ESTIEM Magazine | Spring 2016 | New Materials

50th Issue

SPECIAL EDITION

INDUSTRIAL DEBATING PAGE 23

MAGAZINE 2020 VIEW FROM FORMER PROJECT LEADERS PAGE 42

LIVING IN

DENMARK PAGE 70

NEW

MATERIALS European Students of Industrial Engineering and Management Issue 50 2016/1 | ISSN 0874-5242 | Price 0 Euro | www.estiem.org

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INTRODUCTION

Table of contents

12

58

23

72

Introduction

Scene

4 5 6

19 Social entrepreneurs, real changemakers?

23 Industrial debating - the magic sword for every IEM professional 25 Performance-based Incentives for Purchasing Professionals 28 Sustainable Technology Entrepreneurship

Editorial’s Speech President’s Speech Introduction to ESTIEM

Focus Topic: New Materials

Inside ESTIEM

10 Nature as a Teacher - Reducing Energy Consumption by Smart Surfaces 12 Lightweight structures: production engineering in the context of Industry 4.0 14 Are we in the beginning of a new digital revolution?

16 Nuclear Fusion Energy

30 Introduction to the 26th Board of ESTIEM 34 STORM Eindhoven 36 Developing a Lean Six Sigma course for ESTIEMers 38 From high fly consultant to hyper-growth startup 40 Mentoring Programme Interview 42 Magazine 2020 - View from previous Project Leaders 46 ESTIEM External Relations – Globalized world, globalized students

48 Negotiations - An everyday happening 50 European Master Thesis Award Interview with the Winners 52 Grants since 2009. Now what?

53 Social and Environmental Responsibility within ESTIEM 54 Joining Forces 55 A new event: Science meets Economy 56 A journey through productivity in ESTIEM 58 19 years can be counted in CMs 60 Bringing Consultancy to ESTIEM 62 Towards quantitative decision making in ESTIEM 65 Projects/Committees/Initiatives updates

Explore Europe 68 How being uncomfortable got comfortable in Poland?

70 Living in Denmark 72 Hola, Tranquilo? My trip to Latin America

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

3

INTRODUCTION

Imprint Project Leader Marija Mladenović Design Ege Birol Mafalda Monteiro Melis Dönmez Stijn Zanders Editorial Staff Melis Dönmez Arseniy Kurynyi Dominik Rampp Mafalda Monteiro Smaranda Sgarciu Proofreaders Pedro Schuller Enrique Biosca Evdoxia Pantazi Dimitris Tsekos João Perre Mark Van Uden Pekka Huhtala Sebastian Hummel Umay Aydin Advertisement Acquisition Felix Limper Mafalda Monteiro With special thanks to Ayça Akboyraz Stephanie Riffo Rodriguez Stijn Zanders

Contact leader.magazine@estiem.org ESTIEM Permanent Office Paviljoen B-6 P.O.Box 513 5600 MB Eindhoven The Netherlands Fax: 0031-(0)40 2473871 info@estiem.org www.estiem.org Disclaimer The contents may not always reflect the opinion of the publisher. Any reproduction or copy is permitted only with the permission of the editors.

Our Partners

Editorial’s Speech 1st ESTIEM Magazine Issue, October 1991 Dear fellow students, About one year after the foundation of ESTIEM we are very pleased to present to you a new result of this European organization: the ESTIEM Magazine.

It will answer the question “What is going on in the world of IEM in Europe?”

Students will be informed about new opportunities, new developments, foreign cultures, management styles, companies and universities.

Each edition will have its own theme. Articles will be written by people who each look at the theme subject from a different angle, namely by Professors, Managers and Students. This PMS-mix will give you the opportunity to make up your own opinion about it.

Collumns will each time be written by different authors comming from different countries. This first edition will already contain the following collumns: First Cover of the ESTIEM Magazine The president speaks - The president of ESTIEM will tell about the subjects discussed and the plans made by

are studying or doing a practical work abroad. They

the board. He will also inform you about the progress

will inform you about their experiences in this collumn.

of ESTIEM as a whole.

Beside this, everybody should feel free to send in articls or letters on general IEM subjects, coming

Studying in - Questions about universities, IEM-

(international) events or any other thing that can be

departments, study-pro-grams, study-associations

of interest for this magazine. Suggestions about the

and the students will be answered in this collumn.

magazine are also very welcome and will always be taken in consideration.

Students’ nightlife - Every student town has its typical student pubs, bars and discotheques and its own local

With this magazine we hope to give you some reading

editor. A combination of these will be excellent to fill

pleasure, but we also hope that it will contribute to

this collumn.

the internationalization of the European IEM-students.

Students abroad - People who travel can tell interesting

Your editorial staff,

stories. That’s gene-rally known. Lots of IEM-students

Joost Fontein , Wouter Lammerse, Ernest Lempers, Kees Ruwiel , Klaas-Louis Springer

Editorial Note:

stories sharing and event reports full of ESTIEM spir-

In the first years, before the ESTIEM portal was cre-

it; unstoppable motivation for the growth of ESTIEM

ated, the Magazine was a way of communicating be-

and for its students.

tween Local Groups and reporting from events.

Besides being a special edition, it is also worth men-

Throughout the years, sections were introduced and

tioning that, once again, we are synchronising the Fo-

later on kept, changed or removed. The name of the

cus Topic with this year’s Vision seminars topic - New

project itself stirred some opposite opinions through-

Materials.

out the years.

Dear ESTIEMers, we gladly present to you the 50th

Today, 25 years and 50 issues later, some aspects have

issue of the ESTIEM Magazine.

not changed from the reader’s perspective: inspiring

Enjoy reading it!

ESTIEM Magazine Team

4

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INTRODUCTION

President’s Speech Dear Reader, The ESTIEM Magazine, the oldest project of ESTIEM, celebrates its 50th issue with this Magazine and I have no doubt that it will continue for many more years.

Looking back at the previous editions the Magazine has not left its roots and is still providing students all over Europe insights in both happenings within ESTIEM, insights from IEM professionals of the industry and academia on trending topics in the field of IEM. Upon reaching a milestone we always look back, but we also take a look into what the future will bring us.

The focus topic of this Magazine, not coincidentally the same as the topic of our Vision seminar series, is also very much looking into the future. Can materials help to overcome problems, create new possibilities and, in general, improve our standards of life? You will get an insight into the future of this topic in this 50th issue.

This seven months’ board term is the shortest one in As for ESTIEM, as long as students are eager to meet

our history and will also be focused on these aspects

other students and the ESTIEM spirit is alive, the

of ESTIEM. By the time you are reading this we are

future of ESTIEM is more or less guaranteed and thus

already halfway through our mandate and hopefully

looks bright. However due to the constant growth of

ESTIEM is already able to pick the fruits of our work.

our network major decisions will have to be made to

Consequently, this magazine issue will be the first and

ensure ESTIEM does not get stuck into the things we

last one with the 26th Board of ESTIEM and with me

are currently doing and keeps developing and being

writing the President’s Speech, but we are looking

the playground for all IEM students in Europe.

with confidence into the future of ESTIEM and of course the ESTIEM Magazine.

ESTIEM needs your help to determine now how it should look like in the already famous year of 2020,

For now, it is my pleasure to invite you to dive into the

or even better: next year. Give your input to ESTIEM

content of the 50th issue of our ESTIEM Magazine,

and help making it better for the next generations of

a lot of effort and time has been put into it from

students.

everyone involved, and I am sure you will enjoy reading it.

Tom Koolen, President of ESTIEM 2016

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

5

INTRODUCTION

All over Europe...

Back in 1990, students from five different countries founded an organisation, which they named ESTIEM: European Students of Industrial Engineering and Management.

After 24 years, it has grown into an organisation

The decision-making body of ESTIEM is the Council,

bringing together over 60 000 students from 79

which meets twice a year, in autumn and in spring.

universities in 31 European countries, and it is still

Each university, represented by its so-called “Local

growing. All these universities offer courses in IEM.

Group”, sends two student representatives. The six

Based on this structure, ESTIEM forms links between

members of the Board of ESTIEM are elected during

students, academia and companies in order to create

the spring Council Meeting. The Board is responsible

an Europe-wide, multi-level IEM network. ESTIEM has

for the management, coordination and administration

continuously increased the number of its activities,

of the association.

thus being able to offer a great variety of events to IEM students and an opportunity to experience

Besides taking leadership positions in the Board and

different cultures, take part in international projects

as Project or Committee Leaders, ESTIEM members

and become friends with other ESTIEMers from all

can also take up responsibilities by working in one of

over Europe.

the Projects, Committees or Initiatives. With lots of teams and tasks to choose from, there is a place for

Naturally, the backbone of ESTIEM is the European

everyone.

IEM student. The students involved in ESTIEM incorporate both the skills required for modern

For more detailed information about our organisation

business and an open-minded approach towards

and its activities, please visit our website at www.

other people and cultural issues.

estiem.org. ■

79

6

180+

3.000

Local Groups in 31

events are organised

travels are made

members and a reach

countries make ESTIEM

by Local Groups every

yearly by 2.000

of 60.000 towards IEM

a large network

year.

students.

students in Europe.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

8.000

INTRODUCTION

... Students involve themselves in various international Projects....

ESTIEM is also a playground for great ideas developed by highly motivated students. If a student manages to convince ESTIEM’s Council of his idea, he can start his own international project. Currently, there are 9 projects running.

The

Tournament

In

Management

and

Through

the

Summer

Academy,

ESTIEM

Engineering Skills (TIMES) is the largest pan-

recognises the importance of and takes responsibility

European case study competition for the students

for providing knowledge of ethics and sound

of Industrial Engineering and Management. This

leadership among the future leaders of Europe. It was

prestigious, highly acclaimed event is the flagship

set up to bring international students together during

project of ESTIEM. It has successfully been organised

summer holidays to engage in open discussions,

since 1994 and attracts around 1000 top European

group work, debate and private study under a senior

students every year. After Local Qualifications in 75

Academic Leader.

different universities and 8 Semi-Finals in selected cities, the winning team of the Final is awarded the

The ESTIEM Student Guide is ESTIEM’s guiding

title of Europe’s “IEM Students of the Year”.

service provided to any student who is interested in studying Industrial Engineering and Management in

The Vision Seminar Series aim to improve the

Europe or in travelling to any of the ESTIEM Local

personal skills and capabilities of the Industrial

Groups: an online database filled in by students,

Engineering and Management Students in Europe.

sharing academic and practical information on

The seminars contain a balanced mixture of academic

universities, cities and countries.

lectures, workshops and company visits which are combined with cultural and free-time activities of

The official publication of ESTIEM provides the perfect

the organising city. Through those activities the

platform to reach a target group of approximately

participants of a Vision seminar develop themselves

60 000 students of Industrial Engineering and

both personally and professionally.

Management at universities all over Europe. The ESTIEM Magazine is published twice a year and

The goal of Academic Days is to share ESTIEM

distributed among IEM students, graduates and also

universities’ knowledge with the network. It supports

professors and companies across Europe, through the

the personal and professional development of

ESTIEM network.

students across Europe willing to complete their curriculum. In order to achieve this, each event

businessbooster aims at creating an environment

provides participants deep insights into a specific topic

where all needed information, experience and support

in which the organising Local Group’s university has a

to excel in your future professional endeavours can

high expertise.

be found. The goal of this unique environment is to boost entrepreneurial spirit and engage ESTIEMers,

Europe3D is a seminar series where participants

Alumni and companies to collaborate with each other.

get a deeper insight of the hosting country in three unique dimensions: politics, culture and economy.

BrainTrainer is designed to develop leadership,

An environment with a blend of different cultures

presentation, business and social skills of participants

helps the participants get a better understanding of

through professional trainings lasting one or two

the basic local parameters existing in the European

days. Its aim is to coach and develop the participants

states. Lectures given by experts from these 3 fields,

to become more professional and successful in their

combined with trainings about intercultural awareness,

organisation as well as in their own future career. ■

provide participants a theoretical insight.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

7

INTRODUCTION

... and Europe-wide Committee Work The committees support the Board in maintaining and developing the organisation ESTIEM further. Students from all over Europe engage themselves in various topics in one of our 9 committees.

Corporate Relations Committee

Knowledge Management Committee

The Corporate Relations Committee coordinates the

The Knowledge Management Committee does

relations between ESTIEM, companies and universities

two things. First, updating & creating Best Practice

jointly with the Board. The Committee’s work covers

Documents (BPDs) by documenting the collective

a number of fields with the aim of improving and

experiences of ESTIEMers throughout time - from

simplifying ESTIEM’s relations with companies and

organising a Project to how to be a Leader. These BPDs

universities, such as updating co-operation proposals,

are available online on the ESTIEM Portal. Second,

creating and gathering results for different surveys or

managing the quality of ESTIEM events by collecting

training people on how to approach companies and

feedback from the event participants in order to make

universities. The Corporate Relations Committee

Event specific and Project Specific Reports, showing

also plays an active role in supervising and supporting

the development of ESTIEM’s Projects and events.

Projects and other Committees with regards to Members Committee

sponsors and academic supporters.

The Members Committee supports the members Financial and Legal Committee

of ESTIEM and supports students interested in

The Financial and Legal Committee’s role is to ensure

joining ESTIEM by forming their own Local Group

ESTIEM’s compliance with all laws and regulations. It

(LG). It guides them through the whole process,

supports the Board, other Committees, Projects and

starting from establishing contact, via the Guest and

Local Groups in all financial and legal matters. On

Observer period, all the way until their fully pledged

one hand, it consists of experienced ESTIEMers and

membership. It takes care of the LG Requirements,

ESTIEM Alumni, who are motivated to provide advice

helps all LGs via the Regional Coordinators, and

whenever requested. On the other hand, active

supports LGs and central ESTIEM in motivation and

Committee members work on creating and updating

recruitment issues. It fosters connections between

Best Practice Documents, trainings, templates, etc.

LGs, tries to figure out what they need locally and

for all related topics, giving advice on event budgets

cooperates e.g. with the Trainers on Tour concept

and proactively giving legal advice. Since many people

to fulfil the needs for training topics such as HR, PR,

are unexperienced with finances and regulations, the

recruitment and fundraising.

Financial and Legal Committee aims at helping them to Public Relations Committee

deal with them correctly.

The aim of the Public Relations Committee is to take Grants Committee The

Grants

Committee

care of ESTIEM’s outer appearance. The Committee ESTIEM’s

is responsible for communicating the brand of ESTIEM

applications for EU Grants and aims to establish and

supports

and increasing the awareness both inside and outside

develop knowledge on public funding opportunities

of ESTIEM. The PR Committee works with several

and their application procedures. It also wants to

different tools to achieve this, for instance designing

share the existing knowledge with as many ESTIEMers

PR material, creating design templates and guidelines,

as possible and to support more and more Local

as well as working on press and social media visibility.

Groups in applying for an EU Grant for their events.

Training Committee

8

Information Technology Committee

Personal development is part of ESTIEM’s vision – and

The IT Committee maintains the e-mail, intranet and

it is what ESTIEM trainings are meant for! By passing

web servers of ESTIEM and coordinates all IT-related

on knowledge, skills and attitude in their sessions,

development in the organisation such as the IT back-

ESTIEM trainers support ESTIEMers on their path in

end system (.NET framework & C#). To complement

ESTIEM and in life. The Training Committee provides

the knowledge of ESTIEMers about ICT and IT

training support to all ESTIEM activities and Local

systems, it provides trainings in an open learning

Groups. It also guides trainers and people who want

environment. In addition, ITC offers troubleshooting

to become trainers with their career through ESTIEM,

services and technical advice to all ESTIEMers.

and gives them personal support and feedback. ■

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INTRODUCTION

Our Mission ESTIEM’s Mission is to foster relations and mutual understanding among European Industrial Engineering and Management Students while supporting them in their personal and professional development.

Our Vision Developing the future leaders of society.

We believe that it is our responsibility as young European IEM students to challenge the status quo and interact with one-another in order to grow and develop into future leaders that share the same European Values and tackle society’s problems.

Our 4 Core Values

Embracing diversity

Striving for development

We see multiculturalism as a strength of ESTIEM.

We grow together by trying hard and learning from

We benefit from our cultural diversity by being able

mistakes, we are eager to go through a learning

to approach chances and challenges with different

process and see accessibility and freedom as highest

insights. Respect is not just something we strive for,

goals. ESTIEMers gain practical experience and

but part of the very basis of our network

important soft-skills needed in today’s world.

Encouraging participation

Aiming high

ESTIEM being a democratic organisation with a

We are not afraid of stepping out of our comfort zone.

flat hierarchy encourages the participation of all

ESTIEM’s members are proactive students that always

its members. We inspire each other to partake in

give 100%. We encourage an entrepreneurial spirit

ESTIEM’s activities and develop new ideas.

among students and other stakeholders by gathering and exchanging experiences and best practices.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

9

FOCUS TOPIC

Nature as a Teacher - Reducing Energy Consumption by Smart Surfaces Ships, to the hulls of which no algae, no shell, and no dirt particles can adhere, ships that slide through the seas as if they had a type of molecular hover cushion? In a few years, such phenomena could be part of the daily routine, based on today’s fundamental research conducted by scientists, such as the mechanical engineer.

Dr. Pavel Levkin

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

characterized by countless “stings”. Thus, the water or

works on a new type of material, called “fluoropore”.

oil droplet lands on a nanoscaled type of “bed of nails”.

This plastic material is based on fluorine polymers. “We

Bastian Rapp works at the KIT Institute of Microstructure

imitate the properties of lotus plants,” Rapp says, “but

Technology and during his time there has produced

contrary to such plants, fluoropore also repels oil and

“laboratory­ stable prototypes”. At the moment, he

dirt particles.“ The new material is related to Teflon,

and his colleagues are testing various methods of

the difference being that a Teflon pan loses its oil and

plastic curing for maturity. “We still have to optimize

water­repellent effect when it is scratched. Hence, such

some parameters”, but he is optimistic. About 2000

a coating of a ship’s hull that is permanently exposed to

experiments remain to be performed until the end of

very high loads would lose the repellent effect rather

this year. These tests will yield a group of “fluoropore”

quickly.

materials that are optimized for various applications.

The scientist’s visions for the near future are not only

Bastian Rapp

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

10

Together with several young researchers, Bastian Rapp

According to Rapp, fluoropores have a structure similar

“smart ship coatings”, that will considerably reduce

to a sponge filled with air: When scratching its surface,

energy consumption, but also functional clothing, car

the same structures are repeated below. Fluoropores

windows on which water will not condense and freeze

can be applied with any thickness. The new material

in the winter, and graffiti­repellent paint. This universal

that stores air in the nanorange similar to a sponge

type of protective coating has attracted the interest of

does not only repel water, oil, and dirt particles, but

industry. Because fluorine is an element that is difficult

also algae or shells cannot adhere (“they simply slide

to extract, fluoropore is relatively expensive. Rapp

off ”). Moreover, even bacteria that attach to any other

thinks that coating an oil tanker would cost about EUR

material cannot hold on to fluoropore surfaces.

