Chemical Residue...

As I now have the luxury of time and space, I am afforded a slightly removed and reflective vantage point to consider my academic experience abroad, and in particular my experience with BASF, "The Chemical Company". I had the opportunity to combine a wide variety of the knowledge accumulated throughout my MBA experience with my life and work experience into a functional business recommendation. I was challenged to provide BASF with information about the energy efficiency movement in the Swedish construction industry, to best prepare for the diffusion of 2 BASF innovative technologies. On a broader scale, I was challenged to learn and understand the innovation process and business strategy on the fly, then apply it in a tangible application, all in a foreign international context. The most profound things that BASF seemed to gain from my work was a new paradigm to view innovations on a continuum from incremental to radical, and an understanding of the levels of existing competition completing the fundamental jobs to be done. They seemed to not fully understand that while the technology behind the innovative product may have been an unparalleled radical new technology, the job to be done that was being fulfilled in the end market had existing levels of competition, and thus, price elasticities existed based on available options to complete those jobs. At some level they knew that more radical innovations required more resources allocated to facilitate communication with identified opinion leaders throughout the value chain, it seemed to be helpful to articulate that point to them as well.

Personally, on my path through this MBA as a chapter through life in general, I gained countless new and profound perspectives in my experience in Denmark, which were highlighted by the opportunity to do my business project with BASF. I sincerely believe that those profound learning experiences go beyond what I stood to gain in the traditional business project in Portland. It was not a passive exercise however, but rather a deeply engaged process complete with rigorous academic scrutiny and high expectations in a professional consultancy assignment. This was an amazing opportunity to not only learn about business in a different context at a top ranked European Business School (CBS), but to gain a first hand perspective of how business gets done in a unique socio-cultural setting, operating from a slightly different paradigm than the model of western capitalism that is continually reinforced through an American MBA. That is to say that I am sincerely grateful for the unique chance to expand my cultural and MBA horizons through this program, and I hope that this incredible opportunity can be extended to more PSU MBA students in the future.