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1
Warwick Business School Alumni Association magazine summer 05
2
3
WBS newsChina of dragons tigers and flying geeseDr Simon CollinsonChina adapting to succeedAlice HuangChina insightMike BastinJapan change in the financial industryIzumi Kubo amp Professor Glenn MorganAsian Tsunami the logistics of reliefProfessor Alyson WarhurstCambodia callingJohn OrsquoGaraNorth Korea projectNigel SykesIndia on track in MumbaiVishal JhunjhunwalaWBS alumni boardkeeping in touchspecial interest groups updatealumni focus
3ndash78ndash9
10
10
11
12
13
14
15
171819
20ndash23
8ndash9
20
13
15
22
10
14
5
message from the dean
contents
Des
igne
d b
y M
orse
-Bro
wn
Des
ign
Lim
ited
ww
wm
orse
bro
wnd
esig
nco
uk
Warwick Business School is a truly
global institution Although physically based in the heart of the UK we hope you feel that WBS is relevant wherever you are Taking a look at the overseas events section of nexus (page 21) or on the Alumni Association web site
will give an insight into just how much WBS activity goes on around the world In this and future editions of nexus we hope to showcase our international links in terms of alumni faculty research and activity
Almost one third of our alumni live or work outside the UK The faculty here at WBS have a similarly international perspective One third of WBS faculty come from outside the UK have significant overseas experience or have non-UK qualifications
I believe WBS is educating students to cope in diverse international communities and articles in this edition show that not only are they coping but they are thriving With around one in six of our alumni living in Asia and numerous academics engaged in research and consultancy activities the difficulty for this issue lay in choosing what to include and what to omit The snapshots contained in this are just thathellip snapshots We cannot represent the whole of such a vast continent but we hope to give you a flavour of the depth of our involvement
It is interesting to see the diversity of research interests and careers ndash from more conventional interests such as finance and consultancy to improving agricultural productivity and working with disadvantaged women in Cambodia The possible applications of a management education from WBS are countless
I would also like to applaud and thank the many volunteers who help to make WBS the leading institution that it is I was delighted to present the Chairman of the Alumni Board Clive South (EMBA 1996ndash9) with the first ever Distinguished Service Award at the Annual Dinner at the House of Lords (see page 4 for a full report) The Alumni Board is now a fully elected representative body and I would encourage you to find out more about how they represent your views (page 17)
Over 1500 of our 18000 alumni have volunteered to get involved in some way with the work of WBS and my thanks go to each and every one of you The challenge for us is to find ways we can take you up on your offers and perhaps some of the stories in this issue will inspire you with your own ideas I look forward to working with many of you in the future
3
4
supported the School on many levels but has been a tremendous advocate engaging our wider community and furthering our alumni activities
Reacting later to his award Clive says lsquoI was completely in shock initially but this has now been replaced by a sense of purpose The challenge is to create the environment so that the whole alumni community can benefit from and contribute to the continuing success of WBS I must also thank on behalf of the alumni all those who have worked hard over the last few years to rejuvenate the Alumni Association both in the growing number of local groups and in more central rolesrsquo
At the third WBS Annual Dinner held at the House of Lords on 22 April Clive South (EMBA 1996ndash9) became the recipient of the inaugural Distinguished Award for Service to the School Clive has been Chairman of the WBS Alumni Board since May 2004 and was instrumental in founding the successful Midlands alumni group
The Dean of WBS Professor Howard Thomas kept the award a surprise by not naming Clive until he handed over to the Vice-Chancellor Professor David VandeLinde to make the presentation Howard thanked the as then unnamed recipient for his constant support and expertise over the past five years describing him as someone who has not only
First published in 1991 Marketing Concepts amp Strategies was a co-production between WBSrsquos Sally Dibb and Lyndon Simkin (MSM) and two leading US academics Totally re-written and updated with a greater focus on strategic decision-making in marketing and practitionersrsquo use of the marketing process
w wwwdibbmarketingcom
Professors John McGee Howard Thomas and David Wilson Marketing amp Strategic Management group (MSM) have recently published Strategy Analysis and Practice
This exciting new textbook sets out to provide students with an understanding of the core concepts and economics of strategy laying the foundations for analysing strategy on a variety of levels
w wwwmcgraw-hillcouktextbooksmcgee
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour (IROB) collaborated with colleagues Richard Whitley Manchester Business School and Eli Moen University of Oslo to produce Changing Capitalisms Internationalism Institutional Change and Systems of Economic OrganizationIncludes chapters by Professor Colin Crouch and Dr Michel Goyer
w wwwoupcoukisbn0-19-927563-7
Hari Tsoukas Professor of Organisation Studies (IROB) authored Complex Knowledge published by Oxford University Press The book examines the nature of knowledge in organisations and how individuals and scholars approach the concept of knowledge w wwwoupcoukisbn0-19-927557-2
Nigel F Piercy Professor in Marketing (MSM) and colleague David W Cravens have had Strategic Marketing 8th edition published by McGraw-HillIrwin A completely revised new edition of a best-selling text published in the USA as part of Irwinrsquos lsquoMarketing Mastersrsquo series
w httpcatalogsmhhecommhheviewProductDetailsdoisbn=0072966343
Updated and revised versions of alumnus Robert Cravenrsquos (MBA 1990ndash1) two successful business books Kick-Start Your Business and Customer Is King have been reprinted by Virgin Booksw wwwvirginbookscom
Alumnus Robert W McGee (PhD 1986) Professor Andreas School of Business Barry University Florida USA has another book published by Springer Accounting and Financial System Reform in a Transition Economy A Case Study of Russia w wwwspringerpubcom
Professor Jean Hartley Professor of Organisational Analysis was guest editor and contributed achapter on Innovation in Governance and Public Services Past and present to the 25th anniversary edition of CIPFA journal Public Money amp Management Other WBS academics also contributed ISSN 0954 0962
Alumna Elizabeth Maddison (MPA 2000ndash3) Head of the Strategic Planning Unit University of Brighton coauthored Managing Institutional Self-Study with colleague David Watson
The heart of the book is the case for the development of the university as a mature self-reflective community capable of making full use of its analytical and other resources w wwwopenupcouk
hot off the press
distinguished awardnexus summer 05
5research review nexus summer 05
Too often the focus on business improvement from managing intellectual property has been on IT tools or lsquocollectionrsquo rather than lsquoconnectionrsquo The Knowledge and Innovation Network (KIN) at WBS connects academics and practitioners from leading organisations with an interest in organisational amp behavioural aspects of Knowledge Management KIN emerged from the Innovation Knowledge and Organisational Networks research unit (IKON) established at WBS in 1997
KINrsquos aims arebull To create relevant new
insights in the field of knowledge innovation and networks through the funding of research
bull To help create business value for KIN member organisations by leverag-ing the network to lsquosupplyrsquo knowledge to meet member lsquodemandrsquo
bull To promote foster and support collaboration between practitioners and academics (between industry and university) to create new knowledge and practice w ki-networkorg
Howard Davis Research Manager LGC is involved in two new research projects For the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - scoping feasibility study for a long-term evaluation of freedoms and flexibilities
in local government For the Local Government Association ndash study into the impact of the activities of the performance partnership central bodies on local government improvement
Professor Jean Hartley Professor of Organisational Analysis and her team developed the Warwick Political Leadership Questionnaire (WPLQ) with funding from the Local Government Improvement and Development Agency and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation The research has pioneered new thinking about political leadership and systematically analysed the core skills of political leadership Most research on leadership to date has
focused on managers but there are crucial differences in the leadership exercised by politicians For more details visit w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=307
The Sales and Strategic Customer Management Network (SSCM) is a new venture at WBS developed out of the work of the Sales and Account Management Strategy research unit (SAMS) started by Professor Nigel Piercy and Dr Nikala Lane in 2004w wwwsamsorguk
Managed by Diana Woodburn Research Associate and part of
Executive Programmes the networkrsquos goal is to provide a lsquothink tankrsquo for innovation in strategic sales and account management reflecting the massive changes taking place in traditional buyer-seller relationships and the overwhelming demand by major customers for enhanced value The aim is to share research findings and best practice across member organisations
Professor Bob Johnston Operations Management Group (OM) specialises in service excellence and has been conducting research with Singapore Airlines (SIA) for around five years SIA was identified as an excellent service provider by focus groups held in the UK as part of a study commissioned by the Institute of Customer Service in 2000 Since then Bob has been working with several organisations in Asia including Shangri-La Hotels headquartered in Hong Kong and SIA to better understand how they go about delivering excellent service
Bob explains lsquoWhile many organisations struggle with the trade-offs created by
the competing objectives of profit and customer service SIA has managed to apply these dual objectives at all levels in the organisation to great effect Our most recent study has investigated how SIA goes about innovation Not only does the company have a specialist service and product development department (highly unusual in service organisations) but it also involves its entire staff in its innovation processrsquo
Bob has managed to weave his data collection alongside other visits to SE Asia He regularly teaches an MBA Service Management elective in Hong Kong or Singapore and attends conferences in the area as well as hosting alumni events
Chris Doyle Senior Research Fellow Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) was recently invited by the Falkland Islands Government to oversee the possible replacement of the camp telephone system which has served the Islands for years and is lsquonearing the end of its lifersquo
Despite his experience of the telecommunications issues faced by other countries Chris says that those faced by the Falkland Islands are unique His report will look at the tariff structures investment implications infrastructure and time-scale required
for the introduction of measures to address the current communications challenges Regulation of the services is another issue he will examine since even single operators with exclusive franchises such as Cable and Wireless are subject to regulation
6 WBS newsnexus summer 05
WBS is ranked 18th in the world by the HM Treasuryrsquos ranking of worldwide schools derived from salary and employment data taken from the Financial Times ranking
on courseWBS recently launched three new specialist masters courses due to commence in October 2005 The MScrsquos in Finance Information Systems amp Management and Marketing amp Strategy are all twelve month full-time courses Dean Howard Thomas confirms lsquoWe are very pleased to be launching these new programmes designed and taught by WBS faculty who are among the leaders in their field We look forward to welcoming the new participants to WBS in the autumnrsquo
winning teamIn February participants on The Warwick MBA won prizes for innovation totalling pound5000 from Crown Castle UK the UKrsquos leading mobile telecommunication and broadcast transmission infrastructure management company The task facing the winning team ndash Antonino Aversa Jorge Elton Paul Olliver Asli Solmaz-Kaizer and Zefeng Johnson Wu was to design manufacture and market a new personal portable data processing and communication device
WBS open dayOn Saturday 7 May WBS Scarman Road opened its doors to welcome alumni students and friends to look around the building as part of the Universityrsquos 40th Anniversary celebrations Professor Nigel Piercyrsquos taster lecture on lsquoSuperior Buyer-Seller Relationships Itrsquos all about sex and moneyrsquo proved very popular as did the guided tours of the building
WBS will celebrate its own 40th Anniversary in 2007
high ranking
7WBS news nexus summer 05
WBS in the mediaThe new Specialist Masters courses starting this autumn have been reported in both education and general media Media publications around the world both online and on paper seem unendingly fascinated by the MBA qualification and so the WBS alumni are often reported on and profiled In recent months though our tailored executive short courses The Warwick MPA and other public sector teaching programmes as well as undergraduate alumni have all received well-deserved media coverage
WBS faculty continue to provide expert comment and research reports across the full range of media In just the last three months WBS expertise and research findings have been cited in overseas and international publications such as the Financial Times Ethical Corporation European Public Service Review ipecom (Investment amp Pensions Europe) Mandag Morgen (Denmark) and in national and local UK media such as The Sunday Times People Management BBC Radio 4 and Radio Five Live Utility Week Marketing Local Government Chronicle Computer Weekly and even Arts Professional and Menrsquos Health
The topics covered are as diverse as the publications ndash ranging from pensions to human capital to football management Here is just a selection from those featured recently
bull Dr Sue Bridgewater Marketing amp Strategic Management Group (MSM) ndash radio broadcasts and national profiles on her football management research including a double page feature in The Independent on Sunday in April
bull Professor Anthony Neuberger Accounting amp Finance ndash contributions to the pension problem debate in Professional Pensions and ipecom
bull Professor John Benington Public Management and Policy Group ndash interviewed on public sector organisation on BBC Radio 4 You amp Yours and in Public Finance
bull Professor Alyson Warhurst Director of the Corporate Citizenship Unit (and featured in this issue) ndash article in Public Service Review (European) on need for organisations to help with solving AIDS crisis
bull Professor Linda Dickens Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour Group (IROB) ndash quoted in article on new EU employer consultation regulations in the Financial Times
bull Professor Martin Cave Director Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) ndash featured in Utility Week as speaker at seminar for economic regulators for water energy and rail
stop pressProfessor Howard Thomas Dean of WBS has been appointed to the position of Vice-President of the European Foundation for Management Development (efmd) For more information on the latest WBS news stories visitw wwwwbsacuknewspress_releases
executive educationPictured is the first of 12 cohorts from energy giant EON UK undertaking a tailored WBS Executive Leadership Programme which includes a lsquolife journeyrsquo identifying what has influenced delegatesrsquo life direction and leadership traits The course features sessions on regulation energy consumer and customer paradigms investor paradigms and strategic leadership and uses alternative media to encourage delegates to look at leadership from new perspectives For more information on WBS Executive Programmes w wwwwbsacukexecutive
Network Rail has commissioned WBS to provide the training at its new residential leadership centre The centre will welcome over 4000 managers and supervisors through its doors over the next two years as Network Rail seeks to strengthen its leadership capability
sponsored by WBSWBS sponsored the Business in the Community Award at the prestigious Variety Club Awards held at the ICC Birmingham in February The evening was hosted by TV presenter Angela Rippon and the award was won by the West Bromwich Building Society A party of invited guests was hosted by Ben Plummer WBS Head of Development and Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations
8
In each country the transition is marked by a shift of employment from one sector to another within the broader move from agriculture to manufacturing and then to services Overall rising skills and improved technological capabilities increased capital investment and wage-inflation drive ndash and are driven by ndash the change process
If we look at a particular industry the location of production activities and subsequent exports and trade flows change as different economies change their specialisation China now dominates as the worldrsquos biggest exporter of clothing whilst Singapore South Korea and Taiwan have thriving electronics industries Japan is a net-importer of televisions and over 70 percent of its economy is now based on services
The process also appears to be speeding up For example Toyota and Sony took about 30ndash35 years to evolve into leading firms
Perhaps the most dangerous assumption we could make about China is that its
cheap manufacturing labour is its only competitive advantage Many people seem to believe that although we may expect to lose manufacturing jobs to the lsquoEastrsquo we have unassailable competitive advantages in high technology industries and knowledge-based services
This is not so Comparative advantage in manufacturing is only the beginning of an economic transformation which we have seen before The Asian economies including China are arguably following a predictable path in terms of their economic growth changing industry specialisation and evolving competitive advantages Moreover the pace at which potential competitors are emerging from the Asian region across a wide range of business areas not just manufacturing raises an important question whether there is enough time for the West to adapt
China is following a familiar path The patterns of industrial transformation and growth of emerging economies in the Asian region have been closely studied One model to describe these changes is the poetically-named lsquoflying geesersquo model by Japanese academic Kaname Akamatsu This suggests that Asian economies are follow-ing similar development paths but are at different stages along this path following the lead lsquogoosersquo Japan Over time each country or group will gain and then subsequently lose specific comparative advantage in a particular industry For Japan historically it has shifted from iron and steel to textiles clothing to autos and electronics The four lsquoTigerrsquo economies Hong Kong South Korea Singapore and Taiwan followed a similar trajectory although quicker Other ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations such as Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines and Thailand are a little further behind but the sequence of specialisation is similar
in their industries Samsung
(South Korea) and Acer (Taiwan) took 20ndash25 years and
TCS Wipro and Infosys (India) 15ndash20 years
Chinese firms are on the same learning trajectory Moreover the Chinese economy overall appears to be developing advantages in a range of industries (such as autos consumer electronics telecoms and software) at the same time rather than in sequence
There are two particular drivers of this lsquoaccelerated learningrsquo that we should
be aware of
bull First multinational firms from North America Europe
and Japan (the mature lsquotriadrsquo regions) are helping local firms
develop the capabilities they need to progress lsquoup the food chainrsquo
bull Second local Chinese firms are expanding inter-
nationally to get access to large markets in the triad and to acquire the assets technologies brands and capabilities they need to compete more effectively
Foreign multinational firms are helpinghellip Foreign direct investment (FDI) into mainland China is at unprecedented levels with over $62 billion flowing into the country in 2004 (more than 10 times FDI into India) Recent high profile mergers acquisitions and joint ventures include HSBC ($17 billion for 20 percent of Chinarsquos Bank of Communications) Tesco ($260 million for 50 percent of Le Gao Shopping) and Amazoncom ($75 million for Joyocom) There was also something of
of dragons tigers and flying geeseAs businesses government agencies and local communities in the Midlands region pick up the pieces from the collapse of MG Rover Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business says there are lessons to be learnt about the UKrsquos manufacturing competitiveness that should have been learnt some time ago There are also a number of assumptions about the future threats and opportunities posed by Chinarsquos ascendance that need to be challenged
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
9
a beer-fest last year with Anheuser-Busch paying $600 million for the Harbin Brewery Group Heineken buying 21 percent of Guangdong Brewery Holdings ($69 million) and Scottish and Newcastle buying 195 percent of the
science and technology infrastructure China spends more than double the UK on RampD and this is growing at 9 percent per year in line with its GDP growth The country has over 17 million students in higher education and more than 60 industrial parks are dedicated to returning Chinese graduates
who have started up over 4000 new
businesses
The result is that over 25 percent of Chinarsquos exports were in high-technology areas last year compared to just 26 percent 20 years ago and the proportion exported by foreign firms in China is falling rapidly
Companies like Huawei Zhongxing and Datang in telecoms Bird TCL and Konka in mobile handsets Founder Red Flag
The author in minute
Formerly at Edinburgh University Management School and Assistant Director of the Japanese-European Technology Studies (JETS) institute for seven years Simon has held visiting positions at the
National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo Australia Graduate School of Management in Sydney and the Kelley School of Business in Indiana
Research interests the global organisation of RampD international joint ventures knowledge and technology management international entrepreneurship business infrastructures and management practices in Japan amp China
ability to innovate and to internationalise Chinarsquos stock of outward FDI has grown from $25 billion in 1990 to over $25 billion in 2000 and $37 billion in 2003
In light of these
large-scale processes what
has happened with MG Rover makes more sense It was never in the interests of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to resurrect any significant manufacturing operation in the Midlands It wanted access to some key technological assets including the power-train engine manufacturing capabilities and rights to the Rover 25 Once it had acquired these to complement its manufacturing operations in China it left the remainder of the firm sink-or-swim with high labour and manufacturing costs a strong pound-Sterling and general over-capacity in the auto industry And as we know MG Rover has sunk
So we know how the catch-up process works and we know China is progressing rapidly across a range of industries at the same time The two key questions for firms and economic policy makers outside China are
1 which industries will Chinese firms eventually come to dominate
2 how long before they move from lsquolearningrsquo to lsquoleadingrsquo
China nexus summer 05 focus on asia
Chongqing Beer Group ($63 million) (China became the largest global market for beer in 2002)
Perhaps more significantly there are over300 foreign RampD centres in China and we know that the transfer of technological know-how and managerial capabilities via multinational operations in emerging markets is one of the main sources of competitive advantage for local firms
Western multinationals are to a certain extent breeding their own future competitors Their current strategic opportunities could turn into their future competitive threats
Couple this inward FDI with already high levels of education and a strong local
UFSoft Neusoft Kingdee and Top Group in software show how quickly technological capabilities are evolving in China And Chinese firms are turning multinationalhellip Lenovo originally a spin-off from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the mid-1980s made the news in December 2004 when it bought IBMrsquos PC business for $175 billion It makes 30 percent of PCs in China and is number two in laser printers It also recently opened an RampD centre in Californiarsquos Silicon Valley ndash as a lsquolistening postrsquo
As shown by Lenovo one route to accelerate the learning process is by outward foreign direct investment (FDI) Chinese companies are increasingly buying the assets brands or capabilities they lack to improve their
centcentcent
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
2
3
WBS newsChina of dragons tigers and flying geeseDr Simon CollinsonChina adapting to succeedAlice HuangChina insightMike BastinJapan change in the financial industryIzumi Kubo amp Professor Glenn MorganAsian Tsunami the logistics of reliefProfessor Alyson WarhurstCambodia callingJohn OrsquoGaraNorth Korea projectNigel SykesIndia on track in MumbaiVishal JhunjhunwalaWBS alumni boardkeeping in touchspecial interest groups updatealumni focus
3ndash78ndash9
10
10
11
12
13
14
15
171819
20ndash23
8ndash9
20
13
15
22
10
14
5
message from the dean
contents
Des
igne
d b
y M
orse
-Bro
wn
Des
ign
Lim
ited
ww
wm
orse
bro
wnd
esig
nco
uk
Warwick Business School is a truly
global institution Although physically based in the heart of the UK we hope you feel that WBS is relevant wherever you are Taking a look at the overseas events section of nexus (page 21) or on the Alumni Association web site
will give an insight into just how much WBS activity goes on around the world In this and future editions of nexus we hope to showcase our international links in terms of alumni faculty research and activity