100,000. “Thanks to the reduced fuel consumption, however, this will pay off very quickly.” Fluoropore –

Similar to a lotus leaf, the fluoropore surface is porous

Chemically Inert Micro­to Nanoporous ‘Teflon’ with an

on the molecular level. The material’s microstructure is

Adjustable Wetting Behavior” is the title of the project,

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

FOCUS TOPIC

for which Bastian Rapp was granted EUR 2.85 million

In cooperation with colleagues in the UK, the group

in a competition for young scientists launched by the

of scientists already has tested their highly effective

Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

slippery surface in seawater. Immersion tests revealed that the biophobic effect of the material lasted one

Dr. Pavel Levkin of the Institute of Toxicology and

month. In the case of conventional coatings, this effect

Genetics and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and

can be maintained for a few days at the maximum. The

his group also work on smart and functional surfaces.

next step will be industrial application. Pavel Levkin

Several novel superhydrophobic, extremely water­

thinks that slippery “anti­fouling paints” will save a lot

repellent coatings were developed by Levkin’s group

of money that is usually spent on cleaning ship hulls.

over the last few years. Recently, the group succeeded

Demand for these quasi­ self­ cleaning coatings exists

in fabricating an extremely slippery surface, with a

wherever water flows, for instance, in any type of

highly porous polymer film filled with a “liquid Teflon”–

water pipeline. These substances are much less toxic

like lubricant instead of air. Contrary to “normal”

than the ship paints used in the past, which contained

superhydrophobic surfaces, which degrade quickly

heavy metals. The team of Pavel Levkin studies

under water, a highly stable anti­biofouling coating was

various types of functional coatings, not only bio­and

produced. “We combine water­ repellent with highly

hydrophobic, but also strongly hydrophilic materials

slippery properties”, Levkin says. Algae, plant spores,

and their combinations. Such materials are capable

and other micro organisms are simply washed away by

of capturing and storing the smallest water droplets

seawater before they can attach to surfaces. This effect

from their environment. Potential applications are

resembles the strategy of some carnivorous plants:

found in biotechnology, diagnostics, and personalized

their surfaces are so slippery that prey cannot avoid

medicine.■

sliding in.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

11

FOCUS TOPIC

Lightweight Structures – Production Engineering in the Context of Industry 4.0

Ramon Kreutzer

Fraunhofer Institute

The “Fourth Industrial Revolution” is characterized by

high strength which can be adjusted to suit a range of

advances in digitization and networking in production.

load directions.

Companies are facing new challenges and have to

At the Fraunhofer IPT we develop processes,

consider how to deal with the new demands and

equipment, tools and software for processing fiber-

opportunities of “Industry 4.0”. In the “Lightweight

reinforced plastics in operations such as joining, forming,

Production Technology” business unit, the Fraunhofer

cutting and handling as well as for quality assurance. This

Institute for Production Technology (IPT) in Aachen

is one of the ways in which we enable our customers to

is developing new solutions for large-scale production

integrate fiber composites, high-performance metals,

of lightweight engineering components for a number

ceramic and multi-material systems within innovative,

of sectors of industry, extending from the automotive

serially manufactured goods.

industry through aerospace to oil and gas production.

Business unit manager Ramon Kreutzer explains why

What is the significance of Industry 4.0 for lightweight

lightweight engineering can no longer be dismissed as

production technology?

hype and why it has become one of the most widely

Industry 4.0 provides the key to affordable mass

debated topics for companies working in this sector.

production of lightweight engineering products by

reducing waste via stable, reproducible manufacturing

Why is light-weight engineering such a hot topic at the

processes.

moment and how can companies use it to their advantage?

particularly in the case of FRP, since the material is

In recent years, lightweight design and engineering have

not formed from the semi-finished product and the

been forging ahead into all areas of life. The energy

matrix material until the production process is already

revolution, which comes with a growing awareness

underway. The myriad of combination possibilities

of environmental issues sustainability and resource

is inevitably associated with wide variations in the

efficiency, is now topping the agenda not only in

processes, which is an obstacle to reproducibility.

politics but also at a corporate level. Although this

As a result of increasing networking, it has become

applies particularly to sectors such as aerospace and

possible to harvest data not only during the production

the automotive industry, which rely heavily on weight

phase but from the products in the field and to

savings, areas focusing purely on performance such as

feed this data back in the production process. This

the oil and gas industries can also benefit: they can use

information is often referred to as a ”digital twin”, a

riser systems made of Fiber-Reinforced Plastics (FRP)

virtual representation of either the physical production

to probe down to a depth of 3000 meters in the ultra-

process or the product. In addition to comprehensive

deep water drilling range. This is possible because FRP

component monitoring, the acquired data can be used

pipes combine chemical resistance with low weight and

to optimize the production processes.

This

presents

enormous

challenges,

Ramon Kreutzer Ramon Kreutzer studied Business Administration and Mechanical Engineering specializing in Prodcution Technology at RWTH University in Aachen. Since June 2014 he has been employed at the Fraunhofer IPT as a research fellow in the field of technology management and is engaged in the emerging areas of “Industry 4.0“ and ”Additive Manufacturing“. In his capacity as the manager of the Lightweight Production Technology business unit, he bears overall responsibility for the strategic focus, identifies trends in the field of lightweight design and construction and is the first point of contact for clients and new project partners.

Contact. ramon.kreutzer@ipt.fraunhofer.de

12

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

How exactly can an actual lightweight engineering product

rotor blades of wind turbines are detected at an

be linked to the virtual world?

early stage in order to avoid serious accidents.

In order to create a ”digital twin“ of a physical product, fiber-optical sensors can be integrated within a fiber

What do companies have to do in order to be able to

composite component, for example. These optical

manufacture high-quality, lightweight products at an

fibers, which are in the same order of magnitude as

acceptable price?

a human hair, enable changes in the expansion and

The level of automation in production involving FRP

temperature of the component to be measured: thus,

is still relatively low despite the fact that the demand

momentary load conditions or damage become visible

for individual products going down as far as ”batch size

before part failure can occur.

1“ at an affordable price is high. Many companies now have to pursue a dual strategy: they have to automate

For a long time, structural changes within lightweight

their production in order to ensure reproducibility in

engineering components could be measured only

serial manufacture and reduce waste, thereby lowering

via ultrasound or tomographic operations. Yet

costs. At the same time, they need to be able to

intact structures frequently play a vital part in many

adapt their production processes to meet changing

areas of industry and even in everyday life: it is

requirements. This presents SMEs, in particular, with

vital that any hidden defects in airplane structures

enormous challenges. ■

and automobile bodies or invisible damage to the

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

13

FOCUS TOPIC

Are we in the beginning of a new digital revolution?

Taavi Kikas

3D Printing Teacher & Evangelist

Nearly two centuries have passed since the last

3D printing is a computer controlled technology, used

industrial revolution, which had an overwhelming

for creating objects, adding material layer-by-layer. This

impact on society, nature, and humanity. Then, a

method allows to save up to 90 percent of raw material

revolution paved the way to the capital market, cheap

and up to 50 percent of energy. The first person who

labour colonies and new inventions to mechanize most

can be directly related to 3D printing is a pioneer of

parts of the traditional working methods. The industrial

American origin, Chuck Hull, who, in 1984, invented a

revolution had a great role in shaping the future of the

process known as stereolithography. That is a process

Western capitalist society. A proof of that impact were

of creating objects layer-by-layer from the liquid

the significant number of workers that started to move

polymeric material, which cures under UV light. Hull

from rural to urban for zero working conditions and

defined it as a system for creating the cross-sectional

absolute minimum wages with an average of 13 hour

patterns of three-dimensional objects.

workdays.

The image of a moving part giving form to raw material But which kind of revolution is ahead of us, nowadays,

used to be immediately associated with a process that

when technology has meanwhile evolved immeasurable

removes material, rather than adding it. The generic

dimensions, where robots and artificial intelligence

term “production through the addition of material�

can replace human and leave millions of people all

was coined only in the early 2000s, when a number of

over the world out of work? Is it possible that we are

processes for the addition of material were developed

about to witness some new industrial breakthrough,

and it became clear that, in the near future, metal

which can this time be very useful for the people

removal is not the only process by which it is possible

themselves, individuals, each and every one of us? An

to process metal.

industrial revolution which profits others than bankers,

14

industrialists and corporations? Is the world ready for

Industry is just starting to entwine with 3D printing –

a new phase of historical industrial revolution, which

we begin to understand its uniqueness and importance

would fundamentally change the consumer society and

in shaping the future of industrial history. 3D printing

the scientific side of the system from biotechnology

creates the unique opportunity for us to continue to be

and engineering, resulting in an economically greener

our own masters - many physical objects can be turned

lifestyle?

into reality exactly when you need it, without leaving

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

FOCUS TOPIC

Taavi Kikas Taavi is an entrepreneur who knows exactly how to make things happen. He has extensive experience in the IT sector. Since 2010 he has been working as the Chief Executive Officer at Innovative Technologies & Business Systems Group where his main mission was to switch from custom software development to product/platform development. Within the five years the company has succeeded in various fields like Biotechnology, Cloud Computing and 3D Printing.

According to Taavi its all thanks to consistent hard work and having the greatest team in the world. His specific skills include remarkable know-how in relationship management and communication with partners as well as control of data gathering and information flow from partners. He can determine which project is best suitable for whom, and bring all the strategic partners together in a short time period.

In 2013 Taavi co-founded 3DPrinterOS which makes 3D Printing usable for everybody, forgetting all the CAD programs, all the slicers and model fixers.

With 3DPrintersOS customers can access all the programs and functions directly from the Cloud.

More importantly, in 2014 3DPrinersOS secured a 7 figure investment from Vulcan Capital, which is led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Taavi also gives lectures at Tallinn University of Technology to students and businesses about Innovation, Startup methodology´s and 3D Printing.

your home. 3D printers users can easily turn their

but yesterday’s science fiction is today’s everyday life

personal homes into a factory that can manufacture

and it’s more than likely that this innovative, material-

anything our soul may desire. Today, 3D printing is

and timesaving technology is the key to tomorrow’s

already, in a way, used in almost every industry people

industrial revolution’s success.

can imagine: architecture, construction, industrial design, automotive, aerospace and military industry,

Until 2010, 3D printing technology was limited to the

engineering, biotechnology, fashion, education and

production of polymers and creating objects layer-

many others.

by-layer associated only with metals. Now, one of the many advantages of 3D printing is the variety of

3D printer prices fell drastically in 2005 after open-

materials available. According to Wohlers Associates

source projects like RepRap and Fab@Home went

in 2012, the global market for 3D printers and the

public for everyday users. Before that, printer prices

associated services was valued at 2.2 billion dollars.

were around 30000 dollars, whilst today it is possible

Today, it’s already twice as large, and by 2018, the 3D

to purchase a printer for less than 500. It is more

printing industry market is predicted to be valued at 17

than likely that 3D printing will be part of people’s

billion dollars.

daily lives as consumers to save money on everyday products - instead of going to the store and buy a

3D printing has now left the child’s shoes and taking the

product a person could have that printed without

first major steps to writing itself into history forever. It

leaving its home, by downloading the file with a three-

will play a pivotal role in making people’s everyday lives

dimensional model from the Internet, and print it at a

more independent, easier and cheaper. ■

minimum cost. All this may still seem utopian today,

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

15

FOCUS TOPIC

Nuclear Fusion Energy The research and development in materials science are basic for the civilization progress because they determine what we can do and what we cannot do. It is so important, that the human history is divided into three consecutive time periods, named for their respective tool­making technologies: the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. As soon as we changed the manufacture of materials,

power plant will use this heat to produce steam then,

the technology was also changing the civilization,

like a conventional power plant will generate electricity

allowing more and more things such as large bridges,

by converting mechanical power such as the rotation of

roads, transport, energy production etc. As an

a turbine into electrical power.

example, the manufacture of steel (alloys of iron and Nuria Gordillo García

Instituto de Fusión Nuclear

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

other elements) was started in the middle of XIX

What is fusion? What is expected?

century, being a crucial material for engineering. Since

Fusion is the energy source of the stars and Sun. In

then, the progress of steel manufacturing has brought

the tremendous heat and gravity at the core of the

a great impact in the industry applications. Therefore,

stellar bodies, hydrogen nuclei collide, fuse into heavier

sometimes it is more important how to “handle” a

helium atoms and release vast amounts of energy

material than to change the material itself.

during the process. The most efficient fusion reaction occurs between two hydrogen isotopes, deuterium (D)

Today, the sustainable energy production is a serious

and tritium (T) as follows:

challenge to mankind and must be addressed without delay. The world urgently needs to take action to accelerate

green

technology

transformation.

In

addition, the developed countries must take into special consideration that there are more than 3 billion of people who aspire to gain access to electricity and modern energy services. In the next 50 years, the energy consumption is expected to reach two or three times current consumption. The fact that fossil fuels are running out is a reality. The renewable energy sources are indispensable although they are difficult to adapt to centralised energy production capable of providing enough energy for densely populated areas. It is complicated to produce large quantities of electricity.

Thus, the development of new energy sources is necessary. These new forms of energy should obviously meet economic requirements and also take into account the environment, operational safety and resource availability requirements and one of these new energy sources is the nuclear fusion. The future fusion nuclear power plants are expected to provide mankind with a sustainable energy source for the

Nuria Gordillo García

growing demand of energy and to limit global warming.

Nuria Gordillo is a post-doc researcher at Instituto

Some of the important advantages are: no carbon

de Fusión Nuclear (IFN) at Universidad Politécnica

emissions, no air pollution and unlimited fuel from the

de Madrid (UPM). She is working in different

sea water. However, the development of advanced

fields of materials science (ion-matter interaction,

materials is the bottle neck for that sustainable energy

semiconductors, biophysics.) since 2003. Currently, she

production becomes a reality.

is the responsible of the samples fabrication at IFN lab; her research is related to resistant materials working

How does Nuclear Fusion Power plant works?

under extreme conditions (irradiation, thermal loads,

The energy produced through the fusion of atoms will

and high temperature) for fusion energy applications.

be absorbed as heat in the walls of the vessel. Fusion 16

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

FOCUS TOPIC

Figure 1: Picture of ITER the future power plant. Source: www.iter.org

The DT fusion reaction produces the highest

energy (Q=10). The ITER will be the world’s largest

energy gain at the “lowest” temperatures.

tokamak ever built, with a plasma radius of 6.2 m and

The idea of fusion is literally to put ‘the Sun in a box’.

a plasma volume of 840 m3 contained in the centre

But the main problem is how to make that box? The

of the vessel. The dimensions of the ITER vacuum

temperatures required for thermonuclear fusion are

vessel will measure 19.4m in radius, 11.4m in high,

greater than a hundred million degrees. Therefore,

and approximately 5,200 tons in weight. In a tokamak

implying that the vessel in which the fusion takes

device, the larger the vacuum chamber volume is the

place has to withstand temperatures in excess of

easier to confine the plasma is. Another great example

150,000,000C . At such temperatures, electrons are

of engineering is the cryostat that surrounds the

completely detached from the nucleus; the atoms

vacuum vessel and superconducting magnets. It is the

are ionised and then enter the fourth state of matter,

largest stainless steel high­vacuum pressure chamber

the state of plasma. The difficulty is to develop the

ever built (16,000 m3). It provides the high vacuum,

technology in order to produce and confine the plasma

super­cool environment for the ITER vacuum vessel and

in the centre of the vessel without touching the walls

the superconducting magnets. Nevertheless, the most

and develop materials able to survive during long

technically challenging raw material was the niobium­

periods of time.

tin (Nb3Sn) superconducting strands used in ITER.

o

Around 500 metric tons of strands (more than 100,000 There are two approaches for the development of

km) were produced from 2008 to 2015. This large­

future fusion power plants: Magnetic Confinement

scale industrial effort demanded a ramp­up of global

Fusion (MCF) and Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF).

production capacity from 15 metric tons/year to 100 metric tons/year.

Magnetic Confinement Fusion (MCF) In the magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) the idea is to

ITER, from the scientific and technological point of

confine the plasma in the centre of the vessel through

view is a huge challenge for mankind. The design and

huge magnetic fields. The world’s largest MCF project

manufacturing of every part of the reactor has gave

is ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental

rise to new industrial companies, development in

Reactor). ITER is an international project where

new advanced cooling systems based on liquid­metals,

35 nations are collaborating to design and build an

superconducting materials, diagnostic and remote

experimental fusion reactor based on the “tokamak”

control devices among others. ITER will be the first

concept. It will be an experimental facility that must

fusion acility to test the integrated technologies,

demonstrate the principle of producing more energy

materials, and physics regimes necessary for the

from the fusion process than is used to commence

commercial production of fusion­based electricity.

it. This is something that has not yet been achieved in any fusion reactor. Thereby, the fusion reactor has

Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF)

been designed to produce 500 megawatts of output

The idea of the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is to

power while needing 50 megawatts to operate or

generate ignition from a huge amount of laser beams

what is the same, to produce a tenfold return on

energy deposited into a DT target. The world’s largest

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

17

FOCUS TOPIC

Figure 2: Concept of the future HiPER project: a) Design of the future power plant. b) Inertial Fusion Chamber.

Source: www.hiper­laser.org

laser facility for ICF is NIF (National Ignition Facility). It

physical and chemical sputtering yields, high thermal

is located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

conductivity (174 W/km), and high melting point

and it is operational since March 2009. NIF is provided

(3410 Co). Nevertheless, there are some limitations

with 192 powerful laser beams, housed in a 10m in

that have been identified for pure conventional W like:

diameter chamber. They can deliver nearly 2 million

degradation, cracks or surface modification below the

joules of laser energy in billionth­of­a­second pulses onto

melting point that gives rise to an early worsening. At

a target of about 2 millimeters in diameter. The last

present, some strategies are being investigated in order

2012, NIF made history when its 192 beams delivered

to overcome these limitations. The new ideas are based

more than 500 trillion watts of peak power and 1.85

on develop of advanced nanostructured materials.

megajoules of ultraviolet laser light to its target.

These new materials are based on nanostructures

Nowadays, NIF is the unique experimental facility for

made of pure W and on oxide nanoparticles dispersion

scientists that bring the opportunity to enhance the

(Y2O3, La2O3) used to reinforce W­alloys like W­Re,

understanding of the universe by re­creating the same

W­Ti, W­V or W­Ta. Thus, might be an alternative and

states of high energy density matter that exist in the

they are currently under development. The scientists

centers of planets, stars, and other celestial objects.

and engineers around the world are working together for the last decades in order to develop new materials

In Europe, the counterpart project is HiPER (High

able to withstand the extreme conditions that will take

Power laser for Energy Research). HiPER was conceived

place inside a reactor chamber in both MCF and ICF

as a large scale laser system designed to demonstrate

approaches. This is the road towards a new technology

energy production from inertial confinement fusion.

which is emerging in order to make Nuclear Fusion

This will lead to new applications of interest to many

Energy a reality.

sectors of industry, with options to generate economic benefit during the journey to construction of the

Nuclear Fusion Energy will be a sustainable and

HiPER facility and beyond. The HiPER project requires

environmentally clean power. It will not produce

further development of sophisticated technologies

greenhouse gases or long­ lived radioactive waste

including: high power repetition rate, infra­red lasers

materials and will deliver energy security for the long

of order ~1000 joules and ~10 hertz capability, fusion

term. ■

targets designed and breeder blanket design for fusion energy capture among others. The development of these technologies will bring benefit and growth in many fields such as: industry, defence, security, communications, medical science, nuclear engineering operations, space technology and science research. In the case of ICF, one of the most challenging materials to develop is the plasma facing material (PFM), which is the first wall material that will be exposed to the harsh environment inside the reactor chamber. The role of the PFM is to protect the reactor wall and curb the radiation. During the last years, tungsten (W) has been proposed to be one of the best candidates for first wall applications because of its properties: low

Figure 4: Scanning electron microscopy image from nanocolums made of tungsten. Source: www.denim.upm.es

18

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

SCENE

Social entrepreneurs, real changemakers?

Entrepreneurs are changemakers. They see opportunities, invent, innovate, set up new companies, challenge the status quo and create jobs.

