Category: GAP Program
This week, we went out to dinner to a local African chain called Spur. Spur is very similar to the US chain Chilis and serves basic staples such as burgers, steaks and ribs. Our server suggested that we try the burgers. Being that we were hungry and looking for something easy and quick, we agreed. Note the word "quick"!
After a relaxing (but expensive!) weekend in Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland, we returned to Munich late Sunday night. The weekend left us refreshed and prepared for a work week (mostly) dedicated to preparing our slide deck and developing our market entry recommendation “story” for the client.
The last week has been filled with a plethora of cultural experiences that have been both enlightening and delightful. The journey of our most recent week first took us to Geneva, Switzerland. The most amazing part of the trip was the train ride to Geneva. We travelled through the hilltops above Lake Geneva, enjoying breath-taking views of small towns near the lake with the Alps just beyond. Geneva was really cool, but it was difficult to thoroughly explore the area given the down-pouring rain we had the whole time.
Growing up in India, the Aditya Birla Group (ABG) must have been one of the countable few companies I should have known about as a child. Tata and Birla names were often used synonymously with anything that was considered rich and grandiose. However, never once did I imagine that I would work for such a magnificent conglomerate as ABG in my first major business project during my MBA studies at the Fisher College of Business.
Business
Entering the last week, we had so many insights into the German market and how it functioned. Being on a team with students from India and America, we had no clue about how big trade shows are to the European market. During our interactions with various officials and some store managers, we realized that if our client had to enter the German market, they would have to take the trade show route. It was amazing to know that almost all the business in most parts of Europe happens through these shows, which attract almost a billion people every year.