Almost one third of our alumni live or work outside the UK The faculty here at WBS have a similarly international perspective One third of WBS faculty come from outside the UK have significant overseas experience or have non-UK qualifications
I believe WBS is educating students to cope in diverse international communities and articles in this edition show that not only are they coping but they are thriving With around one in six of our alumni living in Asia and numerous academics engaged in research and consultancy activities the difficulty for this issue lay in choosing what to include and what to omit The snapshots contained in this are just thathellip snapshots We cannot represent the whole of such a vast continent but we hope to give you a flavour of the depth of our involvement
It is interesting to see the diversity of research interests and careers ndash from more conventional interests such as finance and consultancy to improving agricultural productivity and working with disadvantaged women in Cambodia The possible applications of a management education from WBS are countless
I would also like to applaud and thank the many volunteers who help to make WBS the leading institution that it is I was delighted to present the Chairman of the Alumni Board Clive South (EMBA 1996ndash9) with the first ever Distinguished Service Award at the Annual Dinner at the House of Lords (see page 4 for a full report) The Alumni Board is now a fully elected representative body and I would encourage you to find out more about how they represent your views (page 17)
Over 1500 of our 18000 alumni have volunteered to get involved in some way with the work of WBS and my thanks go to each and every one of you The challenge for us is to find ways we can take you up on your offers and perhaps some of the stories in this issue will inspire you with your own ideas I look forward to working with many of you in the future
3
4
supported the School on many levels but has been a tremendous advocate engaging our wider community and furthering our alumni activities
Reacting later to his award Clive says lsquoI was completely in shock initially but this has now been replaced by a sense of purpose The challenge is to create the environment so that the whole alumni community can benefit from and contribute to the continuing success of WBS I must also thank on behalf of the alumni all those who have worked hard over the last few years to rejuvenate the Alumni Association both in the growing number of local groups and in more central rolesrsquo
At the third WBS Annual Dinner held at the House of Lords on 22 April Clive South (EMBA 1996ndash9) became the recipient of the inaugural Distinguished Award for Service to the School Clive has been Chairman of the WBS Alumni Board since May 2004 and was instrumental in founding the successful Midlands alumni group
The Dean of WBS Professor Howard Thomas kept the award a surprise by not naming Clive until he handed over to the Vice-Chancellor Professor David VandeLinde to make the presentation Howard thanked the as then unnamed recipient for his constant support and expertise over the past five years describing him as someone who has not only
First published in 1991 Marketing Concepts amp Strategies was a co-production between WBSrsquos Sally Dibb and Lyndon Simkin (MSM) and two leading US academics Totally re-written and updated with a greater focus on strategic decision-making in marketing and practitionersrsquo use of the marketing process
w wwwdibbmarketingcom
Professors John McGee Howard Thomas and David Wilson Marketing amp Strategic Management group (MSM) have recently published Strategy Analysis and Practice
This exciting new textbook sets out to provide students with an understanding of the core concepts and economics of strategy laying the foundations for analysing strategy on a variety of levels
w wwwmcgraw-hillcouktextbooksmcgee
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour (IROB) collaborated with colleagues Richard Whitley Manchester Business School and Eli Moen University of Oslo to produce Changing Capitalisms Internationalism Institutional Change and Systems of Economic OrganizationIncludes chapters by Professor Colin Crouch and Dr Michel Goyer
w wwwoupcoukisbn0-19-927563-7
Hari Tsoukas Professor of Organisation Studies (IROB) authored Complex Knowledge published by Oxford University Press The book examines the nature of knowledge in organisations and how individuals and scholars approach the concept of knowledge w wwwoupcoukisbn0-19-927557-2
Nigel F Piercy Professor in Marketing (MSM) and colleague David W Cravens have had Strategic Marketing 8th edition published by McGraw-HillIrwin A completely revised new edition of a best-selling text published in the USA as part of Irwinrsquos lsquoMarketing Mastersrsquo series
w httpcatalogsmhhecommhheviewProductDetailsdoisbn=0072966343
Updated and revised versions of alumnus Robert Cravenrsquos (MBA 1990ndash1) two successful business books Kick-Start Your Business and Customer Is King have been reprinted by Virgin Booksw wwwvirginbookscom
Alumnus Robert W McGee (PhD 1986) Professor Andreas School of Business Barry University Florida USA has another book published by Springer Accounting and Financial System Reform in a Transition Economy A Case Study of Russia w wwwspringerpubcom
Professor Jean Hartley Professor of Organisational Analysis was guest editor and contributed achapter on Innovation in Governance and Public Services Past and present to the 25th anniversary edition of CIPFA journal Public Money amp Management Other WBS academics also contributed ISSN 0954 0962
Alumna Elizabeth Maddison (MPA 2000ndash3) Head of the Strategic Planning Unit University of Brighton coauthored Managing Institutional Self-Study with colleague David Watson
The heart of the book is the case for the development of the university as a mature self-reflective community capable of making full use of its analytical and other resources w wwwopenupcouk
hot off the press
distinguished awardnexus summer 05
5research review nexus summer 05
Too often the focus on business improvement from managing intellectual property has been on IT tools or lsquocollectionrsquo rather than lsquoconnectionrsquo The Knowledge and Innovation Network (KIN) at WBS connects academics and practitioners from leading organisations with an interest in organisational amp behavioural aspects of Knowledge Management KIN emerged from the Innovation Knowledge and Organisational Networks research unit (IKON) established at WBS in 1997
KINrsquos aims arebull To create relevant new
insights in the field of knowledge innovation and networks through the funding of research
bull To help create business value for KIN member organisations by leverag-ing the network to lsquosupplyrsquo knowledge to meet member lsquodemandrsquo
bull To promote foster and support collaboration between practitioners and academics (between industry and university) to create new knowledge and practice w ki-networkorg
Howard Davis Research Manager LGC is involved in two new research projects For the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - scoping feasibility study for a long-term evaluation of freedoms and flexibilities
in local government For the Local Government Association ndash study into the impact of the activities of the performance partnership central bodies on local government improvement
Professor Jean Hartley Professor of Organisational Analysis and her team developed the Warwick Political Leadership Questionnaire (WPLQ) with funding from the Local Government Improvement and Development Agency and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation The research has pioneered new thinking about political leadership and systematically analysed the core skills of political leadership Most research on leadership to date has
focused on managers but there are crucial differences in the leadership exercised by politicians For more details visit w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=307
The Sales and Strategic Customer Management Network (SSCM) is a new venture at WBS developed out of the work of the Sales and Account Management Strategy research unit (SAMS) started by Professor Nigel Piercy and Dr Nikala Lane in 2004w wwwsamsorguk
Managed by Diana Woodburn Research Associate and part of
Executive Programmes the networkrsquos goal is to provide a lsquothink tankrsquo for innovation in strategic sales and account management reflecting the massive changes taking place in traditional buyer-seller relationships and the overwhelming demand by major customers for enhanced value The aim is to share research findings and best practice across member organisations
Professor Bob Johnston Operations Management Group (OM) specialises in service excellence and has been conducting research with Singapore Airlines (SIA) for around five years SIA was identified as an excellent service provider by focus groups held in the UK as part of a study commissioned by the Institute of Customer Service in 2000 Since then Bob has been working with several organisations in Asia including Shangri-La Hotels headquartered in Hong Kong and SIA to better understand how they go about delivering excellent service
Bob explains lsquoWhile many organisations struggle with the trade-offs created by
the competing objectives of profit and customer service SIA has managed to apply these dual objectives at all levels in the organisation to great effect Our most recent study has investigated how SIA goes about innovation Not only does the company have a specialist service and product development department (highly unusual in service organisations) but it also involves its entire staff in its innovation processrsquo
Bob has managed to weave his data collection alongside other visits to SE Asia He regularly teaches an MBA Service Management elective in Hong Kong or Singapore and attends conferences in the area as well as hosting alumni events
Chris Doyle Senior Research Fellow Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) was recently invited by the Falkland Islands Government to oversee the possible replacement of the camp telephone system which has served the Islands for years and is lsquonearing the end of its lifersquo
Despite his experience of the telecommunications issues faced by other countries Chris says that those faced by the Falkland Islands are unique His report will look at the tariff structures investment implications infrastructure and time-scale required
for the introduction of measures to address the current communications challenges Regulation of the services is another issue he will examine since even single operators with exclusive franchises such as Cable and Wireless are subject to regulation
6 WBS newsnexus summer 05
WBS is ranked 18th in the world by the HM Treasuryrsquos ranking of worldwide schools derived from salary and employment data taken from the Financial Times ranking
on courseWBS recently launched three new specialist masters courses due to commence in October 2005 The MScrsquos in Finance Information Systems amp Management and Marketing amp Strategy are all twelve month full-time courses Dean Howard Thomas confirms lsquoWe are very pleased to be launching these new programmes designed and taught by WBS faculty who are among the leaders in their field We look forward to welcoming the new participants to WBS in the autumnrsquo
winning teamIn February participants on The Warwick MBA won prizes for innovation totalling pound5000 from Crown Castle UK the UKrsquos leading mobile telecommunication and broadcast transmission infrastructure management company The task facing the winning team ndash Antonino Aversa Jorge Elton Paul Olliver Asli Solmaz-Kaizer and Zefeng Johnson Wu was to design manufacture and market a new personal portable data processing and communication device
WBS open dayOn Saturday 7 May WBS Scarman Road opened its doors to welcome alumni students and friends to look around the building as part of the Universityrsquos 40th Anniversary celebrations Professor Nigel Piercyrsquos taster lecture on lsquoSuperior Buyer-Seller Relationships Itrsquos all about sex and moneyrsquo proved very popular as did the guided tours of the building
WBS will celebrate its own 40th Anniversary in 2007
high ranking
7WBS news nexus summer 05
WBS in the mediaThe new Specialist Masters courses starting this autumn have been reported in both education and general media Media publications around the world both online and on paper seem unendingly fascinated by the MBA qualification and so the WBS alumni are often reported on and profiled In recent months though our tailored executive short courses The Warwick MPA and other public sector teaching programmes as well as undergraduate alumni have all received well-deserved media coverage
WBS faculty continue to provide expert comment and research reports across the full range of media In just the last three months WBS expertise and research findings have been cited in overseas and international publications such as the Financial Times Ethical Corporation European Public Service Review ipecom (Investment amp Pensions Europe) Mandag Morgen (Denmark) and in national and local UK media such as The Sunday Times People Management BBC Radio 4 and Radio Five Live Utility Week Marketing Local Government Chronicle Computer Weekly and even Arts Professional and Menrsquos Health
The topics covered are as diverse as the publications ndash ranging from pensions to human capital to football management Here is just a selection from those featured recently
bull Dr Sue Bridgewater Marketing amp Strategic Management Group (MSM) ndash radio broadcasts and national profiles on her football management research including a double page feature in The Independent on Sunday in April
bull Professor Anthony Neuberger Accounting amp Finance ndash contributions to the pension problem debate in Professional Pensions and ipecom
bull Professor John Benington Public Management and Policy Group ndash interviewed on public sector organisation on BBC Radio 4 You amp Yours and in Public Finance
bull Professor Alyson Warhurst Director of the Corporate Citizenship Unit (and featured in this issue) ndash article in Public Service Review (European) on need for organisations to help with solving AIDS crisis
bull Professor Linda Dickens Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour Group (IROB) ndash quoted in article on new EU employer consultation regulations in the Financial Times
bull Professor Martin Cave Director Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) ndash featured in Utility Week as speaker at seminar for economic regulators for water energy and rail
stop pressProfessor Howard Thomas Dean of WBS has been appointed to the position of Vice-President of the European Foundation for Management Development (efmd) For more information on the latest WBS news stories visitw wwwwbsacuknewspress_releases
executive educationPictured is the first of 12 cohorts from energy giant EON UK undertaking a tailored WBS Executive Leadership Programme which includes a lsquolife journeyrsquo identifying what has influenced delegatesrsquo life direction and leadership traits The course features sessions on regulation energy consumer and customer paradigms investor paradigms and strategic leadership and uses alternative media to encourage delegates to look at leadership from new perspectives For more information on WBS Executive Programmes w wwwwbsacukexecutive
Network Rail has commissioned WBS to provide the training at its new residential leadership centre The centre will welcome over 4000 managers and supervisors through its doors over the next two years as Network Rail seeks to strengthen its leadership capability
sponsored by WBSWBS sponsored the Business in the Community Award at the prestigious Variety Club Awards held at the ICC Birmingham in February The evening was hosted by TV presenter Angela Rippon and the award was won by the West Bromwich Building Society A party of invited guests was hosted by Ben Plummer WBS Head of Development and Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations
8
In each country the transition is marked by a shift of employment from one sector to another within the broader move from agriculture to manufacturing and then to services Overall rising skills and improved technological capabilities increased capital investment and wage-inflation drive ndash and are driven by ndash the change process
If we look at a particular industry the location of production activities and subsequent exports and trade flows change as different economies change their specialisation China now dominates as the worldrsquos biggest exporter of clothing whilst Singapore South Korea and Taiwan have thriving electronics industries Japan is a net-importer of televisions and over 70 percent of its economy is now based on services
The process also appears to be speeding up For example Toyota and Sony took about 30ndash35 years to evolve into leading firms
Perhaps the most dangerous assumption we could make about China is that its
cheap manufacturing labour is its only competitive advantage Many people seem to believe that although we may expect to lose manufacturing jobs to the lsquoEastrsquo we have unassailable competitive advantages in high technology industries and knowledge-based services
This is not so Comparative advantage in manufacturing is only the beginning of an economic transformation which we have seen before The Asian economies including China are arguably following a predictable path in terms of their economic growth changing industry specialisation and evolving competitive advantages Moreover the pace at which potential competitors are emerging from the Asian region across a wide range of business areas not just manufacturing raises an important question whether there is enough time for the West to adapt
China is following a familiar path The patterns of industrial transformation and growth of emerging economies in the Asian region have been closely studied One model to describe these changes is the poetically-named lsquoflying geesersquo model by Japanese academic Kaname Akamatsu This suggests that Asian economies are follow-ing similar development paths but are at different stages along this path following the lead lsquogoosersquo Japan Over time each country or group will gain and then subsequently lose specific comparative advantage in a particular industry For Japan historically it has shifted from iron and steel to textiles clothing to autos and electronics The four lsquoTigerrsquo economies Hong Kong South Korea Singapore and Taiwan followed a similar trajectory although quicker Other ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations such as Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines and Thailand are a little further behind but the sequence of specialisation is similar
in their industries Samsung
(South Korea) and Acer (Taiwan) took 20ndash25 years and
TCS Wipro and Infosys (India) 15ndash20 years
Chinese firms are on the same learning trajectory Moreover the Chinese economy overall appears to be developing advantages in a range of industries (such as autos consumer electronics telecoms and software) at the same time rather than in sequence
There are two particular drivers of this lsquoaccelerated learningrsquo that we should
be aware of
bull First multinational firms from North America Europe
and Japan (the mature lsquotriadrsquo regions) are helping local firms
develop the capabilities they need to progress lsquoup the food chainrsquo
bull Second local Chinese firms are expanding inter-
nationally to get access to large markets in the triad and to acquire the assets technologies brands and capabilities they need to compete more effectively
Foreign multinational firms are helpinghellip Foreign direct investment (FDI) into mainland China is at unprecedented levels with over $62 billion flowing into the country in 2004 (more than 10 times FDI into India) Recent high profile mergers acquisitions and joint ventures include HSBC ($17 billion for 20 percent of Chinarsquos Bank of Communications) Tesco ($260 million for 50 percent of Le Gao Shopping) and Amazoncom ($75 million for Joyocom) There was also something of
of dragons tigers and flying geeseAs businesses government agencies and local communities in the Midlands region pick up the pieces from the collapse of MG Rover Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business says there are lessons to be learnt about the UKrsquos manufacturing competitiveness that should have been learnt some time ago There are also a number of assumptions about the future threats and opportunities posed by Chinarsquos ascendance that need to be challenged
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
9
a beer-fest last year with Anheuser-Busch paying $600 million for the Harbin Brewery Group Heineken buying 21 percent of Guangdong Brewery Holdings ($69 million) and Scottish and Newcastle buying 195 percent of the
science and technology infrastructure China spends more than double the UK on RampD and this is growing at 9 percent per year in line with its GDP growth The country has over 17 million students in higher education and more than 60 industrial parks are dedicated to returning Chinese graduates
who have started up over 4000 new
businesses
The result is that over 25 percent of Chinarsquos exports were in high-technology areas last year compared to just 26 percent 20 years ago and the proportion exported by foreign firms in China is falling rapidly
Companies like Huawei Zhongxing and Datang in telecoms Bird TCL and Konka in mobile handsets Founder Red Flag
The author in minute
Formerly at Edinburgh University Management School and Assistant Director of the Japanese-European Technology Studies (JETS) institute for seven years Simon has held visiting positions at the
National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo Australia Graduate School of Management in Sydney and the Kelley School of Business in Indiana
Research interests the global organisation of RampD international joint ventures knowledge and technology management international entrepreneurship business infrastructures and management practices in Japan amp China
ability to innovate and to internationalise Chinarsquos stock of outward FDI has grown from $25 billion in 1990 to over $25 billion in 2000 and $37 billion in 2003
In light of these
large-scale processes what
has happened with MG Rover makes more sense It was never in the interests of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to resurrect any significant manufacturing operation in the Midlands It wanted access to some key technological assets including the power-train engine manufacturing capabilities and rights to the Rover 25 Once it had acquired these to complement its manufacturing operations in China it left the remainder of the firm sink-or-swim with high labour and manufacturing costs a strong pound-Sterling and general over-capacity in the auto industry And as we know MG Rover has sunk
So we know how the catch-up process works and we know China is progressing rapidly across a range of industries at the same time The two key questions for firms and economic policy makers outside China are
1 which industries will Chinese firms eventually come to dominate
2 how long before they move from lsquolearningrsquo to lsquoleadingrsquo
China nexus summer 05 focus on asia
Chongqing Beer Group ($63 million) (China became the largest global market for beer in 2002)
Perhaps more significantly there are over300 foreign RampD centres in China and we know that the transfer of technological know-how and managerial capabilities via multinational operations in emerging markets is one of the main sources of competitive advantage for local firms
Western multinationals are to a certain extent breeding their own future competitors Their current strategic opportunities could turn into their future competitive threats
Couple this inward FDI with already high levels of education and a strong local
UFSoft Neusoft Kingdee and Top Group in software show how quickly technological capabilities are evolving in China And Chinese firms are turning multinationalhellip Lenovo originally a spin-off from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the mid-1980s made the news in December 2004 when it bought IBMrsquos PC business for $175 billion It makes 30 percent of PCs in China and is number two in laser printers It also recently opened an RampD centre in Californiarsquos Silicon Valley ndash as a lsquolistening postrsquo
As shown by Lenovo one route to accelerate the learning process is by outward foreign direct investment (FDI) Chinese companies are increasingly buying the assets brands or capabilities they lack to improve their
centcentcent
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
3
WBS newsChina of dragons tigers and flying geeseDr Simon CollinsonChina adapting to succeedAlice HuangChina insightMike BastinJapan change in the financial industryIzumi Kubo amp Professor Glenn MorganAsian Tsunami the logistics of reliefProfessor Alyson WarhurstCambodia callingJohn OrsquoGaraNorth Korea projectNigel SykesIndia on track in MumbaiVishal JhunjhunwalaWBS alumni boardkeeping in touchspecial interest groups updatealumni focus
3ndash78ndash9
10
10
11
12
13
14
15
171819
20ndash23
8ndash9
20
13
15
22
10
14
5
message from the dean
contents
Des
igne
d b
y M
orse
-Bro
wn
Des
ign
Lim
ited
ww
wm
orse
bro
wnd
esig
nco
uk
Warwick Business School is a truly
global institution Although physically based in the heart of the UK we hope you feel that WBS is relevant wherever you are Taking a look at the overseas events section of nexus (page 21) or on the Alumni Association web site
will give an insight into just how much WBS activity goes on around the world In this and future editions of nexus we hope to showcase our international links in terms of alumni faculty research and activity
Almost one third of our alumni live or work outside the UK The faculty here at WBS have a similarly international perspective One third of WBS faculty come from outside the UK have significant overseas experience or have non-UK qualifications
I believe WBS is educating students to cope in diverse international communities and articles in this edition show that not only are they coping but they are thriving With around one in six of our alumni living in Asia and numerous academics engaged in research and consultancy activities the difficulty for this issue lay in choosing what to include and what to omit The snapshots contained in this are just thathellip snapshots We cannot represent the whole of such a vast continent but we hope to give you a flavour of the depth of our involvement
It is interesting to see the diversity of research interests and careers ndash from more conventional interests such as finance and consultancy to improving agricultural productivity and working with disadvantaged women in Cambodia The possible applications of a management education from WBS are countless
I would also like to applaud and thank the many volunteers who help to make WBS the leading institution that it is I was delighted to present the Chairman of the Alumni Board Clive South (EMBA 1996ndash9) with the first ever Distinguished Service Award at the Annual Dinner at the House of Lords (see page 4 for a full report) The Alumni Board is now a fully elected representative body and I would encourage you to find out more about how they represent your views (page 17)
