Globetrotting

P5… the last period. I had only two credits left to be covered, which inadvertently meant that I didn’t have any classes for the first few weeks of the period. When I then started classes, it was totally worth it – P5 was certainly one of the best periods in terms of academics. Here is what I took:

• Your First Hundred Days (YFCD): YFCD, taught by Patrick Turner, would certainly deserve a blog post on its own, had I not signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement in order not to spoil the class for future promotions. But here is a short description at least: The class is a ten-day simulation of the first 100 days after taking over a company as the new management team (students operate in teams of five people). And simulation in this class does not mean making moves on a computer, but “playing” managing the company: writing emails to people, meeting clients and other stakeholders (roleplayed by alumni and the professor), and more than anything reacting to lots of unexpected events. This course is unlike any other experience at INSEAD, and it feels almost completely realistic (like work, but in a fun way). All in all, taking this class was certainly worthwhile.
• Communication and Leadership (half credit): Communcation and Leadership, which is taught by Ian Woodward, is “another” communication class. However, especially in contrast to Art of Communication which I did in P4, it was based less on experimenting and more on scientific basis as well as on one or two specific points of improvement for everyone. I was really impressed with the insights I got into my own communication preferences, strengths, and improvement areas.
• Advanced Applied Corporate Finance (AACF, half credit): My last period, my last class with Pierre Hillion. Except for P4 in Fontainebleau, I had classes with him every period, and he remains one of my favorite professors at INSEAD. AACF builds on the topics discussed in ACF, and focuses more on a qualitative discussion (i.e., advantages and disadvantages) of more exotic forms of corporate financing – my main takeaway: “if you as a company reduce your cost of capital, you are either taking hidden risks, or someone is getting screwed – and you better make sure it’s not you!”

That’s it! That is, academically speaking, all I learnt at INSEAD. It has been a valuable year, I must say. One of my goals coming here was broadening and deepening my fundamental knowledge about business and its dependencies, and I must say that this goal has been more than achieved. In some areas, I know have more and better tools at my disposal than before, in others it feels like I have learnt a completely new language, and in even other areas I know that I know nothing – because sometimes there are no general truths that always apply.

Tags: Academics, Classes, INSEAD, MBA

This entry was posted on Monday, December 10th, 2012 at 11:00.