After the rocky seas of finals and finishing all lingering assignments before the emergence of summer has finally calmed, just three days after the end of the school year, I found myself in class once again. Why you may ask? Because I decided to enroll in SUMMER SCHOOL!
I must admit, the first groggy week back in school, I was half dead, limp and tired, however my professor Bruce Paton, who sadly left this year, kept the Global Strategies Course interesting and interactive. Additionally, being back with my MBA chums was also nice. The two week intensive course which we participated in is a requirement for all MBA students who wish to participate in their IBP. This year, our two week course included three presentations, several group projects, and a 10 page paper.
Once the class was over, I took a few days to rest. Others were not so lucky and pushed on ahead by taking the Frontier Market Scout courses. Little did we know that the summer would only get busier from then on!
I.B.P
What is IBP? IBP is the abbreviation of International Business Plan. It’s a chance for students to complete international focused consulting work before graduation, and is in essence the capstone project for MBA’s at MIIS. IBP is a team based cross-cultural company sponsored course, whereas students receive guidance from both an academic advisor and company liaison.
Your top three
For those of us who knew we were going to participate in our IBP during the summer the hardest part was picking a project. This year, the projects we had to choose from included:
1) John Muir Geo-tourism Center & Preserve
2) Monterey Mushrooms
3) Sacred Valley Sustainable Development Project – Andean Alliance
4) Citrix Online
Each of these projects has an international component. The John Muir project members are working on developing an international marketing iniative to introduce American geo-tourism to the world.
While Monterey Mushroom is a well known food production company that, due to the high level of demand for its product, is currently working with MIIS students to design an international food production facility.
The Andean Alliance is a social-enterprise project in Peru which is working on helping an non-profit organization create an sustainable business plan, as well as creating a program that would create wealth in the community.
Lastly, my project concerns an IT company that is planning to expand and provide its remote user with its signature software. My team is designing a go-to-market strategy that the company can use to market its product throughout Asia.
So as you can see, while school is out for summer for most MIIS students, the IBP course is keeping the other half of us very busy! We are gaining the chance to work as consults for domestic and international firms alike, and actively find ways to enhance our own skills and provide valuable service to businesses working on an international scale. On top of that, you get a chance to work with some great people.
