Aarhus Symposium Challenge Handbook 2016

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE 2016 YOUR CHANcE TO CHALLENGE LEADERS OF TODAY

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE Are you able to identify the strategic alliance that can ensure the future success of a company?

Do you have the innovative solution to solve a pressing problem in the media and entertainment industry? Can you recognise a societal problem that can be improved by impact investment?

A

arhus Symposium Challenge is a unique opportu-

Participating in this year’s Aarhus Symposium Challenge

nity for you to inspire and engage with some of the

is your chance to secure your seat at both Aarhus Sym-

greatest leaders of today. For the fourth year in a row, three

posium and Aarhus Symposium Focus. Furthermore, the

prominent leaders are ready to challenge you on topics

best essay contributors will get the chance to meet one

with great impact within their industries and personal ca-

of the three inspiring leaders in the exclusive Leaders’

reer. Bring your innovative mind into play, and give your

Forum. Are you up for the challenge?

TOPIC 1

unique take on one of the three topics in an essay.

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peder holk nielsen PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS The biotechnological industry plays an essential role in the global transformation to more sustainable usage of resources.

In this regard, biotech companies invest heavily in research and development, and their future revenue depends on their ability to bring new solutions quickly to the market. This included an increasing number of strategic alliances with other players in the value chain. Alliances between companies mean deep-rooted collaborations with many benefits. In this dynamic environment, smaller players, too, are able to grow.

Your challenge is to identify two or more actors in any industry that could benefit from entering in a strategic alliance. Clarify the potential benefits and risks that the actors can expect to meet.

aarhus symposium CHALLENGE

President & CEO, Novozymes

TOPIC 2 TOPIC 3

MORTEN ALBÆK INVESTING FOR IMPACT In today’s economic setting, impact investment has become increasingly relevant. With public funds under pressure in many countries, it is necessary to look for alternative actors to contribute in solving social problems on both a local and global scale. Impact

Co-founder & CEO, Voluntas

investments have a dual purpose to both generate a financial return and create a positive social impact, thus shifting focus from exclusively profit-oriented investments. As the market for impact investments grows, investors seek new opportunities to generate positive impact alongside financial returns.

Your challenge is to identify an investment opportunity concerning the solving of a social problem. Outline the innovative solution and clarify the basis for financial returns.

jimmy maymann The Influence of Digitalisation Rapid digital advancements put pressure on businesses in the media and entertainment industry as they have affected the power balance between companies and consumers. Companies are staying competitive by satisfying expectations of better and

President, AOL Content & Consumer Brands

more customised consumer experiences. However, as consumers increasingly seek free news online, the media industry struggles to both increase online readership and create revenue. Furthermore, actors in the industry depend on adjusting their services to new emerging platforms, as consumers move from desktop to mobile.

Your challenge is to identify a company within the media and entertainment industry that struggles with changing consumer behaviour due to increased digitalisation. Clarify its most pressing problem and a potential solution.

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How do you write a great ESSAY? Writing an extraordinary and innovative essay is your chance to meet one of the prominent speakers in Leaders’ Forum and to meet our partners at exclusive partner events. However, what does it take to write a great essay? Listed below, you will find an overview of the parameters considered in the different steps of the screening process.

essay requirements hand-in deadline september 28, 2016

Your essay should as a minimum satisfy the following requirements. Check off the boxes as you write your essay.

Be of maximum 4800 characters (incl. spaces) Be written in English or Danish Contain at least one theoretical, literary, or empirical reference Not include your own name in any of the pages

screening process Preliminary Board reviews • Grammar and linguistic deficiencies

step 1

• Whether the challenge topic is answered • Whether the essay relates to this year’s theme Allocates the seats for Aarhus Symposium

Screening Board reviews

and Aarhus Symposium Focus and selects essays for step 2.

• Strong argumentation • Clear message • Active use of reference

step 2

Allocates first track priority to a limited number of essays and selects essays for

Knowledge Board reviews

step 3.

• Innovative and independent content

step 3

• The structure of the essay is deliberate and creative Nominates the best essay contributors to Leaders’ Forum.

