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«With the MBA growth is personal, not only professional»

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Achille Balestrini, new Ceo and Global brand manager of Nava Design Milano and MH Way, talks about his professional and educational background, marked by his time at Politecnico. And he explains the importance, even for those who already have experience in the field, to better structure concepts learned with a master’s degree.

From architecture to management, via an entrepreneurial initiative. This is the professional trajectory of Achille Balestrini, alumnus of the part-time international MBA programme at MIP Politecnico di Milano and recently nominated as the new Ceo of Nava Design Milano and MH Way, two companies that are part of the Smemorando Group.
His path was marked by three extremely important elements for those who have decided to make their way in the world of business: passion, competence and resourcefulness. But also from his experience at the Milanese university: «If I chose MIP’s MBA, it’s also because I also got my architecture degree from the Politecnico», says Balestrini. But between graduating and the master’s he pursued a path made up of intuition and personal bets.

Architect, entrepreneur, manager

After his degree and the start of his career in architecture, Balestrini decided to indulge his passion for casual sportswear. «I couldn’t stop thinking about an idea that at the time seemed decidedly innovative, that of a brand that was customizable». It was a winning intuition, because Balestrini devoted his energy to that project for about seven years. «A period of time in which we opened a single-brand store in Milan, different temporary stores and an online shop. All thanks to enthusiasm and a spirit of sacrifice». Yet, these achievements weren’t what Balestrini aspired to, they’re not enough. «I decided to interrupt that entrepreneurial experience. In the meantime, I received an offer from Marco Boglione, founder and chairman of BasicNet, a group that owns brands like Kappa, Superga, K-Way». That’s the moment Balestrini abandoned the entrepreneurial path to become a real manager. «I fell deeply in love with this project I had to follow. This phase lasted from 2011 to 2019. Then, in 2020, I was nominated CEO and Global Brand Manager of Nava Design Milano and MH Way».

An MBA to reinforce skills

In the middle, however, there’s another important passage, that of the MBA. «I was motivated by a personal, more than a professional, need to learn. I had acquired a wealth of empirical knowledge, experimented and learned in the field, but with no study behind it», explains Balestrini. «The master’s helped me, first of all, to put my skills in order, structuring them in a more coherent, organic and strategic way. It was encouraging and motivating to see that many ideas that were formed during my experience were confirmed in lessons». As far as lessons are concerned, the MBA allowed Balestrini to test notions learned in the classroom through project work and group work. «It’s a modality that I have found to be very effective. On one hand, it’s perfect for those who are already at ease working in a group, as in my case. On the other hand, those who have a less pronounced inclination to discuss with others are also encouraged to take part. They are truly formative and stimulating moments».

Nava Design and MH Way: the objective is to relaunch

Strengthened by this experience, and with expertise reinforced and structured by the master’s, Balestrini is now handling the relaunch of Nava Design Milano and MH Way, as CEO and Global Brand Manager. «The curious thing is that they are both brands tied to the world of design and architecture, from which everything started for me. Important designers like Max Huber and Bob Noorda have worked for Nava while MH Way was created by the Japanese designer Makio Hasuike. Both of these companies, acquired by the group Smemoranda, are now looking to relaunch and reposition», explains Balestrini. «To give new life to both brands, I will have to put in practice what I’ve learned up until now. The most important and stimulating challenges involve the corporate management and commercial expansion of the brands on the national territory and, especially, on international markets».

Politecnico di Milano School of Management ranks in the top 100 for its Global MBA in America Economia rankings

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Politecnico di Milano School of Management’s Global MBA ranks 51st in the world in the latest rankings by America Economia.

Educational acknowledgement, multiculturalism, networking and an advantageous geographic location are the key attributes that positioned the business school’s MBA in this ranking of the Best Global MBA Programmes for Latin American students.

Vittorio Chiesa and Federico Frattini, Chairman and Dean of MIP Politecnico di Milano say: “This ranking recognizes our MBA’s strong global position, but also the technical and professional dimensions that help establish its strong reputation within Latin America.”