Schumpeter (1934) was the first economist and business philosopher who described the changemaking role of the entrepreneur. He spoke about a process of creative destruction initiated by them, which creates disruption in markets and changes the innovation space. This space is defined by new products and services, but also by renewal in processes, positioning and paradigms (Tidd & Bessant, 2013).

Both entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial process

that the world would eventually accumulate enough

have been extensively researched and described in

wealth to raise the standard of living of most of its

literature. Entrepreneurs are described and profiled

inhabitants, we now know that his ideas are a gross

as people having specific traits and behaviour which

oversimplification of

is situationally dependent. Despite the plethora of

Wealth is unevenly distributed over the world and we

literature in this field the variety in entrepreneurs is

see an increasing inequality in the world, large parts

great and their profile has changed over time under

of the world not having access to water, education,

the influence of the ever changing economic, political,

electricity and resources that threaten to become

social and cultural landscape wherein they operate.

depleted. Calculations by the Journal Nature are that

Entrepreneurs are also leaders and to understand

the estimated value of all the services rendered by our

entrepreneurs we must also understand them as

ecosystem to us are worth at least 45 trillion Euros per

leaders of start-ups which may evolve into sme’s and

year, just to give an impression of the scale at which we

large multinational and transnational companies.

are exploiting our resources. In addition, estimations

very complex phenomena.

to figures from the World bank and the Global

which may be incremental or radical and results in the

Partnership for Education. Against this background

set-up of a company. This process has also changed

social entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurs are

dramatically over time, again as a consequence of

seen as the pioneers of change to not only tackle

the pace at which societies and our world is changing.

these big societal problems, but also develop business

Organizations have become open and interconnected

models which simultaneously create value while also

with everything that is happening outside and

contributing to planet and people. In a nutshell this is

process models nowadays are dynamic, design based

what social entrepreneurship is about. Behind this way

(e.g. Kumar, 2013) and start with customer needs

of thinking is a world of ideas, insights and assumptions

(Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2005)

which we need to understand to assess the real value of

Saskia Harkema

and 75 million young people unemployed according

linear process which starts with an idea or invention

Expert in Innovation, Entrepreneurship,

The entrepreneurial process is mostly described as a

Leadership & Change

are that there are 25 million people who are illiterate

social entrepreneurship and its potential to contribute In general one can say that entrepreneurship as such

to the oh so necessary change in our world. Capitalism

is geared at creating new jobs, growth and expansion.

has proven to be a flawed and an imperfect system

Indicators to measure success are ROI, market share

which has given us many good things, but which has

and profit. The ‘father’ of this way of thinking was Adam

also led to economic crashes and crises like the one in

Smith who in 1776 wrote his epic book “The wealth of

2008 where we have barely from recovered and which

nations” which is the first theory of economic thought

resulted in the worldwide collapse of our economic

and activity which saw the light. Pillars of his theory

system.

are ideas of individual self-interest, perfect competition and market equilibrium. His ideas lay the foundation for

In this paper we embark on a journey which describes

capitalism as we know it today and it is still a source

how entrepreneurship has evolved over time since

of inspiration and knowledge for entrepreneurs and

the start of capitalism and is transforming and trying

understanding entrepreneurship.

to become more social, more concerned with the problems in the world, maybe more humane and caring

The world is changing rapidly and where Adam Smith

about the environment and people in the working

at the time that he developed his ideas, believed

spaces they create and the outcome of their activities.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

19

SCENE

The pitfalls of capitalism When Adam Smith wrote his epic book “On the wealth of nations” in 1776 he was living in a time of

Primary driver is to achieve SOCIAL VALUE

great poverty and inequality among the classes. The royalty and nobility owned all the land and capital and the masses were serfs who could barely subsist – they merely were allowed to work on the land without owning it. His theory is an attempt to describe the mechanisms that would lead to progress, a more equal distribution of wealth and an improved standard of living especially for the lowest class. He had a very

TRADITIONAL

CHARITY

positive view on society in the sense that he believed that the market mechanism would always move towards an equilibrium and that only those products would be produced for which there was a real need. He would turn in his grave if he saw how the mechanisms which he lay the foundations for and described in his theory, contributed to the societies and world we are living in at present.

Purely charitable Additional funding from market based grants,, donations revenue or endowment stream

Studying those first economists one sees their wish to unravel how societies could be created where everyone would have a fair share of the pie. Societies however developed in a contrary direction it seems when one

Not-for-profit

looks back in time. Yes, there has been enormous progress, and an enormous acceleration in the development of technology and innovations that have

Instead of leading to progress, an even distribution

made our life so much easier than our ancestors. But

of wealth, equal chances to education and a general

to what extent has the quality of our lives improved?

improved standard of living, we see that capitalism has led to huge financial crises, unequal distribution of

If we measure quality solely in economic terms one

wealth, a large population of people without proper

could argue that in general conditions in most societies

education, and a growing inequality between the rich

have improved dramatically if we compare it to the

and the poor (see Thomas Piketty most recent book

time in which Adam Smith wrote his book. But at that

“Capital in the 21st century, 2014).

same time it was Robert Malthus who already predicted

20

that we would get in trouble if population would keep

Social entrepreneurship is seen as a possible answer and

growing and we would keep on extracting and using

alternative to all the negative aspects that somehow cling

our resources to keep up with that pace. Eventually

to capitalism making at best a very imperfect system.

resources would become depleted according to him

But what is different about social entrepreneurship

and therefore population growth had to be contained

as opposed to capitalist entrepreneurship? In the

somehow. All this is history since we now know that

latter case it seems that the sole and primary goal of

population keeps growing as a consequence of raised

organizations is to make profit and grow. Capitalism

standards of living, access to healthcare and improved

thrives by expansion. Employees then become assets

living conditions, while we also face one of the biggest

which need to be as productive as possible and

challenges of humanity: will future generations have

everything is geared at efficiency and effectiveness.

enough to subsist? And can we contain the conflicts

Capitalism developed from a need to replace (costly)

in many parts of the world, which are also fuelled by

hand labour and mechanise work processes as much

inequality, poverty, repressive systems and lack of

as possible to cater for an expanding market. Scale

proper education? So an inverse process somehow

and expansion is a prerequisite under capitalism, and

seems to have taken place under influence of capitalism.

a continuous quest to keep costs as low as possible.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

SCENE

IMPACT INVESTING

Achieve measureable social impact alongside financial return

Primary driver is to achieve FINANCIAL VALUE

SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

TRADITIONAL

BUSINESS

Potentially Social Mission-driven CSR & Pure profit self-sustaining Business: for-profit corporate orientation; >75% market Profits are enterprise philanthropy mainstream revenues invested (”B-Corp”) (target for SRI) investors

for-profit making profit is secondary. In a nutshell this is what When efficiency and productivity become the norm, it

social entrepreneurship is about. The problem is that

seems somehow that this goes at the expense of what

the mechanisms underlying the way organizations

I would call our humanity. We are neither robots, nor

behave and work have remained intact. Their success is

perfect and we certainly cannot be merely reduced to

not measured by the % of people that yearly say how

and seen as resources whose knowledge and expertise

happy they are. Nor by the contribution they make

needs to be exploited to the bottom. Companies

to reduction of CO2 emissions. Their success is still

and organizations understand this, but their way of

measured by the extent to which they make profit.

working in essence has not changed much over time.

And their Return on investment, or market share.

Gary Hamel (2011) – a well-known author of many

Social entrepreneurship it seems has become a way to

management books – says that we are working with

window dress that basically nothing has changed but we

legacies from the past, hand-me-downs from guru’s

pretend we are doing a better job at creating better

who are all dead and whose theories were developed

working conditions, and caring for our environment

in a time which is totally different than our present

and in the process tackling important societal problems.

world. He emphasizes the urgency and need to re-think our models and way of organizing and advocates a new

An inspiration in this respect is Ricardo Semler, a

approach which does justice to people and what we

Brazilian entrepreneur born in 1959 who took over

really need.

the family owned business of his father nearly 30 years ago. It was a loss making company - an industrial

Social entrepreneurs as changemakers?

pump manufacturing firm - and he had to think of ways

Social entrepreneurs place people and planet before

to turn this around. He took drastic measures. He

profit is the key message. People have to be nurtured,

developed what he called a ‘participative management’

we have to take care of our planet and those are the

vision to design a new company based on a number of

preconditions that need to be met at all costs, and

principles: ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

21

SCENE ■

Employees set their own working hours

So what is Ricardo Semler trying to accomplish with

■

Employees choose their own salaries

this new approach? Listening to him speak his main goal

■

All meetings are voluntary and open to everyone

seems to be to reinstate people and place them at the

■

Employees hire their own bosses

heart of his organization. Their happiness, fulfilment

■

HR has been abolished, because leaders need to

seems to be his primary concern in the belief that they

be able to treat their employees right themselves

then will give their best. People will not feel exploited

All employees rate their bosses twice a year and

but become owner of the success of the company.

all ratings are published

Also Gary Hamel speaks strongly about the need to

Employees choose which leader they want to

reverse accountability and allow employees more

work under

room to experiment, explore, make mistakes, use their

Employees choose which Semco office they want

talents, take responsibility and cater for their needs.

■ ■ ■

to work out of ■

Employees can take early retirement, meaning

Social entrepreneurship is however not solely

they get one day a week off in return for working

concerned with creating different internal conditions

one day a week after they retire.

in organizations, but above all with creating output in the form of value for society and customers. Whereby

The Semco philosophy (2001) is built on participation

value is not merely and solely measured in financial

and involvement.. There are no formal organization

terms as we have done till now, but primarily in terms

charts and employees are free to change and adapt

of how it contributes to a better planet, more peace,

their working environment. Unacceptable use of

more fairness and equality. We haven’t yet found

authority is not tolerated and absence from work

an answer to that. “Can capitalism survive?” was a

because of discontent of workers is seen as something

question Schumpeter posed himself at the time he had

positive. His company is now one of the fastest growing

the foresight to develop his theory of entrepreneurship.

companies in Latin America with long waiting lists of

His answer was negative. He believed that capitalism

people wanting to work as an employee.

would be destroyed by its successes. That is the real challenge we are facing. ■

Saskia Harkema With a degree in Sociology I started my career as a consultant and later international project manager Europe at Philips Lighting. Later, I received a degree in Business Administration from the University of Bradford and made a switch to academia and education. In 2004 I finished my PhD at the University of Nyenrode in The Netherlands. In the course of the years I have become an expert in innovation and entrepreneurship with both hands-on and academic experience. I have developed several innovative programs for which I received funds from the EU, developed and managed 4-year European projects and carried out longitudinal research in different sectors (which has resulted in a large number of publications. Since a couple of years part of my efforts are geared at supporting refugees to find their way in society and materialize their dreams. Furthermore I teach at different universities, develop programs and do research in the field of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Diversity.

References [1] Hamel G. (2011), “Reinventing the technology of human accomplishment”, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=aodjgkv65MM [2] Kumar V. (2013), “101 Design methods. A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization”, John Wiley & Sons.

[3] Osterwalder & Pigneur (2005) “ Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers”, Self published.

[4] Pikkety T. (2014), “Capital in the 21st century”, Belknap Press.

[5] Semler R. (2001), “Maverick. The success story behind the world’s most unusual workplace”, Random House.

[6] Schumpeter, J. (1883-1850), “The Concise encyclopedia of economics” [7] Smith A. (1776), “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations”.

[8] Tidd J. & Bessant J. (2013), “Managing Innovation. Integrating technological, market and organizational change”, John Wiley and Sons.

22

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

SCENE

Industrial debating - the magic sword for every IEM professional This scenario is seen too often: a student goes to university and graduates in IEM. He or she starts working. And then the monster comes. Their ambitious project needs to be saved from the monster’s claws, but they are ill-equipped. They need a magic sword to slay it but, like in a videogame level, they forgot to pick it up along the way; the hero comes to an inglorious end.

The magic sword they needed? The power of debate.

But not all debating skills are applicable in a business environment. Nobody stands up to make a point in a business meeting. So instead, I began teaching something I call “Industrial Debating” – debating to be used in commercial environments.

The first rule of Industrial Debating is that you do not talk about Industrial Debating. After all, you can’t openly bring a magic sword to a fist fight.

Many methods and tricks make up the Industrial Debater’s toolbox. Let me share two with you: The “House of Persuasion” and the “Seven Standard Arjan Rooyens

Questions”.

Arjan

graduated

in

Industrial

Engineering

and

The House of Persuasion

Management at the Eindhoven University of Technology

The “House of Persuasion” teaches you how to be a

in 1999. He’s a professional trainer and coach in

persuasive person. Its foundation is in decorum. The

presentation and debating skills and helps professionals

three pillars are Ethos, Pathos and Logos.

overcome fear of public speaking.

First and foremost, there is decorum. Decorum means

Contact him: Arjan@VuurEnSchenen.nl Ethos means credibility. Your right to speak, as well as how believable you are. Being able to talk yourself up and maintain decorum is a very valuable thing.

PERSUASION

Pathos means being able to connect with your audience.

E T H O S

P A T H O S

L O G O S

Without emotion, nobody will act. In a business environment, this usually means creating a sense of urgency.

And Logos? It means logic. Your idea’s got to make sense.

DECORUM

The Seven Standard Questions The “Seven Standard Questions” help you quickly build a case for your idea, or to shoot down a bad idea of

understanding the environment you’re in knowing if

someone else. Ask yourself:

your company likes confrontation, or if it’d rather have you not to rock the boat. Always have decorum.

1

What’s the problem?

Then come the elements of ethos, pathos and logos.

2

Is it urgent?

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

23

SCENE

3

Is it an inherent problem?

4

What’s the solution?

Picture by Bart van Eijden

5

Does it solve the problem?

specific! Tell them what, when, who and how much. Fill

6

Is it efficient?

in every blank for them.

7

Are the consequences acceptable?

Effectiveness: Will your plan indeed fix the problem?

Tell them how, even if your audience could do this

If anybody proposes a bad idea, simply ask one of the

thinking for themselves! They may not.

seven questions; that will get an unconvincing response.

Efficiency: Point out other solutions, and talk about

Start at the top. An unconvincing response will diminish

why this one’s better.

appeal of your opponent’s idea, which is what you

Consequences: Talk about and address smaller

want. Keep asking until your audience joins you in your

drawbacks, if there are any.

opposition. Bluntly attacking ideas is for savages, but asking questions is for the wise; you will never lose

If the problem’s both obvious and urgent, questions

decorum by questioning.

one and two might be skated over. You might even make it to only 4 questions that really need answering.

Once it’s time for you to pitch an idea, answer those

The shorter, the better; people will be more likely to

seven questions for yourself. Your speech will be

listen and remember.

bulletproof. Let’s go through them: Want to be a good industrial debater? There are Defining the problem: Your idea or plan must

some good places to train out there, but enrolling in a

solve a problem, or take up an opportunity. What is

local debating society will be a good start. Just getting

it precisely?

training is already a leap forward. And if you’re in the

Urgency: Do we need to fix this now? How high

Netherlands, join my Industrial Debating class.

are the losses the company is suffering, without your solution?

Good luck finding that Magic Sword. Be careful not to

Inherence: Is this problem because we’re doing

slay any innocents. And don’t forget the first rule of

something wrong, or is it the left-over, quickly

Industrial Debating: you do not talk about Industrial

diminishing trouble from something already solved?

Debating. ■

The solution: Introduce your plan, and make it 24

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

SCENE

Performance-based Incentives for Purchasing Professionals: A Preliminary Snapshot of the Status Quo

The purchasing process has great potential for companies to generate profit and thus pursue important business objectives [1]. Hence, forming e. g. sustainable buyer-supplier relationships (BSR) is essential for a successful existence of companies [2]. To form such successful BSR, performance-based incentives could be a trustworthy tool to increase the motivation level of purchasers as it is already practiced in finance, accounting and sales departments.

The purchasing process has great potential for

these compensation systems have on the purchasing

companies to generate profit and thus pursue

professionals’ motivation to support the achievement

important business objectives [1]. Hence, forming

of the corporate objectives [9].

e. g. sustainable buyer-supplier relationships (BSR) is

the company’s success [10]. Furthermore, employees

motivation level of purchasers as it is already practiced

should be motivated – either individually or in

in finance, accounting and sales departments. However,

groups – to perform work beyond the limits of the

performance-based incentives systems for purchasing

provided employment contract. Companies that use

departments have been neglected both in theory [3]

performance-based compensation systems expect that

and practice so far. According to Pagell et al. [4], this is

their employees’ motivation increases significantly. They

due to the difficult measurement of the performance

also intend to promote job satisfaction and thus better

of purchasing professionals. The effect is that less

employee retention among the qualified and committed

than 50% of companies in Austria and Switzerland

employees. However, in purchasing departments

apply a performance-based incentive system [5]. The

companies waive variable compensation. The study

reasons reported for the relatively low acceptance in

conducted by Wolff [11] shows that among the 318

purchasing departments are (a) the difficult decision on

German companies investigated, it was primarily the

appropriate goals and, therefore, (b) the problematic

production and sales departments that integrated a

assessment base.

performance-based compensation system. More than

Volker Koch

incentives could be a trustworthy tool to increase the

Bernd M. Zunk

should help to achieve business goals and increase

Graz University of Technology

Compensation systems with variable components

To form such successful BSR, performance-based

Graz University of Technology

essential for a successful existence of companies [2].

80% of the management and 40% of the employees are Problem Situation: Compensation Systems in

paid by performance. The reason for the prevalence

the Context of the Purchasing Professionals’

of pay by performance in these departments is the

Motivation

good measurability of targets. On the other hand,

Both the achievement of corporate objectives and

purchasing departments use the performance-based

the motivation of purchasers managing buyer-supplier

compensation system for 60% of the managers and

relationships are largely determined by the incentive

22% of the employees (Figure 1). According to Wolff

system of purchasing professionals. Previous research

[11], the rather low implementation can be attributed

has already shown that the success of a company

to the lack of measurability of success factors. To solve

depends on the motivation of these employees and

this problem, specific objectives and key performance

helps organizations to survive and prosper [6]. In the

indicators must be agreed on. They have to be both

context of BSR, many researchers have examined the

easy to communicate to employees and measurable

interpersonal attraction in buyer-supplier relationships

for the management accountant. On the one hand,

and the intrapersonal motivation and compensation

it is important to choose the right key performance

systems for salespeople [7 and 8]. Yet, only few

indicators to encourage the employees. On the other

researchers have addressed the crucial areas of

hand, companies should promote the right activities

intrapersonal motivation of purchasing professionals

without putting too much pressure on the employees.

and compensation systems for purchasing professionals.

Ultimately employees should be motivated to pursue

Hence, there is still a need for research on the influence

the specified company objectives [12].

