Tag Archives: The NANYANG MBA

Ariane Game @ ESSEC

October 25, 2010 Joan Wee Leave a comment

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.

Blog, Programme

Applications to The NANYANG MBA 2011/2012 intake – NOW OPEN!

October 8, 2010 Joan Wee Leave a comment

Author: Cynthea Lam, Marketing Manager

Each year, we receive thousands of applications and we spend a considerable amount of time and efforts pouring through each application in detail. Each application is
important to us, as this is a critical step to grooming leaders for a sustainable world.

Many are curious as to whether there is a certain set of criteria that determines
entrance into the program, and the answer is, no.

Firstly, to be able to apply, you should already be prepared with some of the
mandatory requirements such as a GMAT score (of a minimum of 600 points), a
minimum of 2 years’ full-time working experience post bachelor degree, a bachelor degree and a TOEFL score (of a minimum of 100 points) if English was not the medium of instruction at your university.

The application form is an important document that must be duly filled out and
submitted before we are able to study an applicant’s profile. Hence, we’re unable to
accede to email requests for quick ‘advice’ of an aspirant’s ‘chances of getting into the program’, based on their work history and simple description of their educational
backgrounds.

A holistic view into your true calibre would only be visible to us, through your answers entered into the application form, your career journey in the form of a CV, and all
other accompanying documents, including your GMAT score. This then allows us to
fairly and accurately access you against all the other qualified applicants, and haul
you in for an interview if you have been shortlisted.

Whilst there is no typical profile we look out for, year in year out, a single criteria
remains constant; we admit individuals who have the X-factor to become responsible
leaders who have the intrinsic qualities to lead in a sustainable world. An aptitude that
matches the program’s objectives clearly puts you ahead of your competition.

We encourage you to answer all questions with your innermost ambitions and
earnestness. Nothing matters more than being true to yourself. And as with any job
application, you should attend the interview well-prepared, especially with a well-
charted career plan.

With this, we wish all aspirants to The NANYANG MBA all the best in this endeavor and a fruitful journey to their goals!

For more information about The NANYANG MBA, visit
www.nanyangmba.ntu.edu.sg

To apply to The NANYANG MBA, fill out this form.

Application Deadlines:
Round 1 – 31 December 2010
Round 2 – 31 March 2011

Blog, Life After MBA

Mentorship – How do we begin?

October 1, 2010 Joan Wee Leave a comment

When we were kids, we look to our parents and to other adults for guidance and help
in the obstacles we face in our little worlds. No matter how much we have since
grown and changed, one aspect of us remains the same – we still seek help and
guidance, and look to those who serve as good examples; as professionals, we seek
mentorship.

We rely on others to teach us what we need to know to get through life because
following the advice of a good mentor can make a floundering career flourish, or even
springboard your career.

Mentors can serve a variety of purposes, they may offer us advice and guidance in
getting ahead in the world, and also give us encouragement and even push us when
we need a gentle shove. They also may simply lend us their ears when we need to
talk with someone.

The best place to look for a mentor, is right in front of you. Look around you
at work. Is there an individual who you admire and respect? Someone who has always impressed you with their insight and preceptiveness? Maybe your boss or your boss’s
boss. Maybe it’s a Vice President in a different division. It could even be the older
individual who isn’t currently a top executive of your firm, but who you know has lots
of experience. The key is to look for someone who shows brilliance in an area in which you would like to develop.

Approach that individual and ask if they would consider being your mentor. Depending
on the individual, and your current relationship, your proposal will vary in the amount
of detail and how it is delivered. At the very least, let them know why you
have selected them and what you hope to learn from the assocation. If appropriate
for the specific individual, you can also discuss amounts of time to be commited on a
regular basis.

When it comes to building a mentoring relationship with someone you already
know, the best first step is to request a meeting or coffee date to ask for advice on a particular issue. Most people – even busy people – will be happy to share their wisdom if you make it easy for them and ask nicely. Don’t jump right into requesting a
commitment to a long-term mentor relationship. Make a great impression at your first
meeting and establish a rapport. Often, the mentor/mentee relationship develops quite naturally from there. It’s usually not necessary to have a formal “Will you be my
mentor?” conversation.

It can be a bit trickier to approach a prominent person that you don’t know
personally. You can start by trying to arrange for an introduction through a mutual
acquaintance. You can also seek out events at which you may run into your future
mentor. Once you’ve made contact, you can move forward to the meeting/coffee
date step.

