closer to home in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The trend of localization is problematic for business schools because it undermines the cosmopolitan experience, one of the hallmarks of a top MBA degree. In a globalized world, executives will travel across the world to study together with a diverse cohort of high fliers to gain a global perspective.

However, that diversity is now under threat, at least in the short-term. Last year, two thirds of MBA programs around the world reported a rise in domestic demand, but only half noted an increase in overseas applications, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council.

“The Covid-19 restrictions induced some candidates to choose programs closer to their home,” says Andrea Masini, associate dean for MBA programs at HEC Paris. He reports a 36 percent increase in applications from France in 2020. This led to a “significant” uptick in the number of European students compared to 2019.

He puts this down to a number of international candidates deferring their entrance due to travel constraints. This undermined strong overseas demand, with HEC noting that applications from Africa and Latin America were up by 47 percent and 43 percent, respectively. The challenge now will be to convince these students to take up their place next year. […]

At MIP, the Graduate School of Business of Politecnico di Milano, the dean Federico Frattini says there are enough Italian students to substitute for the school’s overseas exposure. He reports a slight decrease in international applications, but insists that the drop was offset by a 13 percent rise in domestic demand due to coronavirus uncertainty.

“In the last few years, we focused mainly on international candidates. Now, we are back to Italian students. But we hope the situation will be temporary,” says Frattini, noting that students may be keen to return to in-person study when the crisis, which has underscored the need for human connection, abates. […]

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The right mindset in a changing global context

It’s already been four months since I started my experience as an MBA student at MIP. I am still struggling to find a new comfort zone while organizing my time daily to fulfil my tasks at work, while preparing both the individual and the group assignments necessary to pass the exams without forgetting to clean the flat, go to the supermarket, do some sport and finally, get some rest.

The International MBA I have chosen is a part-time program that lasts two years. I knew it would be challenging but I have to admit that it’s not easy to predict in advance how much effort is required to work and study at the same time. I constantly need to plan my activities days ahead, I set personal deadlines for assignments and online lessons, considering that one of my goals is also to keep the quality of the work I do for my job as high as possible.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 emergency is pushing companies and universities to be much more flexible while scheduling activities, considering and alternating both in-presence and from-home solutions. We’re using all the features that technology can offer, not only to live our new routine as best we can but unfortunately, also to keep our distance from people.

Actually, we should at least try to take some advantages from this emergency. In Italy, due to the non-stop changing of the restrictions imposed weekly by the government, companies are redesigning their businesses and employees’ tasks so as not to stop production, engineering works, sales or any other valuable function. There is an extremely low likelihood of a global pandemic breaking out and no company had made adequate  preparations for facing one. This is the real challenge, after all: being able to take advantage of adverse situations, especially when they affect the whole industry including direct competitors. Unexplored strategies can speed up responsiveness and make the difference now, far more than was the case in previous years.

I’ve grown up in a global context that has changed fast year by year but I have honestly never seen the cards being reshuffled so many times in such a short timespan. It’s time to sink or swim, to freeze in front of a disruptive event or to react fast to reduce its long-term impacts. I prefer seeing it as a forced training of being flexible to unpredictable events, when you are not only required to plan in advance, but also to prepare a plan B or even a plan C.

When I think of myself as I was before taking the decision to start an MBA, I would never have seen things as I am doing now. What I am experiencing at MIP is something different from what I did previously during my studies, it might depend on my personal maturity, on my work experience, or on challenges I have already learnt to deal with. But that’s not all.

Try to imagine you’re in class following a lecture on something about which you know little, only the information you’ve read online or in some book or other, and the professor asks the students for some considerations about a certain business case. Actually, you have your personal view of the problem and want to contribute, so you raise your hand and explain your thoughts. The professor listens, nods and then lets other students start a discussion about it. You find that even if your idea is fine, it can be enhanced by your classmates’ expertise and therefore you improve alongside them, while analysing case after case.