The programme ranks at the top for its multicultural experience, as well as an impressive 79% for ‘innovation’.

This ranking is unique as it focuses on alumni, taking into account variables such as previous and subsequent income, the time it takes to recover the cost of the programme, job offers derived from having obtained the MBA, and changes in position or responsibilities in a company.

America Economia recognizes Politecnico di Milano School of Management as the leading Italian Business School for Latin American Students and indeed across the globe.

«MIP’s HR vision is modern and contemporary»

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Human resources management merges with marketing instruments and requires skills that are always new and up to date. The aim is to enhance the value of individuals, starting from their diversity. Chiara Lombardi, human resource manager of Emilio Pucci and MIP alumna, explains this to us

A renewed centrality of the value of people, combined with competent and qualified management. This is the future, and in some respects already the present, of human resources management within an organization. So says Chiara Lombardi, human resource manager at Emilio Pucci, an Italian fashion house that is part of the LVMH Group, and alumna of the executive Human Resource Business Leader programme at MIP Politecnico di Milano. «HR doesn’t allow improvisation. Even less so today, considering the increasingly close link with marketing tools, necessary for companies to implement talent attraction and retention strategies».

Learning based on discussion

Chiara’s vision matured after long years of experience in the sector, preceded by a degree in languages and perfected also thanks to the executive programme, in which she enrolled with the goal of consolidating her skills: «I have always had a great interest in human resources, and over time I understood that I wanted to transform myself into a more strategically-oriented HR manager. At the same time, I was lacking some of the hard skills needed to do this. For this reason, I enrolled in the programme offered by MIP». In the beginning, she expected frontal lessons with a decidedly academic approach, but she soon realized that, in reality, a fundamental element of the course was the active involvement of the students: «Alongside high-level teachers, there was the collaboration of companies, thanks to which we had a current and privileged point of view on the HR reality. But a lot of room was also given to the interaction between us students, which gave rise to open discussions, bearers of a great wealth of contents.  For this reason, I advise approaching this course opening your eyes and mind as much as possible. The range of contents, possibilities, solutions is so broad that it represents a unique learning opportunity».

The fruits of this period of learning are clear for Chiara: «I wouldn’t have been so effective in the job market without the awareness I gained in this programme. For me it was a real breath of fresh air, that gave me many learning opportunities and additional skills to use both in my company and in my work transition phase».

Between change and diversity

There’s another area, however, in which Lombardi’s needs were met in the MIP executive programme.  While it is true that hard skills are fundamental, human resources can’t be separated from people. «My goal is to make the issue of change central in the companies I work, and to do this with small and big actions. At MIP I was able to strengthen a modern and contemporary vision and deepen beliefs that are good for both resources and the company. I’m thinking, for example, of the issue of diversity, which by now is fundamental and unavoidable. The enhancement of human resources can’t be ignored. If a person is treated correctly, they will contribute more willingly, generating value and wealth both for the company and the people who work alongside them».

A theme that Lombardi particularly has at heart, seeing that since 2018 she has been a mentor and coach for Young Women Network, a non-profit whose aim is the empowerment of young women. «The issue of female leadership is extremely important, and I really appreciated how the issue of diversity was addressed at MIP (which also, through the Mip4Women initiative, makes a contribution of 1000 euros available to female candidates). Unfortunately, in many companies there is a lack of examples of female managers, given that boards of directors are still largely male. The situation can evolve, but we must all commit to being promoters of change».

BlackRock Hackathon: a green experience!

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Milano Digital Week (MDW) is a social initiative hosted every year by the City Council of Milan to inform the public about challenges and issues in the digital environment. Among keynotes, roundtables and workshops, the organizational committee launches initiatives aimed at engaging companies and citizens in shaping the future of digital. The BlackRock Hackathon is an example of such public involvement.

