Each year IMD Executive MBA participants get to visit exciting, vibrant economies across the world as part of the Discovery Expedition series. This year the EMBA participants will visit Vietnam.
The program aims to provide an education on the globalizing world, by discovering Vietnam through a variety of different learning approaches, such as expert speakers, company visits and a team assignment.
The Vietnam Discovery Expedition immerses the EMBAs deeply in the contrasts and realities that make up a frontier economy. They will learn about doing business in a rapidly developing market. How do you determine what future scenarios for this market look like? What markers need to be in place to facilitate investment or expansion for firms there?
The participants will identify social, economic and political factors that are unique to Vietnam, recognize how Vietnamese business leaders conduct business in a frontier market, and contrast that with their own experience as an executive.
They will then relate what they learn from assignments, company visits and a final presentation to enrich their EMBA learning experience. They’ll come away with an appreciation of “what it takes” to seize opportunities and navigate geopolitical risks wherever they may be.
An important part of the experience is a practical project. They will select a client through their own business networks, and identify a management issue or opportunity in Vietnam. From research before the trip together with meetings and experiences during the trip, the EMBAs will scope out, analyze and provide recommendations for the client. Finally, they will outline an action plan of conditional moves that management can execute via a presentation to their client. The project helps the EMBAs develop the mind-set and skills necessary to be a successful global leader.
In addition, the EMBAs will visit local companies such as garment-maker Esquel Garment Co.
There will, of course, be time for some fun too: the EMBAs will take a Vespa tour of the region, sip champagne on the SoHy Restaurant rooftop patio, and tour the Mekong Delta.
The trip is organized with Ivey Business School and is co-led by Ivey Associate Dean and Professor Lyn Purdy, and Martha Maznevski, Professor at Ivey and former Professor at IMD.