It’s so astonishing to understand that as a silo you can only be good, while as part of a team, you can seek excellence. Studying several essential topics should be only one part of the improvement path, in the end it’s more important to surround ourselves with reliable and skilled people from whom we can learn, share knowledge and points of view. In some way, when you choose to start an MBA, you’re automatically designating the university to shape a well-mixed team of students to guarantee this.

The unexpected adversities and the fast-changing environment can be properly handled by being agile and flexible, but this is not sufficient. Teamwork should also be enhanced to its maximum, starting from the operatives right up to management level.

Finally, while writing this article, I have realized that I should not be looking for a new comfort zone  ̶ rather, what I actually need is to keep myself trained to be resilient enough to face unexpected situations with fast and solid resolutions. Surely the combination of work, university and a global pandemic can be the right gym.

 

About the author
Simone Moscato

Having graduated at Politecnico di Milano, Simone is now working as a civil engineer in an international EPC Company while attending the International MBA at MIP. An enthusiast for travelling and fighting sports, he’s always searching for new challenges. After years, he’s still struggling to learn how to play the guitar.

 

 

FINANCIAL TIMES: MIP POLITECNICO DI MILANO’S INTERNATIONAL FLEX MBA AMONG THE BEST 10 ONLINE MASTERS GLOBALLY

Flex MBA the only Italian programme in the ranking: up one place on last year, now 8th in the world and in Europe’s top 5

MIP Politecnico di Milano reconfirms its place among the best business schools in the world for online MBAs. MIP is the Graduate School of Business belonging to the School of Management at Politecnico di Milano. According to the Financial Times Online MBA Ranking 2021, published today, MIP’s International Flex MBA is 8th in world for distance learning Masters in Business Administration, one place better than last year. In the ranking for European business schools, MIP is in 5th place and is still the only Italian school in the ranking compiled every year by the British newspaper.

Our higher education offer holds its place among the most competitive in the world”, said Vittorio Chiesa, President of MIP.Every manager, business person and professional knows that is it vitally important to continue developing their capabilities and expertise, and strengthen leadership skills that are essential to guide companies, from SMEs to large multinationals, in a dynamic and rapidly changing world. MIP is now an international reference point for its role in supporting leaders in this challenge”.

MIP’s International Flex MBA was launched in 2016, and is taught via an innovative platform developed in partnership with Microsoft. It is the English version of our Flex MBA, the first MBA in Italy to have embraced smart learning when it debuted in 2014 within MIP’s programme portfolio. In eight years, over 550 students have taken one of these two MBAs, with enrolments up by 35% in 2020 alone.

Looking at the FT ranking and the parameters used, the International Flex MBA scored well in all “career progress” indices (progression in the alumni’s level of seniority and the size of company they now work for versus three years ago on graduation), in gender balance on the School’s Board and for the number of international students and faculty.

We are very proud to have received this acknowledgement from the Financial Times, as the only business school in Italy included in the ranking”, added Federico Frattini, MIP Dean.This improvement in our global position confirms the quality of our distance learning offer. The health emergency inevitably also had an impact on the way we ‘do’ higher education, and accelerated a process of innovation that we were already expecting as the natural progression in executive education. The rise in number of people studying for one of these MBAs in such an unusual year as 2020 indicates that our decision to introduce smart learning as the first in Italy and one of the earliest in Europe was a key move that allowed us to intercept the growing demand for flexibility, something that our business community has been expressing for some time”.

In the Financial Times’ top ten ranking, MIP is ahead of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland (USA) and the Australian Graduate School of Management at UNSW Business School in Sydney. Warwick Business School (UK) retain the lead, followed by IE Business School (Spain) and Imperial College Business School (UK), a new entrant to the ranking.

MIP’s International Flex MBA is inserted within an educational portfolio of excellence, joining about 40 Masters, including 7 MBAs and Executive MBAs, 200 open executive programmes and a series of training programmes customised for companies.