Over 1500 of our 18000 alumni have volunteered to get involved in some way with the work of WBS and my thanks go to each and every one of you The challenge for us is to find ways we can take you up on your offers and perhaps some of the stories in this issue will inspire you with your own ideas I look forward to working with many of you in the future
3
4
supported the School on many levels but has been a tremendous advocate engaging our wider community and furthering our alumni activities
Reacting later to his award Clive says lsquoI was completely in shock initially but this has now been replaced by a sense of purpose The challenge is to create the environment so that the whole alumni community can benefit from and contribute to the continuing success of WBS I must also thank on behalf of the alumni all those who have worked hard over the last few years to rejuvenate the Alumni Association both in the growing number of local groups and in more central rolesrsquo
At the third WBS Annual Dinner held at the House of Lords on 22 April Clive South (EMBA 1996ndash9) became the recipient of the inaugural Distinguished Award for Service to the School Clive has been Chairman of the WBS Alumni Board since May 2004 and was instrumental in founding the successful Midlands alumni group
The Dean of WBS Professor Howard Thomas kept the award a surprise by not naming Clive until he handed over to the Vice-Chancellor Professor David VandeLinde to make the presentation Howard thanked the as then unnamed recipient for his constant support and expertise over the past five years describing him as someone who has not only
First published in 1991 Marketing Concepts amp Strategies was a co-production between WBSrsquos Sally Dibb and Lyndon Simkin (MSM) and two leading US academics Totally re-written and updated with a greater focus on strategic decision-making in marketing and practitionersrsquo use of the marketing process
w wwwdibbmarketingcom
Professors John McGee Howard Thomas and David Wilson Marketing amp Strategic Management group (MSM) have recently published Strategy Analysis and Practice
This exciting new textbook sets out to provide students with an understanding of the core concepts and economics of strategy laying the foundations for analysing strategy on a variety of levels
w wwwmcgraw-hillcouktextbooksmcgee
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour (IROB) collaborated with colleagues Richard Whitley Manchester Business School and Eli Moen University of Oslo to produce Changing Capitalisms Internationalism Institutional Change and Systems of Economic OrganizationIncludes chapters by Professor Colin Crouch and Dr Michel Goyer
w wwwoupcoukisbn0-19-927563-7
Hari Tsoukas Professor of Organisation Studies (IROB) authored Complex Knowledge published by Oxford University Press The book examines the nature of knowledge in organisations and how individuals and scholars approach the concept of knowledge w wwwoupcoukisbn0-19-927557-2
Nigel F Piercy Professor in Marketing (MSM) and colleague David W Cravens have had Strategic Marketing 8th edition published by McGraw-HillIrwin A completely revised new edition of a best-selling text published in the USA as part of Irwinrsquos lsquoMarketing Mastersrsquo series
w httpcatalogsmhhecommhheviewProductDetailsdoisbn=0072966343
Updated and revised versions of alumnus Robert Cravenrsquos (MBA 1990ndash1) two successful business books Kick-Start Your Business and Customer Is King have been reprinted by Virgin Booksw wwwvirginbookscom
Alumnus Robert W McGee (PhD 1986) Professor Andreas School of Business Barry University Florida USA has another book published by Springer Accounting and Financial System Reform in a Transition Economy A Case Study of Russia w wwwspringerpubcom
Professor Jean Hartley Professor of Organisational Analysis was guest editor and contributed achapter on Innovation in Governance and Public Services Past and present to the 25th anniversary edition of CIPFA journal Public Money amp Management Other WBS academics also contributed ISSN 0954 0962
Alumna Elizabeth Maddison (MPA 2000ndash3) Head of the Strategic Planning Unit University of Brighton coauthored Managing Institutional Self-Study with colleague David Watson
The heart of the book is the case for the development of the university as a mature self-reflective community capable of making full use of its analytical and other resources w wwwopenupcouk
hot off the press
distinguished awardnexus summer 05
5research review nexus summer 05
Too often the focus on business improvement from managing intellectual property has been on IT tools or lsquocollectionrsquo rather than lsquoconnectionrsquo The Knowledge and Innovation Network (KIN) at WBS connects academics and practitioners from leading organisations with an interest in organisational amp behavioural aspects of Knowledge Management KIN emerged from the Innovation Knowledge and Organisational Networks research unit (IKON) established at WBS in 1997
KINrsquos aims arebull To create relevant new
insights in the field of knowledge innovation and networks through the funding of research
bull To help create business value for KIN member organisations by leverag-ing the network to lsquosupplyrsquo knowledge to meet member lsquodemandrsquo
bull To promote foster and support collaboration between practitioners and academics (between industry and university) to create new knowledge and practice w ki-networkorg
Howard Davis Research Manager LGC is involved in two new research projects For the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - scoping feasibility study for a long-term evaluation of freedoms and flexibilities
in local government For the Local Government Association ndash study into the impact of the activities of the performance partnership central bodies on local government improvement
Professor Jean Hartley Professor of Organisational Analysis and her team developed the Warwick Political Leadership Questionnaire (WPLQ) with funding from the Local Government Improvement and Development Agency and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation The research has pioneered new thinking about political leadership and systematically analysed the core skills of political leadership Most research on leadership to date has
focused on managers but there are crucial differences in the leadership exercised by politicians For more details visit w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=307
The Sales and Strategic Customer Management Network (SSCM) is a new venture at WBS developed out of the work of the Sales and Account Management Strategy research unit (SAMS) started by Professor Nigel Piercy and Dr Nikala Lane in 2004w wwwsamsorguk
Managed by Diana Woodburn Research Associate and part of
Executive Programmes the networkrsquos goal is to provide a lsquothink tankrsquo for innovation in strategic sales and account management reflecting the massive changes taking place in traditional buyer-seller relationships and the overwhelming demand by major customers for enhanced value The aim is to share research findings and best practice across member organisations
Professor Bob Johnston Operations Management Group (OM) specialises in service excellence and has been conducting research with Singapore Airlines (SIA) for around five years SIA was identified as an excellent service provider by focus groups held in the UK as part of a study commissioned by the Institute of Customer Service in 2000 Since then Bob has been working with several organisations in Asia including Shangri-La Hotels headquartered in Hong Kong and SIA to better understand how they go about delivering excellent service
Bob explains lsquoWhile many organisations struggle with the trade-offs created by
the competing objectives of profit and customer service SIA has managed to apply these dual objectives at all levels in the organisation to great effect Our most recent study has investigated how SIA goes about innovation Not only does the company have a specialist service and product development department (highly unusual in service organisations) but it also involves its entire staff in its innovation processrsquo
Bob has managed to weave his data collection alongside other visits to SE Asia He regularly teaches an MBA Service Management elective in Hong Kong or Singapore and attends conferences in the area as well as hosting alumni events
Chris Doyle Senior Research Fellow Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) was recently invited by the Falkland Islands Government to oversee the possible replacement of the camp telephone system which has served the Islands for years and is lsquonearing the end of its lifersquo
Despite his experience of the telecommunications issues faced by other countries Chris says that those faced by the Falkland Islands are unique His report will look at the tariff structures investment implications infrastructure and time-scale required
for the introduction of measures to address the current communications challenges Regulation of the services is another issue he will examine since even single operators with exclusive franchises such as Cable and Wireless are subject to regulation
6 WBS newsnexus summer 05
WBS is ranked 18th in the world by the HM Treasuryrsquos ranking of worldwide schools derived from salary and employment data taken from the Financial Times ranking
on courseWBS recently launched three new specialist masters courses due to commence in October 2005 The MScrsquos in Finance Information Systems amp Management and Marketing amp Strategy are all twelve month full-time courses Dean Howard Thomas confirms lsquoWe are very pleased to be launching these new programmes designed and taught by WBS faculty who are among the leaders in their field We look forward to welcoming the new participants to WBS in the autumnrsquo
winning teamIn February participants on The Warwick MBA won prizes for innovation totalling pound5000 from Crown Castle UK the UKrsquos leading mobile telecommunication and broadcast transmission infrastructure management company The task facing the winning team ndash Antonino Aversa Jorge Elton Paul Olliver Asli Solmaz-Kaizer and Zefeng Johnson Wu was to design manufacture and market a new personal portable data processing and communication device
WBS open dayOn Saturday 7 May WBS Scarman Road opened its doors to welcome alumni students and friends to look around the building as part of the Universityrsquos 40th Anniversary celebrations Professor Nigel Piercyrsquos taster lecture on lsquoSuperior Buyer-Seller Relationships Itrsquos all about sex and moneyrsquo proved very popular as did the guided tours of the building
WBS will celebrate its own 40th Anniversary in 2007
high ranking
7WBS news nexus summer 05
WBS in the mediaThe new Specialist Masters courses starting this autumn have been reported in both education and general media Media publications around the world both online and on paper seem unendingly fascinated by the MBA qualification and so the WBS alumni are often reported on and profiled In recent months though our tailored executive short courses The Warwick MPA and other public sector teaching programmes as well as undergraduate alumni have all received well-deserved media coverage
WBS faculty continue to provide expert comment and research reports across the full range of media In just the last three months WBS expertise and research findings have been cited in overseas and international publications such as the Financial Times Ethical Corporation European Public Service Review ipecom (Investment amp Pensions Europe) Mandag Morgen (Denmark) and in national and local UK media such as The Sunday Times People Management BBC Radio 4 and Radio Five Live Utility Week Marketing Local Government Chronicle Computer Weekly and even Arts Professional and Menrsquos Health
The topics covered are as diverse as the publications ndash ranging from pensions to human capital to football management Here is just a selection from those featured recently
bull Dr Sue Bridgewater Marketing amp Strategic Management Group (MSM) ndash radio broadcasts and national profiles on her football management research including a double page feature in The Independent on Sunday in April
bull Professor Anthony Neuberger Accounting amp Finance ndash contributions to the pension problem debate in Professional Pensions and ipecom
bull Professor John Benington Public Management and Policy Group ndash interviewed on public sector organisation on BBC Radio 4 You amp Yours and in Public Finance
bull Professor Alyson Warhurst Director of the Corporate Citizenship Unit (and featured in this issue) ndash article in Public Service Review (European) on need for organisations to help with solving AIDS crisis
bull Professor Linda Dickens Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour Group (IROB) ndash quoted in article on new EU employer consultation regulations in the Financial Times
bull Professor Martin Cave Director Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) ndash featured in Utility Week as speaker at seminar for economic regulators for water energy and rail
stop pressProfessor Howard Thomas Dean of WBS has been appointed to the position of Vice-President of the European Foundation for Management Development (efmd) For more information on the latest WBS news stories visitw wwwwbsacuknewspress_releases
executive educationPictured is the first of 12 cohorts from energy giant EON UK undertaking a tailored WBS Executive Leadership Programme which includes a lsquolife journeyrsquo identifying what has influenced delegatesrsquo life direction and leadership traits The course features sessions on regulation energy consumer and customer paradigms investor paradigms and strategic leadership and uses alternative media to encourage delegates to look at leadership from new perspectives For more information on WBS Executive Programmes w wwwwbsacukexecutive
Network Rail has commissioned WBS to provide the training at its new residential leadership centre The centre will welcome over 4000 managers and supervisors through its doors over the next two years as Network Rail seeks to strengthen its leadership capability
sponsored by WBSWBS sponsored the Business in the Community Award at the prestigious Variety Club Awards held at the ICC Birmingham in February The evening was hosted by TV presenter Angela Rippon and the award was won by the West Bromwich Building Society A party of invited guests was hosted by Ben Plummer WBS Head of Development and Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations
8
In each country the transition is marked by a shift of employment from one sector to another within the broader move from agriculture to manufacturing and then to services Overall rising skills and improved technological capabilities increased capital investment and wage-inflation drive ndash and are driven by ndash the change process
If we look at a particular industry the location of production activities and subsequent exports and trade flows change as different economies change their specialisation China now dominates as the worldrsquos biggest exporter of clothing whilst Singapore South Korea and Taiwan have thriving electronics industries Japan is a net-importer of televisions and over 70 percent of its economy is now based on services
The process also appears to be speeding up For example Toyota and Sony took about 30ndash35 years to evolve into leading firms
Perhaps the most dangerous assumption we could make about China is that its
cheap manufacturing labour is its only competitive advantage Many people seem to believe that although we may expect to lose manufacturing jobs to the lsquoEastrsquo we have unassailable competitive advantages in high technology industries and knowledge-based services
This is not so Comparative advantage in manufacturing is only the beginning of an economic transformation which we have seen before The Asian economies including China are arguably following a predictable path in terms of their economic growth changing industry specialisation and evolving competitive advantages Moreover the pace at which potential competitors are emerging from the Asian region across a wide range of business areas not just manufacturing raises an important question whether there is enough time for the West to adapt
China is following a familiar path The patterns of industrial transformation and growth of emerging economies in the Asian region have been closely studied One model to describe these changes is the poetically-named lsquoflying geesersquo model by Japanese academic Kaname Akamatsu This suggests that Asian economies are follow-ing similar development paths but are at different stages along this path following the lead lsquogoosersquo Japan Over time each country or group will gain and then subsequently lose specific comparative advantage in a particular industry For Japan historically it has shifted from iron and steel to textiles clothing to autos and electronics The four lsquoTigerrsquo economies Hong Kong South Korea Singapore and Taiwan followed a similar trajectory although quicker Other ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations such as Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines and Thailand are a little further behind but the sequence of specialisation is similar
in their industries Samsung
(South Korea) and Acer (Taiwan) took 20ndash25 years and
TCS Wipro and Infosys (India) 15ndash20 years
Chinese firms are on the same learning trajectory Moreover the Chinese economy overall appears to be developing advantages in a range of industries (such as autos consumer electronics telecoms and software) at the same time rather than in sequence
There are two particular drivers of this lsquoaccelerated learningrsquo that we should
be aware of
bull First multinational firms from North America Europe
and Japan (the mature lsquotriadrsquo regions) are helping local firms
develop the capabilities they need to progress lsquoup the food chainrsquo
bull Second local Chinese firms are expanding inter-
nationally to get access to large markets in the triad and to acquire the assets technologies brands and capabilities they need to compete more effectively
Foreign multinational firms are helpinghellip Foreign direct investment (FDI) into mainland China is at unprecedented levels with over $62 billion flowing into the country in 2004 (more than 10 times FDI into India) Recent high profile mergers acquisitions and joint ventures include HSBC ($17 billion for 20 percent of Chinarsquos Bank of Communications) Tesco ($260 million for 50 percent of Le Gao Shopping) and Amazoncom ($75 million for Joyocom) There was also something of
of dragons tigers and flying geeseAs businesses government agencies and local communities in the Midlands region pick up the pieces from the collapse of MG Rover Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business says there are lessons to be learnt about the UKrsquos manufacturing competitiveness that should have been learnt some time ago There are also a number of assumptions about the future threats and opportunities posed by Chinarsquos ascendance that need to be challenged
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
9
a beer-fest last year with Anheuser-Busch paying $600 million for the Harbin Brewery Group Heineken buying 21 percent of Guangdong Brewery Holdings ($69 million) and Scottish and Newcastle buying 195 percent of the
science and technology infrastructure China spends more than double the UK on RampD and this is growing at 9 percent per year in line with its GDP growth The country has over 17 million students in higher education and more than 60 industrial parks are dedicated to returning Chinese graduates
who have started up over 4000 new
businesses
The result is that over 25 percent of Chinarsquos exports were in high-technology areas last year compared to just 26 percent 20 years ago and the proportion exported by foreign firms in China is falling rapidly
Companies like Huawei Zhongxing and Datang in telecoms Bird TCL and Konka in mobile handsets Founder Red Flag
The author in minute
Formerly at Edinburgh University Management School and Assistant Director of the Japanese-European Technology Studies (JETS) institute for seven years Simon has held visiting positions at the
National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo Australia Graduate School of Management in Sydney and the Kelley School of Business in Indiana
Research interests the global organisation of RampD international joint ventures knowledge and technology management international entrepreneurship business infrastructures and management practices in Japan amp China
ability to innovate and to internationalise Chinarsquos stock of outward FDI has grown from $25 billion in 1990 to over $25 billion in 2000 and $37 billion in 2003
In light of these
large-scale processes what
has happened with MG Rover makes more sense It was never in the interests of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to resurrect any significant manufacturing operation in the Midlands It wanted access to some key technological assets including the power-train engine manufacturing capabilities and rights to the Rover 25 Once it had acquired these to complement its manufacturing operations in China it left the remainder of the firm sink-or-swim with high labour and manufacturing costs a strong pound-Sterling and general over-capacity in the auto industry And as we know MG Rover has sunk
So we know how the catch-up process works and we know China is progressing rapidly across a range of industries at the same time The two key questions for firms and economic policy makers outside China are
1 which industries will Chinese firms eventually come to dominate
2 how long before they move from lsquolearningrsquo to lsquoleadingrsquo
China nexus summer 05 focus on asia
Chongqing Beer Group ($63 million) (China became the largest global market for beer in 2002)
Perhaps more significantly there are over300 foreign RampD centres in China and we know that the transfer of technological know-how and managerial capabilities via multinational operations in emerging markets is one of the main sources of competitive advantage for local firms
Western multinationals are to a certain extent breeding their own future competitors Their current strategic opportunities could turn into their future competitive threats
Couple this inward FDI with already high levels of education and a strong local
UFSoft Neusoft Kingdee and Top Group in software show how quickly technological capabilities are evolving in China And Chinese firms are turning multinationalhellip Lenovo originally a spin-off from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the mid-1980s made the news in December 2004 when it bought IBMrsquos PC business for $175 billion It makes 30 percent of PCs in China and is number two in laser printers It also recently opened an RampD centre in Californiarsquos Silicon Valley ndash as a lsquolistening postrsquo
As shown by Lenovo one route to accelerate the learning process is by outward foreign direct investment (FDI) Chinese companies are increasingly buying the assets brands or capabilities they lack to improve their
centcentcent
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
4
supported the School on many levels but has been a tremendous advocate engaging our wider community and furthering our alumni activities
Reacting later to his award Clive says lsquoI was completely in shock initially but this has now been replaced by a sense of purpose The challenge is to create the environment so that the whole alumni community can benefit from and contribute to the continuing success of WBS I must also thank on behalf of the alumni all those who have worked hard over the last few years to rejuvenate the Alumni Association both in the growing number of local groups and in more central rolesrsquo
At the third WBS Annual Dinner held at the House of Lords on 22 April Clive South (EMBA 1996ndash9) became the recipient of the inaugural Distinguished Award for Service to the School Clive has been Chairman of the WBS Alumni Board since May 2004 and was instrumental in founding the successful Midlands alumni group
The Dean of WBS Professor Howard Thomas kept the award a surprise by not naming Clive until he handed over to the Vice-Chancellor Professor David VandeLinde to make the presentation Howard thanked the as then unnamed recipient for his constant support and expertise over the past five years describing him as someone who has not only
First published in 1991 Marketing Concepts amp Strategies was a co-production between WBSrsquos Sally Dibb and Lyndon Simkin (MSM) and two leading US academics Totally re-written and updated with a greater focus on strategic decision-making in marketing and practitionersrsquo use of the marketing process
w wwwdibbmarketingcom
Professors John McGee Howard Thomas and David Wilson Marketing amp Strategic Management group (MSM) have recently published Strategy Analysis and Practice
This exciting new textbook sets out to provide students with an understanding of the core concepts and economics of strategy laying the foundations for analysing strategy on a variety of levels
w wwwmcgraw-hillcouktextbooksmcgee
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour (IROB) collaborated with colleagues Richard Whitley Manchester Business School and Eli Moen University of Oslo to produce Changing Capitalisms Internationalism Institutional Change and Systems of Economic OrganizationIncludes chapters by Professor Colin Crouch and Dr Michel Goyer
w wwwoupcoukisbn0-19-927563-7
Hari Tsoukas Professor of Organisation Studies (IROB) authored Complex Knowledge published by Oxford University Press The book examines the nature of knowledge in organisations and how individuals and scholars approach the concept of knowledge w wwwoupcoukisbn0-19-927557-2
Nigel F Piercy Professor in Marketing (MSM) and colleague David W Cravens have had Strategic Marketing 8th edition published by McGraw-HillIrwin A completely revised new edition of a best-selling text published in the USA as part of Irwinrsquos lsquoMarketing Mastersrsquo series
w httpcatalogsmhhecommhheviewProductDetailsdoisbn=0072966343
Updated and revised versions of alumnus Robert Cravenrsquos (MBA 1990ndash1) two successful business books Kick-Start Your Business and Customer Is King have been reprinted by Virgin Booksw wwwvirginbookscom
Alumnus Robert W McGee (PhD 1986) Professor Andreas School of Business Barry University Florida USA has another book published by Springer Accounting and Financial System Reform in a Transition Economy A Case Study of Russia w wwwspringerpubcom
Professor Jean Hartley Professor of Organisational Analysis was guest editor and contributed achapter on Innovation in Governance and Public Services Past and present to the 25th anniversary edition of CIPFA journal Public Money amp Management Other WBS academics also contributed ISSN 0954 0962
