SEBA Student Immersion Trip Brings Italian Business and Culture into Perspective
While visiting a premier business school in Italy, a group of 2016 summer PMBA students learned key differences between business strategy in Italy and the United States.
“One point specific to Italian cultural and business practices is that important business discussions should not be done by any other means than face-to-face interaction. No email or phone. It is about building trust,” said Janet Amador, associate director of academic services, who led the group for an eight-day immersion.
Bocconi University is over 100 years old, with over 14,000 students. It is considered by some to be the Harvard of Italy, with an alumni base of more than 95,000 in 101 countries.
The theme for the trip was "Strategic Thinking and Innovation in Europe." In addition to attending 11 lectures at the university, the students did two company visits.
Professor Olga Annushkina, the strategy professor in charge of the group during their visit, taught the students that Italians tend to be risk-averse and that they don’t marry until they own a house, which they cannot buy until they first put down a 30—40 percent down payment.
“Bocconi and the overall experience was truly eye-opening. The quality of professors and meeting the Boffi CEO were the academic highlights of the trip,” said PMBA student Jeff Karlton.
A Global Topic
The trip included in-depth discussion of a hot current event affecting the world at the moment—Brexit. Professor Francesco Daveri spoke in depth about the history and the formulation of the European Union, including the common goals that it, as an organization, set out to establish and maintain in the long run. The students learned about the university’s degree in luxury, a fitting program for a country whose number one priority is artisanship.
The students rounded out their days with cultural expeditions. They did a walking tour of the city, to the Duomo, through the design district and to the Polli Pezzoli private family museums. They took the train to Como and a boat ride to the Bellagio.
The value of the global immersion courses continues to leave an indelible impression on SEBA students long after they return home. Learning international business values helps to equip our students to become diplomatic and professional global leaders who respect the values of other cultures.
“The trip to Milan opened my eyes to the learning and growth that I experienced as a result of traveling independently, as well as the fascinating nature of international business as taught by the brilliant professors at Bocconi,” said Shelby De Mello, PMBA student. “I am a textbook introvert, and as a result I’ve done as much as I can to avoid pushing my boundaries and going outside of my comfort zone. My Saint Mary’s education thus far has pushed me to think in new ways, and evaluate my career in terms of what I would like to do after I finish the program."