 

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From the family business to MIP, and back: «This is how we innovate the transfusion sector»

Barbara Sala, CEO at Delcon, talks about her educational and professional career, that led her to head the company founded by her father. «Our goal is to make the supply chain more efficient: using design and listening to those who work in the sector»

Innovating sometimes means changing your perspective. As did Delcon, the Italian company that produces medical equipment led by CEO Barbara Sala. A leap forward that might have been riskier, or that perhaps might not ever have happened, if the company did not have a purpose to guide its choices: «Above all by considering the sector in which we operate, which has a strong ethical value», explains Sala. «Having a noble objective allows us to risk something more to achieve it, adopting a long-term perspective».

Diversifying experiences: an added value  

Before coming to the helm of the company founded by her father, however, Barbara Sala travelled down different paths: after a degree in public relations, she explored marketing and technology, working with companies like Microsoft, Fujitsu-Siemens, Banca Intesa. And also by attempting the startup route, giving life to the AllUCanItaly tourism portal, which aimed to present Italy to tourists in its most authentic and genuine form. «Until, in 2011, I realized that the time had come to bring the value of all these experiences to Delcon. Over time, the diversity of my experiences after graduation proved to be an added value», says Sala. «Joining Delcon was an important professional and life choice, as well as an incentive to continue to train myself and thus to be able to meet the needs that my roles required».

An MIP education

Indeed, in 2014, Sala completed her EMBA at MIP Politecnico di Milano. «An experience that I would recommend to everyone.  I chose MIP for its engineering background and its attention to the issue of innovation», explains Sala. «But beyond the crucial educational aspect, I was also struck by the great networking opportunities. It was an experience that opened my mind, guaranteeing me empowerment and an important professional boost. Investing in education is the best choice that each of us can make, because the return is immense».

Design that is born out of use

Armed with new professional skills, and eager to innovate, Sala studied a diversification strategy for Delcon: «It wasn’t easy.  We operate in a highly regulated sector. All the machinery and technology used in blood collection must meet a series of stringent criteria. Until now, therefore, the production of these technologies always started from regulations». Delcon, at a certain point, decided to try a different strategy: «Together with Cefriel, a consortium company founded by the Politecnico that follows innovative companies, and with the New York Blood Center, we created the Milano scale. Instead of starting from regulations, we decided to interview those who personally use these tools.  What were their needs? Based on answers, we started to think about the design of the scale, so that it was not only perfectly compliant with regulations but also functional». The efficiency of the instrument and its ease of use, however, weren’t the only criteria that led to the creation of Milano: «We also worked to create an instrument with a less aseptic design compared to typical hospital products. We like to think that these products make the spaces dedicated to transfusions more welcoming».

Believing in a purpose

Delcon’s new approach also led to a small internal revolution, especially when it comes to hiring: «Our mission was to bring innovation to an industry that has always had difficulties in this area and to make the supply chain more efficient. And we understood that what makes the difference are those people who join our project with enthusiasm, with conviction. For this reason, we often hire candidates more for their attitude than for their CV. We look for courageous people, who like us care about the future of this sector, which is so delicate and important for everyone», concludes Sala.

From North to South. MIP’s distributed campus comes to life

Starting from the Bovisa campus, the nerve centre of the School, MIP expands nationally, giving life to local hubs in the Veneto, Lazio and Puglia regions. The goal is to enhance our vocation for innovation and offer students and professionals places for training, study and meeting up. And in the autumn a new branch will open in Milan’s Navigli district

Digital, distributed, innovative: these are the three adjectives that describe the year 2021 of MIP Politecnico di Milano. If on one hand, the business school will continue to focus on digital learning, a strength that is now recognised internationally and certified in different rankings, on the other hand it aims to strengthen its physical presence throughout Italy, from north to south: «In recent years we have realized that digital learning, even with all its advantages, has not eliminated the need for physical spaces, to the contrary», explains Dean Federico Frattini. «For this reason, starting from our nerve centre, represented by the Bovisa campus, we came up with the idea of creating spaces to allow our students to attend dedicated training events, to work in groups or to take part in a series of experiential activities that complete our educational offering. In recent months, a series of local hubs have come to life in the Veneto, Lazio and Puglia regions, in addition to a new Milanese space located in the Navigli district».