Alumna Elizabeth Maddison (MPA 2000ndash3) Head of the Strategic Planning Unit University of Brighton coauthored Managing Institutional Self-Study with colleague David Watson
The heart of the book is the case for the development of the university as a mature self-reflective community capable of making full use of its analytical and other resources w wwwopenupcouk
hot off the press
distinguished awardnexus summer 05
5research review nexus summer 05
Too often the focus on business improvement from managing intellectual property has been on IT tools or lsquocollectionrsquo rather than lsquoconnectionrsquo The Knowledge and Innovation Network (KIN) at WBS connects academics and practitioners from leading organisations with an interest in organisational amp behavioural aspects of Knowledge Management KIN emerged from the Innovation Knowledge and Organisational Networks research unit (IKON) established at WBS in 1997
KINrsquos aims arebull To create relevant new
insights in the field of knowledge innovation and networks through the funding of research
bull To help create business value for KIN member organisations by leverag-ing the network to lsquosupplyrsquo knowledge to meet member lsquodemandrsquo
bull To promote foster and support collaboration between practitioners and academics (between industry and university) to create new knowledge and practice w ki-networkorg
Howard Davis Research Manager LGC is involved in two new research projects For the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - scoping feasibility study for a long-term evaluation of freedoms and flexibilities
in local government For the Local Government Association ndash study into the impact of the activities of the performance partnership central bodies on local government improvement
Professor Jean Hartley Professor of Organisational Analysis and her team developed the Warwick Political Leadership Questionnaire (WPLQ) with funding from the Local Government Improvement and Development Agency and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation The research has pioneered new thinking about political leadership and systematically analysed the core skills of political leadership Most research on leadership to date has
focused on managers but there are crucial differences in the leadership exercised by politicians For more details visit w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=307
The Sales and Strategic Customer Management Network (SSCM) is a new venture at WBS developed out of the work of the Sales and Account Management Strategy research unit (SAMS) started by Professor Nigel Piercy and Dr Nikala Lane in 2004w wwwsamsorguk
Managed by Diana Woodburn Research Associate and part of
Executive Programmes the networkrsquos goal is to provide a lsquothink tankrsquo for innovation in strategic sales and account management reflecting the massive changes taking place in traditional buyer-seller relationships and the overwhelming demand by major customers for enhanced value The aim is to share research findings and best practice across member organisations
Professor Bob Johnston Operations Management Group (OM) specialises in service excellence and has been conducting research with Singapore Airlines (SIA) for around five years SIA was identified as an excellent service provider by focus groups held in the UK as part of a study commissioned by the Institute of Customer Service in 2000 Since then Bob has been working with several organisations in Asia including Shangri-La Hotels headquartered in Hong Kong and SIA to better understand how they go about delivering excellent service
Bob explains lsquoWhile many organisations struggle with the trade-offs created by
the competing objectives of profit and customer service SIA has managed to apply these dual objectives at all levels in the organisation to great effect Our most recent study has investigated how SIA goes about innovation Not only does the company have a specialist service and product development department (highly unusual in service organisations) but it also involves its entire staff in its innovation processrsquo
Bob has managed to weave his data collection alongside other visits to SE Asia He regularly teaches an MBA Service Management elective in Hong Kong or Singapore and attends conferences in the area as well as hosting alumni events
Chris Doyle Senior Research Fellow Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) was recently invited by the Falkland Islands Government to oversee the possible replacement of the camp telephone system which has served the Islands for years and is lsquonearing the end of its lifersquo
Despite his experience of the telecommunications issues faced by other countries Chris says that those faced by the Falkland Islands are unique His report will look at the tariff structures investment implications infrastructure and time-scale required
for the introduction of measures to address the current communications challenges Regulation of the services is another issue he will examine since even single operators with exclusive franchises such as Cable and Wireless are subject to regulation
6 WBS newsnexus summer 05
WBS is ranked 18th in the world by the HM Treasuryrsquos ranking of worldwide schools derived from salary and employment data taken from the Financial Times ranking
on courseWBS recently launched three new specialist masters courses due to commence in October 2005 The MScrsquos in Finance Information Systems amp Management and Marketing amp Strategy are all twelve month full-time courses Dean Howard Thomas confirms lsquoWe are very pleased to be launching these new programmes designed and taught by WBS faculty who are among the leaders in their field We look forward to welcoming the new participants to WBS in the autumnrsquo
winning teamIn February participants on The Warwick MBA won prizes for innovation totalling pound5000 from Crown Castle UK the UKrsquos leading mobile telecommunication and broadcast transmission infrastructure management company The task facing the winning team ndash Antonino Aversa Jorge Elton Paul Olliver Asli Solmaz-Kaizer and Zefeng Johnson Wu was to design manufacture and market a new personal portable data processing and communication device
WBS open dayOn Saturday 7 May WBS Scarman Road opened its doors to welcome alumni students and friends to look around the building as part of the Universityrsquos 40th Anniversary celebrations Professor Nigel Piercyrsquos taster lecture on lsquoSuperior Buyer-Seller Relationships Itrsquos all about sex and moneyrsquo proved very popular as did the guided tours of the building
WBS will celebrate its own 40th Anniversary in 2007
high ranking
7WBS news nexus summer 05
WBS in the mediaThe new Specialist Masters courses starting this autumn have been reported in both education and general media Media publications around the world both online and on paper seem unendingly fascinated by the MBA qualification and so the WBS alumni are often reported on and profiled In recent months though our tailored executive short courses The Warwick MPA and other public sector teaching programmes as well as undergraduate alumni have all received well-deserved media coverage
WBS faculty continue to provide expert comment and research reports across the full range of media In just the last three months WBS expertise and research findings have been cited in overseas and international publications such as the Financial Times Ethical Corporation European Public Service Review ipecom (Investment amp Pensions Europe) Mandag Morgen (Denmark) and in national and local UK media such as The Sunday Times People Management BBC Radio 4 and Radio Five Live Utility Week Marketing Local Government Chronicle Computer Weekly and even Arts Professional and Menrsquos Health
The topics covered are as diverse as the publications ndash ranging from pensions to human capital to football management Here is just a selection from those featured recently
bull Dr Sue Bridgewater Marketing amp Strategic Management Group (MSM) ndash radio broadcasts and national profiles on her football management research including a double page feature in The Independent on Sunday in April
bull Professor Anthony Neuberger Accounting amp Finance ndash contributions to the pension problem debate in Professional Pensions and ipecom
bull Professor John Benington Public Management and Policy Group ndash interviewed on public sector organisation on BBC Radio 4 You amp Yours and in Public Finance
bull Professor Alyson Warhurst Director of the Corporate Citizenship Unit (and featured in this issue) ndash article in Public Service Review (European) on need for organisations to help with solving AIDS crisis
bull Professor Linda Dickens Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour Group (IROB) ndash quoted in article on new EU employer consultation regulations in the Financial Times
bull Professor Martin Cave Director Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) ndash featured in Utility Week as speaker at seminar for economic regulators for water energy and rail
stop pressProfessor Howard Thomas Dean of WBS has been appointed to the position of Vice-President of the European Foundation for Management Development (efmd) For more information on the latest WBS news stories visitw wwwwbsacuknewspress_releases
executive educationPictured is the first of 12 cohorts from energy giant EON UK undertaking a tailored WBS Executive Leadership Programme which includes a lsquolife journeyrsquo identifying what has influenced delegatesrsquo life direction and leadership traits The course features sessions on regulation energy consumer and customer paradigms investor paradigms and strategic leadership and uses alternative media to encourage delegates to look at leadership from new perspectives For more information on WBS Executive Programmes w wwwwbsacukexecutive
Network Rail has commissioned WBS to provide the training at its new residential leadership centre The centre will welcome over 4000 managers and supervisors through its doors over the next two years as Network Rail seeks to strengthen its leadership capability
sponsored by WBSWBS sponsored the Business in the Community Award at the prestigious Variety Club Awards held at the ICC Birmingham in February The evening was hosted by TV presenter Angela Rippon and the award was won by the West Bromwich Building Society A party of invited guests was hosted by Ben Plummer WBS Head of Development and Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations
8
In each country the transition is marked by a shift of employment from one sector to another within the broader move from agriculture to manufacturing and then to services Overall rising skills and improved technological capabilities increased capital investment and wage-inflation drive ndash and are driven by ndash the change process
If we look at a particular industry the location of production activities and subsequent exports and trade flows change as different economies change their specialisation China now dominates as the worldrsquos biggest exporter of clothing whilst Singapore South Korea and Taiwan have thriving electronics industries Japan is a net-importer of televisions and over 70 percent of its economy is now based on services
The process also appears to be speeding up For example Toyota and Sony took about 30ndash35 years to evolve into leading firms
Perhaps the most dangerous assumption we could make about China is that its
cheap manufacturing labour is its only competitive advantage Many people seem to believe that although we may expect to lose manufacturing jobs to the lsquoEastrsquo we have unassailable competitive advantages in high technology industries and knowledge-based services
This is not so Comparative advantage in manufacturing is only the beginning of an economic transformation which we have seen before The Asian economies including China are arguably following a predictable path in terms of their economic growth changing industry specialisation and evolving competitive advantages Moreover the pace at which potential competitors are emerging from the Asian region across a wide range of business areas not just manufacturing raises an important question whether there is enough time for the West to adapt
China is following a familiar path The patterns of industrial transformation and growth of emerging economies in the Asian region have been closely studied One model to describe these changes is the poetically-named lsquoflying geesersquo model by Japanese academic Kaname Akamatsu This suggests that Asian economies are follow-ing similar development paths but are at different stages along this path following the lead lsquogoosersquo Japan Over time each country or group will gain and then subsequently lose specific comparative advantage in a particular industry For Japan historically it has shifted from iron and steel to textiles clothing to autos and electronics The four lsquoTigerrsquo economies Hong Kong South Korea Singapore and Taiwan followed a similar trajectory although quicker Other ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations such as Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines and Thailand are a little further behind but the sequence of specialisation is similar
in their industries Samsung
(South Korea) and Acer (Taiwan) took 20ndash25 years and
TCS Wipro and Infosys (India) 15ndash20 years
Chinese firms are on the same learning trajectory Moreover the Chinese economy overall appears to be developing advantages in a range of industries (such as autos consumer electronics telecoms and software) at the same time rather than in sequence
There are two particular drivers of this lsquoaccelerated learningrsquo that we should
be aware of
bull First multinational firms from North America Europe
and Japan (the mature lsquotriadrsquo regions) are helping local firms
develop the capabilities they need to progress lsquoup the food chainrsquo
bull Second local Chinese firms are expanding inter-
nationally to get access to large markets in the triad and to acquire the assets technologies brands and capabilities they need to compete more effectively
Foreign multinational firms are helpinghellip Foreign direct investment (FDI) into mainland China is at unprecedented levels with over $62 billion flowing into the country in 2004 (more than 10 times FDI into India) Recent high profile mergers acquisitions and joint ventures include HSBC ($17 billion for 20 percent of Chinarsquos Bank of Communications) Tesco ($260 million for 50 percent of Le Gao Shopping) and Amazoncom ($75 million for Joyocom) There was also something of
of dragons tigers and flying geeseAs businesses government agencies and local communities in the Midlands region pick up the pieces from the collapse of MG Rover Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business says there are lessons to be learnt about the UKrsquos manufacturing competitiveness that should have been learnt some time ago There are also a number of assumptions about the future threats and opportunities posed by Chinarsquos ascendance that need to be challenged
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
9
a beer-fest last year with Anheuser-Busch paying $600 million for the Harbin Brewery Group Heineken buying 21 percent of Guangdong Brewery Holdings ($69 million) and Scottish and Newcastle buying 195 percent of the
science and technology infrastructure China spends more than double the UK on RampD and this is growing at 9 percent per year in line with its GDP growth The country has over 17 million students in higher education and more than 60 industrial parks are dedicated to returning Chinese graduates
who have started up over 4000 new
businesses
The result is that over 25 percent of Chinarsquos exports were in high-technology areas last year compared to just 26 percent 20 years ago and the proportion exported by foreign firms in China is falling rapidly
Companies like Huawei Zhongxing and Datang in telecoms Bird TCL and Konka in mobile handsets Founder Red Flag
The author in minute
Formerly at Edinburgh University Management School and Assistant Director of the Japanese-European Technology Studies (JETS) institute for seven years Simon has held visiting positions at the
National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo Australia Graduate School of Management in Sydney and the Kelley School of Business in Indiana
Research interests the global organisation of RampD international joint ventures knowledge and technology management international entrepreneurship business infrastructures and management practices in Japan amp China
ability to innovate and to internationalise Chinarsquos stock of outward FDI has grown from $25 billion in 1990 to over $25 billion in 2000 and $37 billion in 2003
In light of these
large-scale processes what
has happened with MG Rover makes more sense It was never in the interests of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to resurrect any significant manufacturing operation in the Midlands It wanted access to some key technological assets including the power-train engine manufacturing capabilities and rights to the Rover 25 Once it had acquired these to complement its manufacturing operations in China it left the remainder of the firm sink-or-swim with high labour and manufacturing costs a strong pound-Sterling and general over-capacity in the auto industry And as we know MG Rover has sunk
So we know how the catch-up process works and we know China is progressing rapidly across a range of industries at the same time The two key questions for firms and economic policy makers outside China are
1 which industries will Chinese firms eventually come to dominate
2 how long before they move from lsquolearningrsquo to lsquoleadingrsquo
China nexus summer 05 focus on asia
Chongqing Beer Group ($63 million) (China became the largest global market for beer in 2002)
Perhaps more significantly there are over300 foreign RampD centres in China and we know that the transfer of technological know-how and managerial capabilities via multinational operations in emerging markets is one of the main sources of competitive advantage for local firms
Western multinationals are to a certain extent breeding their own future competitors Their current strategic opportunities could turn into their future competitive threats
Couple this inward FDI with already high levels of education and a strong local
UFSoft Neusoft Kingdee and Top Group in software show how quickly technological capabilities are evolving in China And Chinese firms are turning multinationalhellip Lenovo originally a spin-off from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the mid-1980s made the news in December 2004 when it bought IBMrsquos PC business for $175 billion It makes 30 percent of PCs in China and is number two in laser printers It also recently opened an RampD centre in Californiarsquos Silicon Valley ndash as a lsquolistening postrsquo
As shown by Lenovo one route to accelerate the learning process is by outward foreign direct investment (FDI) Chinese companies are increasingly buying the assets brands or capabilities they lack to improve their
centcentcent
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
5research review nexus summer 05
Too often the focus on business improvement from managing intellectual property has been on IT tools or lsquocollectionrsquo rather than lsquoconnectionrsquo The Knowledge and Innovation Network (KIN) at WBS connects academics and practitioners from leading organisations with an interest in organisational amp behavioural aspects of Knowledge Management KIN emerged from the Innovation Knowledge and Organisational Networks research unit (IKON) established at WBS in 1997
KINrsquos aims arebull To create relevant new
insights in the field of knowledge innovation and networks through the funding of research
bull To help create business value for KIN member organisations by leverag-ing the network to lsquosupplyrsquo knowledge to meet member lsquodemandrsquo
bull To promote foster and support collaboration between practitioners and academics (between industry and university) to create new knowledge and practice w ki-networkorg
Howard Davis Research Manager LGC is involved in two new research projects For the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - scoping feasibility study for a long-term evaluation of freedoms and flexibilities
in local government For the Local Government Association ndash study into the impact of the activities of the performance partnership central bodies on local government improvement
Professor Jean Hartley Professor of Organisational Analysis and her team developed the Warwick Political Leadership Questionnaire (WPLQ) with funding from the Local Government Improvement and Development Agency and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation The research has pioneered new thinking about political leadership and systematically analysed the core skills of political leadership Most research on leadership to date has
focused on managers but there are crucial differences in the leadership exercised by politicians For more details visit w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=307
The Sales and Strategic Customer Management Network (SSCM) is a new venture at WBS developed out of the work of the Sales and Account Management Strategy research unit (SAMS) started by Professor Nigel Piercy and Dr Nikala Lane in 2004w wwwsamsorguk
Managed by Diana Woodburn Research Associate and part of
Executive Programmes the networkrsquos goal is to provide a lsquothink tankrsquo for innovation in strategic sales and account management reflecting the massive changes taking place in traditional buyer-seller relationships and the overwhelming demand by major customers for enhanced value The aim is to share research findings and best practice across member organisations
Professor Bob Johnston Operations Management Group (OM) specialises in service excellence and has been conducting research with Singapore Airlines (SIA) for around five years SIA was identified as an excellent service provider by focus groups held in the UK as part of a study commissioned by the Institute of Customer Service in 2000 Since then Bob has been working with several organisations in Asia including Shangri-La Hotels headquartered in Hong Kong and SIA to better understand how they go about delivering excellent service
Bob explains lsquoWhile many organisations struggle with the trade-offs created by
the competing objectives of profit and customer service SIA has managed to apply these dual objectives at all levels in the organisation to great effect Our most recent study has investigated how SIA goes about innovation Not only does the company have a specialist service and product development department (highly unusual in service organisations) but it also involves its entire staff in its innovation processrsquo
Bob has managed to weave his data collection alongside other visits to SE Asia He regularly teaches an MBA Service Management elective in Hong Kong or Singapore and attends conferences in the area as well as hosting alumni events
Chris Doyle Senior Research Fellow Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) was recently invited by the Falkland Islands Government to oversee the possible replacement of the camp telephone system which has served the Islands for years and is lsquonearing the end of its lifersquo
Despite his experience of the telecommunications issues faced by other countries Chris says that those faced by the Falkland Islands are unique His report will look at the tariff structures investment implications infrastructure and time-scale required
for the introduction of measures to address the current communications challenges Regulation of the services is another issue he will examine since even single operators with exclusive franchises such as Cable and Wireless are subject to regulation
6 WBS newsnexus summer 05
WBS is ranked 18th in the world by the HM Treasuryrsquos ranking of worldwide schools derived from salary and employment data taken from the Financial Times ranking
on courseWBS recently launched three new specialist masters courses due to commence in October 2005 The MScrsquos in Finance Information Systems amp Management and Marketing amp Strategy are all twelve month full-time courses Dean Howard Thomas confirms lsquoWe are very pleased to be launching these new programmes designed and taught by WBS faculty who are among the leaders in their field We look forward to welcoming the new participants to WBS in the autumnrsquo
winning teamIn February participants on The Warwick MBA won prizes for innovation totalling pound5000 from Crown Castle UK the UKrsquos leading mobile telecommunication and broadcast transmission infrastructure management company The task facing the winning team ndash Antonino Aversa Jorge Elton Paul Olliver Asli Solmaz-Kaizer and Zefeng Johnson Wu was to design manufacture and market a new personal portable data processing and communication device
WBS open dayOn Saturday 7 May WBS Scarman Road opened its doors to welcome alumni students and friends to look around the building as part of the Universityrsquos 40th Anniversary celebrations Professor Nigel Piercyrsquos taster lecture on lsquoSuperior Buyer-Seller Relationships Itrsquos all about sex and moneyrsquo proved very popular as did the guided tours of the building
WBS will celebrate its own 40th Anniversary in 2007
high ranking
7WBS news nexus summer 05
WBS in the mediaThe new Specialist Masters courses starting this autumn have been reported in both education and general media Media publications around the world both online and on paper seem unendingly fascinated by the MBA qualification and so the WBS alumni are often reported on and profiled In recent months though our tailored executive short courses The Warwick MPA and other public sector teaching programmes as well as undergraduate alumni have all received well-deserved media coverage
WBS faculty continue to provide expert comment and research reports across the full range of media In just the last three months WBS expertise and research findings have been cited in overseas and international publications such as the Financial Times Ethical Corporation European Public Service Review ipecom (Investment amp Pensions Europe) Mandag Morgen (Denmark) and in national and local UK media such as The Sunday Times People Management BBC Radio 4 and Radio Five Live Utility Week Marketing Local Government Chronicle Computer Weekly and even Arts Professional and Menrsquos Health
The topics covered are as diverse as the publications ndash ranging from pensions to human capital to football management Here is just a selection from those featured recently
bull Dr Sue Bridgewater Marketing amp Strategic Management Group (MSM) ndash radio broadcasts and national profiles on her football management research including a double page feature in The Independent on Sunday in April
bull Professor Anthony Neuberger Accounting amp Finance ndash contributions to the pension problem debate in Professional Pensions and ipecom
bull Professor John Benington Public Management and Policy Group ndash interviewed on public sector organisation on BBC Radio 4 You amp Yours and in Public Finance
