Serie - John Molson Case Competition - Adam Dugan Strott Testimonial

Adam Dugan Strott, International MBA student and also part of the John Molson Case Competition team. Adam is American and graduated in Film Production. Before he came to Brazil in 2015 he was a Sales and Marketing Administrator. In April this year he will graduate from the Full Time International MBA, a one year course at FIA Business School. Take a look at his testimonial of his experience during the competition:
(Learn more about our course: http://www.fia.com.br/internationalmba)

Within the realm of business, competition breeds innovation, and, through that evolution, a culture is fostered that perpetuates these ideals. With its participation in the 2016 John Molson International MBA Case Study Competition, FIA is continuing to lay the groundwork for a future exchange of knowledge and experience gained through the sport of analyzing and presenting business cases in a competitive environment. These were never more apparent than how the team recognized and utilized the three central thematic elements of this year’s event of competing, connecting and innovating.

From the moment of the first opportunity to meet the other teams, we immediately understood the complex dynamic that exists between us all, as oft does between coworkers and even businesses. They were both potential allies and fierce adversaries. They wanted to be our friends, as we did theirs, but not for one moment did we, nor they, forget the roles that we each were there to fill. The spirit of camaraderie that eventually arose was forged through the fires of competition, and while one team sought to topple the other, we all sat together to cheer the winner, as it was our combined efforts in the competition that brought them to the podium.

Of course, the challenge of being locked in room for three hours with a complex case was exacerbated by the pressure of knowing that our conclusion would be presented to a panel of professionals with illustrious backgrounds and experiences. It was through this crucible that our team, most of whom were merely acquaintances not but a few weeks previous, quickly created an internal synergy that manifested itself through our focus and presence. It was at this moment that we truly understood and embraced one of the competition's central themes of connection. We not only connected with one other as we disseminated cases and worked together under pressure, but connected with the judges, exhorting them to believe in our recommendation through our confidence in ourselves and solutions.

However, the growth that our team, FIA’s team, experienced was not limited to our ability of breaking down a case quickly and decisively, and presenting it therein. No, it had also manifested itself through the relationships fostered throughout the process, through developing a fair competitive spirit, and through our ability to create new and innovative ideas. While perhaps we had not the strongest analytical background, our team found itself with an advantage in its generation of creative solutions. This was our wheelhouse, and used to our fullest advantage, and one that was honed through continuous practice throughout the week.

Ultimately, through the guidance of our coach, we had gained the skills and the confidence necessary, which were not present before the competition. She pushed us forward when we needed motivation, and spared no detail in what we needed to succeed when we had failed. It was through her tutelage directly that we won twice in one day, one of the few teams to do so. Ultimately, this competition is more than event, but it is an experience that will forever have an impact on the way we approach problems and develop solutions. For a group of MBA candidates, this is the greatest lesson that any could receive.

Serie - John Molson Case Competition - Depoimento de Marco Aurélio Gehlen

Marco Aurélio Gehlen é aluno da turma 8 do Americas MBA do Profuturo FIA, e é “Reliability Engineer” na Embraer desde 2014 mas atua na empresa desde 2012. EM 2016 o aluno integrou o time do Profuturo FIA na John Molson Case Competition e deu seu depoimento de como foi esta experiência:

Marco Aurélio Gehlen is an Americas MBA student at Profuturo FIA and Reliability Engineer at Embraer since 2014, working at the company since 2012. In 2016, he joined the Profuturo FIA team in the John Molson Case Competition and gives his testimony on the experience:

“A competição de resolução de cases realizada na John Molson School of Business de Montreal é um desafio que vai além das fronteiras acadêmicas e profissionais. Trata-se de um desafio pessoal. Em um ambiente extremamente competitivo, durante uma semana, cada participante vive fora de sua zona de conforto ao ter pouco tempo de preparo para defender estratégias que são extremamente estressadas por bancas de juízes experientes de todo o mundo. Ao mesmo passo, competidores de escolas de negócios renomadas buscam dar o melhor de si para apresentarem coerência na tomada de decisão, utilizando seus melhores alunos, ferramentas e métodos.

"The case resolution competition held at the John Molson School of Business in Montreal is a challenge that surpasses academic and professional boundaries. It is a personal challenge. In an extremely competitive environment for one week, participants live outside their comfort zone, having scarce preparation time to advocate strategies that are scrutinized to the extreme by panels of experienced judges from all over the world. To the same end, renowned business schools seek to give their best to present consistency in decision-making, making use of their best students, tools and methods.