At the beginning of 2020, Larry Fink, BlackRock’s CEO, announced that environmental sustainability would be at the core of the company’s investment strategy. This was a bold decision made by a global leader in the industry. Following the news, the company decided to launch a challenge aligned with UN SDG (United Nations Sustainable Development Goal) #13: Climate action. The goal of BlackRock’s Hackathon was to create a tool, leveraging big data and analytics, to support investment professionals in taking environmentally informed decisions for their clients.

Hackathons are generally demanding, as participants are asked to develop a thorough, innovative solution in an incredibly short amount of time. Personally, I found this one even more challenging for two reasons.
I signed up to the event as an individual. I was reluctant, at first. Building something with people you have never met before in just 36 hours is not an easy task: you need to create a common ground of communication style and understand how to push your ideas, among other things. Then I remembered something I had learnt some years ago: if you wish to grow and achieve great things, you need to exit your comfort zone ̶ so that is what I did. Luckily, I got along quite well from the start with Mattia and Stefano, my teammates, and, since the team is the key, everything was downhill from then on. And, despite the struggles and the little sleep, we managed to have fun and achieve our goal: winning the hackathon.

Furthermore, the contest addressed a quite complex issue. Despite improved willingness from companies to disclose their environmental impact, the greatest obstacle remains data availability. Whichever solution you want to design, you need to take this into account. Another crucial element was the type of product to present. How are users going to benefit? Which channels to use?

Throughout the competition, teams were supported by BlackRock professionals: in our case, the mentoring was extremely useful. Mentors helped us reason better with regard to the choices we were making by questioning them constantly. In the end, when we prepared the pitch for the jury, Mattia, Stefano and I had motivated our choices so many times that we were confident about the idea, and it only took us a few minutes to find the right words to describe it.

After an initial, long brainstorming session, where ideas seemed to pop up from everywhere, we decided to focus our attention on something that could easily be implemented by an incumbent and whose usage could possibly be sold: an algorithm optimizing the environmental performance of investment portfolios. The name? (re)Balance!

Our starting point was the Paris agreement and its stated goal to contain any increase in global temperatures within 2°C by 2030. Upon that, we built a mechanism that allocates money by picking the most environmentally virtuous emitters and securities from among a predefined set of categories (best-in-class approach). Moreover, as a team, we wanted something visual that could communicate to investors how much they are contributing to the goal: something socially valuable; a thermometer, showing how much investors’ portfolios are helping limit global warming.

I am a student of the International Master in Fintech. One could say the competition was basically my bread and butter, as it addressed innovation in the financial industry. Looking at the specificity of the challenge, especially, one could equally add that mastering financial and technological concepts was pivotal to performing well. This is not completely true. First, because the environmental component was relevant. Second, because innovation does not result just from knowing things. You need to analyse, understand and take decisions in an unexplored environment. In other words, you need to exercise critical thinking ̶ and I believe that’s where the Master was a game-changer for me: it taught me to think about what I know and use it in unconventional ways.

 

About the author
 Lorenzo D’Auria 
I am 24 and grew up in Cagliari, Italy. I am a student of the International Master in Fintech at MIP and I hold a BSc in Economics and Management from the University of Trento. My professional interests revolve around the investment management industry and the impact new technologies have on it.

Becoming the leader of my career: a tough path to the goal

Posted on | by Beatrice Grillo | Leave a Comment on Becoming the leader of my career: a tough path to the goal
Closeup shot of two businesspeople shaking hands in an office

Three pillars of training at MIP are high-level courses, a strong community to rely on and the mandate to be the leaders of our careers.

As we want to lead the development of our working life, we need to train to recognise, build and exploit the opportunities to achieve our goals: MIP has structured its Career Development Center to train Part-time MBA candidates, the students’ community at large and alumni in planning and executing their strategy to succeed. The program proposed for this training foresees different tools and opportunities in order to develop career-leading skills.

