Tag Archives: ESSEC

Boost Your Career with a Double MBA & Masters Degree

Studying for your MBA at the Nanyang Business School can be extra enriching if you opt for the double MBA or masters degree programme. Instead of graduating with one degree, you can earn two. NBS has partnerships with top business schools in Europe and Asia to provide MBA candidates the best of different worlds.

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Here’s a bit about the programmes.

The Nanyang MBA + Master of Arts in Strategy and International Management

The University of St. Gallen is a leading B-school in Switzerland. It was founded in 1898 and is known for its strong culture that invites students from all over the world. NBS chose this school because the Master of Arts in Strategy and International Management (SIM) programme has made a significant impact across the globe. With a top-notch curriculum that compels students to develop superior strategic thinking, the SIM programme has been ranked number 1 overall worldwide for a record of four years (2011 to 2015) by the Financial Times. And although it is one of the smallest universities in Switzerland, the University of St. Gallen has the country’s largest faculty for business administration. The location works out for your best interests as you get exposure to European business practices and culture. Read more.

The Nanyang MBA + One more MBA from Asia

When you think of Japan, you think of innovation in terms of electronic goods, cars and other consumer goods. This programme, a partnership between the Nanyang Business School and Waseda Business School in Japan, brings you to the centre of this innovative environment. The Waseda Business School was established in the 1990s but is a part of the century-old Waseda University in Tokyo. Besides earning two MBA degrees, you’ll become a part of two major alumni networks that consist of various business leaders. The Waseda side of the programme will amplify your knowledge of this region while enhancing your capabilities in leveraging innovation, based on the best practices of eminent and successful Japanese corporations. Read more.

The Nanyang MBA + Masters in Management

The masters in management degree has been much debated in the educational sphere. There is a lot in its favour because experts like the idea of a general management degree that can prepare candidates for a variety of management roles once they graduate. In contrast, the MBA degree may be too specific once you decide what to specialise in. NBS’ double masters programme of study with ESSEC in France bridges the gap between the two. Additionally, ESSEC’s innovative approach to management that combines the uniqueness of European ways with inter-cultural approaches is a boon for students who are keen on learning about doing business in Europe or with European companies. Read more.

Investing in a double degree programme will reveal its benefits when you apply for your next job since prospective employers will always appreciate a candidate with competencies in multiple areas. As you learn more than your peers who choose to study for a single MBA degree, you’ll be sure to impress interviewers who will know that studying for a double degree means that you are willing to work very hard and are open to a whole new range of experiences.

Find out if an NBS double degree programme can be a part of your career plan today!

Ariane Game @ ESSEC

Author: Alexander Stanza Tan, Indonesia

We, the double masters students, joined an orientation week for new students at ESSEC. At the end of the orientation week, we played a business simulation game, called “Ariane Game”. There were roughly 250 participants in this game where we were all divided into 10 universes, each universe having 5 groups. In groups of 5, the students would manage a ‘company’ that sells ski and racket products to compete with the 4 other companies within the same universe.

To motivate us, ESSEC gave out prizes for the winner of each universe and for the winner of a specific category, e.g. best presentation, best forecast, etc. To make the game a little bit more challenging, we could sell 3 types of products: ski elite, ski 2000 and racket. The qualities of the ski elite and the racket were fixed while we had freedom to define our own ski 2000 quality. Of course, this complicated the pricing strategy. Furthermore, the interest rate for financing the company may change along the way when the demand for financing increases.


The ‘scariest’ moment of the game as results were being announced!

My team consisted of 2 other new ESSEC students, one from a double masters student from Mannheim University, and the other member, a double masters student from The NANYANG MBA as well. In our first meeting, I proposed to formulate a broad objective while focusing on our individual roles. We decided to adopt the low-cost strategy and divided the company into 3 main parts: Marketing, Production and Financing. Since I am pursuing my MBA with a specialization in Finance, I took on the finance role.

Leveraging my computing skills and knowledge that I gained from The NANYANG MBA, I constructed an Excel spreadsheet to ease the financing decision. This allowed us to foresee 4 periods ahead of us. As a result, we were able to forecast our cash inflow and outflow with around 1-2% error and to generate sustainable profit. We ended up being the second highest gainer in our universe. Fortunately, impressed by our management capability, the judges chose us to be the winner of our universe. Additionally, we won the “Best Financial Forecast” title as well!

From this game, I learned that everyone in the same company must go toward the same goal. To do so, everyone in the company must think of themselves as being in a team. They must trust each other and contribute the best they can for the team. No one should regret the mistakes they made, instead, learn from them and move forward. I also learned that forecasting sales is difficult and making financing decisions play a major role within a company. Some firms were bailed out, while some others went bankrupt.

What I also realized from this game is, without a good understanding of Cost Accounting, a company may overstate or understate its profitability, or worse it may end up in losses. Cost Accounting also provides guidance for a company’s production department to realize that it increases unitary cost if the department cuts down its production.

I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to come to ESSEC and to experience this game, and I personally wish that my colleagues in The NANYANG MBA can participate in similar business simulations or case competitions as well. It will not only give them the necessary experiences in a business environment but also make them apply all that they have learned from The NANYANG MBA.

I cannot imagine how I was a Computer Engineer when I first entered The NANYANG MBA, but by now, I can really see the progress I am making and I look forward to the day when I will run my own company very soon in the future.

Why the NTU-ESSEC Double Masters Programme?

Author: Arjaree Lordamrongkiat, Thailand

I chose the NTU-ESSEC Double Masters programme because it equipped me with knowledge of both the Asian and European business environments.

I spent my first year offering courses from The Nanyang MBA at Nanyang Business School. The programme’s emphasis on student diversity resulted in participants from more than 20 nationalities in my batch, which enabled me to see things differently and with global perspectives. The extensive network and close relationship of alumni and
faculty further provided me with opportunities to network with and establish lasting friendships which I will always treasure.

Another great aspect about The Nanyang MBA is its flexibility. As a full-time participant, I was able to offer courses conducted in the evenings together with part-time participants, who were from various industries. I also had the opportunity to participate in the John Molson competition in Canada with three of my classmates.

My second year was at ESSEC Business School in Paris where I had the opportunity to understand how European businesses were built, grown and flourished. I offered courses in luxury marketing amongst others. Lectures were conducted by professionals from leading global companies. The practical knowledge and insights learnt were invaluable and useful for my future career. I was also fortunate enough to be offered an internship at the head office of one of the leading French hospitality companies just three months into the programme.

Joining The Nanyang MBA has been one of the best decisions I have made in my professional career. The knowledge and experience gained is invaluable and will certainly give a big boost to my career at the global level.