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

25

SCENE

84%

Production

44% 84%

Sales

49% 60%

Purchasing/Supply

22% 59%

Management Accounting

22% 45%

Human Resources Management

Managers

19%

Employees (without management

41%

Information Technology

20%

responsbility) n=318 (Note: companies which are

40%

Marketing

satisfied with the incentive system)

19%

Figure 1: Performance-based incentive systems in different functions [11]

Research Design: Investigation of the Problem

Findings: A Preliminary Snapshot of the Status

Situation in Purchasing Departments

Quo

To gain deeper insight into the problem situation

The analysis of the interviews with purchasing

as briefly described in the introduction section,

professionals shows that whenever incentive systems

our research design comprises two steps: (1) a

are implemented, the incentives are often based on a

literature review and (2) interviews with purchasing

blend of group and individual targets. Two companies

professionals. The aim of the literature review was to

make the effort to cross-check the departments’ goals

explore purchasing topics and goals, rewards, incentive

and adapt the reward system to them. However,

systems and motivation. The qualitative research design

incentive systems are only used in four of the seven

deploying interviews was selected to obtain detailed

purchasing departments. Those companies that do

information about the significance of situations, events

not apply incentive systems in purchasing, point

and actions in the specific context of the purchasers’

out that they see a difficulty in terms of measuring

environment in practice. Therefore, semi-structured

purchasing goals or indicate a general refusal to use

interviews with experts, i.e. seven purchasing managers

performance-based pay and incentives as part of their

at Austrian technology companies, were conducted

corporate culture. Particularly, small and medium-sized

and analyzed by applying the content analysis proposed

companies are very concerned about the detrimental

by Mayring [13].

effects of incentives on perceived distributive justice,

Volker Koch Volker Koch is a research and teaching assistant at the Institute of Business Economics and Industrial Sociology at Graz University of Technology. In his lectures he centres on teaching business administration, marketing management and presentation skills. His research focuses on competencies and motivation factors of purchasing professionals. Volker Koch is an active member of the International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association (IPSERA) and the Austrian Alumni Association of Industrial Engineering and Management (WING).

Bernd M. Zunk Bernd Markus Zunk is an associate professor of Business Economics at the Institute of Business Economics and Industrial Sociology at Graz University of Technology. In his current research projects he emphasizes the fields of industrial marketing, strategic purchasing and supply management as well as marketing intelligence. Bernd M. Zunk is an active member of the Austrian Association of Industrial Engineering and Management (WING), of the Strategic Management Society (SMS) and the International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association (IPSERA).

26

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

SCENE

employer-employee relationship and the negative

would not be a motivational factor, whereas only one

effects of rivalry on employee performance. Cost

purchaser stated the opposite, i.e. a pay increase would

savings are among frequent leading goals for purchasing

boost their motivation. Four purchasers mentioned

professionals. Furthermore, our study shows that an

several other motivation factors which might increase

integration of the purchasing professionals into an

their performance: exciting projects, flexible working

early stage of the product development process is very

hours and an improvement of workflows.

motivating. None of the purchasing professionals feels that they get enough praise; however, this does not

Conclusion

demotivate them. Moreover, four of the purchasing

In literature a wide range of incentive systems

professionals are in favor of a variable pay system linked

is illustrated, but only few concern purchasing

to the achieved cost savings. Apart from performance

professionals. This seems to be due to the lack of

measurement issues, the opinion regarding incentive

appropriate measurable objectives in purchasing

systems among purchasing professionals is rather

departments. In our opinion companies would benefit

negative. Two purchasers think that incentive systems

from the implementation of incentive systems in their

possibly lead to a competition within the department.

purchasing departments. Therefore, the preliminary

Three purchasers fear that the quality of goods

results of this work-in-progress study provide a real-

purchased under an incentive system might suffer. One

world perspective on incentive systems in purchasing

purchaser claims that an incentive system does not make

departments. The further steps in this research

sense at all. One of the interviewed purchasers was a

project will be (i) the development of a ‘incentive-

group leader who has introduced a key performance

based purchasers’ motivation model’, (ii) a survey

model and thus a performance measurement for the

study to test this model and (iii) the establishment of

department as a whole. Through the transparency

performance-based incentive systems for purchasing

of the performance – without creating a connection

professionals in companies which are interested in the

to financial incentives – competitive thinking was

future cooperation in the framework of this project.

sparked and the motivation increased. This makes sense even from the perspective of basic psychological

Final Note

needs: A performance measurement functions as a

We would be happy if national and international

feedback system and thus feeds success directly to the

industrial partners were motivated to join us in this

competency-perception. The autonomy-sense and the

ambitious and pathbreaking research project. If this is

need for social relatedness are not adversely affected

the case, please do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail:

because of the lack of competition. With regard to

bernd.zunk@tugraz.at. ■

salary, four purchasers indicated that they are satisfied with theirs. For three purchasers, earning more money

References [1] Eßig, M., Hofmann, E., Stölzle, W., 2013. Management von Supply Chains, 1. Auflage. Vahlens Handbücher der Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften. Vahlen, München. (in German) [2] Cousins, P. D., 2002. A conceptual model for managing long-term inter-organisationalRelationships. European Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management 8(2), pp. 71–82.

[3] Hofmann, E., 2012. Erfolgsmessung und Anreizsysteme im Einkauf: Den Mehrwert der Beschaffung professionell erheben, bewerten und darstellen. (in German) [4] Pagell, M., Das, A., Curkovic, S., Easton, L., 1996. Motivating the Purchasing Professional. International Journal of Purchasing and Materials, 32(2), pp. 27–34.

[5] Stoppel, M., 2012. Anreizsysteme im Einkauf: Mit den richtigen Mitarbeiterzielen zum Erfolg. (in German) [6] Frey, B. S., Jegen, R., 2001. Motivation Crowding Theory. Journal of Economic Surveys 15(5), pp. 589–611.

[7] Bonoma, T. V., Johnston, J. W., 1978. The social psychology of industrial buying and selling. Industrial Marketing Management 7(4), pp. 213–224.

[8] Thakor, M. V., Joshi, A. W., 2008. Motivating salesperson customer orientation: insights from the job characteristics model. Journal of Business Research 58(5), pp. 584–592.

[9] Schiele, H., Calvi, R., Gibbert, M., 2012. Customer attractiveness, supplier satisfaction and preferred customer status: Introduction, definitions and an overarching framework. Industrial Marketing Management 41(8), pp. 1178–1185.

[10] Sprenger, G., 2014. Leistungsorientierte Vergütungssysteme – Leitungsmotivation, Arbeitszufriedenheit und Unternehmenserfolg aus Sicht der Motivationstheorie. (in German) [11] Wolff, S., 2011. Leistungsorientierte Vergütung im produzierenden Mittelstand. (in German) [12] Becker, F. G., 1995. Anreizsysteme als Führungsinstrument, in: Kieser, A., Reber, G., Wunderer, R. (Hrsg.): Handwörterbuch der Führung. 2. Aufl., Stuttgart, pp. 34–46. (in German) [13] Mayring, P., 2010. Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse, in: Mey, G., Mruck, K. (Hrsg.), Handbuch Qualitative Forschung in der Psychologie.

VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden, pp. 601–613. (in German)

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

27

SCENE

Sustainable Technology Entrepreneurship Contemporary business entails creativity, new technologies, innovations and sustainability as the key factors that lead to business success.

Sustainable technology entrepreneurs connecting science, technology and commercialisation with the main objective in meeting economic, environmental and social needs, stand out as the main drivers of change, leading to rise in working and living conditions, and overall social and economic prosperity.

Maja Levi Jakšić

Professor University of Belgrade

In today’s turbulent and fast-changing business

Technology entrepreneurship in the broad context

environment, technological progress, innovation, and

of knowledge entrepreneurship in firms is oriented

sustainability are recognized as the most important

at competitiveness based on strong links between

influential forces that have become a precondition for

scientific results, new technologies, learning and bringing

business success. Entrepreneurs are seen as those who

new value to the customer in the form of advanced

can change the living and working conditions because if

products and services brought to the market. Simply

successful, their innovations may improve our standard

put, technology entrepreneurs have a task to bring

of living. In addition to creating wealth from their

together the technical world and the business world

entrepreneurial ventures, they also create jobs and

in a profitable way (Byers et al, 2011). Therefore, we

the conditions for a prosperous society. Combining

could observe technology entrepreneurship as the link

these views on modern business world, sustainable

between science and technology and the practical new

technology entrepreneurship stands out as the concept

value created for the customers, upgrading their living

of today.

conditions and standards, contributing to the overall welfare of the economy and society (Etlie, 2000).

Jovana Rakićević

Teaching assistant University of Belgrade

As defined by Schumpeter, an entrepreneur is

Looking at the technology entrepreneurship process

an innovator who “creatively destructs” and as

as related to organization-wide activities/operations,

according to Drucker, “someone who maximizes

in the previous work we suggested a technology

opportunity”, it is argued that opportunity is the very

entrepreneurship cycle model focusing on new

heart of entrepreneurship, encompassing technology

technology as an opportunity (Levi Jaksic et al., 2010).

management and innovation leadership. In this sense,

It is important to understand that it differs from the

“innovation and opportunity are viewed as the two

technology push model, which is based on new

sides of the same coin” (Levi Jaksic et al, 2013). Since

technological innovation being “pushed” through the

“entrepreneurship is deeply involved in change, in

business operations with a “hope” that sustainable

something being new and different” (Wickham, 2004),

business strategies will be found and enable the success

the main role of an entrepreneur is to be an agent of

of the venture. The technology entrepreneurship

change.

model, presented in Figure 1 is initialized by opportunity

Maja Levi Jakšić, PhD

Jovana Rakićević, MSc

Maja is full professor at the University of Belgrade,

Jovana works as a teaching assistant at the University

Faculty

of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences,

of

Organizational

Sciences,

and

Head

of Department for Technology, Innovation and

Department

Development Management. Prof Levi Jakšić has

Development Management. She is currently enrolled in

published more than 200 works, among which more

PhD studies – Information Systems and Management.

than 20 books and monographs and had been engaged

She is author and co-author of about 20 research papers.

in fundamental and applied research projects. She has

Her research and teaching area of interest includes

been teaching as visiting professor at universities in

Technology and Innovation Management, Performance

Greece, United Kingdom, Japan, and France and is the

Measurement,

program leader of the dual diploma Academic Master

Development and Technology Entrepreneurship.

program in International Business and Management, organized with Middlesex University from London. She is member of Editorial Board of Technovation.

28

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

for

Technology,

SMEs

Innovation

Development,

and

Sustainable

SCENE – recognized or created as technology innovation; it has organization-wide context and entrepreneurial

New Technology Opportunity

perspective.

Having in mind the fact that we strive towards a sustainable society which, as defined so far in the political and scientific discourse, includes greater social cohesion, more and better jobs (social dimension); economic competitiveness and stability (economic dimension); declining resource use and economic development, safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem health (environmental dimension); and an open, participatory approach based on equality and nondiscrimination, justice and solidarity (institutional dimension), sustainable development principles became the key principles of knowledge entrepreneurship (Kojic

Operate /sustain the business

Technology Entrepreneurship Cycle

Technology /innovation management

Technology entrepreneurship option

et al., 2013). These principles introduce sustainability conditions at the early stages, i.e. idea generation

Change the environment

phases, all the way to the end of technology/innovation life cycle (Levi Jaksic & Trifunović, 2010). Sustainable

IPR Management

competitiveness means the achievement of a set of different goals – both economic and non-economic.

It is a concept based on the integration of traditional performance goals measured by traditional economic

Figure 1. Technology entrepreneurship cycle (Levi Jaksic et al., 2010)

indicators and a set of new non-economic performance criteria. Today, the already established economic equation is complemented by environmental and social

their employees happy. In that sense, new, modern,

component, forming the Triple Integrated Equation

sustainable technology entrepreneurship can be seen as

(TIE) (Levi Jaksic, 2015). TIE is actually derived from

the creation of new business enterprise that generates

the concept of sustainable development, and refers

benefits (wealth, jobs, value progress) for participating

to the three main objectives that should be met in the

parties by creating unique, new arrangements of

modern business: social, economic and environmental.

resources, including technology, to meet the needs of customers and society (Byers et al, 2011).

Therefore, new technologies, sensitive and friendly to the nature, can become a competitive advantage for

Fostering

technology

entrepreneurship

should

those who are sufficiently creative and adaptable. A

be understood as a means to release currently

possible approach to sustainable development rests

unexploited opportunities hidden in individuals,

in using creative energy through scientific discoveries

shelved technologies and resource combinations

and knowledge, transforming them into technical

(Gilsing et al., 2010). To be successful it is necessary

knowledge and skills and then further into the

to be innovative, but being innovative does not

technological process to obtain and use materials and

automatically translate into new value for the

energy (Novacek, 2011). According to Gibbs (2009),

customer and more competitiveness. Sustainable

sustainable entrepreneurs have an alternative approach

entrepreneurship is all about using entrepreneurial

to doing business. While profit is the key for the

opportunities as innovations to the point of creating

success of any business, it is not the primary concern

new, superior value for serving customer needs,

of the sustainability entrepreneurs. They are more

meeting the economic, environmental and social

likely than the traditional entrepreneurs to focus on

needs. ■

reducing their companies’ carbon footprint and keeping

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials 29

INSIDE ESTIEM

Introduction to the 26th Board of ESTIEM

TRANSITION PERIOD CHANGE OF THE BOARD YEAR 7 MONTHS JANUARY - JULY

Vice President of Administration Lassi Uosukainen interviewed by Louise Berglund How has ESTIEM influenced you?

I am not scared anymore when someone hugs me.

Also, I probably gained around 20 kilograms.

What is the main change you want to accomplish during your term?

I want ESTIEMers to feel more involved even when

30

they are not at ESTIEM events. It’s hard to get moti-

Which Local Group will be the most difficult to pronounce

vated to work on ESTIEM when you’re at home with

during the quorum?

all your studies.

Recently I’ve had some trouble pronouncing the names

What is your dream for the ESTIEM Portal?

of the Finnish Local Groups as weird as it sounds. Per-

The dream changes daily which is unfortunately not

haps I should spend a bit more time in Finland before

a good starting point for a long-term commitment. If

the Council Meeting to get my Finnish pronunciation

all my visions regarding the Portal came true, it would

back to shape.

probably have so many functions nobody would be

You are quite known for eating a lot so if you were a meal,

able to use it anymore.

what meal would you be?

What is your favorite part of the portal?

Döner, Gyros, Kebab, Shawarma. If the meat is spin-

All the parts only the VP of Administration can see!

ning, it’s my thing.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

Vice President of Public Relations

Mafalda Monteiro interviewed by Marios Kiriakidis If you were an animal, which one would you be and why?

Monkey, mostly because I consider myself a quick learner and I have a lot of energy so if you are bored, I can spontaneously make you laugh. However, I can also make quite good piggy noises.

If there’s one thing you want to accomplish as VP of PR, what is it?

Mafalda in 2012. My parents tell me I am a different

Making people understand that by enhancing public re-

person. Now I am much more confident. and always

lations in our organisation, a lot can be achieved. Pub-

looking for new challenges. English is not a problem

lic relations is more than facebook and making things

anymore.

pretty.

Mafalda, during my involvement in ESTIEM I’ve witnessed

What do you expect to be the most difficult thing as an

how much people interact with you! Could you please elab-

ESTIEM Boardie during these 7 months of your mandate?

orate on the much praised “Mafalda bread” and the re-

The fact that we only have 7 months. There are a lot of

cently new selfie trend in ESTIEM “the Malfie”?

things I would like to change but it is difficult to combine

As a typical portuguese girl, I like to make people fat

with all the operational work we have to do. Time is

and happy. Cooking is one of my hobbies and people

running. Tic Tac,Tic Tac...

that were hosted by me started spreading this “Mafalda

How do you think ESTIEM shaped you during your involve-

bread” trend around europe. Now I need to cook it

ment in it ?

everywhere I go! And what can make you happier af-

Can you imagine a shy girl that could barely speak in

ter eating ? Taking a picture with me. Selfies are boring.

public and was always afraid to take risks? That was

Taking #Malfies is the new way to go!

Vice President of Finance

Svetoslava Simeonova interviewed by Stefan Krstevski

challenge and people with competitive spirit are suitable for the position.

From 2011 until 2016 we had 4 VPs of Finance coming

How do you describe your perfect host, because you will be

from the Balkan Peninsula. Do you think that the Balkans

hosted quite often during this year?

are naturally talented to work with money?

I have always been hosted by amazing people. What a

I believe it is not a coincidence. According to me, the

travelling person needs in the end is a bed to sleep and

main reason is that young people on the peninsula are

to meet a new good friend, right? The perfect host is

very motivated and seek better financial knowledge.

everyone who is willing to share their own comfort and

Usually people from the Balkans are known to not be

home but also to open up their hearts.

dealing with finances in the best way, so we as ESTI-

How long did you need to decide to run for the ESTIEM

EMers aim to change this stereotype within the organ-

Board?

isation.

My ESTIEM career went from 0 to 100% for a really short time and being in the Board was on my to-do list.

I felt CM Austria was the right time. The opinion of my ESTIEM friends was also very important to me as they were encouraging me daily to apply. I take risks, but only ones I have carefully measured.

It is becoming a trend, the VPs of Finance to have some interesting backgrounds. I was representing Macedonia in Juniour Eurovision and you were Little Miss Bulgaria. What is next?

It would be interesting to have someone who has some sports background, since finances are indeed a great ESTIEM Magazine | 50h issue - New Materials

31

INSIDE ESTIEM

Vice President of Activities

Alaz Senol interviewed by Lassi Uusitalo In my theory there are two kinds of people: pubbers and clubbers. Which one do you identify more with and why?

I think that pubs are good to get to know people whom you have just met by having a nice conversation over a drink, and clubs are for partying and going crazy with people who you already know and are already intimate with. I don’t have an exact preference as my usual ritual

attend to everyday. However, I have to admit that I set

is getting to know others first, and then partying and

my expectations a bit low for the definition of ‘a lot’

going crazy together, but I enjoy my crazy, party side

properly in my mind before I applied.

more than my logical, chit-chat side.

In the recent history your position has almost always been

List 3-5 things that you enjoy the most about being an ES-

held by either a German or a Nordic. Do you think you

TIEMer.

being the first Turkish VP of Activities has influenced you

The chance to impress non-ESTIEMers I meet from Eu-

to work differently than a “traditional” VP of Activities? If

rope by saying ‘cheers’ in their own language; Having a

yes, how?

home in every European country; Being used to sleep

I like and embrace cultural differences a lot as when you

anywhere or while traveling with any kind of transport.

compare whichever cultures, you always find out that

What have you found most surprising about your work that

a difference can have a disadvantage but can be easily

you did not expect when you were applying?

interpreted to be an advantage. Being more emotional

Since you are involved somehow in the organisation of

than my predecessors sometimes lead me to rationally

around 2 events per week on average, added to your

wrong decisions, but as it also makes me more intimate

P/C/I responsibilities, it makes a lot of sense that a VP

with people I find it easier to fix them together with the

of Activities should expect to receive a lot of emails to

total support of people I’m in touch with.

Vice President of Education

As Vice President of Education, what do you think can we

Stephanie Riffo Rodriguez interviewed by Felix Limper

as students do to have an impact on IEM education ac-

Tell us about the moment when you first felt ESTIEM spirit.

dents, benchmark our individual relationships with our

The first time I truly felt the ESTIEM spirit, was at my

own universities. There are still many universities in

first Council Meeting in Bogazici. I had already been to a

Europe where students do not have a say in any way

few ESTIEM events, so I knew what ESTIEM was about

of giving feedback to the education they are receiving,

and how great it was to learn and have fun together.

while I believe it is our right to do so. Besides develop-

But what made this Council Meeting special is that

ing an intercultural awareness, we should also use the

it was the first time I saw ESTIEMers cared so much

opportunity to develop intereducational awareness.

about ESTIEM and that they were all working togeth-

Then use this knowledge to improve our IEM education

er towards one common goal regardless of our back-

and our relationships with faculty.

ground: improving our network so that more people can enjoy the ESTIEM spirit.

If you would have to describe your role in the 26th board with one word, which word would it be?

Grandmother What do you think is the one most important thing to focus on during the 7 months of mandate?

The local level, without them there is not ESTIEM and we just become a nice international group of friends.

Empowering the local groups, means empowering the network for me.

32

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

cross whole Europe?

Through ESTIEM, I believe we can first of all, as stu-

INSIDE ESTIEM

President

Tom Koolen interviewed byTeemu Metsola What made you decide to apply for the ESTIEM Board, and why as President?