FLEXA is the main tool available to improve skill-awareness: I introduced myself to my digital mentor, describing the functional area and the industry of interest and then, through a structured test, I was given a deep insight into my skills. The FLEXA platform gave me a score on hard, soft and digital skills, highlighting my weaknesses and suggesting articles, courses and other training to fill in the gaps: my path of continuous learning keeps on daily to reinforce my skills and provide endless training. Along with FLEXA, other platforms help us to be aware of the power of our resume (like VMock) or the state of job opportunities (like JobTeaser).

Career Workshops are two-hour webinars held by experienced consultants and headhunters: before taking those courses, I was acting more out of enthusiasm or a feeling of discomfort, but then I learned how to effectively define my professional goals in order to make them specific, achievable and timely. I felt like an alchemist: motivation was the fire to ignite the reaction, my skills, competences and passions the ingredients, opportunities and constraints the alembic through which to distil my goals. The workshop trainers also gave me hints and suggestions as to how to structure my career goals into a road map of intermediate targets, learning how to analyse and recognise the best fit between my goals and the needs of the market.

Finally, I can’t wait to have my one-to-one consultancy meeting: the Career Development Center experts will be available to understand my goals, discuss my plan and help me to evaluate any possible improvements. As I was starting from a very foggy condition, I’m forcing myself to do a great job on my own before this meeting, in order to be able to exploit the consultants’ experience in the best way possible.

This tough path to define my goals and the targets for achieving them will enable me to take advantage of the great networking opportunities offered by MIP. Meetings with HR and headhunters, orienteering sessions and networking with colleagues and alumni are the best testing ground for refining my plan and my storytelling and ̶ why not? ̶ to lay down the basis for future opportunities.

 

About the author
 Fabrizio Liponi

My name is Fabrizio and I work as a tunnel engineer in the construction of Underground Line 4 of Milan. Born, raised, studied, living and working in Milan: I love my city and I’m proud to take part in building its future. Travel addicted, I love to meet people and different cultures.

«Good ideas aren’t enough: at MIP I learned how to develop them»

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Dialogue with colleagues from the master’s programme, two years of experiments and progress and, above all, a mentality devoted to continuous improvement. Martin Leban, AMIE (now IMIE) alumnus, tells us how the idea of a shampoo contained in biodegradable marbles came about.

Training in the family business, discussions with colleagues in the master’s programme from around the world and, finally, the establishment of a startup that, inspired by principles of social and environmental sustainability, gives life to a small product, but with a large potential. It’s the story of Martin Leban, a young Slovenian entrepreneur and co-founder of the startup OneTwoThreeZero, as well as alumnus of AMIE (now evolved into IMIE, International Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship) at MIP Politecnico di Milano: «The master’s taught me that there are a lot of ideas, good and less good. What makes the difference is the effort put into developing them. And that’s exactly how I and my colleagues conceived of shampoo in biodegradable marbles».

From the idea to its implementation

Leban comes from a family that owns a small hair care product company. «An environment in which I learned a lot, observing day by day», says Leban. «Creating no waste cosmetics has been a goal of mine since I was working at my family company and saw how much plastic we produce. When Renata Alessio, Indira Pambudy and Sarra Elamin started the project of biodegradable shampoo marbles at AMIE I immediately liked it and asked them to join the team».
The ecological potential of this idea is clear: «The cosmetic industry uses a lot of plastic for its packaging, even for small quantities of a product, as is the case, for example, with the vials distributed in hotels. We started from a product conceptually like the detergent capsules used in dishwashers. In that case, however, the covering is a plastic material. For us, the challenge was to find a biodegradable material that at the same time was resistant enough to contain the shampoo inside it». A challenge taken up by his two partners and chemists, Anja Pajntar and Uros Novak. «It’s a research process that has now lasted for two years. The difficulty is due to the small percentage of water in the shampoo, 10%, which on its own is a big savings compared to the 80% of average shampoos. We could have fallen back on a product without water, but the effect on hair wouldn’t have been the same». The roadmap for OneTwoThreeZero foresaw a series of important tests in April 2020, but the current health situation has forced Leban and his team to postpone. «By now we’re there, however. So much so that the laboratory that hosted us until now is no longer sufficient; we will shortly start to produce larger quantities of our product».

