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With the time to the end of the Master in Management programme at Frankfurt School gradually approaching, I realised more and more often that the academic knowledge I have gained during my studies is being applied in real business environments. The leap of faith I took in choosing the Digital Business, Technology & Operations (DBTO) concentration turned out to be greatly in my favour. Commuting between work and study for six days a week is indeed challenging, but when l receive recognition from my colleagues and superiors, I know that all the effort pays off.
During my internship at Volkswagen Group China, I realised many traditional companies were facing the challenges of a new business environment and changing consumer behaviours. For them, digital transformation was a painful but vital process, and they needed help to adapt. This happens to be the topic that I am passionate about. Therefore, I joined the DBTO concentration to prepare myself with up-to-date theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on experience. In addition to traditional lectures, students also learn in an international environment focused on developing strong academic competencies. With frequent group work and workshops, we have been able to expand our practical know-how and develop soft skills, which are crucial to any career path.
Coming from a non-technical background, gaining practical experience during my studies is invaluable to me, and this is also one of the strengths of the DBTO concentration.
With case studies and workshops provided by well-known companies such as ING, Deloitte, Commerzbank, McKinsey, and more, I was able to conduct business analytics and formulate business strategies to be applied in challenging real-world business situations. These experiences enable students to network with future employers and gain insights into various industries. There are also workshops focusing on 3D printing and mobile apps held in the FS AI lab, allowing us to acquire firsthand experience in industry-related advanced technology.
There is also a component of Experiential Learning where students work with company partners on projects. For Digital Marketing, we had a project with 3 potential topics from Gorilla Sports Group GmbH as our final project, exposing us to real-world business problems.
The Master in Management degree has allowed us to experience the advantages as well as challenges of studying in an international environment. For the 2022 Study Trip, the DBTO students travelled as a group to Prague as part of our experiential learning module.
The study trip was integrated with our Information Systems course. Company visits and guest speakers provided us with in-depth insights into management expertise. Our first company visit was to Accenture. The visit offered us an external perspective on the complexities of the global IT business and industry that resonated with topics discussed in class. We had the chance to discuss Accenture’s challenges and solutions regarding their offers to their clients (ranging from consulting to digital transformation and technology operations) and how they organise their own delivery and operations model (i.e., coordination and synchronisation of different services from multiple Accenture delivery centres around the globe). This was also an extremely interesting visit to the urban logistics service provider DODO about their B2B logistics platform, its AI components, and the role of technology in successful last-mile logistics. It was also very impressive to see the technologically leading pharmaceutical warehouses of Dr. Max Pharmacy Chain. The FS MBA Alumni Mr Miguel Martins da Silva shared his perspective on deploying state-of-the-art omnichannel pharmacy networks. By asking important questions throughout the visit, I was able to reinforce the academic knowledge absorbed from the lectures and build my international network.
Company visit to Accenture (Photo taken by Magnus Brandt)
It was truly a wonderful experience that the whole DBTO concentration got to explore together. Deeply visiting the leading companies from various industries allowed me to become better acquainted with more European markets outside of Germany. One of the reasons that I would like to continue working in Europe after graduation is that the European Union consists of so many countries, yet each of the 27 member states retains its own unique characteristics and charms. In Prague, I got to see the Czech Cubism Museum demonstrating the unique style of architecture of the Czech Republic, heard the bells coming from the third oldest astronomical clock in the world, and tasted the amazing beer from the Pilsen Brewery. It was truly a pleasure to experience Prague in all its beauty during the autumn season.
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