 

The concreteness of hubs, digital innovation

lt’s the idea of a distributed campus that is taking shape: MIP as an innovative business school, based in Milan but also present in other places. «The Bovisa campus in Milan will remain the nerve centre of the business school. Indeed, the Bovisa-Goccia project, will further reinforce the vocation for innovation of the campus and allow our school to benefit from enormous synergies and exchange opportunities», says Frattini, «but within a few months we will be able to count on additional branches, real contact points spread throughout Italy». Each of the hubs will respond to the different needs that arise within their geographical location. «We’re thinking of the needs of students, of course, but also those of companies, a very important stakeholder for MIP. Physical spaces make these experiences tangible. Furthermore, these hubs will be connected to each other digitally».

This strategy of strengthening our presence aims to reach an increasing number of students, professionals and companies, and has the goal of sharing with them the knowledge, skills and educational, relationship and cooperation models that already distinguish the Bovisa hub.

 

To each hub its identity

The goal is ambitious, to reach it we will focus on partnerships with local groups known for excellence.  In Puglia, for example, a new high-level training centre will be set up, in cooperation with UniVersus, the Politenico di Bari consortium: «Already between October and November, the first executive courses will be launched, using a mixed faculty, while starting in 2022 master’s programmes for those in more junior positions will begin». In the Veneto region, instead, Istituti Filippin La Salle will be involved, while in Rome a collaboration will be activated with John Cabot University and a series of other partners. Each of these partnerships will be characterised by a specific identity, modelled on the needs of the territory and of local companies. «Being present in different places will allow us to focus on issues relevant to that area. This shows that our expansion doesn’t add up to a watering down of our educational offering but, instead, a strong amplification of it», stresses Frattini.

 

MIP comes to the Navigli district

No less interesting is the genesis of the new project in Milan, that is born out of the desire to bring educational opportunities closer to the city centre. «In the five years following Expo», explains Frattini, «Milan has become one of the most popular destinations for international students. The inauguration of a space in Ripa di Porta Ticinese means being able to offer our students, especially those from other countries, the possibility to experience Milan in a way that is complementary to that done so far.  But the goal is also to make modular and flexible spaces available to companies, in line with their requests for classroom training». The inauguration is expected by the end of the year.

Communication needs to be well-rounded

Today, when we talk about advertising, we immediately think about catchy slogans and messages that leave their mark. There are some that have become iconic, such as Nike’s “Just do it.” or De Beers’s “A diamond is forever”.And yet, it wasn’t always this way. Originally, communications agencies were limited to selling advertising space, while the claims – thought up by salespeople – had a unique message. Buy me. It was J. Walter Thompson, at the beginning of the 1900s, who was the first to entrust the conception of advertising claims to writers and playwrights, thus transforming advertising from a simple invitation to purchase into quality communication content.

How has the role of communication changed since then? And what are the career prospects in this sector? We asked Professor Lucio Lamberti, Director of the International Master in Media and Communication Management at MIP.

 

Sometimes, there is a somewhat limited perception of what “communication” means. Why is this? And what role does it play today?

Being a head of communications is a bit like being the coach of the national football team: everyone has their own opinion of your work. It is very evident what communication is and perhaps for this very reason, it is seen as something trivial. It is not that at all, though.

Just think of how many different roles there are in this sector. There are those who buy advertising space, those who design communication messages, those who do public relations, those who take care of social networks, those who do Search Engine Marketing…
Apart from anything else, communication is an economic phenomenon that is anything but trivial, on which an important employment chain also depends. To give you an idea, annual global investment in advertising is around $590 billion, of which 25% is dedicated to digital.

Investments which, in order to achieve the predetermined communication objectives, must be allocated to different channels. To do this, it is not only important to know exactly how individual channels can contribute to achieving the result, but also to orchestrate them in a way that conveys a coherent and high-value image. Not only that, it is also necessary to assess what proportion of your budget to allocate to each channel.
So in the end, it is not as trivial as it may seem at first sight. On the contrary, serious expertise is required − and it was this need that gave rise to the International Master in Media and Communication Management.

