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The memory is still very fresh when I wrote my last blog “Mega production customized for personalization” at Frankfurt School back in my in November 2015. In that blog, right after our Full-time MBA factory tour at Porsche, I expressed my dream of working for Porsche after the programme. Eventually, the dream has come true and I joined Porsche Consulting after my graduation. The MBA programme at Frankfurt School has helped me to manage my career transition as an automotive engineer to a management consultant.
But why an MBA? Most of my colleagues and friends were very confused when I quit my comfortable job. However, I was quite convinced that the MBA would not only make my career transition possible, but also make it sustainable.
Working together with the top management of our clients, it is crucial that we also think and act like a manager. Plenty of case studies in class taught me how successful managers have solved strategic and operational problems. But more importantly, Frankfurt School organized regular sessions named In the Boardroom with executives from various industries. During the fireside chats with these executives, their vivid stories and inspiring personalities helped me to expand my horizon and jump out of my own box of thinking. All these experiences taught me not only to focus on details but also to develop a big picture view in complex cases.
Some people say that an MBA is all about networking rather than learning. In my opinion, the theories that I learned from the MBA study still matter a lot in my consulting job. With an engineering background, it was crucial for me to learn the management, finance and economics theories to enable my carrier change into consulting.
I still often refer to the lecture presentations to refresh myself on certain concepts required in consulting projects. For an innovation project, I was able to implement many open innovation methods and tools from the Innovation Management taught by Prof. Sandner. The Activity-Based Costing model I learned in the Managerial Accounting course, was the key to many cost optimization projects I had with clients.
In a fast-changing environment, managers often face difficulties to rethink and innovate companies’ business. Thanks to Professor Velamuri, I was able to integrate the entrepreneurial thinking into the corporate environment, helping our clients to come up with new ideas for future growth.
Theories made my career change possible, yet networks make it sustainable. Frankfurt School has provided various networking platforms throughout the entire MBA programme, including networking with corporates, startups, and alumni from all over the world. During our Group Consulting Project regarding a FinTech internationalization topic, I was able to meet more than twenty banks, startups, and accelerators. These networks eventually helped me to organize an exciting innovation journey in the Frankfurt FinTech scene for our client, a traditional automotive supplier in Germany.
I am sure that the global network I have gained during the MBA programme, will help me further along my future journey. Moreover, I am very grateful to be a member of the big Frankfurt School family.
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