bull Professor Alyson Warhurst Director of the Corporate Citizenship Unit (and featured in this issue) ndash article in Public Service Review (European) on need for organisations to help with solving AIDS crisis
bull Professor Linda Dickens Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour Group (IROB) ndash quoted in article on new EU employer consultation regulations in the Financial Times
bull Professor Martin Cave Director Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) ndash featured in Utility Week as speaker at seminar for economic regulators for water energy and rail
stop pressProfessor Howard Thomas Dean of WBS has been appointed to the position of Vice-President of the European Foundation for Management Development (efmd) For more information on the latest WBS news stories visitw wwwwbsacuknewspress_releases
executive educationPictured is the first of 12 cohorts from energy giant EON UK undertaking a tailored WBS Executive Leadership Programme which includes a lsquolife journeyrsquo identifying what has influenced delegatesrsquo life direction and leadership traits The course features sessions on regulation energy consumer and customer paradigms investor paradigms and strategic leadership and uses alternative media to encourage delegates to look at leadership from new perspectives For more information on WBS Executive Programmes w wwwwbsacukexecutive
Network Rail has commissioned WBS to provide the training at its new residential leadership centre The centre will welcome over 4000 managers and supervisors through its doors over the next two years as Network Rail seeks to strengthen its leadership capability
sponsored by WBSWBS sponsored the Business in the Community Award at the prestigious Variety Club Awards held at the ICC Birmingham in February The evening was hosted by TV presenter Angela Rippon and the award was won by the West Bromwich Building Society A party of invited guests was hosted by Ben Plummer WBS Head of Development and Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations
8
In each country the transition is marked by a shift of employment from one sector to another within the broader move from agriculture to manufacturing and then to services Overall rising skills and improved technological capabilities increased capital investment and wage-inflation drive ndash and are driven by ndash the change process
If we look at a particular industry the location of production activities and subsequent exports and trade flows change as different economies change their specialisation China now dominates as the worldrsquos biggest exporter of clothing whilst Singapore South Korea and Taiwan have thriving electronics industries Japan is a net-importer of televisions and over 70 percent of its economy is now based on services
The process also appears to be speeding up For example Toyota and Sony took about 30ndash35 years to evolve into leading firms
Perhaps the most dangerous assumption we could make about China is that its
cheap manufacturing labour is its only competitive advantage Many people seem to believe that although we may expect to lose manufacturing jobs to the lsquoEastrsquo we have unassailable competitive advantages in high technology industries and knowledge-based services
This is not so Comparative advantage in manufacturing is only the beginning of an economic transformation which we have seen before The Asian economies including China are arguably following a predictable path in terms of their economic growth changing industry specialisation and evolving competitive advantages Moreover the pace at which potential competitors are emerging from the Asian region across a wide range of business areas not just manufacturing raises an important question whether there is enough time for the West to adapt
China is following a familiar path The patterns of industrial transformation and growth of emerging economies in the Asian region have been closely studied One model to describe these changes is the poetically-named lsquoflying geesersquo model by Japanese academic Kaname Akamatsu This suggests that Asian economies are follow-ing similar development paths but are at different stages along this path following the lead lsquogoosersquo Japan Over time each country or group will gain and then subsequently lose specific comparative advantage in a particular industry For Japan historically it has shifted from iron and steel to textiles clothing to autos and electronics The four lsquoTigerrsquo economies Hong Kong South Korea Singapore and Taiwan followed a similar trajectory although quicker Other ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations such as Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines and Thailand are a little further behind but the sequence of specialisation is similar
in their industries Samsung
(South Korea) and Acer (Taiwan) took 20ndash25 years and
TCS Wipro and Infosys (India) 15ndash20 years
Chinese firms are on the same learning trajectory Moreover the Chinese economy overall appears to be developing advantages in a range of industries (such as autos consumer electronics telecoms and software) at the same time rather than in sequence
There are two particular drivers of this lsquoaccelerated learningrsquo that we should
be aware of
bull First multinational firms from North America Europe
and Japan (the mature lsquotriadrsquo regions) are helping local firms
develop the capabilities they need to progress lsquoup the food chainrsquo
bull Second local Chinese firms are expanding inter-
nationally to get access to large markets in the triad and to acquire the assets technologies brands and capabilities they need to compete more effectively
Foreign multinational firms are helpinghellip Foreign direct investment (FDI) into mainland China is at unprecedented levels with over $62 billion flowing into the country in 2004 (more than 10 times FDI into India) Recent high profile mergers acquisitions and joint ventures include HSBC ($17 billion for 20 percent of Chinarsquos Bank of Communications) Tesco ($260 million for 50 percent of Le Gao Shopping) and Amazoncom ($75 million for Joyocom) There was also something of
of dragons tigers and flying geeseAs businesses government agencies and local communities in the Midlands region pick up the pieces from the collapse of MG Rover Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business says there are lessons to be learnt about the UKrsquos manufacturing competitiveness that should have been learnt some time ago There are also a number of assumptions about the future threats and opportunities posed by Chinarsquos ascendance that need to be challenged
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
9
a beer-fest last year with Anheuser-Busch paying $600 million for the Harbin Brewery Group Heineken buying 21 percent of Guangdong Brewery Holdings ($69 million) and Scottish and Newcastle buying 195 percent of the
science and technology infrastructure China spends more than double the UK on RampD and this is growing at 9 percent per year in line with its GDP growth The country has over 17 million students in higher education and more than 60 industrial parks are dedicated to returning Chinese graduates
who have started up over 4000 new
businesses
The result is that over 25 percent of Chinarsquos exports were in high-technology areas last year compared to just 26 percent 20 years ago and the proportion exported by foreign firms in China is falling rapidly
Companies like Huawei Zhongxing and Datang in telecoms Bird TCL and Konka in mobile handsets Founder Red Flag
The author in minute
Formerly at Edinburgh University Management School and Assistant Director of the Japanese-European Technology Studies (JETS) institute for seven years Simon has held visiting positions at the
National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo Australia Graduate School of Management in Sydney and the Kelley School of Business in Indiana
Research interests the global organisation of RampD international joint ventures knowledge and technology management international entrepreneurship business infrastructures and management practices in Japan amp China
ability to innovate and to internationalise Chinarsquos stock of outward FDI has grown from $25 billion in 1990 to over $25 billion in 2000 and $37 billion in 2003
In light of these
large-scale processes what
has happened with MG Rover makes more sense It was never in the interests of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to resurrect any significant manufacturing operation in the Midlands It wanted access to some key technological assets including the power-train engine manufacturing capabilities and rights to the Rover 25 Once it had acquired these to complement its manufacturing operations in China it left the remainder of the firm sink-or-swim with high labour and manufacturing costs a strong pound-Sterling and general over-capacity in the auto industry And as we know MG Rover has sunk
So we know how the catch-up process works and we know China is progressing rapidly across a range of industries at the same time The two key questions for firms and economic policy makers outside China are
1 which industries will Chinese firms eventually come to dominate
2 how long before they move from lsquolearningrsquo to lsquoleadingrsquo
China nexus summer 05 focus on asia
Chongqing Beer Group ($63 million) (China became the largest global market for beer in 2002)
Perhaps more significantly there are over300 foreign RampD centres in China and we know that the transfer of technological know-how and managerial capabilities via multinational operations in emerging markets is one of the main sources of competitive advantage for local firms
Western multinationals are to a certain extent breeding their own future competitors Their current strategic opportunities could turn into their future competitive threats
Couple this inward FDI with already high levels of education and a strong local
UFSoft Neusoft Kingdee and Top Group in software show how quickly technological capabilities are evolving in China And Chinese firms are turning multinationalhellip Lenovo originally a spin-off from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the mid-1980s made the news in December 2004 when it bought IBMrsquos PC business for $175 billion It makes 30 percent of PCs in China and is number two in laser printers It also recently opened an RampD centre in Californiarsquos Silicon Valley ndash as a lsquolistening postrsquo
As shown by Lenovo one route to accelerate the learning process is by outward foreign direct investment (FDI) Chinese companies are increasingly buying the assets brands or capabilities they lack to improve their
centcentcent
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
6 WBS newsnexus summer 05
WBS is ranked 18th in the world by the HM Treasuryrsquos ranking of worldwide schools derived from salary and employment data taken from the Financial Times ranking
on courseWBS recently launched three new specialist masters courses due to commence in October 2005 The MScrsquos in Finance Information Systems amp Management and Marketing amp Strategy are all twelve month full-time courses Dean Howard Thomas confirms lsquoWe are very pleased to be launching these new programmes designed and taught by WBS faculty who are among the leaders in their field We look forward to welcoming the new participants to WBS in the autumnrsquo
winning teamIn February participants on The Warwick MBA won prizes for innovation totalling pound5000 from Crown Castle UK the UKrsquos leading mobile telecommunication and broadcast transmission infrastructure management company The task facing the winning team ndash Antonino Aversa Jorge Elton Paul Olliver Asli Solmaz-Kaizer and Zefeng Johnson Wu was to design manufacture and market a new personal portable data processing and communication device
WBS open dayOn Saturday 7 May WBS Scarman Road opened its doors to welcome alumni students and friends to look around the building as part of the Universityrsquos 40th Anniversary celebrations Professor Nigel Piercyrsquos taster lecture on lsquoSuperior Buyer-Seller Relationships Itrsquos all about sex and moneyrsquo proved very popular as did the guided tours of the building
WBS will celebrate its own 40th Anniversary in 2007
high ranking
7WBS news nexus summer 05
WBS in the mediaThe new Specialist Masters courses starting this autumn have been reported in both education and general media Media publications around the world both online and on paper seem unendingly fascinated by the MBA qualification and so the WBS alumni are often reported on and profiled In recent months though our tailored executive short courses The Warwick MPA and other public sector teaching programmes as well as undergraduate alumni have all received well-deserved media coverage
WBS faculty continue to provide expert comment and research reports across the full range of media In just the last three months WBS expertise and research findings have been cited in overseas and international publications such as the Financial Times Ethical Corporation European Public Service Review ipecom (Investment amp Pensions Europe) Mandag Morgen (Denmark) and in national and local UK media such as The Sunday Times People Management BBC Radio 4 and Radio Five Live Utility Week Marketing Local Government Chronicle Computer Weekly and even Arts Professional and Menrsquos Health
The topics covered are as diverse as the publications ndash ranging from pensions to human capital to football management Here is just a selection from those featured recently
bull Dr Sue Bridgewater Marketing amp Strategic Management Group (MSM) ndash radio broadcasts and national profiles on her football management research including a double page feature in The Independent on Sunday in April
bull Professor Anthony Neuberger Accounting amp Finance ndash contributions to the pension problem debate in Professional Pensions and ipecom
bull Professor John Benington Public Management and Policy Group ndash interviewed on public sector organisation on BBC Radio 4 You amp Yours and in Public Finance
bull Professor Alyson Warhurst Director of the Corporate Citizenship Unit (and featured in this issue) ndash article in Public Service Review (European) on need for organisations to help with solving AIDS crisis
bull Professor Linda Dickens Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour Group (IROB) ndash quoted in article on new EU employer consultation regulations in the Financial Times
bull Professor Martin Cave Director Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) ndash featured in Utility Week as speaker at seminar for economic regulators for water energy and rail
stop pressProfessor Howard Thomas Dean of WBS has been appointed to the position of Vice-President of the European Foundation for Management Development (efmd) For more information on the latest WBS news stories visitw wwwwbsacuknewspress_releases
executive educationPictured is the first of 12 cohorts from energy giant EON UK undertaking a tailored WBS Executive Leadership Programme which includes a lsquolife journeyrsquo identifying what has influenced delegatesrsquo life direction and leadership traits The course features sessions on regulation energy consumer and customer paradigms investor paradigms and strategic leadership and uses alternative media to encourage delegates to look at leadership from new perspectives For more information on WBS Executive Programmes w wwwwbsacukexecutive
Network Rail has commissioned WBS to provide the training at its new residential leadership centre The centre will welcome over 4000 managers and supervisors through its doors over the next two years as Network Rail seeks to strengthen its leadership capability
sponsored by WBSWBS sponsored the Business in the Community Award at the prestigious Variety Club Awards held at the ICC Birmingham in February The evening was hosted by TV presenter Angela Rippon and the award was won by the West Bromwich Building Society A party of invited guests was hosted by Ben Plummer WBS Head of Development and Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations
8
In each country the transition is marked by a shift of employment from one sector to another within the broader move from agriculture to manufacturing and then to services Overall rising skills and improved technological capabilities increased capital investment and wage-inflation drive ndash and are driven by ndash the change process
If we look at a particular industry the location of production activities and subsequent exports and trade flows change as different economies change their specialisation China now dominates as the worldrsquos biggest exporter of clothing whilst Singapore South Korea and Taiwan have thriving electronics industries Japan is a net-importer of televisions and over 70 percent of its economy is now based on services
The process also appears to be speeding up For example Toyota and Sony took about 30ndash35 years to evolve into leading firms
Perhaps the most dangerous assumption we could make about China is that its
cheap manufacturing labour is its only competitive advantage Many people seem to believe that although we may expect to lose manufacturing jobs to the lsquoEastrsquo we have unassailable competitive advantages in high technology industries and knowledge-based services
This is not so Comparative advantage in manufacturing is only the beginning of an economic transformation which we have seen before The Asian economies including China are arguably following a predictable path in terms of their economic growth changing industry specialisation and evolving competitive advantages Moreover the pace at which potential competitors are emerging from the Asian region across a wide range of business areas not just manufacturing raises an important question whether there is enough time for the West to adapt
China is following a familiar path The patterns of industrial transformation and growth of emerging economies in the Asian region have been closely studied One model to describe these changes is the poetically-named lsquoflying geesersquo model by Japanese academic Kaname Akamatsu This suggests that Asian economies are follow-ing similar development paths but are at different stages along this path following the lead lsquogoosersquo Japan Over time each country or group will gain and then subsequently lose specific comparative advantage in a particular industry For Japan historically it has shifted from iron and steel to textiles clothing to autos and electronics The four lsquoTigerrsquo economies Hong Kong South Korea Singapore and Taiwan followed a similar trajectory although quicker Other ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations such as Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines and Thailand are a little further behind but the sequence of specialisation is similar
in their industries Samsung
(South Korea) and Acer (Taiwan) took 20ndash25 years and
TCS Wipro and Infosys (India) 15ndash20 years
Chinese firms are on the same learning trajectory Moreover the Chinese economy overall appears to be developing advantages in a range of industries (such as autos consumer electronics telecoms and software) at the same time rather than in sequence
There are two particular drivers of this lsquoaccelerated learningrsquo that we should
be aware of
bull First multinational firms from North America Europe
and Japan (the mature lsquotriadrsquo regions) are helping local firms
develop the capabilities they need to progress lsquoup the food chainrsquo
bull Second local Chinese firms are expanding inter-
nationally to get access to large markets in the triad and to acquire the assets technologies brands and capabilities they need to compete more effectively
Foreign multinational firms are helpinghellip Foreign direct investment (FDI) into mainland China is at unprecedented levels with over $62 billion flowing into the country in 2004 (more than 10 times FDI into India) Recent high profile mergers acquisitions and joint ventures include HSBC ($17 billion for 20 percent of Chinarsquos Bank of Communications) Tesco ($260 million for 50 percent of Le Gao Shopping) and Amazoncom ($75 million for Joyocom) There was also something of
of dragons tigers and flying geeseAs businesses government agencies and local communities in the Midlands region pick up the pieces from the collapse of MG Rover Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business says there are lessons to be learnt about the UKrsquos manufacturing competitiveness that should have been learnt some time ago There are also a number of assumptions about the future threats and opportunities posed by Chinarsquos ascendance that need to be challenged
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
9
a beer-fest last year with Anheuser-Busch paying $600 million for the Harbin Brewery Group Heineken buying 21 percent of Guangdong Brewery Holdings ($69 million) and Scottish and Newcastle buying 195 percent of the
science and technology infrastructure China spends more than double the UK on RampD and this is growing at 9 percent per year in line with its GDP growth The country has over 17 million students in higher education and more than 60 industrial parks are dedicated to returning Chinese graduates
who have started up over 4000 new
businesses
The result is that over 25 percent of Chinarsquos exports were in high-technology areas last year compared to just 26 percent 20 years ago and the proportion exported by foreign firms in China is falling rapidly
Companies like Huawei Zhongxing and Datang in telecoms Bird TCL and Konka in mobile handsets Founder Red Flag
The author in minute
Formerly at Edinburgh University Management School and Assistant Director of the Japanese-European Technology Studies (JETS) institute for seven years Simon has held visiting positions at the
National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo Australia Graduate School of Management in Sydney and the Kelley School of Business in Indiana
Research interests the global organisation of RampD international joint ventures knowledge and technology management international entrepreneurship business infrastructures and management practices in Japan amp China
ability to innovate and to internationalise Chinarsquos stock of outward FDI has grown from $25 billion in 1990 to over $25 billion in 2000 and $37 billion in 2003
In light of these
large-scale processes what
has happened with MG Rover makes more sense It was never in the interests of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to resurrect any significant manufacturing operation in the Midlands It wanted access to some key technological assets including the power-train engine manufacturing capabilities and rights to the Rover 25 Once it had acquired these to complement its manufacturing operations in China it left the remainder of the firm sink-or-swim with high labour and manufacturing costs a strong pound-Sterling and general over-capacity in the auto industry And as we know MG Rover has sunk
So we know how the catch-up process works and we know China is progressing rapidly across a range of industries at the same time The two key questions for firms and economic policy makers outside China are
1 which industries will Chinese firms eventually come to dominate
2 how long before they move from lsquolearningrsquo to lsquoleadingrsquo
China nexus summer 05 focus on asia
Chongqing Beer Group ($63 million) (China became the largest global market for beer in 2002)
Perhaps more significantly there are over300 foreign RampD centres in China and we know that the transfer of technological know-how and managerial capabilities via multinational operations in emerging markets is one of the main sources of competitive advantage for local firms
Western multinationals are to a certain extent breeding their own future competitors Their current strategic opportunities could turn into their future competitive threats
Couple this inward FDI with already high levels of education and a strong local
UFSoft Neusoft Kingdee and Top Group in software show how quickly technological capabilities are evolving in China And Chinese firms are turning multinationalhellip Lenovo originally a spin-off from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the mid-1980s made the news in December 2004 when it bought IBMrsquos PC business for $175 billion It makes 30 percent of PCs in China and is number two in laser printers It also recently opened an RampD centre in Californiarsquos Silicon Valley ndash as a lsquolistening postrsquo
As shown by Lenovo one route to accelerate the learning process is by outward foreign direct investment (FDI) Chinese companies are increasingly buying the assets brands or capabilities they lack to improve their
centcentcent
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
7WBS news nexus summer 05
WBS in the mediaThe new Specialist Masters courses starting this autumn have been reported in both education and general media Media publications around the world both online and on paper seem unendingly fascinated by the MBA qualification and so the WBS alumni are often reported on and profiled In recent months though our tailored executive short courses The Warwick MPA and other public sector teaching programmes as well as undergraduate alumni have all received well-deserved media coverage
WBS faculty continue to provide expert comment and research reports across the full range of media In just the last three months WBS expertise and research findings have been cited in overseas and international publications such as the Financial Times Ethical Corporation European Public Service Review ipecom (Investment amp Pensions Europe) Mandag Morgen (Denmark) and in national and local UK media such as The Sunday Times People Management BBC Radio 4 and Radio Five Live Utility Week Marketing Local Government Chronicle Computer Weekly and even Arts Professional and Menrsquos Health
The topics covered are as diverse as the publications ndash ranging from pensions to human capital to football management Here is just a selection from those featured recently
bull Dr Sue Bridgewater Marketing amp Strategic Management Group (MSM) ndash radio broadcasts and national profiles on her football management research including a double page feature in The Independent on Sunday in April
bull Professor Anthony Neuberger Accounting amp Finance ndash contributions to the pension problem debate in Professional Pensions and ipecom
bull Professor John Benington Public Management and Policy Group ndash interviewed on public sector organisation on BBC Radio 4 You amp Yours and in Public Finance
bull Professor Alyson Warhurst Director of the Corporate Citizenship Unit (and featured in this issue) ndash article in Public Service Review (European) on need for organisations to help with solving AIDS crisis
bull Professor Linda Dickens Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour Group (IROB) ndash quoted in article on new EU employer consultation regulations in the Financial Times
bull Professor Martin Cave Director Centre for Management under Regulation (CMuR) ndash featured in Utility Week as speaker at seminar for economic regulators for water energy and rail