My main reason is that I saw (and still see) quite some things that can, and in my opinion should, be changed and/or improved to make ESTIEM as a whole function better. The position of President was definitely not the

You and Stephanie both come from Eindhoven. 2 Boardies

first position I thought about and neither the second

from the same Local Group seems to have become a trend!

one after I started thinking of applying for the ESTIEM

Do you meet Stephanie more often abroad than back in

Board. I, however, figured out, with the help of others,

the Netherlands?

that in this position I can learn the most and it is also an

Yes, even though I have been more in the Netherlands

ideal position to work on the entire organisation rather

than abroad so far, it is harder to meet since both of us

than on a part of it.

travel often at different periods. Next to that during for

How has being in the ESTIEM Board changed you so far,

example a Board Meeting you see each other daily for

and what impact do you think it will have on you in the

nearly a week, while that is not the case when we are

long run?

both in the Netherlands. I can assure you though that

So far it has taught me to think more in people, since

we are not trying to avoid each other... yet.

as President it is not just about the tasks of the Board

What is your favorite mean of transportation “to go over

but it is at least as much about the people. I also know

the ocean”?

how to delegate tasks better now, even if I think some-

For the people who know me it is unsurprisingly just

thing is really interesting I can now let someone else

beer. I am not so much into other types of liquor, an ex-

take care of it. For the long run it will definitely have a

ception here is course Minttu at times. Especially Ger-

large impact, but it is hard to point out exact impact it

man Weißbier is a favourite to ‘go over the ocean’. ■

will have already.

“

7 months is a short period.

But there is still lot we can do.

ESTIEM ESTIEM Magazine Magazine || 50 50thh issue - New Materials

33

INSIDE ESTIEM

STORM Eindhoven In 2014, a group of Dutch students from Eindhoven University of Technology set out to develop their own electric motorcycle to show the world the beauty of electric mobility. Now their motorcycle is ready and they will circumnavigate the world in 80 days, starting in August 2016. This will be done only by using electricity provided by a worldwide network of supporters: the STORM GRID.

Yorick Heidema

Local Group Eindhoven

Electric Mobility is the Future

STORM Pulse - The First Electric Touring

Fossil fuel reserves will not last forever. In the world

Motorcycle

of tomorrow, personal mobility has to become more

World’s first electric touring motorcycle, PULSE, is not

sustainable. Electric vehicles can already replace

just a new electric motorcycle. It is the first electric

conventional vehicles everywhere around the world,

motorcycle that offers you the experience of freedom

although most people do not realise this yet. By

of a regular motorbike. With its range, quietness and

developing the first electric touring motorcycle

comfort, PULSE delivers a touring experience like no

and racing it around the world in 80 days, STORM

other electric motorcycle.

Eindhoven will demonstrate the potential of electric mobility.

One of its characteristics that makes this possible is its swappable and modular battery pack. With an

A Team of Multidisciplinary Students

enormous capacity of 28.5 kWh, the user can be sure

STORM Eindhoven consists of 25 of the best students

to reach its destination. Furthermore, since batteries

from Eindhoven University of Technology in the

can be swapped within 7 minutes, resuming one’s

Netherlands. We have engineers with backgrounds

journey is a breeze.

in mechanics, electronics and industrial engineering to cover all aspects of our challenge. These enthusiastic

Besides being easily swappable, the batteries are also

young people combine their knowledge and skills with

modular. A user can set up the batteries to either all

their aspiration for a clean future of mobility in this

be in the motorcycle, giving a long range but heavier

voluntary two-year project.

motorcycle, or only 12 of them, giving a shorter range but more agile motorcycle. This provides the

34

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM rider with the option to adapt the vehicle to the road

And last but not least, the key to making it around the

circumstances he faces that day by leaving part of the

world is the comfort the motorcycle offers. The rider

battery at home.

should be able to enjoy the journey. STORM developed its own Hossack front suspension to make sure that the

Battery Design

front is as stable and comfortable as it can be.

In order to create a modular and swappable battery pack, the design of the batteries was a critical part of

Hossack Suspension

the motorcycle. To maximize the amount of energy per

A Hossack Suspension (also marketed as Duolever by

kilogram and volume unit, a few innovative materials

BMW) is a suspension that separates the suspension

and methods were used:

from steering forces. Thus, the driver can drive over small bumps or uneven road without feeling

1. A Hexagonal shaped cartridge.

the constant vibration. For long distances this is an

The hexagon is the perfect shape to have an even

important aspect of a motorcycle. Furthermore, the

number of cells whilst being able to easily set up and

suspension has an anti-dive property. This not only

remove the batteries. Furthermore, this shape makes

leads to more comfortable breaking, but also in the

it easy to stack different amount of batteries while

possibility to still break into the corner extremely late

maintaining a good airflow for cooling.

while remaining directionally stable.

2. A phase changing material

STORM World Tour

In order to be able to take the most energy out of the

Our team has set an ambitious goal: to race around the

batteries without overheating, STORM uses a special

world in 80 days. To convince people all over the globe

phase changing material from the US that has not been

of the beauty of e-mobility, STORM PULSE will solely

used in batteries before. After testing with professors

be powered by the already existing electricity grid. This

and companies that support STORM, this material has

endeavour is also the ultimate proof of concept for

shown to have great potential for the future.

both our motorcycle and electric mobility as a whole.

By involving individuals and organisations to recharge

Furthermore, STORM developed the “SMESHGear”

our batteries, the experience of electric mobility is

together with SMESH. This is an intelligent planetary

shared with the rest of the world. Furthermore, by

system that enables PULSE to switch gears without

organising events in large cities like Istanbul, Shanghai

losing efficiency. Thus combining a fast acceleration

and San Francisco, the masses can be reached and

with the possibility of an efficient touring mode.

similar initiatives can be highlighted. Together, all the involved parties form the STORM GRID: a worldwide

SMESH Gear

network with plug-in locations. The clock will start

In order to be able to accelerate from 0-100 in less

ticking for 80 days in early August 2016.

than 5 seconds and still drive efficiently at high speeds, gears were needed in the motorcycle. But usually these

STORM GRID

lead to high losses. However, not so when one uses a

The world map shown gives an impression of the

planetary gear as STORM does with the SMESHGear.

STORM WORLD TOUR starting in August 2016. Blue

These gears function by usually using the “Sun gear” for

markers indicate plug-in locations; red markers are

direct transmission (thus 0 loss) and using the planet

planned events.

gears for when acceleration is required (very small loss

Large event locations: Eindhoven, Munich/Berlin,

due to friction).

Sofia, Istanbul, Teheran, Almaty, Beijing, Shanghai, San Francisco, Austin, Columbus, New York, Paris. ■

ESTIEM Magazine | 50h issue - New Materials

35

INSIDE ESTIEM

Developing a Lean Six Sigma course for ESTIEMers

The course enables ESTIEMers to boost their careers by getting industry-acknowledged certificate from world-class trainer Gregory H. Watson. Management trends come and go. Is Lean Six Sigma still valid in the future?

Henri Jarrett

Local Group Helsinki

Let’s consult one of the America’s most popular

improvement projects forming the backbone of Lean

recruiting websites, SimplyHired.com. During February,

Six Sigma. Numerous Lean Six Sigma tools exist to

95 000 new job posts were added with keyword “Lean

conduct, implement and manage projects efficiently.

Six Sigma”. In the United States, there is an established

As a common denominator, these tools emphasize the

strong pull from the industry for Lean Six Sigma

importance of having right data at the right time as a

professionals. The methodology is rooted deep in the

basis for all decision making.

American companies as, according to the American Society of Quality, 82% of Fortune 100 companies

Lean Six Sigma education

are already using Six Sigma. While lagging behind the

Dozens of universities in the United States are

US, European companies have fought hard to gain

already offering Lean Six Sigma Green Belt courses

similar benefits from Lean Six Sigma as their American

and certificates to their students. Green Belt is usually

counterparts.

considered as the entry-level certificate, which provides the required basic tools to work in real world Lean Six

Jukka-Matti Turtiainen

Local Group Lappeenranta

What is Lean Six Sigma?

Sigma projects. Some European universities, including

Lean Six Sigma is a management and operating

ESTIEM academic partner Chalmers, are offering Lean

philosophy, which focuses on continuous improvement

Six Sigma certificates for their students. The popularity

of quality. In the ever more competitive business

of these courses has been constantly on the rise,

environment, management must have quality as

reaching almost 50 students in Chalmers alone in their

one of cornerstones of strategy. Thus, Lean Six

higher level Black Belt course.

Sigma activities range throughout the organization, from strategic planning to shop-floor operations. In

Our project

practice, management defines strategic objectives

Currently in Europe, students have very limited

and policies, which are then transformed to practical

options to learn about Lean Six Sigma. The Green Belt

82% Mikko Rajala

Local Group Helsinki

36

of Fortune 100 companies are using Six Sigma source: American Society of Quallity

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

95000

Job posts with “Lean Six Sigma” added in a month source: SimplyHired.com

INSIDE ESTIEM certificates are both expensive and are not focused on students. Our project aims to boost the career development of European students by providing them access to world-class knowledge on Lean Six Sigma.

Career development The Green Belt certificate is an internationally recognized proof of ability to successfully apply Lean Six Sigma tools to real life projects. Thus, having the Green Belt certificate provides students with competitive advantage in business life which, in turn, accelerates their career development. The traditional model in Europe has been to complete Green Belt certificates 1 to 5 years after graduation. Through our course, students can kick-start their career by possessing a truly valuable skillset.

What kind of projects the Green Belts conduct?

Lean Six Sigma projects span across different industries ranging from manufacturing to services and from factory operations to human-intensive healthcare. The projects are normally related to process improvement by statistical methods. However, the essential skills

Gregory H. Watson

students will learn during the course are universal and

Greg is considered as a pioneer of the Six Sigma

can be applied to numerous situations and work tasks

movement. He has held executive positions with Xerox

typical to IEM graduates. Lean Six Sigma tools will, thus,

Corporation, Compaq Computer Corporation, and

be highly beneficial for students even if they end up

HP. Additionally, he worked as Deployment Champion

working in other positions. In fact, the majority of Lean

for introduction of Six Sigma at Nokia Mobile Phones.

Six Sigma professionals do not work exclusively on

While being ASQ President, he was the initiator of

Lean Six Sigma projects, but rather utilize their skills in

the ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt education and member

various operational improvement and managerial tasks.

of the development team of ASQ Master Black Belt certification. Greg has also acted as an academic leader

How is the Green Belt Course organized?

for ESTIEM Summer Academy, which served also as a

The Green Belt training programs usually consist of

spark for this project.

two main parts: learning the theoretical knowledge in lectures and applying it to a real life project. In our model, students will have online lectures from the

business problem. As Lean Six Sigma is applicable to

World-class Lean Six Sigma trainer Gregory H. Watson.

the majority of industries, students can choose the

In parallel with the lectures, students will solve case

industry and company of their

studies of real life situations, where they learn to use the

preference for the internship. Additionally, the project

tools. After completing the course and the case studies,

team is working hard to establish a strong network of

students will do an internship in a real company, where

sponsoring firms offering internship opportunities.

they conduct their first real Lean Six Sigma project.

More updates will be given on the project later on, stay tuned!

Internships A central part of the process of becoming a Green Belt

Questions about Lean Six Sigma or our project? Please

is a real life project done for a company. In internships,

contact leansixsigma@estiem.org â–

students get to apply the learned tools to a real-world

ESTIEM Magazine | 50h issue - New Materials

37

INSIDE ESTIEM

From high fly consultant to hyper-growth startup Back in 2013 I landed back home from Eindhoven. Fresh of the TIMES final win and the Council Meeting where our Board was discharged, I could not help but wonder what laid ahead. Ready to approach my last year of studies, my mind kept floating away, as I tried to picture what life would be like a little down the road.

Henrique Cruz

Local Group Porto

Vice President of Finance 2012

Now, almost 3 years later, I can see how clueless I was.

might be ideal when starting, all that changes when

In the past 2 years I have been lucky to have worked

your goal is to scale that organization to a new level.

with great people all the way from the United States

Interestingly, the same can be said about reorganizing

to China, and to have transitioned from the consulting

a logistics department of a food retailer. In both cases,

world to what is now one of the fastest growing

your ability to rally people into embracing change

startups in Silicon Valley.

while keeping the big picture in mind is key. As we tend to be the drivers of new initiatives and projects,

Throughout this (yet short) journey, I am thankful for

I have learned that having a methodical approach to

the time I spent in ESTIEM, the inspiring people I met,

work, being flexible to setbacks and having a positive

and its profound effect on the way I approach both

mindset over the challenges at hand is very critical. In

work and life. It gave me the chance to try things such

practice, this might mean always having a clear mind

as working with people remotely, handling personal

over your objectives for the coming week, never going

frustrations and insecurities, preparing working groups

to a meeting unprepared, constantly questioning the

and speaking in front of a crowd. I will always cherish

status quo or whatever helps you keep your priorities

the opportunity to be part of a network of people,

in check. In short, if you can keep our act together

which I am sure, will work towards building a more open

through change and separate the forest from the trees,

minded and humble society. It was that experience that

you will be alright.

widened my horizons and gave me the confidence that precipitated my recent adventures.

2. Communicate your lungs out Working as a consultant means you are often the

In the midst of all that change, I learned a lot. And

middle man between your client and the engagement

even tough consulting for a multinational corporation

manager from your firm. In a startup, while Engineering

and working on a tech startup can be very different,

is coding, Sales is on the phone closing deals and

they are closer than appear to the naked eye. And

Support is answering customer tickets, a lot of stuff is

when it comes to the basics, conducting an operational

going on.

assessment for a telecom player in rural Russia as a

Small decisions taken everyday affect the outcome of

consultant or helping build an engineering team in tech

your project. As an initiative evolves and shortcuts are

are not all that different. In fact, when I reflect on the

taken, or as a company grows to a point where people

past few years, I tend to come back to the same set of

are no longer all sitting in the same room, it is easy for

lessons I have learned, and that I (perhaps naively) think

information to get lost. It is our job to be effective at

will continue to guide my work life in the near future.

communicating with our teams, with the people we report to, and with the rest of the organization. And

“ 38

1. Turn change into your best friend

how can you do that? Flag problems early, escalate

Work can be chaotic, especially on a startup. Organized

issues quickly (by not trying to solve everything on

chaos might be the simplest way of putting it. You have

your own) and make changes visible to everybody

virtually no processes in place (which is probably a good

involved (e.g. send lightweight status updates even if

thing). People have a “let’s get things done” mindset,

no one asked you to). The root of many conflicts and

and somehow the wheels keep moving. And while that

poor decision making boils down to misalignment of

If you can keep our act together through change and separate the forest from the trees, you will be alright.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

expectations and information asymmetry. The nature

the day, things need to get done. It is on managing that

of our work often dictates that we gravitate around

balance that your emotional intelligence will come into

critical information for our company, and as such, few

play. And while I am still a rookie at this game, a few

things will be more important than keeping people

things I try to do are: to pay it forward, to listen more

aligned every step of the way .

than I talk, to put my ego aside and to drive a sense of confidence at whatever I do.

3. Stay away from your comfort zone A colleague once told me that you only grow when you

And that’s it. Having been from east to west, from the

move somewhere out of your comfort zone. Not too

corporate world to the startup life and working from

much, or you will get frustrated and probably quit, and

the executive level to the shop floor, these are what I

not too little, or you will settle down and turn your

consider to be some of the most important lessons I

brain into auto pilot. Being nervous before conducting

have learned. And if by reading so far it seemed that it

a customer workshop, presenting your budget to the

has all been a walk in the park, the reality is far from that.

Council or feeling uncomfortable by needing to push

There are times all that change takes a toll on you. In

your colleague on yet another action point are all part

some ways, these past 3 years have been an emotional

of the journey. Look for opportunities that will put you

roller coaster. There were times I laughed, cried, loved

in a position that you have never been before. Being

experiencing the world out there and times when all I

young is the best excuse to do just that, to take chances

wanted to do was to go back home. The glamorous life

and make mistakes (yeah, they happen). Personally, I

of living on a plane and travel from place to place might

like to ask myself if there is anything else I could be

be great for your FB profile, but sometimes it is lonely

doing that would help me learn more. And if the

and feels empty. But in the end, that is all right. Would

answer is yes, I am probably not in the right place.

I have done it differently? I don’t know, and don’t really think about it. Tomorrow is another day and odds are

4. Don’t be an a**hole

that sh*t is hitting the fan.

Regardless of working in tech or manufacturing, in Taiwan or in Portugal, people are fueled by the same

My bottom line? Take time to dream and think of

core motivations. And yet, everyone is unique. If

where you would like to be in the future. Not because

there is one thing I learned in the past 3 years is that

your plan will come true (it probably won’t), but

the ability to put yourself on another person’s shoes

because you will put into perspective the things that

and empathize with the ones around you will help

matter to you the most. And by doing that, you are

you find success. Odds are that your job will require

already getting a head start. Put yourself out there and

more taking than giving, more following up than

look for opportunities to be happy. They say life is what

implementing anything, and asking more questions

happens when you are busy making other plans, so plan

than the ones you can answer. People on the other

away and enjoy the ride. ■

side will be uncomfortable at times, but at the end of ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

39

INSIDE ESTIEM

Mentoring Programme Interview The main idea behind the Mentoring Programme concept was to provide support for ESTIEMers who are seeking advice in order to make the best choices for their future career, while strenghtening the bonds between current and former members of our network. The mentoring programme can channel the knowdledge and know-how of experienced alumni and transfer it to ambitious ESTIEMers.

Arseniy Kurynyi

Local Group Eindhoven,

Stijn Zanders

Tampere

Local Group Karlsruhe

Photo 1: Elias and Stijn during the IEM Caring Convention in Madrid 2016

Elias Faethe

Alumnus from Local Group Bremen,

Hamburg and Eindhoven

Could you introduce each other?

Did you ever have a mentor? If yes, how did he/

Stjin: Elias, soon to be married, is someone who really

she contribute to your life?

wants to get to know you. He is an energetic person

Elias: While working at StudyPortals I had a coach,

and you should get to know him during a party. Besides

which helped me reflect on my plans for life and how

that he is a critical thinker, while talking to him he is

to achieve them best. It was very good to be forced

sometimes just wandering in his mind for minutes.

to question my plans myself and have someone with

Elias: What impresses me most about Stijn is his good

experience check if my plans are on a solid foundation

correlation between his goals and his actions. Once he

as well. This and some Summer Academy events

became clear on his goals he had shortly afterwards

helped me become settled and confident enough, to go

actionable steps in mind, which he carries out diligently.

my own way and trust my own judgement.

How would you describe the Mentoring

What has inspired you to become a mentor?

Programme to those who have not heard of it

Elias: I loved the programme from the beginning, as

yet?

everybody will always tell you, how important it is to

Elias: How would you feel knowing that the path you

break out of the daily tasks, to足do lists etc. and question

have chosen for yourself is the right one and based

the big picture. I just felt not ready before to take up

on having assessed most alternatives? How would

this responsibility as my own career path was not clear

this empower your life, your choices, your mood?

to me then.

Mentoring can play a part towards this goal and ensure that you know answers to most questions you have for your life and also for important questions you might not have considered before.

40

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

great to accompany moments of someone’s “ Itlife,is just where important decisions are made.

