It’s a New Year and I’m thrilled to be back in school after a much needed Christmas break. The past two months have just flown by but there are a few things that stand out in my mind….
We wrapped up the Globe module in November which covered economics, monetary policy, government policy and a range of current global issues. I may not have appreciated all that I learned at the time but I am forever in debt to Professor Tony Frost, one of the most energetic and enthusiastic professors I have ever. The depth with which I understand the economy, financial markets and what’s happening in China today is nothing short of a miracle. I could actually land a job with The Economist.
At the end of the module, we completed projects in teams of six where we presented current socioeconomic issues in the world today. We covered everything from conflict diamonds, the commoditization of water, eco waste, and genetically modified foods to the proliferation of guns and counterfeit goods. Then, after some persuasion from a classmate, I headed down to Philadelphia with 16 classmates to attend the Net Impact conference in late November. I had wanted to take the weekend after Globe to relax but once again, I was off doing something else, and I am so glad I did.
Net Impact is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to make a positive impact on society by growing and strengthening a community of leaders who use business to improve the world. There were 2,500 MBA students and professionals from across North America discussing social entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, energy and environmental issues and a whole range of issues around how business can impact the world in a positive way. It was truly a remarkable experience.
Having an MBA and the ability to make far more money than many of our counterparts is great. But having the opportunity to use our leadership, expertise and knowledge to influence positive change in this world is a blessing. It was so incredibly inspiring to listen to business leaders talk about the organizations they run or have founded and how they are creating value for society, not just for shareholders. It really made me wonder if we would be in the current financial and economic crisis that we are in if 2,400 of these people were running our investment banks and largest corporations. These were a group of very intelligent, very privileged and very educated individuals who truly believe life is about more than money. The conference came after Globe and touched on many of the issues we had just studied, and gave us a more in depth exposure to what we as business leaders can do to make an impact in a real and positive way. By far one of the best conferences I have ever attended.
December was all about electives and one of mine was the China Study Trip. If you haven’t had a chance to yet, be sure to check out Sacha’s day-by-day breakdown of the 10 day trip. He gives a fantastic overview of what to expect as well as all the learning along the way. This was easily one of the best experiences in the program. It provided a cultural experience while also allowing us to get a firsthand look at how businesses operate in China and why China is becoming the economic powerhouse it is today.
After my visit, I am convinced that you cannot complete an MBA today without understanding what is happening in China. And it really takes a visit, not just reading the paper to truly appreciate what is happening. To understand the forces behind their growth, one must understand how their government works and how their economic policies are shaping it into the force that it is today. These understandings are fundamental to comprehending why the epicenter of power is shifting from the west to the Asia Pacific Rim.
Ivey did a fantastic job of organizing the trip for us and giving us a behind the scenes look that we could not otherwise have had if we traveled there on our own as tourists. Did I mention we also have a campus in Hong Kong? In the conference center overlooking the beautiful water no less? It was an exhilarating experience all round. The social aspect of the trip was insane (it’s always a lot to keep up with my high energy classmates) and we have memories from the trip that are best kept to ourselves :) After all, what happens in Hong Kong…
Happy New Year to all and we’ll keep you in the loop with regular updates of the final 4 months of this incredible journey called the Ivey MBA.