For those who are bold, the mentor “cold call” approach does work sometimes.
Possible ways in is to introduce yourself in a gracious email that oulines your
admiration for this person, and indicating your interest in learning from him. Request
for a first meeting and from there, establish a relationship.

Most people who take the time to mentor do it because it’s rewarding for them to help and they like the idea of paying forward the wisdom they’ve received from their own
mentors.

The strongest mentorship relationships are reciprocal. Let your mentor know that
you’re available to help and look for ways to give back. That might mean making an
introduction, offering objective opinions or ideas, or providing an excellent restaurant
recommendation. If as a young professional don’t have a lot of connections or
wisdom to share with youe mentor, you can offer your unique perspective from the
entry level of the organization and through the skill sets you already have.

Understand that your mentor’s time is valuable. Set goals for each session and
prepare focused, smart questions. That doesn’t mean you can’t go off on interesting
tangents, but you should plan for each meeting. You want to make every minute with
your mentor count. Your mentor will appreciate the fact that you’ve done your
homework and enjoy the more interesting conversations that will ensue because of
your preparation.

Report back to your mentor regularly on your progress and any breakthroughs or
successes you have garnered after using the advice they have given you. Show them their time with you have been fruitful and you are increasingly getting prepared to
similarly pay it forward to be someone else’s mentor.

Blog, Programme

NTU's The NANYANG MBA consistently ranked in the top 100 by The Economist

September 23, 2010 Joan Wee Leave a comment

SINGAPORE, Sept 22 – The NANYANG MBA of the Nanyang Business School of NTU has moved up to
its all-time best 69th position in the latest global ranking of full-time Master in Business
Administration programs by The Economist.

In Asia (including Australia), this home-grown MBA has again been ranked 6th by the London-based
publication.

At the global level, The NANYANG MBA has moved up two places from its 71st position in last year’s
ranking. Overall, the prestigious program of Nanyang Business School has continuously been ranked
among the top 100 MBA programmes in the world for the past seven years.

“We are very pleased with the latest recognition by The Economist and the fact that our MBA
program has very consistently been placed in the top 100 for several years now,’’ says Professor
Gillian Yeo, Interim Dean of Nanyang Business School.

“Being the top ranked MBA program in Singapore, we are consolidating our position as a good
business school and are on an upward trajectory,’’ Prof Yeo added.

Nanyang Technological University’s MBA has steadily been gaining global recognition. Earlier this year,
it was ranked 27th in the world by the Financial Times in its latest annual rankings.

The global MBA rankings by The Economist and the Financial Times — which uses a different
methodology — are closely followed by international recruiters, companies and potential MBA
students.

“The consistency in our MBA rankings reflects the high quality of our program and this has led to a
steady increase in the number and quality of applications. The fact that The NANYANG MBA is well
recognised globally is reflected in the high proportion of international students we have attracted to
our program. In this year’s full-time class, we have 87% international students coming from 27
countries.” said Associate Professor Chung Lai Hong, the Associate Dean of The NANYANG MBA.

Nanyang Business School admits around 100 students to its full-time MBA program every year after a
rigorous selection process. Another 50 students are admitted annually to The NANYANG MBA program
on a part-time basis.

The NANYANG MBA is taught by an international faculty, over 90 per cent of whom have a Ph.D. The
program is divided into nine core courses and seven electives, which can be grouped into a
specialisation or taken across a wide field as a general MBA.

Blog, Programme

Back To School!

September 11, 2010 Joan Wee Leave a comment

Author: Manu Muralee
Country: India

I started my journey to Nanyang at the end of June 2010. In Singapore, the cab
driver could immediately pick up the cue “Nanyang” and we set forth towards the
school. I collected my room keys to my hostel in Nanyang Valley. It was a very well
furnished apartment with all amenities shared by seven of us. Guess what, the seven
of us come from seven different countries!!

After the Youth Olympic Games finishes, (the athletes are also staying in the
university and occupying some hostel space), we will be moving to the Graduate Hall.

Our induction week started with very inspiring speeches given by our Admissions
Director, Nick (you might bump into him at the cafeteria) and the Associate Dean,
A/P Chung Lai Hong. We were delighted to hear that we had peers from 27 different
countries with an average experience of 5.7 years (a mini UN indeed!!), even more
delighted to hear that the school was providing us a Sony e-reader each, as part
of our welcome kit.

The next day all of us future leaders piled into 2 buses very early in the morning. Our
destination was a beach resort at Changi. The day started and ended with a lot of
fun and team building activities. All of us were trained to manoeuvre a Dragon boat
and we even had a Dragon boat race. It was really tiring but a unique experience for
all of us.