What made you decide to apply for the

(and each other) better. Elias is adventurous, has plenty

Mentorship Programme?

of life experience, and you can have a lot of fun with

Stijn: I have had some awesome years, ESTIEM

him.

contributed to that a lot. Now that I am doing my graduate internship I have to look further in life. I

How would you describe the role of a mentor?

liked many parts of my studies but had no clue what

Elias: I see my role as adding an additional perspective

to pursue after my Masters. Furthermore I was not

to the questions Stijn has and making sure those are

sure where I wanted to settle, staying in student city

important questions, not just scratching the surface.

Eindhoven or going somewhere else? This is both on a

The answers are not mine to give, even though I am

personal and professional level.

not sure how good I am at keeping my mouth shut.

Do you find the Mentorship Programme

What is the biggest lesson you have learned

beneficial? Why or why not?

from each other?

Stijn: Yes, it is highly beneficial. What I like most about

Stijn: Elias goes into depth when asking question, he

it is that you can shape it by yourself. Depending on

does not stop until he got to the core of the situation.

what you and your mentor need you can shape the

He gets you to think instead of otherwise. It is an

programme. There is guidance in finding the right

important skill, I would not say I have learned it, but I

mentor­mentee and in setting goals for the mentorship

got better in it.

period, which is great.

What are the things you find personally Together with Elias I set a goal to achieve in 5 years:

rewarding about being a mentor?

“Becoming a Data Scientist in a Californian Start­up”.

Elias: It is just great to accompany moments of

By setting this goal it is much easier for me to make

someone’s life, where important decisions are made.

choices and to present myself towards others. We also

I am immersed in a very exciting part of Stijn’s life and

set milestones and a three month plan, to find out if this

in the best case can add some ideas to keep it exciting.

is the way I want to go.

How long have you been mentoring Stijn?

Elias: We started in September 2015 with our

“

By participating in the mentoring programme, you can actively change the way you live your life!

mentorship agreement and since then we sit together every other week and question both our plans and how we moved about them.

Would

you

recommend

the

Mentoring

Programme to other ESTIEMers? Why or why What type of activities would you do with your

not?

mentor?

Elias: Hell, yes! If you have the feeling that the

Stijn: Currently we are mostly having Skype chats

uncertainty of the future is slowing down your plans,

and are meeting at ESTIEM events, such as the Council

add a second or even third perspective to feel sure that

Meeting or the IEM Convention last March in MADrid.

you are on the right track or that the deviation is a fun

Furthermore Elias came over to Eindhoven, and we had

one.

some lunch together.

Stijn: Definitely, the mentoring programme is a way to reflect on your life. Many of us consider themselves

What I would like to do with Elias, is exploring an

busy nowadays, and life goes as it is. By participating in

unknown city during the night. Not necessarily partying,

the mentoring programme, you can actively change the

but just wandering through it and getting to know it

way you live! ■ ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

41

INSIDE ESTIEM

View from old Magazine Project Leaders on the future of the magazine

2020

Andreas Flugs ESTIEM Magazine Project Leader 97/98 The heavens did not smile upon the start of two issues of the magazine – autumn 97 and spring 98. As result of the decision of the general assembly of the Andreas Flugs

Alumnus Local Group Ilmenau

ESTIEM Council Meeting in St. Petersburg, the planned local group for the next edition was not available. In cooperation of two local groups, Ilmenau, a new member of ESTIEM, and Cottbus, a current member, the solution was found.

ESTIEM Magazine Handover Meeting 1997 - St. For the first issue we split the work between Ilmenau

Petersburg

and Cottbus: Ilmenau was responsible for capturing advertising and Cottbus for editing and publishing.

The second issue was made in Ilmenau. We were

supported the autumn issue 97 we capturing one more

not trained as editors but made the magazine with

advertising for spring 98, I was able to introduce one

the heart. I think 3 persons worked on it at this time,

additional color inside the magazine. For the finishing, I

besides of the important people that contributed the

had the luck that Karen from Nottingham helped me by

articles. The magazine had to be financed completely

correcting all articles, but it was a lot of work.

by advertising, since at that time; the local groups did not receive a lot of money. The issue was edited with a

Last but not least - I like to share a small story about

“student version” of QuarkXPress – no advertisement

copyright. For the article “How to get a warm pizza”, I

here. It was a new program at least for me and Stefan

looked on the internet for pictures. I found a nice one,

came the whole way from Cottbus to Ilmenau. Today

but without time to research the origin and the contact

you will need by car about three and a half hour for

information. I thought, well from the 5.000 issues, at

the 400 km. 1998, as no highway connected Ilmenau,

least 50% will be distributed outside of Germany. The

we had to go six up to eight hours, into the wood of

possibility that this person, at the photo I selected, will

Thuringia.

read the ESTIEM magazine should be not as high. And “Where no plaintiff, there no defendant.”…I got a nasty

The tight budget did not allow big steps. I remember

shock as an email arrived weeks later of publication

that in the end of the first common issue, I called

with the question “Why I find myself in the ESTIEM

for quotation in order to distribute the magazine to

magazine? You know personal rights etc.?” I called

all local groups. How we laughed (not true – were

to the scientific Assistant at the TU-Darmstadt and

disappointed) by seeing the cost. Instead, we rented a

explained him the circumstances and I got afterwards

Ford Mondeo, packed all 4.000 issues in the trunk until

the permission to use the picture.

no space was left and went from Cottbus over Ilmenau to Covilha. The good point, beside of a nice trip by car,

While traveling in to the past, I researched the old

Stefan and I had a passage.

issues and I was impressed. How great it was to find them all digitalized, at the web – great progress and a

Since I established good contacts to the companies who

42

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

very good way to keep memories alive.

INSIDE ESTIEM

ESTIEM Magazine CoM Ghent 2014

and stories being told among members of our network

ESTIEM Magazine PL, some 10 or 11 years ago, I find

will never go out of fashion. More than anything,

it great to see that the magazine is in such great shape!

the Magazine is by far the best business card that

Nice to see that quite some elements that our team

ESTIEM can hand over to business and other external

introduced such as the ”Inside ESTIEM” section and a

relations. A brochure can only say so much, but the

bunch of graphic elements are still to be found. Even

lastest edition of the network magazine will always give

better to see that the Magazine teams in the years after

someone unfamiliar with the network a great picture of

ours have raised the bar even further, to the impressive

the professionalism, diversity and entrepreneurial spirit

professional level of where the magazine is today. I

flowing around in ESTIEM.

have no doubt that it will still be very much alive and

Isidora Muškinja (née Štrboja)

to a non-ESTIEMer what the organization stands for,

ESTIEM Magazine Project Leader 09/10

is a perfect representation of our organization. It is

From the first Coordination Meeting I attended, to

multifaceted yet balanced, structured yet dynamic. It

Council Meeting Zurich in 2009, ESTIEM Magazine has

provides you with an insight into the most important

shaped and defined the time I spent at the university,

events and updates related to ESTIEM, but also to

dare I say, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this

the most current IEM-related trends without looking

venture. During my tenure as a Project Leader, I was

elsewhere. Therefore, I believe this Project shouldn’t

surrounded by a small yet compact team which was

be taken for granted but further developed and utilized.

willing to help even at the hardest of times. These

Looking back to the first issues, and comparing them to

experiences have allowed me to learn more about

the most recent, I cannot help but say: “Wow!” – I am

myself, my mistakes and to use this as an useful

really impressed with the direction ESTIEM Magazine

foundation for future business endeavors. ESTIEM

has taken!

Alumnus Local Group

Looking forward to another 50 issues!

Novi Sad

kicking in 2020, or 10, or perhaps even 20 years from

Isidora Muškinja (née

As I dust of some great memories of my period as

René Heunen

a medium, the experiences being shared, ideas laid out

Štrboja)

today. Regardless of the waning popularity of print as

ESTIEM Magazine Project Leader 05/06

Alumnus Local Eindhoven

René Heunen

Magazine, the most useful tool when trying to explain

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

43

INSIDE ESTIEM

Jelena Bajšić

Alumnus Local Group

Novi Sad

Jelena Bajsic

definitely developed and has gone many steps ahead

ESTIEM Magazine Project Leader 11/12

with its content and design. By 2020, I am convinced

In 2011, I had the honour to be elected as the Project

that it will become even more professional and I believe

Leader of ESTIEM Magazine. Being a young and

that we can look forward to a publication whose issues

motivated ESTIEMer, I had a strong desire to further

will contain more academic and professional content

develop the Project and continue the path which

from various experts of the industry and academia.

my predecessors set. Firstly, I introduced a new

Moreover, I see the Magazine reaching readers from

organisational structure and my team reached the

different parts of the globe, with its issues being

number of 20 dedicated and active members. Together,

published on its own official website and distributed

we created a knowledge database which contained the

further than Europe. In four years, I believe the

guidelines and best practices for all positions and work

Magazine will contain new sections that will develop

to be done within the Magazine. We reorganised the

focus topics using different ways and sources, such as

Magazine issues, increased the number of pages and

interviews, case studies and articles clustered into both

removed the previously existing crossword puzzle (the

practice and theory. More ambitiously speaking, I hope

younger ESTIEMers are probably now thinking: “What?

to see the Magazine as one of the main publications for

A crossword puzzle?”). We have introduced several

industrial engineering and management, whose authors

design changes to the issues and, last, but not the least,

will be cited in other papers and research.I believe that

we made a promotion video for the Project called “The

the Magazine will grow hand in hand with ESTIEM. We

Fellowship of the Magazine”. I can personally say that,

will see it “bloom” into a powerful communication tool

in a short period of time, we have accomplished a lot

to the greater public, which will continue showing, not

and have continued paving the path of the Magazine

only our professionalism, work and dedication, but also

towards what it is today and what it will be in the future.

the unique spirit of our organisation.

Since the end of my term, the Magazine has most

Sorana Ionita

Sorana Ioniță

Alumnus Local Group

Bucharest and Vienna

ESTIEM Magazine Project Leader 12/13

to that point the Focus topic was feistily preceded

Going through all the steps of the one year’s mandate

by its own photo or drawing (page 39, 44th issue).

learning curve, I guess all (if not the most )ESTIEM

Introducing articles that should have been in the

Magazine Project Leaders can assess that their second

Scene section also happened. But the new section

publication is “visibly” better than their first one.

was unfortunately not created until later on. (page

Without knowing how much of an impact this would

35, 44th issue)

make, switching to a full colour magazine in 2013 was

Design improvements that went hand in hand with the full colour switch – the design continued to

ESTIEMers were lucky enough to witness a switch in

radically improve with the next issues and next

the printing industry that made no difference in pricing

mandates as well.

between full colour and black and white. And so, after many years of dull grayscaled pictures and diagrams, the ESTIEM Magazine went full colour. Less “visible”

■

Uploading the first issue to issuu.com, the current website where we keep all of our official ESTIEM publication.

to the outside world, but still of great importance, the

Being active between 2011 and 2015 in the ESTIEM

following aspects marked my mandate:

project which was closest to my heart and working

■

First time fully synchronising the Vision series topic

with 3 more project leaders (as active team member or

with the ESTIEM Magazine topic and gathering

ESTIEM Board 2014 responsible), the most significant

focus topic articles from the Vision series events’

accomplishment was yet to come. I could not be more

professors.

proud of the fact that there was continuation in the

First ExploreEurope article “sold” as a result of the

goal setting and task achievements and that we had a

fruitful collaboration with the Corporate Relations

vision towards which we all worked together. I cannot

Committee. (pages 66 & 67, 44th issue)

wait to see how much better the ESTIEM Magazine will

Strongly questioning the, back then, strict

look like in 2020, because clearly we were not and we

magazine sections. You have to understand that up

are not afraid to aim high.

■

■

44

■

the biggest “visible” improvement for the readers.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

ESTIEM Magazine CoM Eindhoven 2013

(IEM department’s pub), I got convinced to apply for

Beforehand many of the articles were written by

ESTIEM Magazine leader. A few weeks later I was

ESTIEMers, professionals or academics themselves,

elected during the Council Meeting in Eindhoven.

which gave an inconsistent article quality.

As I have worked on various magazines before, I wanted

After the changes were made, the team got more

to transfer that knowledge to the ESTIEM Magazine.

actively involved in deciding the content of the issues.

The magazine was given an overhaul, mostly the design

Various wonderful interviews were held, such as with

but also content and team wise. The first challenge was

Christoph Hagedorn (by Bart van Eijden) and Lutz

to get the design ready until the first issue, this took

Heissler (by Laine Šildere). All in all, we had a great year

day and night. Luckily we had some great designers,

for the magazine, many successful improvements were

especially Eddi Salzmann (my board responsible) who

made. But most of all I am happy that my successors

was always helpful and has an eye for detail. Not only

did such a great job. After the changes in content and

did we come up with a new design, much more colour

design, Mafalda made the ESTIEM Magazine team one

was introduced in the magazine. Both changes resulted

happy family!

Mafalda Monteiro

the magazine should write more articles in house.

Stijn Zanders

and proofreaders were split up, with the idea that

It all started for me on a regular Thursday in The Villa

Local Group Porto

ESTIEM Magazine Project Leader 13/14

Local Group Eindhoven,

Furthermore the teams were adapted: editors

Tampere

Stijn Zanders

in many positive reactions from ESTIEMers!

Mafalda Monteiro

the general visibility of the ESTIEM Magazine project.

ESTIEM Magazine Project Leader 14/15

This was a significant milestone as it served as a trial

The long term vision was clear: turn the ESTIEM

version and hopefully future generations will continue

Magazine into the IEM Magazine of Europe.

developing this idea because I believe this is the future

Focus areas for this year? Quality, Visibility and Team.

of the ESTIEM Magazine ­an online platform that is

Besides strenghtening the cooperation with all of

permanently being updated, bridging the gap between

our stakeholders, changing the cover design and

students, industry and academia. If we reach this, then

improving the visibility of the project by creating posters,

the idea of becoming the IEM Magazine of Europe will

best practice documents and online competitions, one

become more and more realistic. Coming back to the

of the main steps that was taken was the creation of

focus areas, I am missing one: the Team. More

the first edition of the Online Magazine.As the ESTIEM

than 20 motivated members: Proofreaders, Editors,

Magazine was always one of the key trademarks of the

Designers and Online Editors. Without them,

organization when it comes to its external, but also

nothing would have been possible. They made my

internal perception, the need for an online platform

year!

was becoming more and more clear, especially in an

It is difficult to imagine how the ESTIEM Magazine will

environment which is contantly dominated by an online

look like in 2020 but I can predict the team will still have

presence. In January 2015, the first edition of the Online

some fun nights before the final deadline. We all went

Magazine was launched. Our main aim was to create

through it but that is part of the game. And what an

this needed awareness and moreover, to increase

awesome game! ■ ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

45

INSIDE ESTIEM

ESTIEM External Relations – Globalized world, globalized students Being the second ESTIEM Ambassador after the position was introduced in 2015 means that my main job is to strengthen the link between ESTIEM and other student organisations, moreover to discover all the possible ways we can help each other in order to get better and be able to keep up with the insanely quick changing world we are living in.

Kata Kis

Local Group Budapest & Vienna

ESTIEM Ambassador

In 2015 the first ESTIEM Ambassador, Alina Afanasjeva

‘As part of my objectives for International Partnership

from Local Group Saint Petersburg managed to

I had been communicating with a representative of

completely open up ESTIEM’s doors for Externals

ESTIEM. By applying some South African charm I had

and established numerous cooperations (official

cracked an invite to one of their most revered events,

and unofficial ones as well) with several Student

their Council Meeting. By attending, the participants

Organisations around the world. The ESTIEM

have the unique opportunity to shape the future of

brand reached the USA, Africa and Asia. Using the

ESTIEM.

opportunity of the 25th Anniversary celebration of our Network, the representatives of these ’across the

As this is a gathering of students, along with the formal

ocean’, and ’on the other side of the planet’ student

sessions, we were also given ample opportunity to

networks travelled to Vienna, to be part of the so far

stretch our social legs, interact with various cultures,

biggest ESTIEM Council Meeting, CM Austria.

build our international networks and foster new friendships. This is where the true ESTIEM spirit shines

Spreading our wings outside of Europe

through, a contagious and overwhelming feeling of

Jacques Fauré, the Leader of the Southern African

being a part of something much bigger than yourself.

Institute for Industrial Engineering (SAIIE), describes his

It is a feeling that crushes exhaustion, gets your blood

ESTIEM Experience in the following way:

pumping, the creative juices flowing and inspires you to get up and give it your all, again! It is a true spectacle to see the levels of absolute social cohesion amongst

Alina Afanasjeva the first ESTIEM Ambassodor during

an extreme diversity of cultures and personalities, all

Council Meeting Austria

striving towards a common goal! It was also heartwarming to see the level of ESTIEM Alumni involvement at this event. Young professionals giving back to the student community. One of the original founders of ESTIEM back in the 1990’s, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, had also participated at this special anniversary CM, and shared with us a tale of a couple of students, sitting in a bar in Hamburg, dreaming about a Europe wide student organisation.

After returning home from what could only be described as a life-changing experience, I have come home inspired and determined, with a changed heart and a changed outlook on life, to have experienced that there is true strength in diversity, in experiences shared, and deep lifelong bonds. I have returned home with a wealth of learnings that can be implemented to develop a strong student network in Southern Africa to foster a life-long passion for IE and involvement in organised IE structures. I have come home filled with

46

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

hope for a bright future, filled with a spirit that whispers

EESTEC and ESTIEM are similar organisations. When

“Aim high!” In Europe I discovered that where the

I say that, I mean that we have almost the same

ESTIEM spirit is, I am home. Even 8000 km away at the

structure, CMs look the same, many projects on a local

Southern tip of Africa.’

and international level, our way of life during studies is to travel and to move around Europe whenever we

During the last 3 months further steps were taken in

can, etc. During CM Austria, I saw and learned many

order to develop the collaboration with SAIIE. Despite

new things about ESTIEM. Some of them were very

the distance we are planning webinars and visits to

useful for improving few aspects of my organisation

each other’s events. Focusing on the academic and

and on the other hand, I was able to help a bit, as an

corporate chances the modern world offers us we are

external, during working sessions. I really appreciate

hopefully looking forward to a fruitful partnership.

that ESTIEM invited EESTEC and also that I came and felt like I belong there!’

The European winds Before 2015 ESTIEM as a European student network

In addition to the already existing partnerships with

had its first official partners from Europe. Similar

European NGOs which we are constantly nurturing

organisations like BEST (Board of European Students

and upgrading we are looking forward to cooperate

of Technology), EPSA (European Pharmacy Student’s

with others in the future.

Association) and EESTEC (Electrical Engineering Students’ European Association) are in connection

With putting more effort into external relations we

with our Projects, Committees and Initiatives. We are

proved the fact that students around Europe

inviting each other to the most important (strategic)

around the world are very similar. We are cooperating

events in order to exchange the gathered knowledge

with each other while overcoming several difficulties

and support each other in case of any kind of

in order to experience and grow as fast as the world

organisational issues.

grows around us. Applying the rules and methods of

Bojana Mihaljovic from EESTEC LC Belgrade was

the corporate world – our future – in a young and

representing her organisation in Vienna and has a

energetic way, with the help of modern technology

strong connection with ESTIEM:

we are (sub?)consciously tearing down all boarders

and

separating us.

‘When someone says ESTIEM, it immediately reminds me on a few things: song, Externals, stickers all around,

Dear ESTIEMers, dear future Ambassadors! Let’s work

crazy time, song again, laugh, crowd, Alina, ESTIEM

together in 2016, in the upcoming years, decades and

song, happy, roommates, social games during night,

one day on the last day of an event we will tell ‘See you

new friends, joy, my spot during General Assemblies,

somewhere in the world!’ as farewell wishes for each

sleepless nights, ESTIEM Alumni and again song.

other! ■

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

47

INSIDE ESTIEM

Negotiation - An everyday happening May it be at work, among friends or family – on a daily basis we are facing many situations where good negotiation skills are needed.