 

From those first communications agencies dedicated solely to the purchase of advertising space, the sector has come a long way. How has the approach of companies and agencies changed? 

Digital has changed the world of communication, making it accessible not only to large companies but also to the smaller ones, thanks to mechanisms like cost per click.

The advent of digital channels has also highlighted the issue of optimising spending on communications. Statistical models enable you to modify the percentages of the budget allocated to the various channels in order to optimise the output in terms of sales, brand awareness, etc.

This is not an easy task – far from it. In fact, traditionally, companies have always relied on agencies to do this.
Agencies which, after having undergone a great fragmentation over the years due to overspecialisation, are now moving in the opposite direction. We have witnessed a consolidation that has led to the formation of the “big 4” – WPP, which among other things is a partner of the Master, Omnicon, Publicis and Interpublic –  which Dentsu has joined.

Agencies are also important for companies because they have a market vision that identifies new communications trends and helps them get to know the platforms –  which are constantly evolving – better.
This is increasingly important because, with the explosion of digital channels, communication has become a conversation.  Today, businesses are called upon to listen, as well as communicate. This is an opportunity to get to know your target group better and identify the tones, registers, and content to which it responds.

Did you know that according to statistics, we are exposed to more than 800 marketing messages a day? Of these, which ones will we remember? Probably those that are relevant to us − and only by listening to the consumer can a company understand what is relevant to its audience.

 

It is clear that the world of communication is very varied and constantly evolving. In terms of job opportunities, which are the most sought-after profiles today and what advice would you give to those who want to enter this sector?

My advice? Not to set becoming a social media manager as your goal. Not because it is not a valid or interesting profession but because right now, a communication professional needs to have a 360-degree view. It is not so important to specialise, but rather to have a thorough understanding of the processes. Specialisation is built over the course of one’s professional career. Those who have the basics also have the capacity to transform themselves in the world of communication.
The goal of the International Master in Media and Communication Management is precisely this: to create a well-rounded professional, who knows everything well enough, but what they know best is the whole picture.

This means knowing how to understand the various channels, the logics of communication, knowing the creative processes as well as the analytical aspects. We want our students to understand the point of view of the client, i.e. the company, and the agency, which is the executor.
In fact, agency work is very different from that of a company’s communications manager. This is why we have decided to emphasise these two different approaches through two dedicated strands within the Master.

There is another matter which a “well-rounded” professional cannot ignore: that of sustainability.
Communication and sustainability are sometimes thought to be antithetical terms, forgetting that the same tools can be used in a company as well as in an NGO. Indeed, it is precisely the non-profit sector that is often an example of great communication skills and significant investment in the sector.
It is different when it comes to sustainable communication in the sense of ethics. In fact, it is important that a professional knows the boundaries within which to move to avoid falling into misleading communication or greenwashing. That is why we have also included this aspect in the Master’s programme.

The world of communication is a fragmented ecosystem, involving various players with different and sometimes overlapping roles. Only those with a clear vision can not only handle the resulting complexity, but also leverage it to create value.

This is the characteristic feature of this Master’s programme: it aims to create a professional capable of adapting to the context.

In fact, in a world that runs ever faster, what companies need is a person who is able to move not only vertically, but also horizontally, so that they can be employed on multiple fronts.

It’s all a matter of mindset − and here comes the added value of doing a Master’s degree in communication at an engineering school. A certain type of troubleshooting approach allows you to manage everything from designing an automated engineering plant to modelling social interactions.

Digital transformation and i-Flex, enable your business to deal with changes

The entire world is changing. This has always been the case but in the last few decades the phenomenon has accelerated as never before. It was not so many years back that we witnessed first the industrial revolution and then an information technology revolution  ̶  now a new way of conceiving the world has arrived, from several point of view. It can be seen both in the goods we are using, and related technologies. Let’s think of smartphones, and how many things multipurpose devices have enabled in our lives. It can be seen in human interaction and relationships. Let’s think of social media and how they have turned our lives upside down. Let’s notice the sales services like e-commerce or sharing services like house-sharing, car-sharing, right up to the simple sharing of software/hardware instead of downloading/owning it.