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aarhus symposium CHALLENGE

DO YOU NEED SOME INSPIRATION? CHALLENGE toolbox Do you need help to choose your topic, or do you need inspiration to kickstart your ideation? The Challenge Toolbox can help you! The Challenge Toolbox is an online platform where you can dive into the three topics and get inspired by interesting articles and videos. Find the Challenge Toolbox on our website.

READ the WINNING ESSAY OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE 2015

ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF A STARTUP

By Oskar Harmsen, MSc in Economics, University of Copenhagen

I propose, as the first law of entrepreneurship: no matter how hard you try, how bright you are, how brilliant your product and how talented your team, you can’t ensure success. […]

If you don’t do things properly, if you don’t focus your energy and your company on one thing, if you don’t strive for excellence, you will fail. But if you do things right, build a brilliant product, focus on that one thing and try all you can to realize your vision, there’s one thing you still can’t escape: chances are, you will still fail. Because that’s what startups do.

Knowing that, how can you then mobilize the drive for pulling those all-nighters? How do you persistently engage yourself? How do you pull yourself up to take another shot when your first startup has failed? Maybe a entrepreneur doesn’t care about all those things. Having arrived at a conclusion of risk, uncertainty and failure as inherent to any startup, allow me to conclude with a proposal for a second law of entrepreneurship: if you believe in the first law, you will never have a chance.

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meet OUR PARTNERS By writing an essay you will have the opportunity to qualify for two out of three exclusive events, hosted by three of our Premium Partners. The students who write the most extraordinary essays will be invited to attend Power Up with Arla and either A Day at DONG Energy or A Day at Jyske Bank. Learn more below.

Power Up with Arla |

Spots: 120-140

Our Premium Partner Arla Foods invites you to Power Up with Arla on Friday October 28 at Aarhus BSS. Here, students are invited to a one hour presentation and Q&A session with Peder Tubourgh, CEO at Arla, followed by a session with four different speakers focusing on challenges related to the theme of Aarhus Symposium 2016 in different business units within Arla Foods.

A day at DONG Energy |

Spots: 8-12

You are hereby invited by our Premium Partner DONG Energy to join them for a roundtable event at their office in Gentofte. DONG Energy will share interesting insights about their corporate strategy and recent IPO. Finally, you will have the opportunity to engage in a real-life business case in collaboration with DONG Energy employees.

A day at Jyske Bank |

Spots: 8

Our Premium Partner Jyske Bank is glad to invite you to a day at their headquarters in Silkeborg, where Anders Dam, CEO, is looking forward to welcome you. Afterwards, you get the opportunity to team up with an employee and engage in exciting tasks in different departments throughout the day.

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aarhus symposium CHALLENGE

LEADERS’ FORUM Connecting leaders of today with leaders of tomorrow If you write one of the most extraordinary and inspiring essays, you will be invited to participate in the exclusive Leaders’ Forum. This is your unique opportunity to engage with one of today’s most prominent leaders. On the day of Aarhus Symposium, an intimate and informal setting sets the scene for the exclusive one-hour Leaders’ Forum. Here, you will meet the speaker who

challenged you to discuss the challenge and the ideas that you presented in your essay.

The day before Leaders’ Forum, McKinsey & Company will host a workshop for all Leaders’ Forum participants. The purpose of the workshop is to prepare you for your session and give you the tools to communicate in a professional and clear manner.

For me, Leaders’ Forum was an amazing opportunity to interact with and learn from one of the most inspiring leaders of today Lasse Thorbøll Juhl, participant in Leaders’ Forum 2015 with Christian Stadil

THE AARHUS SYMPOSIUM AWARD On the day of Aarhus Symposium, the author behind the best essay is rewarded with the Aarhus Symposium Award. The winner is nominated by the Board of Directors and will be announced at the end of Aarhus Symposium on November 4, 2016.

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CHALLENGE HAND-IN DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 28, 2016

WHY PARTICIPATE IN AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE? QUALIFY FOR

leaders’ forum CHANCE OF WINNING

THE AArhus symposium award

THE 650 best essays secure a seat for

AArhus symposium

THE 450 best essays secure a seat for FOCUS

AArhus symposium FOCUS OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN

SPECIAL PARTNER EVENTS

www.aarhus-symposium.org

PLEASE ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS TO PROGRAMME@Aarhus-symposium.org