Mesmo líderes experientes encontrarão no evento um chamariz para se superar. O tempo é escasso, a vitrine que expõe a reputação da escola e do participante é abrangente e a cobrança pessoal a fim de se provar um estrategista, fazem da semana uma experiência intensa. Clichês sobre trabalho em equipe se põe a prova trazendo à baila diferenças culturais, “mindsets” provenientes de diferentes “backgrounds” e uma mistura de sentimentos e ações que rapidamente, e necessariamente, se concretizam em um planejamento estratégico para um problema complexo recém conhecido. A combinação necessária de pensamento não-linear com pensamento orientado a processo para fazer acontecer, tornam a experiência ainda mais agregadora. É preciso inovar e vender ao mesmo tempo em que a implementação deve ser viável (exatamente como o cotidiano nos exige), porém o evento extrapola um ambiente de pressão que alguém possa clamar “realidade do dia-a-dia”. Com 36 escolas e com seus respectivos melhores alunos e orientadores de 19 países somados a mais de 200 juízes interagindo, vivem-se os conceitos de liderança em ambientes multiculturais, gestão de conflitos e tomada de decisão em meio a incerteza acrescidos de um desconforto constante que só resulta em crescimento. Independente dos desafios profissionais prévios, o John Molson Case Competition é um ambiente intenso em que o aprendizado certamente acontece. ”
(Saiba mais sobre nossos cursos: http://www.fia.com.br/executivo)

Even experienced leaders find allurement in the event to overcome themselves. Time is scarce, the showcase that exposes school and participant reputation is comprehensive and the pressure to prove oneself a strategist, make this week an intense experience. Clichés about teamwork are put to the test, bringing up cultural differences, mindsets from different backgrounds and a mixture of feelings and actions that quickly and necessarily must materialize into strategic planning for a complex issue just recently uncovered. The required combination of non-linear thinking with process-oriented thought to make it happen, make the experience even more valuable. We need to innovate and sell at the same time that implementation must be feasible (just like everyday demands), but the contest goes beyond a pressure environment one can call "day-to-day reality". 36 schools with their best students and coaches, from 19 countries, added up to more than 200 judges, all interacting, participants experience the concepts of leadership in multicultural environments, conflict management and decision-making amid uncertainty, plus a constant discomfort that only results in growth. Regardless of previous professional challenges, the John Molson Case Competition is an intense environment where learning certainly happens." (Learn more about our courses: http://www.fia.com.br/internationalmba)

Série - John Molson Case Competition

Essa semana daremos início a série de “John Molson Case Competition”, que aconteceu em Janeiro no Canadá. Vamos compartilhar os desafios enfrentados por nossa equipe do International MBA do Profuturo FIA. É a terceira vez que tomamos parte nesta competição internacional e fomos a primeira escola de negócios brasileira a participar.
Esse a equipe formada pelos alunos do International MBA e Americas MBA, da esquerda para a direita na foto: André Felipe Torres, Marco Aurélio Gehlen, Felix Haubold, Adam Dugan Strott e pela “coach” Samantha Mazzero. No início da competição nossa equipe foi desafiada pelos cases da UNIQLO e Maggi Noodles. Samantha comenta como foi esta etapa: 

This week we will begin a series of posts relating to the "John Molson Case Competition", held in January in Canada. We will share the challenges faced by Profuturo FIA’s International MBA team. This is the third time we take part in this international competition, being the first and only Brazilian business school to participate. This team is formed by International MBA and Americas MBA students, from left to right in the photo: André Felipe Torres, Marco Aurélio Gehlen, Felix Haubold, Adam Dugan Strott and the team’s Coach, prof. Samantha Mazzero. At the beginning of the competition, our team was challenged to provide solutions to the cases UNIQLO and Maggi Noodles. Samantha shares her experience in this round:

“UNIQLO: A supply chain going global”

“Embora o título levasse a acreditar que se tratava de um problema relativamente tático de “supply chain”, o problema central ultrapassava esta questão e solicitava por endereçar novas estratégicas de crescimento global, como se posicionar em novos mercados considerando suas respectivas culturas e perfis de consumo. O Caso também requeria um plano estratégico de crescimento a longo prazo, prioridades nas escolhas dos novos mercados e principalmente como manter a alta qualidade a baixos preços, especialmente nos mercados ocidentais. Um caso longo, complexo e profundo. Nesta rodada enfrentamos a Universidade de Kent (EUA), considerada como grande revelação de 2015. Desta vez a equipe FIA venceu a batalha por unanimidade dos juízes e o “feedback” oficial fornecido pelos mesmos destacou a forma criativa de pensar “fora da caixa” e muito bem estruturada em termos de posicionamento de marca. Outro ponto alto destacado pelos juízes foi a consistência do plano estratégico com a viabilidade financeira e a capacidade de argumentação durante a sessão de perguntas e respostas. ”