The rules that worked until few a decades ago for industry leaders, the famous “too big to fail”, may no longer be valid nowadays, since incumbent industries can be destabilized or even devastated overnight by something better and cheaper. Bezos himself, founder and CEO of Amazon, said in 2018 to his employees, “I predict one day Amazon will fail”. He is aware that disruptive innovations are continuously happening. Every business knows that it’s mandatory for survival to adapt to environmental and economic changes. To compete with younger, fresher and lighter startups with their disruptive innovation it’s necessary to have the ability to surf the waves of the digital revolution and be able to handle digital transformation. Options could be either succumbing or getting the enormous benefit from it.

Hence, digital transformation is not only a trend of the moment, but is overwhelming businesses, and, in a kind of Darwinian evolution, selecting only those firms that are able to foresee the opportunities and threats. It embraces all the functions of the business. Everything can start precisely from the strategy of a business. Many new business models have been devised in this period by those who have the vision to see business opportunities which did not exist until the day before. It’s necessary to re-adapt the strategy processes in order to be able to recognize and welcome the changes. Or just to stop a startup hindering the work you have done until now.

But recognizing incoming change may not be enough. It’s necessary to be able to manage the change. The internal organizational structure may need to be updated in order to host more flexible processes or a simplified structure that can implement new strategies. Timing is important for business competition, being reactive is vital. A key aspect that has been introduced by digitalization is the ability to test and revert back. Digital technologies have a pivotal role in the implementation of BPM (business process management) principles.

Those changes will impact the business overall. Examples are multiple. Operations have been drastically reconceived. It’s being talked about Industry 4.0 and Agriculture 2.0. IoT systems entering firms. Digital innovations are becoming part of all production services, not only reducing costs (leading to adapting cost strategy) but mainly improving product quality (adding the differentiation and quality strategy) and enabling higher customer intimacy in the services provided. The market itself is being hit by new ways of being in contact with clients, attracting them and extracting analysis and trends from customers. Everything starts from customers and ends with customers. New branches and jobs are created in the omnichannel marketing area. Also neurosciences are fed with tons of data for their inferences. Data is an important asset in a business, maybe the most important. It makes it easier to perform internal management control or get external insights. Branches like Big Data, Deep Learning or Neural Network find their space in the new mechanisms, or create their own new ones.

Digitalization is also updating the ways of interacting with credit, or of getting funds. New forms of financial services are being introduced that allow differentiation in sourcing or investments. It’s changed the way to approach innovation as well. Depending on strategies, relaxing the confines of internal research and being open to new ideas from outside could be options that would make it possible to generate a significant impact in the differentiation and innovation of a company’s own products or processes.

Those I’ve just mentioned could be only a few suggestions about what digital transformation could mean for present and future businesses, and for society as a whole. It’s a wide argument that is impossible to cover in just a few paragraphs. And it’s in constant evolution, following its characteristics and prospects. Learning and being able to handle all the aspects and functions of a business is becoming crucial. The i-Flex MBA program offered by MIP Politecnico di Milano wants to raise attention with regard to evolving digital trends. It’s structured to place the traditional MBA topics alongside emerging tendencies, revisiting the offer with a view to digital transformation tools and instruments which enable new competences. All the subjects mentioned above, and many others, will be part of your journey, both in the i-Flex MBA program and, more importantly, in your future working life.

Digital is no longer a reason for competitive advantage, rather, it is a reason to succumb if you have not adopted it in the right way.

 

 

About the author
Vito Conversano

Chief Information Officer @ San Marzano Vini SpA with extensive international experience in IT & strategic consultancy for fortune 500 companies. Creative, Curious, Travel lover. Passionate about discovering new concepts, learning continuously and developing new ideas.