Facing the Dragons

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“Don’t expect anything from anybody, work hard, put your head down, be good at what you do and good stuff will happen…”

Deborah Meaden, Businesswoman

It’s that moment of high drama and pant-wetting tension.  Five infamous and be-suited business moguls scowling at you as you simper, stumble and struggle to communicate a complex presentation, imploring them for their understanding and agreement (as well as their cash…).  It’s excruciating.  Can you make them believe in you?  Does your business case make sense?  Or will the grumpy one look at you disgustedly and bark something dismissive like “You’ve got no idea what you’re talking about, it’s an awful business plan, the finances don’t add up – I hate it – and for that reason:  I’m out…”, as you redden, mumble your thanks and make an awkward bee line for the door…  Is this some kind of nightmare?  A bad reality show?  The moment when your business brainchild and legacy for your kids is cruelly exposed to be nothing but a castle built on sand?

Well, for participants of the One Planet MBA this was, in fact, a reality.  As part of one of their modules (the Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Process:  Starting Successful New Ventures), Tuesday saw each participant facing a panel of successful business professionals to pitch their own, personal business idea. Continue reading

Iconic London Venue for One Planet MBA Event

20 Fenchurch Street – perhaps better known as the Walkie-Talkie Building – was the venue for the latest showcase event organised by the One Planet MBA on the 28th April.

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The ‘walkie talkie’ building at 20 Fenchurch Street

Business Challenges (and developing the talent to solve them)” was the title of the event – kindly hosted by specialist insurance providers Markel International and aimed at exhibiting the talent on offer from the University of Exeter Business School’s flagship programme.

With representatives from a host of organisations in attendance (including Accenture, PwC, Marks & Spencer, The Fairtrade Foundation, Barclays, IBM, Canon, Flock Associates, WWF and BT) – along with One Planet MBA alumni, current staff and students from the programme – the event showcased the One Planet MBA, its achievements and talent and included a keynote speech from Peter Lacy, Global Managing Director, Accenture Strategy, on the Circular Economy – a topic fundamental to the One Planet MBA.

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Arriving at Markel

Peter Lacy gave an address (described as “sensational” by one attendee) outlining his vision of how “…incentives and initiatives are needed to rethink economic structure and encourage circular economy…”, thus negating “wasted capacity and under-utilised assets”.  His lecture was followed by a panel discussion involving Govia Thameslink Railway, Coca-Cola Enterprises and IBM on the value they have got out of engaging with the MBA. Continue reading

Being at the Spearhead of the Fintech Revolution

By Tico Altahona,
MBA student 2014/5

Too big to fail”, is how the importance of banks has traditionally been defined, as they are so large and interconnected that if they collapse, there would be a chain reaction that would affect the whole economy. They are the link that connects the economy and lets everything happen: from government policy (expand the circulation with credits) to buy groceries (payment services).

We are living in exciting moments because a revolution is happening right now. There are serious threats to the banks foundations, and I am happy to announce that I am part of it. The Financial Technology (Fintech) revolution has been made by start-ups that use Internet and mobile applications to side step banks. Companies like Droplet are now able to replace the traditional services offered ONLY by banks, in this particular case: payments with cards.

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The Extra Mile on the One Planet MBA

By Ernesto Altahona
Full-time MBA student 2014/5

 

I started to live my dream the day I arrived to the classroom; I strongly wished to be here because I felt some time ago that there was a “glass ceiling” blocking my career development. Somehow the path was obstructed and I knew I was missing the tools for breaking it, in order to develop my full potential, and I expected the One Planet MBA would give me the instruments to do this. Knowledge is the main argument for undertaking a MBA; you know that the teachers will guide you through a variety of disciplines and areas, in which you know beforehand you lack strong pillars. I expected a demanding level of evaluation, and these expectations were fulfilled. Many nights without sleep to deliver presentations, slide decks and essays are now in my luggage.
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Choosing Elective Modules: A Student Perspective

By Catherine Crane
Full-time MBA student 2014/5

Please take a moment to picture this…you are near to the end of the first term of the One Planet MBA at Exeter Business School. The Christmas break is just in sight and yet, before you celebrate, you will need to make some important decisions regarding your elective subjects for the second term.

This was my first major quandary on the One Planet MBA; I have an insatiable appetite to acquire new knowledge and a desire to learn as much as possible. Here I was at a faculty presentation, all staff and students together to watch the academic staff pitching their subjects in order to compete for students. It reminded me of a “dance off”, a lot of humour was brought in to illustrate the necessity of choosing their elective.

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Why Sustainability Matters in your MBA Choice

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Juan David Hernández
One Planet MBA student 2014/5

Studying abroad is one of those choices that you will never regret. In my case, I took the decision to start an MBA not only to boost my career to the next level but also because I believe that are many other issues that need our attention. The rapidly changing world and the dynamic business environment require multidisciplinary approaches, multicultural skills, and out-of-the-box thinking in order to face 21st century global challenges. Huge problems such as global poverty, increasing world population, food security, climate change, and overexploitation of natural resources are some of the challenges that today’s and tomorrow’s leaders will need to face; not only to rethink human living and behaviours within the planetary boundaries, but also to ensure good living standards for present and future generations. Continue reading

Breaking the Glass Ceiling

By Ernesto Altahona
One Planet MBA Student 2014/5

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My main motivation for undertaking an MBA was to expand my horizons. I wanted to break the glass ceiling that I had on top of me, and I decided the best way was at Exeter with the One Planet MBA. My decision proved to be right. I can´t demonstrate it now with how much my salary has incremented, or any change of my job because I am still studying. What I can offer is the certainty that something changed inside me, in the best possible way.

I could feel the exact moment the click happened, the Friday that we finished the Entrepreneurship module. And since that moment I have been asking myself this question; what happened? Continue reading

Interested in a Career Change? A Student’s Perspective of The One Planet MBA at Exeter

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By Catherine Crane
One Planet MBA Student 2014/5

So you want to be an MBA student? Interested in developing your career? Perhaps you are toying with the idea of a complete career change? Maybe you are dissatisfied with the level of knowledge you currently possess and want the chance to learn and develop new skills? Or possibly the title “One Planet MBA” – a Masters in Business Administration and Sustainability – is unique enough to have caught your attention? Continue reading