Students from the SMU Master of Science in Management (MiM) programme experienced cross-cultural collaboration at its best when they participated in the inaugural Master Seminar on ‘Intercultural Management in Teams and Organizations’ in Konstanz, Germany, in November 2018.

Organised by Professor Dr. Florian Kunze, Chair for Organisational Studies at Konstanz University (Department of Politics and Public Administration), and Mr. Werner Palz, Departmental Student Advisor (M.A. Politics and Public Administration), the Master Seminar required participating teams to prepare a case-related presentation for the Talent Management Leadership Team of ZF Friedrichshafen.

ZF Friedrichshafen is a global German automotive supplier headquartered in Friedrichshafen at Lake Konstanz, with about 150,000 employees and a turnover of 36.4 billion euros.

Four groups competed in the Master Seminar, each comprising students from SMU and Konstanz University. Students presented the results of the case analysis during a company visit on 29 November 2018, having worked together jointly on group work at Konstanz University on the three days prior to the final presentations. The group with the best and/or most innovative solution were declared winners of the case competition.

Taking place for the first time, this collaborative and cross-cultural team challenge saw seven students from SMU’s MiM Programme (under the guidance of Professor Thomas Menkhoff from SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business) working hand in hand with their University of Konstanz counterparts. Students from China, France, Germany, India, Serbia and Singapore overcame their differences in working styles to tackle the challenges of the case analysis, all within a short span of time.

Participants were judged on the practical relevance of the recommendations put forth to ZF Friedrichshafen, how innovative the recommendations were, as well as the structure and communication of their presentation. Judges from ZF included Johanna Stockinger, Head of Global Leaders & Talent Scouting; Steffi Conrad, Global Leaders & Talent Scouting; and Martina Daehn, Head of Performance, Talent and Succession Management ZF.

The international project collaboration was sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Eberle Foundation and Konstanz University.   

The MiM students who represented SMU at the competition were: Priscilla Ng Li Min, Laviena Bagaria, Aditi Manchanda, Aakash Balasubramanian, Huang Xiaolin, Yan Yuxuan and Tavishi Fogla.

Describing the experience as “a complete cross-cultural experience”, Laviena found the process of working with students across seven nationalities to be difficult at times, given the differences in opinions and thinking styles. Echoing this view, Yuxuan commented that “The working style is different as well. We are used to sitting together to work on the project, while the students from Konstanz University seem to prefer to do it individually.” Despite such challenges, she found it meaningful to cooperate effectively with people from different cultures.

Quotes from participants:

Aditi: “MiM had already trained us in terms of collaborating and working well with people from diverse backgrounds - as is the case in any industry these days. This competition in Germany helped us spread our wings wider and provided exposure to the European work culture. Working with the students of Konstanz was fun and educational. Some opinions matched while some clashed. Understanding their approach, explaining ours, coming to a consensus and in the process learning and growing immensely, was an unforgettable and truly enriching experience. MiM has broadened my mind and enabled me to think and act smartly and practically on the spot. I have grown in numerous ways and shall forever be thankful to SMU and our esteemed Professors.”

Aakash: “SMU has equipped me with practical knowledge that can be applied to complex business issues such as the case study in question. I could apply a number of concepts from the courses that I have taken over the past year, to address real-world business issues. I learnt from esteemed professors during courses such as Operations and Supply Chain Management, Managing People and Organisations, and Ethics & Corporate Responsibility. I learnt the problem, I owned it, I looked for the theories I had in my disposal and I tweaked them based on the limitations that the company had, to solve the case.”

Priscilla: “It was a truly eye opening experience to have visited the school and experience the life in a European University.”

Tavishi: “The experience broadened our horizon by allowing us to immerse in the culture and working style of European universities…. the overall experience was insightful, fulfilling and enriching.”

Xiaolin: “Collaborating with students from the University of Konstanz broadened my horizon. We all made new friends and we all had a good time in the university, the seminar and group meetings. Also, we were lucky because we experienced the culture (wine tasting, city tour and Christmas Market). It is always good to talk to people from different backgrounds and to work together as a diverse team.”

About SMU MIM

The SMU Master of Science in Management (MiM) is a 18-month programme, offering intensive postgraduate level education in management across a range of practical disciplines. Academically rigorous, the programme develops skills for a changing business world, including adaptability, creativity, flexibility and critical thinking. Its global, Asia-focused curriculum provides an extra edge in the job market to those graduating from the programme by enabling them to grasp and tap into the emerging trends in the business world.

[Featured photo:  Participants of the inaugural Master Seminar on ‘Intercultural Management in Teams and Organizations’ at ZF Friedrichshafen, Germany, 29 November 2018.]