„Making key decisions on the company’s sales and product strategy“

Can you briefly start by telling in which company you currently work? When did you start there and what are your tasks?

I joined Ensinger China in 2009 after graduating from my Bachelor’s program. From 2009 to 2012, my role was in field sales. There I was responsible for the Shanghai and Jiangsu province. Subsequently, from 2013 to 2016 I was employed as regional manager for East China. Since 2017 I am responsible for the whole sales department of Ensinger in China.

My main tasks include the departments’ daily management, training of staff and recruitment of new employees. Furthermore, I study at SIBE, to advance the company’s strategy, to budget for the sales department and organize strategy implementation. In addition, I help Ensinger better understand key success factors, such as macro outlook, industry trends, competitive landscape and product development. I do that, by collecting and analyzing marketing and industry information. Conclusive I participate in making key decisions on the company’s sales and product strategy as well.

What makes it exciting for you to work for Ensinger?

First, We at Ensinger have industry-leading quality and products. Our products are widely used in various industries and fields to provide plastic solutions for our customers. For me the process of solving problems for customers is the most satisfying.

Internally, Ensinger has a very equality promoting atmosphere, the other operators have your back, and management truly listens to any ideas you bring to them.

Why did you decide to combine full-time work abroad with work-integrated studies?

At the end of 2017, when I told my boss that I plan to start an MBA program, he recommended SIBE to me. He actually is a graduate of SIBE himself (1999-2001). In addition, I think that the combination of MBA courses and practical work is more helpful for me and the organization, because I can directly apply course knowledge to practical work.

How important is the formation of a professional international network during your studies? How do you benefit from the M.A./MBA (USA)- program in terms of building your network?

With the M.A./MBA (USA) – program, SIBE offers a platform, on which I meet classmates from all over the world, whether from Ensinger or other companies. Learning with these students from different cultural backgrounds and different industries makes it more intuitive to know how people from different backgrounds in different countries view business. So this network is not only relevant for me, but also improves my intercultural competencies.

You´re near the end of the program now, how do you manage to organize yourself and combine your work with your study program?

I think the biggest challenge of conducting a study program parallel to a full time job is time management. It is very important to organize your time fragmentation well. For me it works, because every Monday, I prepare a study plan for the week. Time for reading course material and doing homework will be evenly distributed to each day, so that the workload will not be too concentrated and the frequency of learning will be maintained. Furthermore, I organize content from the courses into notes, especially some analytical models, and try to immediately use them in practical work to help solve problems.

In which ways would you say your studies at SIBE benefit you the most? To whom would you recommend this program?

For me the study program benefits in two major forms. First, I get free access to a large business network, through classmates, professors, lecturers und SIBE. Second, you can develop priceless management skills with the help of this program, for example:

1. Manufacturing, advertising and selling your products
2. Keeping the company’s finances healthy
3. Maintaining the company’s positive image
4. Gathering and interpreting industry data
5. Hiring the right people and keeping them motivated
6. Creating hierarchies that help the company thrive
7. Making the tough calls at the right time

I recommend this program to everyone that wants to conduct an MBA program in a flexible and international curriculum.

In your opinion; What should modern managers take out of the program to be best prepared for their tasks?

I think the program teaches people who want to become modern managers at least the following three things:

• A manager is a person who is accountable for “managing” the company. It requires learning new project management skills and taking on different project manager responsibilities.
• Success is measured in a number of different ways, but a strong leader understands exactly what this means for their group. They make it a point to help every team member succeed as an individual, while also focusing on the team as a whole. The ability to motivate an entire group to strive toward a specific goal is a major part of what makes a good manager.
• A good manager must be able to pull information from multiple resources, make a decision, and organize a plan to act on it.

Summarized, the M.A./MBA (USA)- program teaches someone, how to be a leader while being prepared for management tasks, such as project management, communications and strategy.

Do you have tips for people who are considering applying for the M.A./MBA (USA) program?

If you consider applying to the M.A./MBA (USA)- program at SIBE, you should make sure, that you have or develop good time management skills. Furthermore, I think, that a strong execution is relevant for getting the best out of the program.