Back in school and business suits, we had our first industry networking activity, with
a Welcome Dinner, the next night. We were all excited to see recruiters from many big
names in Singapore. Our career counsellors were busy connecting us to the right
people throughout the function.

We were all looking forward to our classes the next week. Most of us have no more
than 3 hours of classes a day. The experiential knowledge of the class was just great.
We had experts from different industries giving us their views on different topics.
The professors also encouraged out-of-the-box thinking and class participation.

Yes of course, there are no free lunches; we saw it slowly piling up…the assignments!
We were split into groups (a different group for every course). Co-ordinating and
scheduling these group discussions is indeed a task that could sometimes be more
difficult than the assignment itself! But, preparing it as a group is preparing yourself to be a true team player.

To summarize, our experience so far at an ‘Ivy League’ business school in Asia, there
has never been a moment that was not fun or not a learning experience. I
am definitely looking forward to the next 16 months!

Blog, Programme

Next Generation GMAT Exam to Add New Integrated Reasoning Section

July 8, 2010 Joan Wee Leave a comment

Prospective students preparing to join The NANYANG MBA for the 2013 intake should take note of the latest update from GMAC on the introduction of Integrated Reasoning in the GMAT exam, to be implemented from June 2012 onwards

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) will add an innovative new section

designed to measure people’s ability to evaluate information from multiple sources. The new integrated reasoning section, scheduled to be introduced in June 2012, will provide business schools with a window into how prospective students respond to the kinds of complex challenges they will encounter as managers in today’s information-rich business environment.

The coming enhancements to the GMAT exam stem from multiple surveys of business school faculty conducted during the past four years by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), owners of the exam. GMAC solicits input from faculty as a regular part of its commitment to continuously improving the GMAT exam. The Council unveiled the changes to the exam here today at its Annual Industry Conference, the largest gathering of graduate business school professionals in the world.

The integrated reasoning portion of the GMAT will capitalize on innovations in technology and assessments and feature questions that further enhance the validity of the test. These questions include information from multiple sources, such as charts, graphs, and spreadsheets. Examinees will be asked to analyze information, draw conclusions and discern relationships between data points, just as they must do in business school.

“The new integrated reasoning section of the GMAT will be a microcosm of today’s b-school classroom,” said Dave Wilson, president and CEO of GMAC. “These questions will provide critical intelligence to schools about the ability of prospective students to make sound decisions by evaluating, assimilating or extrapolating data.”

The overall length of the GMAT exam (three and a half hours) will not change. The new integrated reasoning section will be 30 minutes long and replace one of two essays that are part of the GMAT’s analytical writing section. Admissions officers have stated and GMAC research has shown that performance on the essays is closely aligned, making a single essay acceptable for predicting performance.

The GMAT exam’s verbal and quantitative sections will not change. As a result, when the new section is introduced in June 2012, tests will be scored on the same 200–800 scale used today.

Test takers will receive a separate score for the essay—as they do now—and another distinct score on the new integrated reasoning section.

Blog, Life After MBA

Will You Take The MBA Oath?

June 9, 2010 Joan Wee Leave a comment

Author: Cynthea Lam, Marketing Manager

The MBA Oath

The MBA Oath. Hot topic and centre of heated debates. What is your take towards it? Do you think that it is necessary for the change this world badly needs or do you think it is just a meaningless piece of paper? After all, myriad oaths are taken every day and broken just as quickly. What is the significance of another oath, presumably taken by business minds who only have the bottom line to take care of? The creation of the MBA oath began in the spring of 2009, when two MBA students at the Harvard Business School, Max Anderson and Peter Escher, wondered what the future of MBAs should be, and in consideration with the recent spate of world events, if a kind of pledge could be put in place as a guiding philosophy or in a heavier sense, a lifetime vow to set higher standards for business leaders in view of profits, people and planet.

The goals of the MBA oath are to:
1. to make a difference in the lives of the individual students who take the oath,
2. to challenge other classmates to work towards a higher professional standard, whether they sign the oath or not, and
3.to create a public conversation in the press about professionalizing and improving management Like a doctor would take the Hippocratic oath before his practice of medicine, the MBA oath assigns public accountability for the inherent obligations to society of which MBAs as future leaders are bound to. Not everyone would agree, or think an oath like this is necessary to guide his or her actions, but it would certainly allow the MBA to precisely and publicly declare his or her convictions.