The importance of not being satisfied

Leban doesn’t hide that the MIP experience was crucial for the creation of this startup. «Starting with my classmates, from 17 different nationalities. This diversity has proved to be a real value added, because it gave me exposure to different points of view and cultures, which generated a true creative flow. Now I make use of the principles of design thinking learned thanks to the master’s programme, which taught me how to set up a balanced team, evaluating the most strategic individual characteristics for the company».
The project work experience was also important: «It’s one of the reasons I chose MIP. I learned what makes up the development process, which isn’t only a matter of notions, but also of mentality. Focusing deeply on an idea, to discover its real potential and give life to a series of virtually infinite possibilities».
Finally, some advice for those are about to enrol in a master’s programme: «The best way to experience it is to try to arrive with clear ideas on what you want to achieve. And never be satisfied, but work on yourself. The level of lessons is very high, and pushes you to aim even higher, to increasingly deepen your knowledge. It’s this mentality that allows you to approach your goals, both if you want to work as an entrepreneur, or as a consultant. The job prospects tied to this master’s are manifold».

«Covid hasn’t stopped us: here’s why we enrolled at MIP»

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The current situation could have generated doubts about the wisdom of confirming one’s course enrolment. That didn’t happen: three students tell us why. Among their motivations, the effectiveness of digital learning, the solidity of social networking and the desire to study with colleagues from around the world.

The Covid-19 emergency caused a general global slowdown, but didn’t stop the education sector, which quickly converted to digital formats. And if on one hand MIP Politecnico di Milano didn’t interrupt its services, on the other its students haven’t stopped either, despite the situation underway they have confirmed the desire to follow the courses they enrolled in. Indeed, in some cases, forced work stops have even made the choice simpler. At the most, doubts could have involved the topicality of the contents: would they have stood up in the face of the changes brought on by the pandemic?

The importance of truly digital contents

A week of courses was enough to dispel this fear, as Micaela Long, enrolled in the Flex EMBA and based in Basel, tells us: «I had decided to follow this programme because of the solidity of its contents and the elasticity in delivery methods, which were well suited to my work and family routine. A few days were enough for me to understand that flexibility is also a characteristic of the contents: all the issues that we are addressing, we are also looking at by considering the current situation». After a week, the balance is positive, also as far as the impact of digital learning is concerned: «Working in a corporate role in a pharmaceutical multinational, I was already used to online interaction. However, I must say that the Flex EMBA positively surprised me: a lot of the contents are conceived from the start for digital use; they’re not trivial transpositions of classic face-to-face teachings, but are conceived to take advantage of the strengths of digital. The difference, compared to my previous e-learning experiences, is clear. Also because, despite the asynchronous learning mode, MIP has devised mechanisms that create a community, thus completing the educational experience: my colleagues and I constitute a class where there is a continuous exchange between us and the professors», stresses Long.

Social networking also works remotely

Vanessa Ottone, who works for Accenture and follows the course from New York, also saw the current situation as an opportunity to invest in her education: «The pandemic never influenced my decision. Although its economic and financial repercussions will see us facing major challenges, I’m convinced that in the long term, now more than ever, that leaders must show themselves to be resilient and well-rounded. A programme like the EMBA can support me in this direction and prepare me to take advantage of the opportunities that will emerge after the crisis». Like Long, Ottone also had an excellent impression of her first week of online courses: «I’m convinced that a programme like the Flex EMBA, that can count on the best digital instruments now available, can give life to a network of solid relations, generating valuable connections for all participants. After a week of lessons, I have the feeling that the time we spend together in working groups allows us to develop interesting interactions and to establish lasting connections».