stop pressProfessor Howard Thomas Dean of WBS has been appointed to the position of Vice-President of the European Foundation for Management Development (efmd) For more information on the latest WBS news stories visitw wwwwbsacuknewspress_releases
executive educationPictured is the first of 12 cohorts from energy giant EON UK undertaking a tailored WBS Executive Leadership Programme which includes a lsquolife journeyrsquo identifying what has influenced delegatesrsquo life direction and leadership traits The course features sessions on regulation energy consumer and customer paradigms investor paradigms and strategic leadership and uses alternative media to encourage delegates to look at leadership from new perspectives For more information on WBS Executive Programmes w wwwwbsacukexecutive
Network Rail has commissioned WBS to provide the training at its new residential leadership centre The centre will welcome over 4000 managers and supervisors through its doors over the next two years as Network Rail seeks to strengthen its leadership capability
sponsored by WBSWBS sponsored the Business in the Community Award at the prestigious Variety Club Awards held at the ICC Birmingham in February The evening was hosted by TV presenter Angela Rippon and the award was won by the West Bromwich Building Society A party of invited guests was hosted by Ben Plummer WBS Head of Development and Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations
8
In each country the transition is marked by a shift of employment from one sector to another within the broader move from agriculture to manufacturing and then to services Overall rising skills and improved technological capabilities increased capital investment and wage-inflation drive ndash and are driven by ndash the change process
If we look at a particular industry the location of production activities and subsequent exports and trade flows change as different economies change their specialisation China now dominates as the worldrsquos biggest exporter of clothing whilst Singapore South Korea and Taiwan have thriving electronics industries Japan is a net-importer of televisions and over 70 percent of its economy is now based on services
The process also appears to be speeding up For example Toyota and Sony took about 30ndash35 years to evolve into leading firms
Perhaps the most dangerous assumption we could make about China is that its
cheap manufacturing labour is its only competitive advantage Many people seem to believe that although we may expect to lose manufacturing jobs to the lsquoEastrsquo we have unassailable competitive advantages in high technology industries and knowledge-based services
This is not so Comparative advantage in manufacturing is only the beginning of an economic transformation which we have seen before The Asian economies including China are arguably following a predictable path in terms of their economic growth changing industry specialisation and evolving competitive advantages Moreover the pace at which potential competitors are emerging from the Asian region across a wide range of business areas not just manufacturing raises an important question whether there is enough time for the West to adapt
China is following a familiar path The patterns of industrial transformation and growth of emerging economies in the Asian region have been closely studied One model to describe these changes is the poetically-named lsquoflying geesersquo model by Japanese academic Kaname Akamatsu This suggests that Asian economies are follow-ing similar development paths but are at different stages along this path following the lead lsquogoosersquo Japan Over time each country or group will gain and then subsequently lose specific comparative advantage in a particular industry For Japan historically it has shifted from iron and steel to textiles clothing to autos and electronics The four lsquoTigerrsquo economies Hong Kong South Korea Singapore and Taiwan followed a similar trajectory although quicker Other ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations such as Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines and Thailand are a little further behind but the sequence of specialisation is similar
in their industries Samsung
(South Korea) and Acer (Taiwan) took 20ndash25 years and
TCS Wipro and Infosys (India) 15ndash20 years
Chinese firms are on the same learning trajectory Moreover the Chinese economy overall appears to be developing advantages in a range of industries (such as autos consumer electronics telecoms and software) at the same time rather than in sequence
There are two particular drivers of this lsquoaccelerated learningrsquo that we should
be aware of
bull First multinational firms from North America Europe
and Japan (the mature lsquotriadrsquo regions) are helping local firms
develop the capabilities they need to progress lsquoup the food chainrsquo
bull Second local Chinese firms are expanding inter-
nationally to get access to large markets in the triad and to acquire the assets technologies brands and capabilities they need to compete more effectively
Foreign multinational firms are helpinghellip Foreign direct investment (FDI) into mainland China is at unprecedented levels with over $62 billion flowing into the country in 2004 (more than 10 times FDI into India) Recent high profile mergers acquisitions and joint ventures include HSBC ($17 billion for 20 percent of Chinarsquos Bank of Communications) Tesco ($260 million for 50 percent of Le Gao Shopping) and Amazoncom ($75 million for Joyocom) There was also something of
of dragons tigers and flying geeseAs businesses government agencies and local communities in the Midlands region pick up the pieces from the collapse of MG Rover Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business says there are lessons to be learnt about the UKrsquos manufacturing competitiveness that should have been learnt some time ago There are also a number of assumptions about the future threats and opportunities posed by Chinarsquos ascendance that need to be challenged
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
9
a beer-fest last year with Anheuser-Busch paying $600 million for the Harbin Brewery Group Heineken buying 21 percent of Guangdong Brewery Holdings ($69 million) and Scottish and Newcastle buying 195 percent of the
science and technology infrastructure China spends more than double the UK on RampD and this is growing at 9 percent per year in line with its GDP growth The country has over 17 million students in higher education and more than 60 industrial parks are dedicated to returning Chinese graduates
who have started up over 4000 new
businesses
The result is that over 25 percent of Chinarsquos exports were in high-technology areas last year compared to just 26 percent 20 years ago and the proportion exported by foreign firms in China is falling rapidly
Companies like Huawei Zhongxing and Datang in telecoms Bird TCL and Konka in mobile handsets Founder Red Flag
The author in minute
Formerly at Edinburgh University Management School and Assistant Director of the Japanese-European Technology Studies (JETS) institute for seven years Simon has held visiting positions at the
National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo Australia Graduate School of Management in Sydney and the Kelley School of Business in Indiana
Research interests the global organisation of RampD international joint ventures knowledge and technology management international entrepreneurship business infrastructures and management practices in Japan amp China
ability to innovate and to internationalise Chinarsquos stock of outward FDI has grown from $25 billion in 1990 to over $25 billion in 2000 and $37 billion in 2003
In light of these
large-scale processes what
has happened with MG Rover makes more sense It was never in the interests of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to resurrect any significant manufacturing operation in the Midlands It wanted access to some key technological assets including the power-train engine manufacturing capabilities and rights to the Rover 25 Once it had acquired these to complement its manufacturing operations in China it left the remainder of the firm sink-or-swim with high labour and manufacturing costs a strong pound-Sterling and general over-capacity in the auto industry And as we know MG Rover has sunk
So we know how the catch-up process works and we know China is progressing rapidly across a range of industries at the same time The two key questions for firms and economic policy makers outside China are
1 which industries will Chinese firms eventually come to dominate
2 how long before they move from lsquolearningrsquo to lsquoleadingrsquo
China nexus summer 05 focus on asia
Chongqing Beer Group ($63 million) (China became the largest global market for beer in 2002)
Perhaps more significantly there are over300 foreign RampD centres in China and we know that the transfer of technological know-how and managerial capabilities via multinational operations in emerging markets is one of the main sources of competitive advantage for local firms
Western multinationals are to a certain extent breeding their own future competitors Their current strategic opportunities could turn into their future competitive threats
Couple this inward FDI with already high levels of education and a strong local
UFSoft Neusoft Kingdee and Top Group in software show how quickly technological capabilities are evolving in China And Chinese firms are turning multinationalhellip Lenovo originally a spin-off from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the mid-1980s made the news in December 2004 when it bought IBMrsquos PC business for $175 billion It makes 30 percent of PCs in China and is number two in laser printers It also recently opened an RampD centre in Californiarsquos Silicon Valley ndash as a lsquolistening postrsquo
As shown by Lenovo one route to accelerate the learning process is by outward foreign direct investment (FDI) Chinese companies are increasingly buying the assets brands or capabilities they lack to improve their
centcentcent
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
8
In each country the transition is marked by a shift of employment from one sector to another within the broader move from agriculture to manufacturing and then to services Overall rising skills and improved technological capabilities increased capital investment and wage-inflation drive ndash and are driven by ndash the change process
If we look at a particular industry the location of production activities and subsequent exports and trade flows change as different economies change their specialisation China now dominates as the worldrsquos biggest exporter of clothing whilst Singapore South Korea and Taiwan have thriving electronics industries Japan is a net-importer of televisions and over 70 percent of its economy is now based on services
The process also appears to be speeding up For example Toyota and Sony took about 30ndash35 years to evolve into leading firms
Perhaps the most dangerous assumption we could make about China is that its
cheap manufacturing labour is its only competitive advantage Many people seem to believe that although we may expect to lose manufacturing jobs to the lsquoEastrsquo we have unassailable competitive advantages in high technology industries and knowledge-based services
This is not so Comparative advantage in manufacturing is only the beginning of an economic transformation which we have seen before The Asian economies including China are arguably following a predictable path in terms of their economic growth changing industry specialisation and evolving competitive advantages Moreover the pace at which potential competitors are emerging from the Asian region across a wide range of business areas not just manufacturing raises an important question whether there is enough time for the West to adapt
China is following a familiar path The patterns of industrial transformation and growth of emerging economies in the Asian region have been closely studied One model to describe these changes is the poetically-named lsquoflying geesersquo model by Japanese academic Kaname Akamatsu This suggests that Asian economies are follow-ing similar development paths but are at different stages along this path following the lead lsquogoosersquo Japan Over time each country or group will gain and then subsequently lose specific comparative advantage in a particular industry For Japan historically it has shifted from iron and steel to textiles clothing to autos and electronics The four lsquoTigerrsquo economies Hong Kong South Korea Singapore and Taiwan followed a similar trajectory although quicker Other ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations such as Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines and Thailand are a little further behind but the sequence of specialisation is similar
in their industries Samsung
(South Korea) and Acer (Taiwan) took 20ndash25 years and
TCS Wipro and Infosys (India) 15ndash20 years
Chinese firms are on the same learning trajectory Moreover the Chinese economy overall appears to be developing advantages in a range of industries (such as autos consumer electronics telecoms and software) at the same time rather than in sequence
There are two particular drivers of this lsquoaccelerated learningrsquo that we should
be aware of
bull First multinational firms from North America Europe
and Japan (the mature lsquotriadrsquo regions) are helping local firms
develop the capabilities they need to progress lsquoup the food chainrsquo
bull Second local Chinese firms are expanding inter-
nationally to get access to large markets in the triad and to acquire the assets technologies brands and capabilities they need to compete more effectively
Foreign multinational firms are helpinghellip Foreign direct investment (FDI) into mainland China is at unprecedented levels with over $62 billion flowing into the country in 2004 (more than 10 times FDI into India) Recent high profile mergers acquisitions and joint ventures include HSBC ($17 billion for 20 percent of Chinarsquos Bank of Communications) Tesco ($260 million for 50 percent of Le Gao Shopping) and Amazoncom ($75 million for Joyocom) There was also something of
of dragons tigers and flying geeseAs businesses government agencies and local communities in the Midlands region pick up the pieces from the collapse of MG Rover Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business says there are lessons to be learnt about the UKrsquos manufacturing competitiveness that should have been learnt some time ago There are also a number of assumptions about the future threats and opportunities posed by Chinarsquos ascendance that need to be challenged
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
9
a beer-fest last year with Anheuser-Busch paying $600 million for the Harbin Brewery Group Heineken buying 21 percent of Guangdong Brewery Holdings ($69 million) and Scottish and Newcastle buying 195 percent of the
science and technology infrastructure China spends more than double the UK on RampD and this is growing at 9 percent per year in line with its GDP growth The country has over 17 million students in higher education and more than 60 industrial parks are dedicated to returning Chinese graduates
who have started up over 4000 new
businesses
The result is that over 25 percent of Chinarsquos exports were in high-technology areas last year compared to just 26 percent 20 years ago and the proportion exported by foreign firms in China is falling rapidly
Companies like Huawei Zhongxing and Datang in telecoms Bird TCL and Konka in mobile handsets Founder Red Flag
The author in minute
Formerly at Edinburgh University Management School and Assistant Director of the Japanese-European Technology Studies (JETS) institute for seven years Simon has held visiting positions at the
National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo Australia Graduate School of Management in Sydney and the Kelley School of Business in Indiana
Research interests the global organisation of RampD international joint ventures knowledge and technology management international entrepreneurship business infrastructures and management practices in Japan amp China
ability to innovate and to internationalise Chinarsquos stock of outward FDI has grown from $25 billion in 1990 to over $25 billion in 2000 and $37 billion in 2003
In light of these
large-scale processes what
has happened with MG Rover makes more sense It was never in the interests of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to resurrect any significant manufacturing operation in the Midlands It wanted access to some key technological assets including the power-train engine manufacturing capabilities and rights to the Rover 25 Once it had acquired these to complement its manufacturing operations in China it left the remainder of the firm sink-or-swim with high labour and manufacturing costs a strong pound-Sterling and general over-capacity in the auto industry And as we know MG Rover has sunk
So we know how the catch-up process works and we know China is progressing rapidly across a range of industries at the same time The two key questions for firms and economic policy makers outside China are
1 which industries will Chinese firms eventually come to dominate
2 how long before they move from lsquolearningrsquo to lsquoleadingrsquo
China nexus summer 05 focus on asia
Chongqing Beer Group ($63 million) (China became the largest global market for beer in 2002)
Perhaps more significantly there are over300 foreign RampD centres in China and we know that the transfer of technological know-how and managerial capabilities via multinational operations in emerging markets is one of the main sources of competitive advantage for local firms
Western multinationals are to a certain extent breeding their own future competitors Their current strategic opportunities could turn into their future competitive threats
Couple this inward FDI with already high levels of education and a strong local
UFSoft Neusoft Kingdee and Top Group in software show how quickly technological capabilities are evolving in China And Chinese firms are turning multinationalhellip Lenovo originally a spin-off from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the mid-1980s made the news in December 2004 when it bought IBMrsquos PC business for $175 billion It makes 30 percent of PCs in China and is number two in laser printers It also recently opened an RampD centre in Californiarsquos Silicon Valley ndash as a lsquolistening postrsquo
As shown by Lenovo one route to accelerate the learning process is by outward foreign direct investment (FDI) Chinese companies are increasingly buying the assets brands or capabilities they lack to improve their
centcentcent
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
9
a beer-fest last year with Anheuser-Busch paying $600 million for the Harbin Brewery Group Heineken buying 21 percent of Guangdong Brewery Holdings ($69 million) and Scottish and Newcastle buying 195 percent of the
science and technology infrastructure China spends more than double the UK on RampD and this is growing at 9 percent per year in line with its GDP growth The country has over 17 million students in higher education and more than 60 industrial parks are dedicated to returning Chinese graduates
who have started up over 4000 new
businesses
The result is that over 25 percent of Chinarsquos exports were in high-technology areas last year compared to just 26 percent 20 years ago and the proportion exported by foreign firms in China is falling rapidly
Companies like Huawei Zhongxing and Datang in telecoms Bird TCL and Konka in mobile handsets Founder Red Flag
The author in minute
Formerly at Edinburgh University Management School and Assistant Director of the Japanese-European Technology Studies (JETS) institute for seven years Simon has held visiting positions at the
National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo Australia Graduate School of Management in Sydney and the Kelley School of Business in Indiana
Research interests the global organisation of RampD international joint ventures knowledge and technology management international entrepreneurship business infrastructures and management practices in Japan amp China
ability to innovate and to internationalise Chinarsquos stock of outward FDI has grown from $25 billion in 1990 to over $25 billion in 2000 and $37 billion in 2003
In light of these
large-scale processes what
has happened with MG Rover makes more sense It was never in the interests of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to resurrect any significant manufacturing operation in the Midlands It wanted access to some key technological assets including the power-train engine manufacturing capabilities and rights to the Rover 25 Once it had acquired these to complement its manufacturing operations in China it left the remainder of the firm sink-or-swim with high labour and manufacturing costs a strong pound-Sterling and general over-capacity in the auto industry And as we know MG Rover has sunk
So we know how the catch-up process works and we know China is progressing rapidly across a range of industries at the same time The two key questions for firms and economic policy makers outside China are
1 which industries will Chinese firms eventually come to dominate
2 how long before they move from lsquolearningrsquo to lsquoleadingrsquo
China nexus summer 05 focus on asia
Chongqing Beer Group ($63 million) (China became the largest global market for beer in 2002)
Perhaps more significantly there are over300 foreign RampD centres in China and we know that the transfer of technological know-how and managerial capabilities via multinational operations in emerging markets is one of the main sources of competitive advantage for local firms
Western multinationals are to a certain extent breeding their own future competitors Their current strategic opportunities could turn into their future competitive threats
Couple this inward FDI with already high levels of education and a strong local
UFSoft Neusoft Kingdee and Top Group in software show how quickly technological capabilities are evolving in China And Chinese firms are turning multinationalhellip Lenovo originally a spin-off from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the mid-1980s made the news in December 2004 when it bought IBMrsquos PC business for $175 billion It makes 30 percent of PCs in China and is number two in laser printers It also recently opened an RampD centre in Californiarsquos Silicon Valley ndash as a lsquolistening postrsquo
As shown by Lenovo one route to accelerate the learning process is by outward foreign direct investment (FDI) Chinese companies are increasingly buying the assets brands or capabilities they lack to improve their
centcentcent
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
10
my experience asking Chinese mangers to provide examples of successful brand extension has been met with complete silence However providing them with a list of brand names from which to choose those that have extended successfully (eg Haier Lenovo and Yue Sai) receives much more attention and activity
Perhaps the greatest difference between China and the West is that Chinese businesses continue to lack a culture of innovation and creativity one reason why there are still no global Chinese brands My training and consultancy therefore is as much about organisational culture and
respect are key Group-orientation and steep hierarchies characterise Chinese organisations
bull Being too willing to do things the local way may be a sign of compromise Credibility comes from a balance between two cultures
bull Despite the large pool of cheap labour skilled managers particularly those with marketing or engineering expertise are difficult to find and keep
w wwwenterconsultingcomcn
adapting to succeed in China
Not only did the Warwick experience further my business knowledge
skills and opportunities considerably it also opened my eyes to the exciting world of business in very different cultures Combined with my interest in travel and the Far East this has resulted in a post-Warwick world of brand management training and consultancy all over China
I first worked in China in 1998 delivering a short training course on International Marketing in Hong Kong Since then I have continued to deliver Marketing and Brand Management training courses all over China at universities in Beijing Shanghai and Nanjing and to Chinese businesses as a far apart as Chongqing (South West Chinarsquos Sichuan province) and Hohhot (the capital of Inner Mongolia one of Chinarsquos semi-autonomous regions) While Chinarsquos continued rapid economic development inevitably brings social change it remains very different culturally
China does not have a management tradition of independent thinking In
The significance of Chinarsquos rapid growth rate is gradually becoming apparent
even to the casual observer With 13 billion people and both GDP and per capita income growing at between eight and nine percent it is fast becoming an economic powerhouse For foreign firms its attraction lies in both the growing market and the cost advantages of cheap labour resources and expertise China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment receiving $53 billion in 2003 ($144 million a day) compared to Indiarsquos $4 billion and Russiarsquos $1 billion
WBS alumna Weihong (Alice) Huang (MBA 2000ndash1) runs Enter Consulting in Shanghai which provides support from market research to language lessons for foreign firms looking to enter the Chinese market Having helped companies such as Lufthansa Hoechst and Satair successfully break into the mainland market Alice has a range of insights that can help newcomers
Key issues for foreign entrants arebull Market-access rights vary by industry
and are changing rapidly Regional and
central government agencies have a direct and strong influence over the lsquolocal rules of the gamersquo and a first priority is to understand these rules and how they are evolving
bull Regulations governing business practices are complex Despite the expense it is necessary to use local intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants familiar with Chinese requirements
bull There is little effective protection for intellectual property rights
bull Contracting tends to based more around relationships and connections (guanxi) rather than formal agreements and legal documents
bull The right choice of local partner is critical A good one will be well-networked to overcome obstructive red-tape and enable success bad ones will not and may violate confidentialities andor establish competing businesses
bull Personal and company reputation and
China insight by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2) MD Global Branding Ltd
the development of innovative creative thinking as it is about knowledge transferI am in regular contact with many Chinese Warwick alumni all of whom also have nothing but praise for their Warwick experience This group gathers not only socially but makes frequent use of the Warwick network for business purposes too