“UNIQLO: A supply chain going global”

"Although the title led to believe that the case involved a relatively tactical supply chain problem, the central issue surpassed this and asked to address new strategies for global growth, how to position oneself in new markets considering their respective cultures and consumption profiles. The case also required a strategic plan for long-term growth, priorities in the choice of new markets and, mainly, how to maintain high quality at low prices, especially in Western markets. An extensive, complex and profound case. In this round, we faced the University of Kent (USA), considered the great revelation of the 2015 edition. The FIA team won the battle by unanimous vote of the judges with official "feedback" emphasizing our creative "out of the box" thinking and structured thought in terms of brand positioning. Another point highlighted by the judges was the consistency of the strategic plan with financial viability and reasoning ability during the questions and answers session."

”Maggi Noodles in India: The revival challenge”.

“Um caso extremamente instigante sobre gestão de crise e de como retomar o crescimento após um incidente de controle de qualidade que estava em desacordo com a regulamentação alimentar imposta pelo Governo Indiano. O caso demandava a elaboração de um planejamento estratégico de comunicação para gestão e contenção de crise. A equipe propôs uma solução inteligente e consistente, onde uma parceria junto ao Governo Indiano e o desenvolvimento de uma versão com nutrientes do antigo “noodles” seria lançado, subsidiado por uma campanha de alimentação saudável no país. O “timeline” proposto foi elogiado pelos juízes, assim como a demonstração financeira de sua viabilidade. Com esta proposta, ganhamos da Porto Business School, que obteve a segunda colocação em 2015 e foi um dos semifinalistas de 2016. Uma das equipes mais fortes e preparadas.”

(Saiba mais sobre nossos cursos:http://www.fia.com.br/executivo)

”Maggi Noodles in India: The revival challenge”.

"An extremely thought -provoking case of crisis management and how to resume growth after a quality control incident that was at odds with the food regulations imposed by the Indian government. The case demanded the development of a strategic communications plan for crisis management and containment. The team proposed an intelligent and consistent solution, comprising a partnership with the Indian government as well as the development and launch of a “noodles with nutrients” version, supported by a healthy food campaign in the country. The judges praised the "timeline" proposed, as well as the financial viability demonstrated. With this proposal, we won over Porto Business School, who won second place in 2015 and was a finalist in 2016. One of the strongest and most prepared teams."

(Learn more about our MBA programs: http://www.fia.com.br/internationalmba)

Massive losses signal lack of judgment in currency bets

In emerging markets globalization typically means to have your market flooded with foreign products. Yet a few corporations, while still firmly grounded in their home emerging markets, have wet their feet abroad and have learned the hard way.

The large corporations which ventured out of advanced economies first probably have no one left on their staff who still remembers what it felt to be a pioneer venturing abroad. Yet, for an emerging market corporation frequently there are no known precedents, and of course, there are staffing problems to overcome.

One of the most difficult staffing problems became painfully obvious in the last three months, as the American dollar suddenly appreciated, reverting its longer term depreciation. The trend reversion caught most swap operators in emerging markets wrong footed. Swap operators had become used to a deteriorating dollar and seem not to have though twice that, under abnormal circumstances, such as the current financial crunch and its ensuing recession, the price of commodities would fall and the dollar with which they are paid scarcer and dearer.

Yet, in emerging markets currency swap operators continued to bet on the appreciation of their local currencies against the dollar, generating massive losses to their employers.

Brazil’s Aracruz was one of the first to get beaten to the ground. Informed sources claim that it may take Aracruz, the world’s largest producer of pulp from eucalyptus, about a decade to regain its ground. Brazil’s Votarantim’s own paper and pulp operation (VCP) got beaten twice, first as shareholder of Aracruz and then in a bad currency bet of its own, losing about a billion dollars more. Steelmaker Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) may have lost $700 million in a sour ADR swap. Poultry farm Sadia fired its CFO, who wasted $415 million, allegedly by indulging on bad currency debts beyond his mandate.