The wealth of an international class

He hasn’t yet started his full time MBA programme, but from India civil engineer Pretyush Johari, has confirmed his participation: «Certainly, I had doubts on my enrolment, also in light of eventual logistical difficulties. However, several factors led me to not back out. Starting from the richness of the study programme, so well-structured and suited to my work and educational background. But the positive comments of some of my acquaintances, both with regards to MIP and to Italy, also had a strong influence. The prospect of joining a class made up of people of different nationalities, coming from around the world and able to contribute different and innovative points of view, is absolutely tempting, because I’m convinced that we can learn a lot from each other. Finally, I can’t wait to try my hand with project work, where I will be able to give shape to my ideas, also thanks to the skills that I will have fine-tuned during the master’s».

«First of a kind Global Business Program designed to teach applied Shared Services expertise»

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Starting in September 2020, a new set of online courses will focus on Shared Services, processes and capabilities that can be shared among the various business units of a company — including finance, purchasing, supply chain, human resources, and information technology. These courses are offered for the first time.

With the aim to professionally certify executives in Shared Services, a critical corporate operations area, the Professional Global Business Services (P-GBS) Certification will be a transformational learning experience for participants. These courses are from MIP Politecnico di Milano, in partnership with renowned advisory services firm Inixia.

Inixia will bring their practical executive leadership expertise, drawing upon years of practical operational experience in leading best-in-class Fortune 20 Global Business Services (GBS) organizations. Inixia’s distinctiveness lies in its unique capabilities of having created an industry standard certification, called Professional GBS.

Made up of several modules, all will encompass the best of the global business community, taught by an international faculty composed of industry founders and experts, including world-class shared services and digital technology strategist, Filippo Passerini.

With over 30 years of business-building career with Procter & Gamble, Passerini will be one of the key industry leaders giving insights, guidance, and testimonials throughout the program. He said:

“Global Business Services is a proven model and a fast-growth industry. In addition to helping businesses increase efficiency and reduce costs, it’s a strategic enabler for innovation and innovative business models. However, up until now, there was no structured training to provide professionals in this area with the required knowledge, competency, and skills. It’s an honor and privilege to make my experience available to such a mission, together with my distinguished colleagues and the top-notch MIP School.”  

Taught entirely in English, the unique set of online executive courses will allow participants to develop new skills, essential for the enhancement of their managerial professionalism within the Global Business Services market. As well as this, the courses are flexible and can be adapted to suit client’s specific needs.

“We can work with clients on an à la carte basis, creating different tailor-made streams of in-person courses leveraging modules from across pillars to suit the different types of roles their people may occupy across their organizations” said Sergio Terzi, Associate Dean for Executive Education at MIP Politecnico di Milano.

Participants who complete all three pillars of GBS Training Modules and the GBS Strategic Leadership Modules will be certified in the P-GBS discipline by Inixia and MIP Politecnico di Milano, a widely recognized and highly sought-after industry accolade.

«Should you Apply for an Online or Campus MBA When Lockdown Ends?»

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The coronavirus crisis is forcing business schools to bolster their online learning environments, but remote study may involve a trade-off between flexibility and networking

The coronavirus crisis has split opinion on remote teaching. Business schools have raced to close campuses and migrate classes online, but some MBA students are demanding tuition fee refunds and deferrals, arguing that online learning is a subpar experience.

Proponents, however, argue that this could be the tipping point for online education, an unexpected opportunity to prove the detractors wrong, catalyze innovation in teaching methods and put forward a test case for digital delivery of degree programs. While many students will be eager to return to campus when the lockdown finally ends, there is a section of the population for whom a bolstered online learning environment will appeal to.

Doing an MBA online or on campus: trade-offs 

The decision between doing an MBA online or on campus may come down to the trade-off between flexibility and networking, as well as a student’s lifestyle and work ethic.

Online courses attract people who want their studies to be compatible with work and family commitments. They can pursue the degree at their own pace, rather than quitting their job and incurring a substantial opportunity cost of not earning a salary for up to two years.

“The advantage is that online study is flexible and personalized,” says Federico Frattini, dean of MIP Politecnico di Milano Business School in Milan, which puts on the iFlex online program. “Participants can choose when, where and how to attend the lessons. Students have total freedom and can incorporate their studies with their family and work.”

But online learning requires much more commitment to keep up with classes and coursework, especially if you are working full-time or raising a family. “Online courses suit those who are self-motivated and have good time management,” says Frattini.

Students often dramatically underestimate how long they will spend looking for the next professional opportunity after graduation, says George Andrews, associate dean of degree programs at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business in Texas. Balancing a career search with a job, study and family obligations is a “Sisyphean task”, he adds.

On-campus courses come with stricter deadlines and suit people who work better in structured environments, rather than mavericks. Individual learning styles can influence the choice of study modes too. “Some people prefer face-to-face exchanges, while others thrive in online formats,” says Paulo Prochno, assistant dean for online programs at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Financial concerns

Finance is an important consideration for prospective students. “The cost of attendance for an online student can be less since there are no lost wages, no relocation expenses and no regular commuting costs,” says Andrews from Rice Jones. Tuition fees for Online MBAs can be a fraction of the price, which reflects reduced overheads, with teaching facilities and faculty being expensive.

In theory, remote study improves access to students who can study from anywhere in the world without giving up their job and salary. In reality, most students live locally to campus in many online programs. “A high percentage of our students live in Texas, but many live in states across the country. A few are internationals,” says Andrews, of his school’s MBA@Rice online program.

The diverse perspectives of overseas students would enrich learning through group work. However, they want to be fully immersed in an environment that is different to their home, says Andrews. “They want the complete experience, not just the education.”

MBA online vs. in-class: other concerns

Another challenge for overseas students is tuning into live classes from disparate time zones. Remote study may not be suitable for a relocation to the US either, since it does not qualify international students for a 12-month work visa through Optional Practical Training, a popular scheme.

Stacy Blackman, an admissions consultant in Los Angeles, says candidates should also consider their chances of being admitted to an MBA. “Online programs are more open to those candidates who aren’t perfect with respect to work experience and test scores,” she says, citing entrance requirements. “Acceptance rates are much higher with online programs than traditional MBAs.”

For instance, at many schools, online students can skip the GMAT or GRE admissions tests if another element of their candidacy, such as leadership experience or educational attainment, is exceptional.

But schools insist that admissions standards for online and on-campus programs are equally rigorous.

For many students, the big downside to a digital degree is the limited opportunity to build a network. Full-time students spend far more time together building bonds.

“Many students presume they would miss out on networking opportunities, due to the belief that face-to-face communication creates stronger, more human connections,” says Frattini at MIP. However, he adds that online students are keen to share their experience and knowledge with peers. They join the same alumni network as their counterparts on campus.

Andrews says that building meaningful relationships with peers is central to any MBA, regardless of mode of study. Online MBA students cultivate contacts via weekly live lectures at Maryland Smith. “If there’s a drawback to online study, it’s the challenge of providing a community experience,” says Prochno.

“These sessions engage the entire class,” he adds. “They all see one another and the faculty in real time — an opportunity to create a real sense of community.”

Online programs invariably offer opportunities for face-to-face networking, such as through on-campus residencies and global study trips. MBA@Rice students have visited Mexico City and attend optional weekend meet-ups in Houston where “lasting relationships with classmates and faculty are solidified”, says Andrews.

The boundary between online and campus learning is being blurred as students demand more flexibility in how, when and where they study. The coronavirus has accelerated this trend. For instance, at the UK’s Warwick Business School, MBA students starting this fall will be able to switch between online and in-class learning, at will.

Likewise, students at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business can transfer from the online to the full-time MBA program and vice-versa.