Finally most of my memories of WBS remain clear but perhaps the clearest are those of Peter Doyle Like so many others I was captivated by his teaching I even find myself repeating quite a few of his phrases during my training sessions (eg lsquoNothing fails like successrsquo lsquoimage is a function of realityrsquohellip)
As for the future China continues to fascinate and probably always willhellip
Global Branding Ltd is a strategic brand management consultancy and training organisation Mike can be contacted at
e mike211_2hotmailcom
nexus summer 05 focus on asia China
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
11
down their workforce in response to market conditions Therefore any move was a risk in the long-term However one offsetting factor was that there were more firms looking for specialist analysts from the external labour market not just US-based but also European firms and some Japanese banks now keen to enter the stockbroking area
Whilst many Japanese companies have proclaimed their adherence to labour market flexibility there are few sectors of the economy where this process seems to have gone so far as in the case studied This has brought short-term material benefits and an enhanced sense of professional specialist status to individuals though it has also brought uncertainties and anxieties In broader terms Japan now has an investment banking industry similar in structure to that in the US and UK These firms (and the analysts within them) are working proactively to create more dynamic capital market processes In this they are supported by the growing presence of US as well as Japanese institutional investors keen to see
higher returns to shareholders in coming years In turn Japanese manufacturing companies are also increasingly willing to use the Tokyo market to raise funds often as the first step towards involving themselves in international financial markets These changes reflect the challenge which Japanese companies are facing in the 21st century as the old model of regulated firms and markets declines and new processes of competition are set loose
change in the Japanese financial industryOver the last decade the Japanese financial sector has been undergoing substantial change and reform Research being conducted by doctoral student Izumi Kubo and Professor Glenn Morgan has been looking at how these changes have been impacting on the organisation of work and careers in the stockbroking firms on the Japanese financial markets and how this in turn relates to broader changes in Japan
JAPANJapan nexus summer 05 focus on asia
two authors in minutes
Glenn Morgan Professor of Organisational Behaviour Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour (IROB) group Glenn previously worked at Manchester Business School from 1992ndash8 His research interests are comparative economic organisation in Europe and East Asia management of change multinational firms global financial markets and international regulation
Following graduation from Sophia University in Tokyo Izumi Kubo has worked in the Japanese financial industry for a number of years both as a company analyst and an investment manager After undertaking a Masters in the UK Izumi joined the doctoral programme at WBS on a part-time basis and is currently completing her thesis
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship the entry of American firms into Japan changed this
Kubo and Morganrsquos particular focus has been on what are known as sell-side company analysts and their changing
role in financial markets and investment banking This group were traditionally employed inside stockbrokers to provide recommendations to clients on which stocks to buy sell or hold From the 1980s this role began to change in Wall Street and the City of London Sell-side analysts became a central part of the new investment banking nexus which was emerging at this time
Sell-side analysts with their detailed knowledge of particular firms and sectors increasingly provided advice internally to the firmrsquos investment bankers and corporate financiers on pricing shares and bond issues Their rewards became linked to their role in these deals and this has created a potential conflict of interest for analysts seen most graphically during the dotcom boom when some analysts were accused of acting as boosters for the shares which their companies wanted to sell rather than providing expert objective advice to their outside clients
The Japanese stock market was insulated from many of these trends until the mid 1990s Large Japanese firms have tended to be owned by lsquofriendlyrsquo long-term investors (often associated companies and banks) and hostile takeovers remain virtually unknown on the Japanese stock market Recent deregulation in Japan partly induced by outside forces and partly consequent on the desperate state of the banking industry following the collapse of the 1980s lsquobubble economyrsquo has resulted in a number of changes for company analysts amongst others
Previously like most Japanese employees in big firms analysts had entered the company believing that this was a lifetime relationship As such they were not specialists in any particular task and tended to be rotated around the organisation so they had a very good overview of the firm and how it worked Even a position such as a company analyst was not a specialist role Most analysts would work in it for a few years and then move on to another task elsewhere in the firm
The entry of American firms into Japan changed this In order to launch their investment banking business these firms needed good company analysts and the only source of such people was in existing Japanese institutions They offered high short-term material incentives and a chance to specialise long-term in the role of analyst This package was sufficient to create some initial labour mobility across firms Many of the analysts interviewed found this an agonising decision as it involved breaking with the strong expectations of lifetime loyalty They knew that unlike Japanese firms US companies were much more likely to slim
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
12
The logistics and transportation sector role
Monetary donations are an essential part of any relief and recovery
effort and enable the large humanitarian organisations to consolidate purchases and ensure delivery of assistance is efficient In addition expertise equipment and even labour when matched effectively with need have proven to be just as important
the logistics of tsunami reliefIn January 2005 Alyson Warhurst Professor of Corporate Strategy amp International Development published a papersup1 which looked in detail at logistics companies and the Asian tsunami relief This is a brief outline of the activities at that time and an update on progress to date
the author in minute
By no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done
in dealing with the challenges facing disaster areas ndash especially those challenges relating to the transportation and logistics of emergency relief
Leveraging their core competence to address dire need is among the core aims of the Logistics and Transportation Corporate Citizenship Initiative (LampTCCI) of the World Economic Forum The LampTCCI was formed in January 2003 by the CEOs of a group of informed and proactive logistics and transportation companies ndash companies that are normally competitive The commitment of these companies led to many of them being active in relief provision in tsunami affected areas both individually and by joining forces with other companies and organisations such as the World Food Programme IFRC and the World Economic Forumrsquos Disaster Resource Network (DRN) Indeed Professor Warhurstrsquos research was able to show that those companies that had partnerships in place were able to respond more effectively to the crisis
Disaster relief across ten countries ndash logistics competence at a premiumThe magnitude and impact of the earthquake and tsunamis has prompted an immediate and ongoing set of disaster relief activities Ensuring continued access to clean drinking water food clothing
housing sanitation and medical supplies is vital Accumulating and distributing these resources effectively and the infrastructures to support their equitable and effective dissemination requires the coordination of emergency infrastructures and services on an unprecedented level In addition to the scope of need that includes tents helicopters trucks aircraft landing crafts boats base camps with staff support fuel water treatment units and generators there is the complexity of the logistical challenge this disaster poses
Humanitarian relief ndash next stepsBy no means do these companies consider their work complete or that everything went as smoothly as it could have done In January 2005 at Davos the CEOs of these and other logistics and transportation companies advised by Professor Warhurst who was their special guest reflected on the lessons from the Asia disaster and considered how in partnership with the international humanitarian organisations and the World Economic Forumrsquos DRN they might contribute to fully fledged disaster preparedness in respect of emergency logistics and transportation as well as to evaluate and improve impacts Two programmes of work have been recommended
1 Logistics Emergency Teams (like Airport Emergency Teams) ndash LampT companies to work together to develop 5 worldwide LETs to ensure disaster preparedness with a multi-modal logistics capacity globally ndash eg Americas Europe Southern Africa Dubai (AET) Asia Pacific This effort is path breaking in terms of the wider role of business in society
2 Learning from each other to lsquoprofessionalisersquo emergency humanitarian relief preparedness in LampT companies developing a guide or set of best practices and to share learning about partnerships with humanitarian relief organisations amongst relevant professionals in a workshop
TNT has so far offered to share its humanitarian relief expertise with the sector and invited LampT professionals working in this area to a workshop at the
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Asian Tsunami
end of May The aim is to bring together one or two relevant professionals within each LampT company that are responsible for humanitarian relief partnerships for a series of such workshops the second of which would include humanitarian relief organisations
The exciting element of this programme is that Professor Warhurst has been able to include these leading edge developments in her teaching MBA students on the Corporate Citizenship module recently enjoyed a presentation from DHL and TNT executives will debate their companyrsquos partnership with the World Food Programme and how to combine business and humanitarian objectives ndash and win more customers ndash at their forthcoming WBS executive training course
Her research shows that more than 90 percent of 75 Fortune top brands put ethics social and environmental requirements into their supply contracts with logistics providers and 22 percent expect their logistics providers to have social partnerships in place as good corporate citizens
sup1Alyson Warhurst Susannah Anastasi and Kevin Franklin ldquoLogistics companies and Asian tsunami reliefrdquo Ethical Corporation Magazine January 2005
Alyson Warhurst is Director Corporate Citizenship Unit and Director Mining and Energy Research Network Previously Professor of Environmental Strategy and Director
of International Centre for the Environment University of Bath Alyson is also a Fellow of The World Economic Forum and a recipient of the European Faculty Pioneer ndash Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award She works with UNCTAD OECD World Bank IDRC (Canada) World Economic Forum and international companies on business and development
Research interests environmental and social performance and strategic decision making strategy and business challenges of working in poor developing countries
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
13Cambodia nexus summer 05 focus on asia
The problems of endemic corruption are slowing both development
and economic regeneration efforts in Cambodia However despite their hardships which stem from the fact that the country is still trying to recover from the Khmer Rouge era and a long period of civil war the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and welcoming
I started working at Hagar Soya based in Phnom Penh in November 2004 to help to improve the companyrsquos business performance
Hagar Soya Ltd is jointly owned by Hagar NGO and the World Bank and the idea behind the business is to generate income to fund the NGOrsquos community projects The NGO was recently recognised for their part in the fight against human trafficking at a ceremony hosted by former US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Hagar Soya business recently won the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
Since then we have been developing a range of new lsquocommercialrsquo products for the Cambodia and export markets and also fortified soya milk products for maternal health and school feeding programmes aiming to increase enrolment and attendance reduce dropout rates and improve the nutritional status of poor children in rural areas
We are now registering the new brands in Cambodia and will shortly be commencing school feeding programme trials with IRD Care World Vision and other leading NGOs Hagar Soya will start its first large-scale programme in January 2006 feeding 22000 schoolchildren in Poipet as part of a
Cambodia calling
Salesian Mission project funded by USDAHagar Soya is the only beverage company in Cambodia with UHT and Tetrapak packaging technology At the moment we have one commercial product SoSoya and 49 employees We are developing eleven new commercial products and two new products for school and maternal health feeding programs
The short-term goals are to double sales and break even in 2005 and to double sales again and make a profit in 2006
I also plan to train a successor as I believe it is important to build local capabilities and provide management opportunities for Cambodian people
w wwwhagarprojectorg
John OrsquoGara (MBA 1996ndash7) talks about Cambodia and his work as General Manager of Hagar Soya Company Phnom Penh a company jointly owned by an NGO and the World Bank that seeks to generate income to fund community projects and winner of the Corporate Governance Award for Cambodia
spotlight on Cambodia
Cambodia is one of the poorest 20 nations in the world with GNP below $300 per capita
People living outside the main towns and cities live in extreme poverty Children of school age in these areas do not receive a balanced diet and are deficient in micro nutrients that impair their mental and physical development We know children primarily go to school to get fed as the parents in the poorer provinces donrsquot have money to buy food
The goal of the Hagar NGO is specifically to keep the girls in school so they donrsquot become a burden on their families and end up being trafficked
Hagar Soya received advice from nutrition experts Helen Keller International and developed a fortified soya milk product that is both satisfying and addresses deficiencies in some key micro nutrients We are now in partnership with an organisation that provides fortified noodles in our school feeding programmes
If you are working for an organisation that has a designated trust fund to support such initiatives as school feeding programmes in Cambodia please do make contact This may key in with the organisationrsquos social and corporate responsibility programme
You can contact John by email on e johnogarahagarsoyacom
from Warwick to Phnom PenhAfter completing The Warwick MBA in 1997 I worked as a Corporate Business Operations Consultant for Teleflex performing assignments including implementing an ERP system in Malaysia setting up a distribution network in China manufacturing feasibility studies in India and Mexico restructuring a business in Belgium and managing a jet engine aerofoil manufacturing plant in the US I then moved to Marconi Interactive Systems as Asia Pacific Sales Director just as the telecom bubble burst I got married in 2001 and we travelled around Asia for a year I then joined Farnell as Interim Business Development Manager for Middle East and North Asia
My wife and I then decided to do something completely different for a year or two and set up a restaurant in Phnom Penh on the lsquoRiversidersquo where there are plenty of tourists and where I had myself enjoyed business trips in the past
Around this time I heard about the Hagar NGO and the good work they are doing to help disadvantaged women and children
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
14
Soil erosion is a major farming problem in some parts of the world where
deforestation has occurred Western methods of farming often lead to high levels of soil compaction under tractorsrsquo wheels which reduces the productivity of the soil even further In an attempt to combat this an innovative agricultural machine was designed known as a Field Power Unit (FPU) Ten prototypes were made and one of these has been successfully used on a farm in Bedfordshire
project North KoreaAll WBS academics are entitled to spend one day a week engaged in consultancy activity to ensure the regular flow of information between research and lsquothe real worldrsquo Amongst Nigel Sykesrsquo external activities is a project including a group from the UK the Business Development Association (BDA) working with the North Korean government to promote sustainable development and to encourage trade links between the Democratic Peoplersquos Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other parts of the world
the author in minute
Nigel is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (CSME) and teaches the MBA optional module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and the Starting a Business module to undergraduates Previously involved in marketing and sales management in the leisure industry he ran his own business and acted as an advisor and mentor
He has supervised international projects in Botswana Uganda Nigeria and Kazakhstan and following the collapse of the Iron Curtain helped run and teach part of an EBRD funded programme to encourage Russian scientists to take their technology toward commercialisation
nexus summer 05 focus on asia North Korea
for almost ten years The FPU has a very broad wheelbase and when used in conjunction with wide-track controlled traffic farming methods leads to a steady improvement in soil structure over a number of years Crop yields increase and the energy efficiency of the farm (in terms of man-hours and fuel consumption) is greatly improved This is important in the UK but vital in a country such as DPRK where soils are in poor condition and fuel in short supply
In 2002 various links between Warwick University and the DPRK led to the proposal of an economic regeneration project (EIRIN) in DPRK involving agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing business training and trade A project site was identified in DPRK where various sustainable technologies could be demonstrated and disseminated and an invitation issued to the BDA to visit DPRK I travelled to DPRK in November 2003
with two other members of the BDA (an association of experts in various fields who are committed to work together in economic and social regeneration through sustainable development) During this visit the Field Power Unit (FPU) tractor combined with wide-track controlled traffic farming was considered as being of great potential benefit to improving agricultural yields in DPRK A factory seen during the visit was also considered to have the engineering and manufacturing
capability necessary to produce the FPUPlans were laid for future collaboration between the DPRK and the BDA The project would include seven main components organic fertiliser agriculture renewable energy food processing manufacturing trade and business training As a result of this agreement certain areas of the project were identified by both parties as being the most important to develop initially With the support of Warwick University the interested parties from DPRK were able to visit the UK during March 2005 and spend further time engaged in research and analysis of the project The main focus of the visit was to explore the possibility of manufacturing the FPU at the factory in DPRK It has a large work force and also has many hectares available as farmland to produce food to feed the workers and their families
The hope is now that two of the FPUs will be renovated in the UK using parts made in DPRK and then one will be shipped out to test whether the benefits seen in Bedfordshire and predicted with DPRK farms really can be replicated Assuming this is possible modifications can be made to the remaining FPU (three of which are currently in the UK) and further research and development carried out in collaboration with experts in the UK and DPRK
The potential benefits of this project have far reaching implications and space does not permit a full discussion but as I teach on the MBA module Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation lsquoFor success you need an envisioning enabling and enacting capability in the founding team With a shared vision and passion and a shared language that affirms others a culture develops which encourages rather than criticises and which builds others up to do better than themselves This non-hierarchical way of working is attractive to other cultures that have not experienced this way of working beforersquo
Nigel was encouraged when on his visit to the DPRK a leader said lsquoYou seem to have a different approach to the people we have dealt with before ndash we feel we can work with yoursquo
above the team view the FPU tractor in Bedfordshire right BDA members and a delegation from DPRK visit WBS
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
15
Post WBS I took a four month break and in 2003 I joined the Tata Group in the
corporate brand team I am employed by Tata Services based in Mumbai a division of Tata Sons the holding company for all Tata Group companies This division provides certain centralised services to Tata Group companies in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale on a no-profit no-loss basis and corporate brand management falls within this remit
Apart from the fact that the Tata Group is Indiarsquos most respected conglomerate the challenge to manage Indiarsquos most trusted brand is what primarily attracted me to the job In addition the profile included sports marketing brand advertising and event management ndash aspects that were in line with what I was looking for in a brand management role
As a brand manager I report to the Vice President and am responsible for developing implementing and managing the marketing plans involving media creative TV promotions market research and PR for the various projects assigned to me This includes the responsibility for proposal writing sourcing partners discountsoffers and ensuring efficient budgeting
India nexus summer 05 focus on asia
on track in IndiaVishal Jhunjhunwala (MBA 2001ndash2) is a Senior Brand Manager with Tata Services Ltd India He is currently responsible for marketing the association between his employers and Formula One as Tata have sponsored the first ever Indian driver in the F1 championships
Currently I am working on a very exciting project ndash Formula 1 motor racing ndash as the Tata Group has sponsored the first Indian driver in F1 with the Jordan Team I am therefore responsible for marketing this association which involves advertising promotions and events and on-line marketing I even got to experience the Melbourne and the Malaysian Grand Prix races from the pits thanks to this project
Tata had a total revenue of US $14251 million in 2003ndash4 and employs a total of 220219 people The Group incorporates over 90 individual companies
I plan to build on my experience and within the next five years be in a position to head a corporate communications department either within Tata Services another Group company or if opportunity knocks possibly even outside the Tata Group
I would also like to dabble in academia and am considering some part-time lecturing work in brand management at a nearby management school
the author in minute
Vishal was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and went to boarding school in India As an undergraduate he gained a BA in Economics in the United States He joined Triton Communications in 1994 as a Client Servicing Executive and worked his way up to Account Director
Vishal was with the same advertising agency for nearly eight years and managed large Indian brands in categories such as liquor FMCG consumer durables and tobacco before coming to the UK in 2001 to study for an MBA at WBS
why WBS
Considering I gambled by applying to just one school I am sure I made the right decision and have no regrets I believe whatever you put into a programme and campus life you get twice as much out
I made certain I had a life outside of academic work ndash represented the University at squash and kept active by playing sport or travelling My lsquoyear outrsquo as I like to call it was one of the best decisions I have ever made
It also helps to have great professors ndash those who not only know their subject but also take pleasure in teaching it in an interesting and interactive manner
The first name that comes to mind is the late Peter Doyle Coming from an advertising background I thought I knew what marketing was about but he provided new and disruptive ways of approaching the subject In fact all the professors had their quirks which added to the academic edge that WBS provides
I couldnrsquot have seen myself warming to Operations Management or enjoying the Strategy courses had it not been for people like Mike Lewis Bob Johnston John McGee and Duncan Angwin
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
16
lsquoThere is no doubt that having gained my MBA in 1989 I was looking forward to re-gaining some of my life outside my studies only to find that literally within a matter of a few weeks I was really missing the intellectual stimulation of the course and the camaraderie of my peers I have no doubt that the School played a fundamental role in helping me gain wider expertise and experience in facets of the business outside of those for which I had been professionally trained Two management buy-outs later and I remain grateful for all that I have learned at WBS
changing peoplersquos livesadvancing business knowledgecreating the best learning environment
success builds success
Be part of the process
w wwwwbsacukaboutdevelopment
A recent and much belated return to the School found me standing in one of my old lecture theatres where happy memories of weekly robust discussions with Peter Doyle came flooding back This coupled with a realisation of what WBS had done for me made me determined to become involved in helping the School deliver its exciting future plansrsquo Geoff Percy MBA Class of 1985CEO Accantia plc amp Warwick Business School Donor