Felix Limper

Local Group Paderborn, Lappeenranta

Vice President of Education 2015

Negotiation is a wide topic; it can be about selling,

Looking at this, it only makes sense to negotiate

persuading or motivating. Whenever you are trying to

in situations that can fit under the definition of a

negotiate, it has to be clear what you want to achieve

question-mark situation. Here you can profit from

and, most importantly, what is possible to achieve.

good negotiation skills and make a person agree with

The word “success” is often defined as “reaching one’s

you. In both other situations you will only damage the

goals”, but in some cases it is not possible to reach

relationship with your dialogue partner if you insist

your initial goals, no matter how well you structure

on having a discussion. This can mean that you turn a

your argumentation. It is always about people, human

plus situation into a minus situation because you might

beings; not just logical arguments. Knowing that, it

make the other person question their choices or annoy

won’t surprise you that empathy is of enormous

her, and it is likely that you will lose personal sympathy

importance when it comes to negotiating.

as well. A minus situation will stay a minus situation, but what you will damage is the relationship to your

In the beginning of a negotiation, both parties have

partner or friend. Forcing a discussion on a topic that is

a standing point. Depending on where the other

clearly perceived differently by both individuals will not

one stands, you have to adjust your definition of

help but only hurt the trust between both sides. Here

success. Vera Birkenbihl, a German trainer and author,

it has to be mentioned that a customer, colleague or

distinguished between different starting points:

friend can definitely disagree with you on one topic, but still have a general trust in you.

Plus Situation: You might find yourself in a situation where the other person agrees with you from the

Understanding the goals, needs and expectations of

beginning on, where a customer wants to buy your

the other person is important to be able to achieve an

product even before you say a single word. These cases

agreement both parties are satisfied with. Therefore,

are not dependent on your skills; it is pure luck to find

listening is crucial or, to go one step further, asking is

yourself in this situation.

the key. If both parties do not have the same starting point they have to build a bridge to each other, which

Minus Situation: On the other hand it can happen

they can only do if one of them knows what goals the

that you talk with a person who does not have the

other person has. “The one who is asking is leading”

permission to do what you are asking for or is not

describes it quite clearly: With a good question-

willing – for anything in the world – to agree with your

technique you can get insights into the motivation

opinion. In these cases you can only realize that any

and the goals of the other person. This will help you

further efforts would be a waste of energy, which

to build a bridge between both standing points and,

means it is a success to realize this early and it is a failure

in the best case, also to find a motivation both sides

to waste more and more efforts into the negotiations.

share. In a question-mark situation, the drivers for both sides are not very clear in the beginning. Once

Question-Mark Situation: If there is a preliminarily

you discover the driver of your dialogue partner, you

“No”, but the other person does not seem to be very

can use this knowledge to make that person agree with

decided, you can make use of your negotiation skills.

you or support you in your goal. If your suggestion gets

Success can be seen as getting the person into a plus-

rejected, find out why; it can be a great chance to find

situation and failure as getting the person into a minus-

out more about the motivation of the other party.

situation.

“ 48

It has to be worth it to convince the other one about your offers - for both sides

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

“

If your suggestion gets rejected, find out why; it can be a great chance to find out more about the motivation of the other

When we are talking about the partner being “satisfied”, we should know how to define it and why it is good for us. A partner is satisfied if you fulfill his/ her expectations. This means that you should always

A has a goal

be honest; if you set the expectations too high and they cannot be reached, don’t expect the partnership to last for long. It is good to have satisfied partners for many reasons. One of them is of course that they will come back to you in the future. Another one that you should not underestimate is that it is simply more fun to work with satisfied partners; imagine you would have to justify yourself all the time and whenever you negotiate it takes ages and millions of emails to reach

B says Yes Plus-situation

a conclusion, this can demand a lot of energy and attention from you that you could also use for a few satisfied partners. A rule of thumb here is: It has to be worth it to convince the other one about your offers – for both sides.

Luck

B says (preliminary) No

B says (definitely) No

?-Situation

Minus-Situation

Success: transform to Plus-Situation Failure: Transform to Minus Situation

Success: Realized in time Failure: Realized too late

While discussing, it is crucial to keep the atmosphere comfortable for both parties. Here I would like to

excuse to come back to the person at a different time;

differentiate between two different kinds of mood:

any further discussion is useless at this point. Picture

There is the “instinct mood” and the “rational thinking

this: You are receiving a phone call about a machine you

mood”. Both can be observed in your everyday life; you

have delivered. Something is not working properly and

can analyze yourself as well and realize the difference

you have to negotiate the next steps. The customer

in your own behavior. If a person gets the feeling to

starts getting louder and tells you about his academic

be threatened or is frightened, the brain switches into

titles which should prove him right (and you wrong).

a defense mode where rational arguments are not

This would clearly be aggressive behavior that sparked

helping anymore – this is the instinct mood. Once a

in a shift of mood. Now, any further discussion will only

person enters this mood, negotiating does not make

lead to frustration and conflict. Make up an excuse to

sense anymore. People in that mood show attacking

hang up the phone and continue the call later, maybe

behavior, such as screaming, slamming a door, offending

even something that gives him a good feeling, such as

people or fleeing. Only time can bring people back to

that you are going to discuss with your colleagues and

the rational thinking mood and every argumentation

you are not prepared enough for this debate.

can solely harm the relationship between both parties deeply. This effect can last for many hours and resolves

Knowing the standing point, motivation and mood of

slowly. Any more stress only adds up to the reserve

your dialogue partner is very beneficial if you want to

of anger a person still has. If you are not aware of

sell something, persuade or motivate someone. Put

the state the dialogue partner is in, it can have a bad

yourself into the shoes of the other one and think of a

influence on you, your negotiation and your goals.

compromise that is good for you, but also good for the

Once you realize the other person is not thinking

other side. This surely needs some practice, but luckily

clearly, but using irrational arguments, better make an

this is a skill you can try out every day. ■

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

49

INSIDE ESTIEM

European Master Thesis Award - Interview with the Winners

The European Master Thesis Award (EMTA) for Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM) students was organised for the first time in 2015 and it is part of the Education Initiative of ESTIEM. The award is given to promote academic excellence amongst European IEM students.

Thijmen Smith

Local Group Eindhoven

Education Initiative Leader 2016

Koos de Glas has been awarded the European Master

What was the biggest challenge you faced throughout

Thesis Award 2014-2015 for his thesis “Medical

the process? And how did you solve this?

Inventory Management in Developing Countries”.

Koos: To be honest, humanitarian logistics was not my

Koos graduated as MSc student of the Double

first preference within the selection process of subjects

Degree programme in Technology and Operations

for the thesis projects of my class. But during the search

Management and Supply Chain Management by the

of a topic within the humanitarian logistics field, my

University of Groningen and Newcastle University.

fellow student Rik van Hees and I came in contact with DHL. Together with their humanitarian department,

Romain Emens took the second place in the

we agreed on a joint research project on this subject

competition with his thesis “A dynamic visualisation of

and during the whole process this turned out to be

business process models for process participants”. He

a great choice as there was and is still a tremendous

graduated from Eindhoven University of Technology.

amount of work to be done here.

The third place was taken by Otto Mertanen from

Romain: The biggest challenge I faced was to combine

KTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm with the

scientific rigorousness with organisational relevance.

thesis “Innovation Opportunity Mapping: MFC film as a

In order to solve these challenges, I have organised

packaging barrier”.

frequent meetings with my university supervisors on the one hand (i.e. one meeting every two weeks) and

Writing a Master’s thesis is not an easy task: selecting

my company supervisors on the other hand (i.e. every

your area of interest, choosing your supervisor, later

Monday) to make sure all stakeholders’ needs were

on deciding whether to go for a more theoretical or

fulfilled.

practical approach, developing your methodology until

50

your final results and performing the presentation.

Otto: The biggest challenge for me was the

There are a lot of choices you have to make and also a

confidentiality of information regarding the topic of my

lot of pitfalls you have to watch out for. Therefore, the

thesis. I solved the problem by focusing on what I can

three winners give an insight about their process.

reveal and adjusting the thesis accordingly.

Koos de Glas - Winner European Master Thesis Award

Romain Emens - 2nd Place European Master Thesis Award

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

What advice can you give students who are almost

European Master Thesis Award

starting their Master’s Thesis?

The EMTA is a new competition within ESTIEM which

Koos: All the time you put in at the beginning will

has been implemented by Bram Vercammen and

contribute exponentially to the energy you get out of

Jelle Dikker, both from Local Group Eindhoven. The

the project in later phases. If you don’t set up a project

European Supply Chain Forum (ECSF) is the first proud

you actually like, you will inevitably get bored, tired and

sponsor of the competition due to its promotion of

frustrated in the final and most important phase: the

academic excellence.

actual writing. So make sure you invest in the project at the beginning. Not only will this make your life so much

This year there were 26 applications from 10 different

easier later on, but it will give you the perfect basis in

countries. After a pre-selection, there were eight

your upcoming job interviews.

theses selected for the jury to judge. The jury consisted of members of European Professors of Industrial

Romain: In the start-up phase of the thesis it helps

Engineering and Management (EPIEM), and they were

to go to your university supervisor and discuss which

the following ones: Rui Sousa of University of Minho,

scientific topics are open for further research and which

Pär Blomkvist of KTH Royal Institute of Stockholm,

may provide benefits to any organisations. Given this

Bernd Zunk of Graz University of Technology and

initial list, go to the organisation you will be graduating

Christian Mustata of University Politechnica Bucharest.

at (could be the university as well) and discuss each

The application for next year’s edition of academic

topic separately in terms of what relevant results may

year 2015/2016 will be open from July until September

be obtained. This way, you ensure you will be dealing

2016.

with a topic that is truly relevant to all parties involved.

Otto: Pick a subject that interests you, focus on

Summary of “Medical Inventory Management

solutions rather than hurdles and have an attitude of

in Developing Countries” by Koos de Glas

making things happen.

In 2014 I had the opportunity to study the causes of stock-outs of medical products in developing countries.

What are you doing now after your graduation?

Apart from identifying a series of causes of stock-

Koos: I am very happy at my current job as Operations

outs (such as lack of knowledge of reorder levels, for

& Supply Chain Management Consultant at PwC.

example), I attempted to develop a tablet-based system

Romain: I have started working at the IT Advisory

as a solution to these issues. The system was used for

department of KPMG Netherlands.

stock management and ordering in various places in Africa. With the help of DHL I was able to visit these

Otto: I am working as Category Manager in Stora Enso

places in person. This system proved to be working

and I am participating in the company’s Global Trainee

quite well. But the overall conclusion of the whole

Programme.

research is that every country and location brings its own specific challenges. There is not one solution, so parties should not attempt to find that only one.

In addition, infrequent donations of random supplies

Otto Mertanen - 3 Place European Master Thesis Award rd

proved to mess up the “normal” supply chain (through governmental central medical stores) as a whole and do not contribute to long-term solutions. ■

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

51

INSIDE ESTIEM

Grants since 2009. Now what?

As Board responsible of the Grants Committee and former leader of it, I have been asked many times what is “Grants” and how do I see the future of public funding in ESTIEM. I decided to use this platform and share with all of you interested in the topic my thoughts in a nutshell on where we want to go and how we want to get the European money.

Grants

Unfortunately, this type of grant is no longer provided

The meaning of “grants” in the Cambridge dictionary

by the commission, but this did not discourage the

is the following: an amount of money given especially

Grants team and we continued applying for other types

by the government to a person or organization for a

of public funding.

special purpose.

Sissi Simeonova

Vice President of Finance

Local Group Sofia & Paderborn

The road Purpose

From 2009 until now the Grants Committee faced ups

For its 25 years of existence ESTIEM still has the same

and downs, changed a lot, so did the public funding

purpose: to gather IEM students from all over Europe in

system in Europe. The fast changing world requires

order to foster inter-relations between them.

good adaptive skills and the committee and the

It might be surprising for some of you, but the European

network proved to have such. Nowadays, motivated

Commission’s programme Erasmus+ shares the same

ESTIEMers gather useful knowledge from various

purpose. This is why we put so much effort in writing

training events about grants and apply to earn money

hundreds of pages of grants applications.

for more ESTIEM projects than before.

One might have thought it was all about the money, but surprisingly it is not. The belief that your event, project,

The future

idea is something that can improve our network is the

As a person who likes to talk in numbers I do think

main reason why we apply for grants in ESTIEM. And

that the percentage of the approved projects within

a grant could take your event and our network to a

ESTIEM will be higher than the rejected ones in a

higher level!

2-year-time. Two years, some will say it is too much, others would say - ‘How have you calculated it’? I made

Money

my calculations using the following data:

But indeed it all comes to money when we want to

■ the knowledge about grants in the network is being

organise an event. The lack of these tiny pieces of

improved regularly;

paper can bring lots of trouble to our network and

■ the motivation to apply for grants is greater than

this is why we use the help of institutions, foundations,

before;

comapnies who believe that our ideas are worth it to

■ rejection of applications does not give ESTIEMers a

support us financially. We could also use European

bad feeling, but rather motivates them to improve and

grants for that - take advantage of public support for

learn more;

making big events and projects within ESTIEM happen.

■ the pool of people interested in getting public funding knowledge is growing;

People You can have all the money, but in the end people are

Opportunities

the ones who turn money into a cause and a great idea.

There are plenty of European and non-European

This is why about seven years ago the ESTIEM Board

grants we still have not applied for. The big challenge in

saw the potential of grants within the network and

front of the committee and the network is to broaden

created a team to deal with public funding, which later

our horizons in terms of public funding. This is one of

became the Grants Committee.

the reasons why a big research on opportunities for funding central ESTIEM and its projects will take place

History

in the next months. The results of it will be presented

The previous EU programme - the Youth in Action

until the end of the transition Board year.

programme, used to provide the so called “operational

52

grant” – monetary support for big European

To sum up, there is a saying that express the best way

organisations, for their operational needs (travel

of how we see the future of grants writing in ESTIEM:

costs, accommodation etc.) for a period of one year.

The future belongs to those who prepare for it today. ■

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

Social and Environmental Responsibility within ESTIEM Being socially and environmentally responsible today should not be a question, it is a need. We live in a world in which we create, so we, as young people, should be the drivers of change.

Student organisations exist because they aim to gather

give the examples and if we educate small gruops, other

students from the same fields of studies to share ideas,

people will follow and circle is ging to expand. We have

to learn from each others and to develop theirselves.

to start from somewhere, we have to try, we cannot

That means that they have a big impact to

members of the organisations, but to their surrounding

know SERC, has bigger impact and that many ESTIEMrs

as well. So, why not to give an example of good habits,

see the benefits of it. Turning SERI into Committee is

responsible way of thinking, ideas of how could we

a big step, because giving a bigger significance to it will

help the others, or to educate them to be aware of

help it to implement more of its ideas. ■

their environment.

Milica Čolaković

because we can.I am really proud to see that SERI,

Local Group Belgrade

give up only by saying that we cannot do anything, SERC Leader 2015

large

number of students all around the Europe, not only to

With the Social and Environmental Responsibility Committee (former Initiative) we could have a huge impact to ESTIEMers and further. We should be aware that we as future engineers and future leaders have to act responsibly and that we have to be an example to the others. How are we doing that? I would say that the key is in education. It is a base of all of our acts.

SERC is trying to educate ESTIEMers by delivereing awareness trainings. Awareness trainings aim to show current happenings in the world and they aim to raise the awareness so we could be concious of what is going on around us. One of the SERC goals is also to implement some of the socially and environemntaly activities during the events. People would say: How can we change the world in two hours? We can’t, but if we

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53

INSIDE ESTIEM

Joining Forces The Nordic Tour Activity Week took place from the 8th to the 14th of February 2016. It was organised jointly by the Local Groups of Helsinki, Lappeenranta and Tampere and was held in those three cities. To understand the bigger picture, I’ll mention that Lappeenranta is 230 km away from Helsinki and 280 km away from Tampere, which adds a logistical and cost dimension to moving the participants.

Local Groups Helsinki and Tampere have a long history

that needed resolving in the next 24 hours. For anything

of organising events together. For quite some years

lengthier we set up Skype chats.

we’d been organising a joint Vision event in February.

Maria Kudinova

Local Group Tampere

This time around, the month was chosen, because in

What I especially liked about our Skype chats was that

the first half of February the Kyykkä (Finnish skittles)

they were short, 15 min. max, and informative. They

World Championships take place at Tampere University

were easy to fit into an otherwise overflowing schedule.

of Technology. Having ESTIEM teams competing was a

There were only two longer, half an hour, chats during

highlight of the fun part of the event.

the weeks preceding the event, when there were more details to go through.

This year we decided to move up one level and involve Local Group Lappeenranta. The last year’s Local

In retrospect the whole organising went surprisingly

Responsible(s) did the application for the event. Once

smoothly. Personally, the only time I got anxious was

the application was approved, teams were formed,

when a participant wrote that she needed an invitation

who would be in charge of organising the event in each

for her visa sent signed and stamped by air mail ASAP.

city. I was lucky to be chosen the project leader for

I was at that point on a road trip in U.A.E. with no

Tampere.

computer and Internet access only in a mall we’d driven to for supplies. I wrote to Joonas in Helsinki and hoped

The first Skype meeting was between the project leaders

for the best. The girl got her visa on time.

and Local Responsible(s) for the three cities, where the latter moved the organisational responsibility to the

The greatest thing about three LGs collaborating was

former. Joona Soratie was appointed as the project

that everyone was good at something or knew more

leader for Helsinki and Einari Junter for Lappeenranta.

than others on a certain topic. By asking you could

Communication was essential from the very beginning.

figure out who was the best person to do the job and

We had a Dropbox folder where we uploaded all the

hence get the best results.

material that came up in the organisational process, like the budget for each LG, PR material for the event,

Based on the direct feedback we got from the

updates to the schedule. All the teams’ members had

participants when they were leaving, our Nordic Tour

access to the folder.

went well, to say the least. Everyone was tired in a

For the project leaders we made a WhatsApp group.

healthy after-ESTIEM-event way. ■

This was a good platform for communicating anything

54

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

A New Event: Science meets Economy!

Twice a year, the VWI (German association of industrial engineering and management) presents their association at the ESTIEM Council Meeting through their student board members. Just as frequently, we get the question whether there we plan to host any VWI event in English.

After the Council Meeting in Riga we were thinking to

How will it be the first time around?

create a new event, a VWI event which is in English opportunity to get to know the ESTIEM spirit. From

was elected for this event. The specific topic for this year

our network’s 38 active local groups in Germany,

will be “Innovation and Development”, and together

only 14 are also ESTIEM local groups. From Board to

with the University in Karlsruhe, the “Fraunhofer

Board we were thinking a lot how the events would

Institut”, the research centre for informatics, and

look like. It should be a unique event, unlike any other

also topic-related companies, you will get to know

in the ESTIEM network, and take place in Germany.

how innovation and development works in German

In my Board year as a student member of the VWI,

companies and in the research field. Through the

I often found myself thinking about the benefits that

event, you might even find companies where you are

ESTIEM has in comparison with the advantages brought

interested to work at. The event will comprise at least

by VWI. The strong connection to German companies

20 non-VWI ESTIEM students and other VWIers, and

and professors are one strong suit of the VWI. On the

will take place in the end of this year. Of course, you will

other hand, the international communication level is a

not only see Karlsruhe and its companies. One of the

common place in ESTIEM. Finally, we came up with the

oldest VWI ESTIEM Local Groups, LG Kaiserslautern,

event concept: ”Science meets Economy”, where the

is supporting Karlsruhe and you can look forward to a

best of both worlds will meet. It is not like Academic

visit there.