Cindy McCauley, Online MBA director, says this option appeals to students who are considering a campus program but are concerned about leaving their job in the current economic crisis. “They can start in our Online MBA and then transfer when the timing is better,” she says. “This is a particularly strong selling point given the uncertainty of today.”

 

This article was originally published here: https://find-mba.com/articles/should-you-apply-for-an-online-or-campus-mba-when-lockdown-ends

 

 

From the fisherman to the customer, via MIP: the case of Orapesce

Posted on | by Simona Strepparola | Leave a Comment on From the fisherman to the customer, via MIP: the case of Orapesce

The study on the food sector. The idea born on the beaches of Rimini. And then the support of MIP, followed by the choice of equity crowdfunding: Giacomo Bedetti, 2016 part-time EMBA alumnus, tells us about the origins of Orapesce, a digital fish market service.

Innovation was born in the classrooms of MIP. Evidence of this is Orapesce, a startup that operates in the fish market by offering its customers the possibility of purchasing fresh fish online that is delivered directly to their homes. «Analysing the performance of the grocery sector, it was evident that the growth of digital consumers in the food sector was a significant trend», explains its founder Giacomo Bedetti, 2016 part-time EMBA alumnus, telling us about the genesis of the project. «Then, talking to a fisherman friend in Rimini, the spark came that led to the idea».

MIP’s added value

Indeed, until the creation of Orapesce, «a digital fish market service didn’t exist», explains Bedetti. «It was an opportunity to be seized immediately, creating a business-oriented group». In the ideation phase, MIP played an extremely important role. «Being able to explore the potential of this idea during the Executive MBA programme I was attending was crucial. Alongside a strong motivational element, there was the contribution of Professor Antonio Ghezzi, who gave us the tools to read the business and the relative metrics. And then we were able to count on the support and experience of skilled professionals». A series of elements that contributed to an excellent start on the market: «The phase of project work for Orapesce ended in July 2018, and we posted revenue of 100,000 euros in 2019. An extraordinary result, that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of MIP».

Equity crowdfunding to boost communicative momentum

At this moment, Orapesce, after 14 months of activity, finds itself in an extremely delicate phase of its life. «It’s the hard reality of startups. Either you grow, or you die», explains Bedetti without mincing words. Growing means achieving significant numbers, and this is often tied to visibility. «It’s one of the reasons we decided to finance this business exploiting the equity crowdfunding model, that allows those enrolled to invest in innovative projects. We succeeded in bringing Orapesce on Mamacrowd, which in Italy is the best possible platform for this model». At end February, Orapesce on this platform raised 381% of the minimum set goal, for a total of over 300,000 euros. «But the economic factor isn’t everything», reveals Bedetti. «For Orapesce, Mamacrowd was a commercial showcase. It’s not easy to gain the attention of 100,000 contacts, instead in this way we were able to take advantage of a real flywheel effect».

Goal: become a marketplace

Those who have visited the site of Orapesce will have realized that it’s not limited to being a shop, but also proposes a series of contents to users. «Our goal in this stage is to establish a brand that sells fish. But this is only the first step», explains Bedetti. «What we really aim for is the strengthening of a marketplace that puts consumers and producers in contact. In our future development there is a model in which earnings will be based mainly on commissions on exchanges within this network». For this reason, the site is rich in interviews with chefs and fishermen: «We want to use the possibilities of new devices to offer a path to the consumer, and to establish a strong digital identity».

The importance of soft skills

And if within Orapesce the importance of digital goes hand in hand with that of logistics, we must not neglect the general management skills that allowed Bedetti to create this startup. «I’m not talking so much about hard skills, but of soft ones. I attended the Executive MBA programme as someone over 40, I already had a lot of experience behind me. I didn’t need another title, but I felt the need to improve myself. That’s why I chose this master’s programme. There’s nothing more valuable than soft skills: knowing how to negotiate, knowing how to build relationships, being a good leader, today, are essential skills for those who aspire to become a manager or an