The Lake Forest Graduate School of Management

The week in Cambridge follows a study visit week in Poland, which forms the two week European programme that the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management organise for their MBA students. One of the major objectives of this week’s programme is to provide an opportunity for the students to put some of their newfound skills and knowledge into practice and focuses around the “Case Study” Project and Presentations. Erica Wilke, Assistant Dean and academic administrator for the international specialization courses at Lake Forest feels that the consulting project (case study) is the critical distinguishing factor in the Lake Forest international study courses. While the students come into the course with varying degrees of international business exposure, most have never had the opportunity to participate in this type of hands-on application. During the work for the case study students are learning and applying that learning all while adjusting in an international business environment. Throughout the many years we have arranged these case studies we have always found that they are an intensive and rewarding experience for students and clients alike.

The programme is also intended to provide a look at how the conduct of business is influenced by legal systems, economic conditions, social structures, political systems and cultural differences from those of the United States. These objectives will be accomplished through seminars and discussions with people from the business, professional, academic and political spheres, as well as through visits to different kinds of local businesses.

All of the participants are from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, Illinois, USA. This course is an integral, assessed part of their overall MBA programme. The students usually have between five and ten years management experience and come from a diverse range of companies where they will typically hold middle to top-level posts. All students will be studying for the MBA degree on a part-time basis (backed by their companies) and therefore they continue to work full-time in their companies. This diversity brings a very interesting dimension to interacting with the participants and past experience leads us to expect the 2007 students will be very rewarding to talk to and teach. We expect approximately 14 students on the course and they will be accompanied by Ms Iwona Bochenska a LFGSM Faculty Member and Ms Erica Wilke, the Assistant Dean.