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
17
Congratulations go to the newly elected WBSS Executive Committee All applicants were extremely strong and we are sure that those elected will work extremely hard to produce another outstanding year for the society
The Warwick Business School Society (WBSS) provides an opportunity for undergraduates from WBS and business related degrees to socialise with like minded students learn skills to make themselves more saleable in the job market
as well as excel in the WBSS sports teams and of course in their degrees
The WBSS Forum is the societyrsquos flagship event Focusing on strategic leadership in 2004 and entrepreneurship in 2005 our new Forum coordinators have great ideas on how to move this event forward The new social committee has already started planning a multitude of social events for which WBSS is renowned within the University As well as the unparalleled lsquoLeamington bar socialsrsquo we also plan to repeat the success of the first lsquoWarwick Business Ballrsquo (see nexus spring 05) We have continued support from many of our partnership sponsors and the corporate committee is already working hard planning tailor-made events for our undergraduates in conjunction with these companies
The society has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and we hope that 2005ndash6 will be no exception If you would like to get involved with the Society through sponsorship or participation in our Forum please do not hesitate to contact me
E helenbrandwbsscouk
WBS is looking for volunteers from across the decades from all courses and from all industry sectors who are willing to share their business expertise their knowledge and their enthusiasm to ensure that WBS remains at the very top of management education
Current Board activities include setting up a programme of activities for recent graduates (to be known as GOLF hellip Graduates of the Last Five years) benchmarking exercises against other leading business schools planning activities for the Business Schoolrsquos 40th anniversary in 2007 interaction with current students and promoting awareness
17
boardWould you like to have a say in what goes on at WBS Would you like to help shape the alumni strategy for the School
of the School using our global network of alumni volunteers
Current Board members work in banking and finance consultancy telecommunications the public sector manufacturing and education span four decades of education at SIBSWBS represent nine different courses and are geographically diverse It is this mix which ensures the actions of the Board are relevant to the whole WBS community
Over the last four years the Alumni Board has come to be a fully elected body that is representative of the Alumni Association as a whole
have your say
To have your chance to influence the Schoolrsquos alumni strategy and to learn more about the work of the Board please contact Nathalie Walker Head of Alumni Relations onT +44 (0)24 7652 4176 or by email E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Alternatively you can send a CV and covering letter to the above email address The applications process will close at the start of November Details will be circulated via eNews so please ensure that you complete your details online so we can get in touch
undergrads in society by Helen Brand President Warwick Business School Society (WBSS)
alumni strategy
President Helen Brand (front row right) with fellow members of the WBSS Executive Committee
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
18
keeping in touchTwo of our volunteers ndash Albert Yip (DLMBA 1991ndash5) WBS Alumni Board member in Hong Kong and Raymond Choa (MBA 2000ndash1) Alumni Group Organiser in Singapore share their experience of working to create lasting links between alumni in their countries and the School
I graduated with MBA by distance learning ten years ago At that time we worked hard in our day job and even harder at our studies I wouldnrsquot be quite truthful if I said that distance learning was an easy way to get The Warwick MBA
Then I worked part-time in Hong Kong until 2003 for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA as a local workshop tutor This involved facilitating workshops and leading discussions to progress learning
Being a DL workshop tutor was an excellent experience and gave me the opportunity to meet new Warwick MBA students every year I shared with them what I had overcome in my learning process and learned from them too I must have met a few hundred Hong Kong and Chinese Warwick MBA students over the past years most of whom have now become alumni I missed them very much because once they graduated I might not meet them again They say we only realise how valuable something is after wersquove lost it
My adventure as an MBA graduate proved to be one of the best life experiences I have ever had all thanks to one of the key lessons I learned whilst at WBS namely to network network network Despite the global economic downturn in 2001 I successfully managed to switch across three industries in three years from finance to healthcare and then to pharmaceuticals holding positions of increasing responsibility Today I provide business advisory services and direct the compliance function for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company
Looking back at the MBA and my decision to pursue a postgraduate degree at Warwick what springs to mind is the internationalism professionalism and great enthusiasm of the people I met in that year This includes staff students and friends from the Lakeside Apartments where my family and I were residing with many of whom I still maintain close ties Given the international culture of The Warwick MBA these individuals are now invariably residing in various parts of the world including the UK Japan Hong Kong Taiwan and the US
What spurred me to re-establish the Warwick group in Singapore stems from my happy experience and fortunate circumstances outlined above It was my way of saying lsquothank yoursquo to WBS at the same time furthering what I always have and continue to feel is of utmost importance to both the success of WBS and my growth ndash the power of networking
To all global Warwick alumni out there I would urge you not to miss this opportunity Come and join the Warwick transformation itrsquoll be a life experience yoursquoll not forget
w httpgroupsmsncomWBSAlumni-Singapore
e raymondchoahotmailcom
Then WBS called for alumni to help with connecting the local network I was very excited when I learned that I had been appointed to the WBS Alumni Board This created an excellent reason for the Hong Kong WBS family to meet together With the help of the Warwick Graduate Association in Hong Kong and the support of alumni we are seeing a growing network here We have mobilised more WBS alumni to participate in our networking activities and I very much enjoy playing my part in this activity Many of the alumni email me sharing their news and making me feel that I am truly a member of the Warwick family
You can share our wonderful experience if you visit w wwwwarwickorghk
As a Global Manager for a management consultancy I now travel to China Taiwan Thailand Vietnam India USA Guatemala and other Asian countries
e albertyp123hotmailcom
If you have been inspired by Albert and Ray to start a group in your country or to join an existing group then please email e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk in the first instance
nexus summer 05 focus on asia Hong Kong and Singapore
Albert Yip Hong Kong
Raymond Choa Singapore
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
19
special interest groups update
If you would like to join any of the groups or would like more information please contact Caroline Hughes
e carolinehugheswbsacuk
Over one thousand WBS alumni have volunteered to support the School in some way THANK YOU to each and every person Often the reason we havenrsquot taken you up on that offer is because they are so numerous or we donrsquot have quite enough information about what you would like to do
THANK YOU also to all the people who have helped WBS out whether by participating in a course or an event interviewing prospective students mentoring and providing careers advice or serving on a committee School Board or organising a group It is through this invaluable work that the reputation of WBS continues to grow from strength to strength
Great effort by many volunteers coupled with the coordination of the Alumni Office has seen the setting up of five new Special Interest Groups based on industry sectors and areas of common interest to facilitate business related information exchange and updates Membership is open to all WBS alumni with an interest in the subject and there is no restriction on the number of groups you can join Each group works in a slightly different way depending on the interests of participants and coordinators and their location
five new special interest groups
ConsultancyCoordinated by the WBS Alumni Office the first consultancy networking event was held on 26 May kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers at their offices in Birmingham The evening started with a speed networking session facilitated by Theresa Howard (DLMBA 1986ndash90) followed by Thought Leadership power slots presenting the next big challenge for consultants based in large corporates from Bob Smith of PwC and the independent viewpoint from Vincent Bryant (DLMBA 1995ndash8) Managing Director of Pi Consulting
The event culminated in a general networking session and plenty of well earned refreshments
Brand Management Spearheaded by Mike Bastin (MBA 1991ndash2)this group is piloting the use of a com-munity web log a lsquoblogrsquo which because of its electronic platform has an international membership The aim of the pilot is to see if we can establish the blog as a place for sharing ideas on issues and trends affecting the industry The blog will become a place where you can discover what your WBS peers are thinking and doing about brand management
TelecomsCoordinated by Phil White (MBA 2000ndash1) and Charles Stubbs (DLMBA 1987ndash91) with academic input from Professor John McGee this group recognises that face to face meetings are not always possible and communicates via teleconferences Bridge facilities and guest presentations are given by alumni volunteers and an online forum Membership is international and the first telecoms event on the 27 May provoked some lively discussion on the subject of lsquoHow the structure of the telecoms industry is evolving downstream to ICTrsquo
Banking and Finance This group will be launched later this year with the first event to be held at the offices of UBS in London on 27 October The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the group ndash so if you would like to have your say please get in touch
Public and Voluntary NetworkChaired by David Allan (MPA 2000ndash4) and supported by a committee of enthusiastic alumni this group seeks to provide networking and social opportunities links with leading-edge thinking development and sharing of good practice and the establishment of links with overseas leaders and managers in the public and voluntary sectors It also aims to encourage alumni members to contribute to and support the development of the IGPM teaching programmes and to help raise money for scholarships and bursaries for future students on courses
Events and meetings are focused around the IGPM lecture programme
19
get involved
There are countless ways in which alumni and friends can support WBS through volunteering ndash some suggestions are listed below but the possibilities are endless
Alumnibull coordinating or supporting a regional
international or sector-based groupbull acting as a mentor to fellow alumnibull speaking at events about your industry
sector or career experiencesbull hosting alumni events at your workplacebull the Alumni Board
If you would like to get involved please contact Nathalie Walker
e nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
Prospective applicantsbull acting as a contact for prospective
studentsbull interviewing prospective students
around the world
Current studentsbull acting as a mentor bull hosting a student project (numerous
courses need this support)bull speaking to students about your
experience or expertisebull advice on CVs and covering letters for
job applications
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
20
LondonFirst Friday drinks and networking events held in Central London every two months continue to gain popularity Well attended events were held at Tattersalls Tavern Knightsbridge Green in April and the Lamb and Flag Covent Garden in June If you have ideas for new venues and would like to organise an event please contactOrganiser Kevin Engelbretsone kevinengelbretsonthecloudnet
OxfordOn Friday 8 April alumni in Oxford enjoyed another chance to meet and network informally over a drink at the Lamb and Flag pub in St Giles followed by dinner at nearby Browns restaurant Organiser Alex Clarke alexanderdnclarkhotmailcom
MidlandsAlumni in the Midlands helped Warwick celebrate its 40th anniversary in style by attending the Gala Concert on campus on 23 June Warwickrsquos Brass Band Big Band Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and soloists all combined to make the evening a memorable occasion Organiser Clive Southe clivesouthbtinternetcom
South-WestAll Bar One in Bristol was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the South-West group in February The success of the evening is summed up by Richard Hill (MSc Marketing Management 1977ndash8) lsquoA few drinks lots of laughs and the determination to get more alumni along next timersquo The 2nd meeting was held in May at The Severn Shed Harbourside when Nathalie Caroline and Aurelie of the WBS Alumni Association met with a keen group of South-West alumni for drinks and dinner organised by Daryl Rush (DLMBA 1995ndash2003) Future events will be held regularly at local bars and restaurants so do keep looking at the web site
North-WestThe 2nd meeting of the group on 8 March offered a fun and different Speed Networking event at the Pitcher and Piano in Manchester Steve Sayer Head of Sponsorship for Manchester Football Club spoke on Linking Blue Chip Brands to Sports Partnerships at Manchester Town Hall on 8 June Organiser Rob McCulloch e rmccullochterasyscouk
Two major events were held in London in the first half of the year in Docklands and Westminster with regional events continuing to be held on a regular basis The MBA Graduation Ball in July and the MBA Gala Reunion Dinner for the classes of 1985 1990 1995 and 2000 in November will undoubtedly prove popular opportunities to revisit campus meet up with friends and have some fun
lsquorisky businessrsquoSpecial thanks go to Lehman Brothers who once again generously hosted a joint event at their European Headquarters in Canary Wharf London on 22 March The theme lsquoRisky Business ndash a Warwick perspectiversquo from four top
UK event reviews
WBS at WestminsterOn a glorious April evening 120 WBS alumni faculty staff students and guests gathered in the opulent Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords for the 3rd WBS Annual Dinner hosted by University of Warwick alumnus Lord Harrison accompanied by Lady Harrison Guests toured the magnificent Palace of Westminster and enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace overlooking the Thames
After dinner speeches by the Vice-Chancellor of the University David VandeLinde and Dean of WBS Howard Thomas celebrated the University of Warwickrsquos 40th Anniversary in 2005 as well as looking forward to the 40th Anniversary of the Business School in 2007 The Dean recognised the invaluable contribution made by many alumni to WBS singling out one special guest (see article on page 4) Lord Harrison concluded with an entertaining speech about his experiences in the House of Lords
regional groups
academics proved very popular and provided a unique opportunity for over a hundred WBS students academic staff alumni and members of Lehman Brothers staff to get together and network
Mark Taylor Professor of Macroeconomics opened the proceedings with Exchange Rate Economics Valuable Tool or Crystal Balls while Dr Simon Collinson Senior Lecturer in International Business spoke on Breeding your next competitor in China The topic of Professor of International Business Hazel Smithrsquos presentation was Fact Fiction and North Korea ndash managing risk in North-East Asia and Anthony Neuberger Professor of Finance concluded with a discussion on The UK occupational pension
20
Lehm
an B
roth
ers
Hou
se o
f Lor
ds
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
21
overseas event news
MBA SUMMER BALLForest of Arden Hotel and Country Club15 July 7pm to 2am
MBA REFRESHER10ndash12 October
BANKING amp FINANCE SIG UBS London27 October 6pm
WBS GALA REUNION DINNERRadcliffe House12 November 8pm
REGIONAL EVENTSLondon (First Friday)5 August 7pm7 October 7pm2 December 7pm
North-West8 September 6pm8 December 6pm
South-West6 September6 December
for more information on forthcoming events check the web sitew wwwwbsacukalumniforthcomingcfm
diary
21
FranceDimos Silvestriadis (MBA 1998ndash9) and Michel Chaduteau (EXMBA 1998ndash2002) organised highly successful drinks and networking social events for Parisian alumni at the Man Ray bar in February and Libresens bar in June
SingaporeOrganiser Ray Choa reports lsquoThis yearrsquos opening event was held at The Pines Country Club in March when Ray Irving Manager MBA Learning Resources demonstrated the Schoolrsquos commitment to alumni with a presentation on the benefits of their online facilities The event was another opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and discover how or the extent to which the Warwick programme had benefited them and enriched their lives The revival of the Warwick group in Singapore continues to be enthusiastically received
lsquoAlumnus Stephen Chua (MBA 1981ndash2) has kindly offered to part-sponsor our next alumni event Thank you Stephenrsquo
AustraliaDi Holton WBS Press amp Information Officer reports on her recent trip lsquoWhat a great country or rather continent is Australia and what welcoming people The plan during my visit was to meet colleagues from other business schools and to get together with WBS alumni The social highlights came about when meeting with WBS alumni The Brisbane get-together was nearly a fiasco ndash who would have thought that there would be two bistros with the same name in one (long) street However the get-togethers in Sydney and Melbourne went with a swing More importantly the people working in these cities were often meeting up for the first time and were keen to keep in touch afterwards An email network is in place in Sydney with future get-togethers already planned
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the WBS alumni in the three cities who made me feel so welcome I hope to meet up with you again in Australia sometime in the futurersquo
San FranciscoAlumni and friends of Warwick met with Professor Andrew Oswald member of the WBS Advisory Board Professor of Economics at Warwick and currently Jacob Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Amanda Goodall current WBS PhD student and Joan Cole Director of Major Gifts for dinner at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco CA on 22 April
Andrew presented on his latest research examining happiness and job satisfaction in the United States and Europe The evening was enjoyed by all
calling all DLMBA graduatesWe plan to compile a history of the DLMBA programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2006 We would be delighted to hear of anything you think should be included ndash for example any memorable events anyone who achieved their degree in the face of particular obstacles any couples who met through the programme We also hope to highlight specific individual lsquobestsrsquo while on the programme eg the student who lived in most countries the student who changed jobs most often ndash no doubt other categories will be proposed
Please send any contributions to Sue Beech Assistant Programme Manager DLMBA Programme Warwick Business School Coventry CV4 7AL UK e suebeechwbsacuk
GreeceDuring Carnival in February the Hellenic WGA committee organised a Masked Party as part of the Universityrsquos 40th anniversary celebrations when over 150 alumni and friends gathered in Athens Anthony and Cleopatra Snow White Roman soldiers pirates witches and flower girls danced until the early hours to music reflecting the last 40 years of Warwick
Once again we extend a huge thank you to alumni who organise and host events and also assist with MBA recruitment fairs in the countries visited by WBS Your help is invaluable We are also indebted to Warwick and WBS faculty and staff who host alumni events when visiting overseas Toronto Dubai Kenya Trinidad and South Africa are just a few of the places visited in recent months
Sydn
ey
Mel
bour
ne
Ath
ens
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
22
business successRobert Craven (MBA 1990ndash1) featured in the Bath Chronicle in February in an article charting his success as an entrepreneur and business guru from studying at WBS to setting up his management consultancy The Directors Centre in Bath
In 2001 he wrote the highly successful Kick Start your Business published by Virgin Books which subsequently formed the basis of a series of work-shops for growing businesses Revised and updated versions of Kick Start and his second book Customer is King are now available
w wwwthedccouk
WBS revisitedRobbie Vann-Adibeacute (MSc MSOR 1984ndash5) former CEO of Ecast based in San Francisco came to campus in May to meet with WBS faculty
After a meeting with WBS Dean Howard Thomas Robbie also held discussions with Grier Palmer MSM and Stephen Hagan Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise regarding entrepreneurship oppor-tunities for students on campus
alumni news
top awardDavid Denton (EMBA 1996ndash9) is Managing Director of DB Shoes based in RushdenNorthamptonshire which triumphed in the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Chambers Awards 2004 winning the
Microsoft Award for Outstanding Business Achievement with a prize of pound25k The company has used database technology to pull itself back from the brink of receivership and establish itself in new and profitable niche markets w wwwdbshoescouk
22
successful sponsorOtto Frommelt (MBA 1993ndash4) CFO amp Business Control Director Volvo Trucks featured alongside Stuart Chambers and Jeremy Todd of WBS in Close to you an article about successful sponsorship of MBA projects in the Spring issue of MBA Business the Association of MBAs (AMBA) magazine
Otto strongly advocates company sponsorship of students having sponsored several MBA projects with one of the most recent resulting in a permanent position for the student involved
organisational know-howGerardo Patriotta (WBS PhD Industrial amp Business Studies 1995ndash9) Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management and Deputy Director of Research at Nottingham University Business School returned to Warwick in May to deliver an EBKIKON seminar on lsquoStudying Organizational Knowledgersquo
Gerardorsquos research interests include knowledge management and organizational learning and his first book lsquoOrganizational knowledge in the making how firms create use and institutionalize knowledgersquo is published by Oxford University Press w wwwoupcouk
owzat
Gary Hopkins (MBA 1986ndash7)
CEO of G7 Capital Partners LLC based in Newtown Pennsylvania recently featured in Business Today detailing his plans as chief executive of Project USA the International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative
to promote cricket in the US Gary revisited campus in May following a visit WBS Head of Development Ben Plummer made to the US in November 2004 After lunch with Howard Thomas Dean of WBS Gary met with Dr Sue Bridgewater (MSM) for discussions on sports management
David Denton (centre) receiving the Microsoft award
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
23
If you would like to contribute to nexus then do please get in touch with me by email If you areworking outside the UK then we would particularly like to hear from you to highlight the international nature of WBS alumni e pambarneswbsacuk
Expect your next issue of our sister publication Warwick ndash the magazine in late September
new association WBS alumnus Kevin Thompson (EXMBA 1998-2002) featured in More mileage from an MBA an article in The Times on 17 March A group of MBA graduates have formed the Ford Association of MBAs (FAMBA) which aims to make it easier for MBAs to make their mark at Ford
Kevin is a member of FAMBArsquos steering group and has been
at Ford for four years FAMBA was also the subject of an article in the spring issue of the AMBA magazine
appointmentsRichard Burden (MA Industrial Relations 1978ndash9) has been re-elected as Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Richard is a member of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee (TISC)
Lutz Horn- Haacke (DLMBA 1991ndash7) has been appointed Coordinator of a National Parks Programme in Bolivia (German Financial Development Cooperation ndash KfW)
Hugh Darcy (EMBA 1997ndash2000) has joined Fellowes as European Marketing Director for Presentation Products
alumni news
business coach turns entrepreneurFebruary 2005 saw WBS alumnus Cengiz Somay (EMBA 2001ndash3) launch an innovative web-based recruitment tool rec-X offering employers a new way of managing recruitment agencies Business coach Cengiz is looking forward to taking on the pound25 billion recruitment industry with this brand-new online tool lsquoNew ventures are challenging and hard work but more importantly they are great funrsquo he confirms w wwwrec-xcom
23
awarded statusRecent WBS graduate Marco Tello Melendez (MBA 2003ndash4) from Peru has been awarded Highly Skilled Migrant Worker (HSMP) status by the UK government enabling him to stay and work in the UK Marco is the first WBS graduate to benefit from the scheme introduced in 2004 by Chancellor Gordon Brown
More information on the WBS web site
w wwwwbsacuknewspress_releasesreleasecfmid=311
Alumni AssociationWarwick Business SchoolUniversity of WarwickCoventry CV4 7ALUnited Kingdomt +44 (0)24 7652 2813f +44 (0)24 7652 3719E alumniwbsacukW wwwwbsacukalumni
Pam BarnesAlumni Publications Officert +44 (0)24 7652 4396e pambarneswbsacuk
Sue CresswellEvents Coordinatort +44 (0)24 7657 3967e suecresswellwbsacuk
Caroline HughesAlumni Relations Executivet +44 (0)24 7652 8487E carolinehugheswbsacuk
Emily JamiesonDevelopment and Alumni Relations AssistantT +44 (0)24 7652 2813E emilyjamiesonwbsacuk
Nathalie WalkerHead of Alumni RelationsT +44 (0)24 7652 4176E nathaliewalkerwbsacuk
In-house photography byJohn Weatherly Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni Association Warwick Business SchoolT +44 (0)24 7652 4306
The views contained in nexus are those of contributors and not necessarily those of Warwick Business School or the University of Warwick
Design by Morse-Brown Design w wwwmorsebrowndesigncouk
contact details
all contributions
24
24