But Brazilian corporations were not alone, Comercial Mexicana, Mexico’s second or third largest retailer, threw the towel after wasting $4 billion on derivatives contracts (see The Economist, October 16). The Mexican tortilla maker Gruma had its trading halted as it disclosed losses amounting to almost $700 million. Asian corporations were not spared either. Citic Pacific, is a Hong Kong-listed conglomerate partly owned by the Chinese government and generated bad currency debt close to $2 billion, (see The Australian, October 22nd). Operators in Latin America, and in China, seem to know how to implement swaps but miss on the direction of the hedge to be made.

Such widespread bad currency debts suggest that there is a swap-training gap in emerging markets. Because the reported losses, so far, have been more frequent and larger, in Latin America, it is possible that the training gap may be larger there. This region is a relative newcomer to globalized operations and swap operators may not be as experienced, or the information sources on which their work depend, not as developed.

Of course, operators are not alone, for instance, they are rewarded on bonuses when they succeed encouraging them to take substantial risks. Their bosses should have known better, but on the other hand, aren’t they all relatively new to the international arena? The size of the losses, painful as they have been, is in itself an opportunity to internationally-oriented business schools in emerging markets, for proper training is obviously lacking.

Alfredo Behrens
Professor of Cross-Cultural Management
FIA International Executive MBA
November 2008

Crisis and Opportunity

A few weeks ago we were at Vanderbilt University with FIA’s Executive MBA, and a week later, I was in London, participating in the International Accreditation Council of AMBA – Association of MBAs.

These were important times in the current economic crisis; in the U.S., Congress rejected the original Bush administration rescue package on the day we started our classes, and in London, during our meeting with an executive from RBS - Royal Bank of Scotland his company lost over a Billion pounds while we spoke!

Opportunities? Whoever is buying these shares, like Mr. Warren Buffet, is acquiring big companies at low prices. Countries like Brazil, which took more a conservative approach in financial markets, are likely to suffer less damage and will recover faster.

If financial value created by speculative bubbles is lost, concrete positions in productive assets are opportunities for growth. According to "Success Made in Brazil" a book by Donald Sull of Harvard University, Brazilian executives are masters at dealing with volatility. Living for years with volatile rollercoaster markets, they have learnt to hoard liquidity in times of plenty, develop talents and skills in readiness for more favorable times, and to act quickly and decisively when golden opportunities arise.

In personal terms, this is the time to protect ourselves from the storm; to study and to prepare oneself for golden opportunities in companies and businesses that will emerge even stronger from a time of crisis.

James Wright

Crise e Oportunidade

Nas últimas semanas estivemos em Vanderbilt com a turma do MBA Executivo Internacional, e uma semana depois, estive em Londres, participando do Conselho Internacional de Credenciamento da AMBA.

Foram momentos importantes na atual crise econômica; nos EUA, o Congresso Norte Americano recusou a proposta de salvamento inicial do governo Bush no dia que começamos nossas aulas; em Londres, um Conselheiro representando o RBS – Royal Bank of Scotland, agüentou numa reunião durante o qual seu banco perdeu 25% de seu valor na bolsa!

Oportunidades? Quem está comprando estas ações está adquirindo posições em empresas expressivas a preço baixo! Os países e setores que se portaram de maneira mais conservadora estão aptos a atravessarem a crise com menor desgaste e recuperarem suas posições de desenvolvimento mais rapidamente.

Se valores inflados por bolhas especulativas se esvaiam, posições concretas em ativos produtivas são oportunidades de crescimento. Segundo apurou o livro “Sucesso Made in Brazil” de Donald Sull de Harvard, os executivos brasileiros são mestres em lidar com volatilidade; preservam sua liquidez obtida nos momentos de bonança; desenvolvem talentos e competências essenciais quando os mercados são favoráveis; esperam ativamente nos momentos de intempéries, e agem rápida e decididamente quando as oportunidades aparecem.

Em termos pessoais, isto é o momento de resguardar-se das intempéries; estudar (fazer um curso?) e preparar-se para as oportunidades de ouro nas empresas e negócios que sairão da crise fortalecidos.

James Wright

Vilanova University Students visit FIA

On October 14th FIA Business School had a group of 25 alumni from Villanova University a private university located in northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States.

Villanova, named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, is the oldest and largest Catholic university in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For more than a decade, Villanova University has been ranked #1 by U.S. News and World Report in the Best Universities-Masters category in the northern region.

They participated on a lecture of Professor Alfredo Behrens on “Brazilian Culture and Software Exports” and a Case Study on “Strategic Implementation in a Brazilian IT Services Company” with Cadmus executive, Alexandre Bergamo, a former student of our Executive MBA.

See pictures below: