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2 2i n - h o u s e n e w s p a p e r f o r co p e n h a g e n b u s i n e s s s c h o o lGetting out of the CBS comfort zone‘Where university meets business’ is not just a CBS saying. For AIESEC at CBS it is an everyday reality – and it is the kindof meeting that can take AIESEC-interns all over the world and into all kinds of very different settingsCasper Bek, 2nd year IB student, spent nine weeks in KualarLumpur through an AIESEC internship.i n t e r n e d a b r o a dBy Sune Maegaard Løvsø,AIESEC VP External RelationsThe international student organizationAIESEC has offered CBS studentsinternational internships for60 years. This has allowed them toexperience real life business settingsand put theory into practice.A good example of this is CasperBek, a second year undergraduatestudent of International Businesswho chose to spend nine weeks ofhis summer break in Kuala Lumpur,where he was engaged in educatingstudents on issues regarding HIV/AIDS through an internship providedby AIESEC. Today he considersthis experience ‘life changing’.- I wanted to challenge myselfand gain some invaluable experiences.Instead of staying on thesafe side, I decided to step outof my comfort zone and explorethe world around me and myself.AIESEC gave me the opportunity todo something, which would makeme stand out in the job market,where culturally aware employeesare in high demand, explainsCasper Bek as cause for his motivation.Casper was aware that AIESECalso offers longer internship withinmany fields such as finance andPR. However, he deliberately chosethe short term internship becausehe saw this as a great opportunityto do something completely differentfrom his studies at CBS andthus applied for the internship inMalaysia.- By putting a little effort into myapplication and my search for suitableinternships, it took me only ashort time and very little trouble tomatch up with the right internship,Casper Bek sharing his preparationprocess.No sex and condomsBeing abroad presented Casperwith many diverse challenges bothat a personal and professional level:- My internship confronted mewith so many new challenges, perspectives,and opportunities that itcan be hard to convey my experienceto other people. Let me mentiona few examples. On my secondday in Malaysia I was told thatcondoms and sex talk ought to beleft out of the workshops or at leastonly be mentioned with a briefcomment. Think about it: You’rein a completely foreign countrywhere you’re supposed to educatestudents how to prevent HIV/AIDS,and suddenly you’re told that allyou learned about the issue in yourhome country does not go withyour new setting. That gives youa completely new perspective onthings, Casper Bek comments.Casper Bek’s journey was notalways easy, but despite the difficultieshe still regards the experienceas one of the most remarkablehe has ever had:- Just by being abroad for nineweeks in a completely strangecountry was life changing to me.I had never been that far awayfrom home for such a long time.Suddenly I could explore and discovermy own potential and putmyself to the test. Just the situationwith condomsmade me takenew perspectivesand approachesto society andmy daily work,explains CasperBek and elaborates:- I learnedabout a newculture by livingamong andengaging withthe locals. Livingnine weeks withother studentsfrom around theworld taughtme to be tolerantand openminded,butmost importantlyto understandother people’sthoughts andideas. Professionally, I know I standout from the crowd now. I havebeen out of my comfort zone, facedchallenges, and tackled them in aforeign setting.A valuable experienceThe skills that you learn on yourinternship are not only applicableabroad but can be very beneficialto apply in your daily studentlife and provide an opportunity‘(...)On my second day inMalaysia I was told that condomsand sex talk ought tobe left out of the workshopsor at least only be mentionedwith a brief comment.Think about it: You’re in acompletely foreign countrywhere you’re supposed toeducate students how toprevent HIV/AIDS, and suddenlyyou’re told that all youlearned about the issue inyour home country does notgo with your new setting.That gives you a completelynew perspective on things.Casper BekIB-studentto enhance your resumé. Both ofthese are important aspects thatCasper has drawn from.- I have tried to communicate ina very diverseorganization ina foreign settingfor nine weeksin real life. Beingan internationalbusiness manager,you need tobe open-mindedand culturallyaware. If youwant to be anentrepreneur andmake a changein the world, youneed to step outof your comfortzone andchallenge yourselfeveryday:Exactly what Idid during myinternship, statesCasper Bek, whoon a final notehas the followingconsiderations foranybody elseinterested in going abroad andmaking a difference:- What makes you stand out fromthe crowd and become attractiveto employers? Where will you bethe day after tomorrow? Will yoube stuck in the back office of someinvestment bank, or will you be atthe forefront of the business environment?1AIESEC at CBSIf you want to learn more about AIESEC internships contactogx.cbs@aiesec.dkIf you are interested in becoming an AIESEC member, please visitaiesec.dk/cbs or write an e-mail to tm.cbs@aiesec.dkPre-graduate talent huntingFor the second year, Coloplast – one of Denmark’s biggest companies– is going after future business leaders before they hit the markett h e s i s r e c r u i t sBy Morten Sørensen,ColoplastThrough their Master ThesisProgram, Coloplast invites graduatestudents to write their thesison the company, while workingfor the company. The students willhave their own office, laptop, andaccess to internal documents. Inaddition, Coloplast covers all travelexpenses and the students receivea monthly sparring session withtop executives.- Graduate students typicallyaim to get into large companiesor consultancies. What we’redoing is reaching out to the beststudents before they graduate,offering them help not only withtheir studies, but also in establishingthem as excellent candidatesfor jobs within the company,says Coloplast Strategic DirectorRasmus Hannemann Møller.Former CBS student PhilippSchanz participated in the programin 2009. He is living proofthat such participation may pavethe way for a career in the DanishC20-company – today, he works asBusiness & Performance Managerat Coloplast’s global headquartersin Humlebæk.- The cooperation with the peopleat Coloplast was so good thatit made sense to apply here – eventhough I had other offers, saysPhilipp who has a piece of adviceto future candidates:- Take it seriously, because thisis an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.Be aware of the commitmentfrom both sides: in return for yourefforts you get treated like anemployee rather than a student.Coloplast chose six thesis studentsfor this year’s program. AllPhilipp Schanz, a former CBS student, is living proof that a Master Thesison Coloplast can lead to a career in the company.students ended with marks of 10or 12. Coloplast expects to accepta similar number of students nextyear. Deadline for applications forthe 2010 program is January 15th2010.2More information:www.coloplast.com/about/careers/masterthesis/pages/default.aspx
c b s o b s e r v e r 9 d e c e m b e r 2 0 0 9 2 3There still seems tobe some confusionregarding priorities!Come on!Get serious!Muddying the waters of CSR a littleSolving the ills of climate change and corporate governance has become the new province of business schools.Skeptics warn students off just uncritically following the trend and remind them to also maintain a sharp focus on businessr e s p o n s i b l e c s rBy William TylanderCartoon: Niels PoulsenIn a rising tide of climate changeand global credit crisis, businessschools must equip future businessleaders with the tools to eitherstem back the tide or ride out thestorm. At CBS, an intensified focuson Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) and sustainability worktowards clarifying the course andshowing the flow with which togo – but not without cross-currentsand undertow.There are at CBS also quite anumber of students, academics andresearchers who find it importantto keep the waters muddy andencourage more discussion aboutjust which values students shouldfocus on. CSR has to be kept real,also in a business sense – afterall, what aspect of business schoolisn’t supposed to focus on businessissues?The responsible trendApart from the guiding principlesof management, solving the ills ofclimate change and corporate governancehas become the new provinceof business schools. HarvardBusiness School took a bold steptowards embracing CSR by callingon MBA students to take an ‘MBAoath’, pledging among other thingsto follow described guidelines ofethical business practice.Here at CBS there has since 2002been a center, cbsCSR, dedicatedto the research and education ofcorporate activities in society, dealingwith larger questions of values,ethics and social responsibilities.This multidisciplinary approach hascrossed the boundaries of nearly allthe study programs at CBS and haseven led to the development a newclimate focused strategic forum,Climate Strategies for Business(CBS-CSB) and the establishment ofa graduate minor in sustainability.These developments have establishedvalues teaching in responsibilityand sustainability here at CBSand have also supported internationaldiscussion across other businessschools. Over two days in lateNovember, CBScsr and CBS-CSBco-hosted an event for UN Principlesfor Responsible ManagementEducation, a global group of academicsand researchers who discussedhow to better promote sustainabilityas an academic study.Grass root student organizations,WELL and Develop were on handto share their own perspective onthe importance of this:- We are in a time of greatchange and need leaders who willbuild sustainable businesses andtreat issues such as climate changewith a responsibly sustainablemindset, urges Develop member,Ida Hemmingsen.Keeping Responsibility realcbsCSR took another major stepforward this year with ResponsibilityDay, an event held in Septemberwhere students discussed the meritsof developing their own ‘Code ofConduct’ and other CSR applications.A new CSR elective for firstyear students was also revealed. Theaim was not to recruit new convertsto the cause but rather foster amode for developing values.- The students will naturally formtheir own opinions. However, socialscientific theories and practices arenot moral free. While developingyour own personal values, you areinfluenced by all sorts of things.CBS would like to first make surethat we do not influence in a baddirection and second, to be amongthose who exercise an influencein the direction that takes socialresponsibility seriously, says CBS’vice Dean of Education, SvenBislev.That CSR be carefully examinedand considered personallyis of great importance to MSc inBusiness Administration andPhilosophy-student Nicki Brøchner,who shares his concerns about thegrowing influence of CSR in businessstudies:- My biggest fear is that CSR ispresented to some students as aclass or lecture that just become aseries of bullet points on a powerpoint that can be memorized,recited and then quickly forgotten,Nicki Brøchner remarks.The skeptical approachNobel Prize winning economistMilton Friedman once said that “thesocial responsibility of business isto increase its profits”. At a businessschool naturally, one is apt tofind many who find wisdom in thisstatement.Among the skeptics are professorDavid Lando, Head of CBS’ FinanceDepartment and recent winner ofthe award for excellence for cooperationin industrial research, basedhis recognized study on developingmodels for credit risk. When askedabout the importance of CSR professorDavid Lando was quick tooffer his views:- It is a very important area withclose ties to corporate governancewith considerations that meritfurther study. CSR can be a usefulframework for forcing companiesto have a longerperspective, butthe argumentstill seems to bethe bottom line,David Landopoints out andcautions studentsto be wary ofplacing businessvalues too faroutside the realmof sound economictheory:- It is importantto be mindfulof the influenceof politicalcorrectness. Oneshould nevergive up independentthinkingfor followingfads and trends.Think critically,don’t take as axiomatic the socialvalues you see presented in classand always look towards arguments‘The students willnaturally form their ownopinions. However, socialscientific theories andpractices are not moralfree. While developing theirone’s personal values, youare influenced by all sortsof things. CBS would like tofirst make sure that we donot influence in a baddirection and to be amongthose who exercise aninfluence in the directionthat takes socialresponsibility seriously.Sven BislevCBS’ vice Dean of Educationthat are based on empiricism andsound reasoning – one can look toan economist like Tirole for clearanalysis.While not speaking directlyabout conditionsat CBS, MartinÅgerup, CEO ofthe Liberal thinktank CEPOS,which countsseveral membersof CBS’ facultyamong its group,offered somewords of cautionto all businessstudents takingon the study ofCSR:- I think it isimportant toalways be skepticalof all fadsand trends.There is a trendin managementresearch to gowith the flow,and one mustalways be mindful of followingfads without questioning them.1c b s o b s e r v e rNext deadline: January 14thUnsolicited contributions: max. 1 A4 pageMail to: red.observer@cbs.dk1
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