We take a look at the MBA oath.
As a business leader I recognize my role in society.
• My purpose is to lead people and manage resources to create value that no single individual can create alone.
• My decisions affect the well-being of individuals inside and outside my enterprise, today and tomorrow. Therefore, I promise that:
• I will manage my enterprise with loyalty and care, and will not advance my personal interests at the expense of my enterprise or society.
• I will understand and uphold, in letter and spirit, the laws and contracts governing my conduct and that of my enterprise.
• I will refrain from corruption, unfair competition, or business practices harmful to society.
• I will protect the human rights and dignity of all people affected by my enterprise, and I will oppose discrimination and exploitation.
• I will protect the right of future generations to advance their standard of living and enjoy a healthy planet.
• I will report the performance and risks of my enterprise accurately and honestly.
• I will invest in developing myself and others, helping the management profession continue to advance and create sustainable and inclusive prosperity.

In exercising my professional duties according to these principles, I recognize that my behavior must set an example of integrity, eliciting trust and esteem from those I serve. I will remain accountable to my peers and to society for my actions and for upholding these standards.

This oath I make freely, and upon my honor. [source: http://mbaoath.org/]

Blog, Life After MBA

It’s not the end, just the beginning!

May 31, 2010 Joan Wee Leave a comment

Author: Calista N., Sweden

It is with a heavy heart that I write this blog entry. Although we keep telling each other “It’s not the end, it’s just the beginning!”, we all know that the bond and camaraderie is something we will miss the most when we part ways. Inevitably, since we have become like a tightly-knit family for the past year.

As the months and days crept to the end of Trimester 3, I knew for sure this would be a different kind of goodbye. Most of my cohortmates are flying off for their exchange programs, and most of them are also continuing their stints overseas with summer programs, which span until the end of Trimester 4. Thereafter, they would either return to their home countries or like most, continue to scour the world to build their global careers.

We are troopers! T1 done…T2 done…T3 done!

Birds of the same MBA feather!

Here’s representing America, Europe and Asia.

A priceless momento – a memory etched forever

For me, it’s very simple. I came to Asia knowing exactly how I wanted the end of my program would be. I have just secured an internship here in Singapore, with an international consulting firm, and if that turns out well, I will be offered permanent employment with the company.

While gaining some work exposure in Asia, I will also attempt to fulfill my dreams of travelling around Asia. I absolutely love its culture, rich history and learn the different ways of life. And who knows? I may even want to settle down here, get married and have kids raised in an exotic Asian environment!

Blog, Clubs

The Cambodian Trust Pops By

May 25, 2010 Joan Wee Leave a comment

Felix S., Britain

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Club had a guest last month. Mike Scott, Country Director of The Cambodia Trust, an international NGO started in the UK for Cambodia, visited us. The Cambodia Trust was set up in 1989 by three British, in response to the Cambodian Prime Minister, Mr Hun Sen’s plea for assistance to the country’s thousands of landmine survivors.

After three decades of war, Cambodia is left with one of the highest rates of physical disability of any country in the world. More than 40,000 Cambodians have suffered amputations as a result to mine injuries since 1979.

The Cambodia Trust primarily helps these amputees with prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation, with donations they receive from around the world. To date, they have already helped some 5000 patients, with at least 50 to 60 patients coming in for treatment everyday for this free service.

Apart from this prosthetics service, The Cambodia Trust started the Cambodia School of Prosthetics and Orthotics in 1994, building the foundation for sustainable and locally-run rehabilitation services for people with disabilities. This fulfills the severe shortage of such services in developing countries, which is mostly provided for, by foreigners with the expertise. Over the last decade, 3 more schools were set up in Sri Lanka, Timor Leste and Jakarta.

As mobility is the first step towards self-sufficiency, an artificial limb, brace or wheelchair can make the difference between employment and begging on the streets. The rehabilitation scheme ensures a view of the larger picture by means of giving patients an improved way of life, over and above the physiotherapy services given to patients who have received new prosthetics. Some of these initiatives are: easy access for children with disabilities in schools, giving access to disabled young adults for skills training and giving out grants to disabled adults to establish small businesses.

In a country where the government’s support is limited and sometimes inconsistent, The Cambodia trust can only look to private organizations or willing individuals for help. Its funds were heavily depleted during the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, making its day-to-day operations a big problem.

The CSR Club of The NANYANG MBA has taken up this challenge and will work with The Cambodia Trust to introduce strategic ways forward to raise funds and create sustainable plans for it.

Mike Scott (3rd from left, front row) with The NANYANG MBA CSR Club members