Lydia Binek

At the HGV (VWI Council Meeting) in Berlin, Karlsruhe

VWI & Local Group Bremen

and gives, at the same time, all VWI members the

Days or like a Vision event. It is the international English version of the VWI event, “VWI(e)Wissen”.

Now, are you curious how the event will look like in

The participants will have five days with professional

detail? Don´t hesitate to ask LG Karlsruhe, the ESTIEM

working groups, panel discussions, excursions and

Board and the VWI Board! ■

other typical features of a congress.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

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INSIDE ESTIEM

A Journey through Productivity in ESTIEM Mastering productivity is one important key to master your studies, work and personal life, with this article I will share some useful tips that I learned during the past years.

Louise Berglund

Local Group Stockholm & Munich

Vice President of Administration 2015

When looking back at my ESTIEM journey I do it

folder on your computer. Think about what different

with many great memories of events, friends and

folders you need, what subfolders to have. Having your

how I have developed over this period of time. The

documents carefully structured helps you everyday

girl who thought she was structured and knew how

when searching for files. Furthermore, when you have

to handle an inbox has now developed into a slightly

several assignments and tasks to do, it helps to arrange

more structured girl who is not afraid of an inbox of

your calendar and plan your week. Use different

one hundred emails. Productivity is not rocket science

categories and colours to allocate your work, but you

and with just some small tools you can easily achieve

do not need to plan specifically what you study or

much, but it is still a process, which involves learning. I

work on. The main idea is that you divide your time,

hope that my experience will help you in your ESTIEM

so you know, when you wake up, that during the day

journey and hopefully it will help you achieve great

you will study and, in the evening, work on ESTIEM

things, both in ESTIEM and also outside of ESTIEM.

tasks. Without an idea about what you will do during the day you will find yourself wasting time thinking of

To begin my story, let me take you back to the Spring of

what to do, and then end up going crazy on Facebook,

2012, which is when my ESTIEM journey began and this

the ESTIEM portal or 9gag. Another great tool to bring

was a year of learning for me. I got my first position in

structure to plan your work are online tools such as

TIMES and I worked hard to get into the work style we

Asana. You can write down tasks and deadlines and

have in ESTIEM. Today it is quite natural to respond to

Asana will kindly remind you about deadlines.

an email thread, it saves time both for you and for the readers as you have everything in one thread. However,

Moral of the story:

after putting a lot of effort into one email, which was

Create a good working environment on your computer

referring to several emails and probably having a very

to ensure you always know where to find things. On

awful structure, I would quite fast get feedback from

top of this, plan your week - when you will work on

the TIMES Leader, that this is not a very good way to

what - so that you always have a clear picture of what

deal with emails. It might seem like something small

you’ll do when you wake up.

but when you think about it, if you do not put effort into an email it will not only cost you time later on

During the first half of my term as a Committee

but the receiver will also need to spend time trying to

Leader, I realised the importance of where I do my

understand what you are referring to. After receiving

work. I often found myself distracted at home, and it

this needed feedback I immediately began structuring

was much easier for me to get demotivated to work.

the way I work for ESTIEM and began learning from

So finding a place where you feel you can work without

others.

being easily distracted is important. The university can be a good place to start searching, however it

Moral of the story:

might also be distracting since you are likely to meet

Structure the content of your emails, for the sake of

people you know and start talking when you should be

you and for the sake of the reader. Often it is better

working. So what I personally prefer is to sit in a quiet

to put that little bit of extra effort into an email when

reading room, in the library for example. It gives a quiet

writing it because it will save time in the long run.

environment and just being in the room makes you feel productive. Furthermore, most people enjoy listening

56

Continuing further in time, in 2013 I got my first big

to music while working, and I have come to realise that

position in ESTIEM but I also got more active in several

what you listen to can really impact your productivity.

Projects and Committees in ESTIEM. Along with that I

If you are doing work that requires a small effort then

travelled quite some and I had plenty of schoolwork.

listening to music is not a problem, however when

So in this part of my life I knew that I needed structure

doing work that requires more thinking and effort, such

and planning because otherwise my workload would

as writing this article, I need something more calming.

be huge. Structure is something that you can achieve in

I was recommended an online tool called Noisli, in

many different ways, starting with arranging a proper

which you can create your own calming music based

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

on sounds such as a fireplace, the wind blowing and the

and understand what you actually are capable of in this

sea. It is definitely something to try out when you need

very moment. In some cases all you might need is to

complete focus, such as for schoolwork or for writing

take an hour break doing something else, go for a walk,

longer texts. Noisli truly helps you to focus and you do

watch an episode of a series or go for a coffee with

not get disturbed from different types of songs.

a friend. If you continue working you might finish the task but the question is if the quality of your work was

Moral of the story:

good enough or if you will need to do it all over again

Find your perfect working environment. Make sure you

the next day. On top of this, if you are sitting with a

will not be disturbed from the surrounding environment

full inbox and you do not know where to start, think

and if you listen to music, make sure that it helps you

of how much effort each email would require from

focus and is not a distraction.

you. If you feel low on motivation and do not have the energy to work of more demanding tasks then finish

The final part of my story will focus on something that

everything that requires minimal effort. Reply to the

I would say is the key to being productive, and this is

emails that will take you one minute or less, then go to

to know yourself and your energy. Being in the Board

sleep and with a fresh mind tackle the emails or other

of ESTIEM is challenging, the workload is high and you

assignments that require more effort from you.

need to manage your energy by listen to your body to understand what kind of work you are able to do.

Moral of the story:

Everyone have days when they are low on energy or

Know yourself and how to manage your energy. If you

motivation, then it is really crucial to listen to yourself

are low on energy and motivation, take a break, do the tasks that require minimum effort and then, with a clear

“

mind, tackle the bigger tasks.

Without an idea about what you will do during the day you will find yourself wasting time thinking of what to do, and then end up going crazy on Facebook, the ESTIEM portal or 9gag.

Now my story has come to its end, and I hope my experience has helped you. I know that everything that I have learned from ESTIEM is helping me everyday to manage my school life, and I am very grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way. So as I said in the beginning, productivity is not rocket science and with small tools you can be the master of yourself and achieve great things, in ESTIEM, in school, and in anything you do. â–

Public Relations Coordination Meeting, Brussels 2013

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

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INSIDE ESTIEM

19 Years can be counted in CMs We all know that the beauty of ESTIEM Network is filled with unforgettable moments, but have you ever thought how does it look like through the eyes of the person who attended the most Council Meetings? Ramon Pijst is taking us through his ESTIEM experience and apportions a life theory about “Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world”

Smaranda Sgarciu

Local Group Bucharest

Why did you attend so many CMs? What is your

What or who inspired you stay in the ESTIEM

motivation for that?

environment?

Coming to so many CM’s just came naturally, in a way. A

The single reason to come back to ESTIEM events is

CM is a great moment where ambition, enthusiasm and

the ESTIEM spirit. We’re all different, with a different

friendship meet – that is so, when you’re a student, but

culture, different background, different style, but in

it’s still inspiring when you’re in a professional career.

ESTIEM it all comes together. Once you tap into shared

I think it’s very important as a professional to always

values and ambitions, the differences are just funny

be curious, always ask questions – exposing yourself to

observations, something people tend to forget in the

an open environment like an ESTIEM Council Meeting

big world nowadays.

stimulates to stay eager. Apart from that, during each CM you meet new people, and each new CM is a great

What is the difference between attending a CM as an

way to meet old friends. And it doesn’t hurt that our

alumnus and as an active member?

events always take place in beautiful places around

As an active member you have the power (and duty)

our continent! As an alumnus, it’s a nice way to visit

to really make the best out of a concept, a project. In

beautiful places, still get the inside tour because of

this way you also learn a lot of skills in organising multi-

the local contacts, and stay in contact with the vibrant

cultural projects, cooperation, and also working ethics,

ESTIEM spirit.

like waking up early after a night of party. As an alumnus there are two purposes for attending a CM; meeting

Can you tell us a little bit about your work in ESTIEM

up with old and new friends, and making sure that the

and where did it impact the most?

enthusiasm, eagerness and spirit of cooperation across

I got introduced to ESTIEM when our LR decided to

borders remains a vital part of what ESTIEM is. The

apply for a board position, and his position as Vision

amount of sleep is a big difference as well.

coordinator needed to be filled in. It was okay for me to Ramon Pijst

ESTIEM Alumnus

Local Group Enschede

take that position without much - or any - questioning,

What did you focus on after graduating?

and it was a great introduction into ESTIEM! I was

After university I took on several positions in financial

Vision Project Leader for a year and a half, doing a fair

and business control, using financial and non-financial

job in coordinating the seminars, visiting most of the

indicators to describe and steer the organisation.

events and setting up and participating in the study-tour

By designing new reports, streamlining financial

that we included.

processes, eliminating possibilities for gaming within the organisation and developing an action-based

What was the biggest difference between your first and

forecasting method, my activities have been focused on

last CM?

improving effectiveness and efficiency.

Obviously the big difference between early and later

58

CM’s is experience. In my first CM, I didn’t know

What is your current occupation?

what to expect, what kind of people I would meet,

I found satisfaction in the job, working with great

and how I could pull my project forwards. There were

colleagues, achieving goals and improvements, but in the

some big disappointments and failed expectations,

end I came to realise that being effective and efficient is

but you learn to deal with that. I guess that’s the big

only a good thing if it supports a goal or purpose you

difference between early CM’s and later ones; the

can believe in, and I didn’t feel the connection anymore

power of surprise and the stimulus of challenge versus

with the short-term financial goals that a stock-listed

knowing what’s going on and helping others with that

company apparently has to live by. So when the

knowledge.

ongoing cuts also knocked on the door of the finance

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

Pre-Council Meeting Saint Petersburg, 1997

Council Metting Nottingham, April 1998

department, it was time to leave. For now I’m without

party (if people don’t want to change, don’t want to

a job, and looking for opportunities to combine sound

cooperate, you’d better focus your attention on the

financial management with an organisational mission

ones that want to work with you, don’t waste too

statement I can believe in.

much energy on possible problems but focus on the potential), and focus on shared dreams and values – no

Do you think the time in ESTIEM influenced you in your

matter how big the cultural, racial, national, educational

life decision? If yes, how?

differences are, once you can tap into a shared thought,

I’m not sure whether ESTIEM formed me, or I chose

dream or ambition, the differences don’t matter

ESTIEM because of my dreams and beliefs… My

anymore and anything can become a reality!

experiences in ESTIEM for sure made me aware of the differences between the nations and peoples in our

If you could recommend something to the ESTIEMers,

beautiful continent, but it also made me searching and

what would it be?

promoting the shared values and the power of shared

I think it’s really important to know that ESTIEM is a

dreams.

learning environment, where people, ESTIEMers, can practice their skills, push limits and expand boundaries.

Describe ESTIEM in one word:

For this it is important to focus on ideas, creativity

Inspiration. Knowing there’s so much talent and seeing

and people. I feel there may be too much focus on

how that’s all transferred into action

regulations and restrictions nowadays, bureaucracy, .

I’d like to finish with a quote; “Those who are crazy

What is the best experience you have from ESTIEM?

enough to think they can change the world, are the

There are two lessons I picked up from my ESTIEM

ones who do.” And most likely have more fun doing

years. You have to party with the people that want to

it! ■

Council Meeting Austria, November 2015

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INSIDE ESTIEM

Bringing Consultancy to ESTIEM Being proactive and motivated to achieve more than you are expected to can lead to amazing opportunities. If you want to test your knowledge and get some practical experience in consultancy, solving case studies is just the thing for you!

It will improve your critical and strategic thinking, test

new directions, this being both their strong point and

your team leading skills more than ever and help you

weakness. They may push on when others feel like

learn new things and come up with out of the box

it’s enough, which is good for the group, but it would

solutions. But that’s not all. You will get a chance to

sometimes detriment group dynamics and individuals.

work on real problems of some of the most successful

They can be perceived as argumentative.

Milena Popović

Consultancy Initiative Leader

Local Group Belgrade

companies, and show them what you are capable of.

Here, your business life begins. In this article you will

Implementers (IMP) are the ones who get things

get an insight of what cases you might work on and

done. They will take the ideas on the table, and would

possible team structures you’ll take part in.

start thinking of the action plans needed to realize them. They tend to be well organized and structured

Forming the Team

themselves, which is why they can be inflexible during

The most important part of the case study would be

big changes, like ones the Shaper can bring about.

the team. As long as a case is both time limited and

Lorenzo Scoppetta

Local Group Eindhoven

beyond the scope of a single person, one would need

Completer-Finisher (CF) are the people who see that

to rely on the other members of the team to attain

projects are completed thoroughly and without errors.

adequate results. Since the time available for working

They will be concerned with details and deadlines,

on a case is limited, rarely can you afford to teach

which in turn can cause them a greater deal of worry

team members about new methods and knowledge.

than needed. They may find it hard to delegate tasks,

Therefore, having a streamlined team with a common

especially when the results of their team members may

knowledge base is best from the onset.

be lacking on the fields of time or quality (in their eyes).

Naturally, this doesn’t mean that there is no method,

People Oriented Roles

within the common knowledge base, to invest in

Coordinators (CO) are the ones who take on the

diversity in the team. For this, Team Roles become

team-leader role, often being the ones elected as the

a vital part. Choosing or assigning the right roles

chairperson. They are capable at listening to input,

around the team can create the flexibility needed to

sending through the valuable information and tasks to

form a diverse and efficient dynamic. Although neither

the right people. Because of this, they may not actually

final nor exclusive, one model someone could use in

take a lot of tasks themselves, which can lead to them

forming the team or assigning group roles is the Belbin

being seen as manipulative, if not outright being such.

Team Roles Model.

Team Worker (TW) are the people who mediate The Belbin Team Roles Model

between team members and try to improve the group

Belbin identified nine team roles, putting them under

dynamic. They generally are people who see it as their

three headers: Action Oriented, People Oriented, and

task to negotiate between team members, which may

Thought Oriented. Each team role is associated with

lead them to non-commital stances. This is their main

typical behavioral and interpersonal strengths, but also

weakness, as their power as negotiator also forces

have a defined set of “justified” weaknesses, seeing as

them to be neutral, which impairs decision-making.

their role leads them towards these pitfalls. Knowing and working with these weaknesses is the duty of both

Resource Investigator (RI) are the external relations

the team and oneself.

representatives. They love to go out and contact new people for options and opportunities. They know how

Action Oriented Roles

to pitch their ideas in return for resources, but due to

Shapers (SH) are people who likes to challenge the

telling these pitches, start to develop an over-optimistic

team to improve, driving the team towards what

image of the team. When the team can’t deliver on this

they perceive as forward. The Shaper is the one who

optimism, they can lose enthusiasm quickly.

will work a team out of the status quo and towards 60

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM Thought Oriented Roles

■

Industry analysis

Plant (PL) The Plant is the working horse of the team,

■

Focus on evaluating the structure and/or

forming new ideas and discussing existing ones. They are the most generalized role within a team, and the

desirability of a particular industry ■

Profit improvement - finding the problem that

fallback role of most people. People specializing as

caused a drop in a firm’s profitability or find ways

plants, however, thrive on praise; criticism is especially

to increase it.

hard for them to deal with. They often prefer to work

■

away from group politics, and can be impractical with their ideas. They may also be poor communicators and

Capacity expansion - how a firm can optimally increase its output potential

■

can tend to ignore given parameters and constraints.

Market entry - expanding business in new geographical region, adding new products or entering a new customer segment

Monitor-Evaluator (ME) are best at analyzing and

■

evaluating ideas that other people (often Plants) come up with. They tend to weigh every option intensively.

Acquisition - analyzing if acquisition of another firm would be beneficial or not (checks if 1+1=3)

■

Investment (aka financial cases) - analyses different

However, this may make them come off as detached

options for investment and its profitability. Can be

or lacking emotions. They also tend to work reactively

about expanding the business, investing in assets

instead of proactively, despite being very strategic in

or liabilities (installation of new infrastructure).

their approach.

■

Market sizing - mostly used for interviews where employers like to check ones capability to use

Specialist (SP) are people who have specialized

logic and math equations. Can be used as subform

knowledge or skills, having pride at their abilities and

of any company case to test you even further.

their status. Although their job is to be an expert, the

One of typical questions would be “How many

limited scope of that may limit contribution or funnel

chopsticks are sold in China each year?”

their vision to only their expertise.

These classifications are neither mutually exclusive nor collectively exhaustive which means that you can get a

How to Use the Tool

few of these mixed up, but do not get scared, since all

The Belbin Team Roles Model can be used in several

that matters are the goals to pursue and shaping them

ways: Building and managing the team as well as

accordingly to the type of the case.

improving oneself. Remember not to depend too heavily on this idea when structuring your team: this

Interested?

is only one of many, many factors that are important

Cases and working with companies lies within a lot

in getting a team to perform at its best. That said,

of IEM student’s scopes. A lot of these skills and

just knowing about the Belbin Team Roles model can

models can help with future prospects, and cases are

bring more harmony and variety to your team, as team

not only good for the CV, but can also be a source of

members learn that there are different approaches for

entertainment for some. If you feel like cases catch your

different circumstances.

curiosity, it would be recommended to try one. Want help finding the right cases for your skills and level, want

Case Types

to get more information and models for working with

Now that you have formed a team have a glance on

cases, or just talk about cases with fellow enthusiasts?

cases you might get to work on:

Try giving the Consultancy Initiative a spin. ■

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

61

INSIDE ESTIEM

Towards quantitative decision making in ESTIEM! About one year ago, the idea of forming a task group which conducts quantitative analysis on issues about ESTIEM was launched by three ESTIEMers. Strategic decisions were merely made on perceptions instead of on facts. Therefore, we believe that ESTIEM’s strategy could be improved if quantitative data are taken into account. As it requires too much effort for the ESTIEM board, a task group was initiatited.

The goal was: quantitatively supporting the ESTIEM Board in strategic decision making. In this article, we explain: what has been done so far, what the current situation is, and what can be done in the future.

Analysis on study info of ESTIEMers by Stijn Zanders The percentage of IEM students within ESTIEM has been a discussion for several years. Students argue in favor or against the possible amount of non-IEM students in ESTIEM. However, nobody knows the real percentage of non-IEM students in ESTIEM. With this analysis, we showed an approximation of the percentage of IEM students per Local Group. The IEM percentage was tested using three different policies and we found out that the percentage of IEM in look at the Local Groups that have a low percentage of IEM. This variation can be seen in the figure below.

Local Group 100%

Percentage of IEM students

Stijn Zanders

Local Group Eindhoven, Tampere

ESTIEM is on average 77%. Interesting is, that there is a huge variation between Local Groups. It might be interesting to

80%

Average

60%

40%

20% 0%

Analysis on the ESTIEM Structure by Selin Bekir In the past years the amount of positions and layers in the organisation have drastically increased. At the moment, it is unclear how the structure of our association is exactly. Showing all the C/P/Is team structure together with other positions such as ESTIEM Ambassador and financial controllers in one figure helped us to see the overall picture of our network. According to this figure, we can be able to make the structure leaner.

Selin Bekir

Local Group Istanbul-Boğaziçi

62

Please contact Selin in order to get the pdf version of the ESTIEM structure.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

INSIDE ESTIEM

Analysis on Regional Effect on traveling by Arjen Martens The regional concept developed further in the past years. More regional events have taken place and it seems to have a positive effect on the activeness of ESTIEMers, as the threshold to visit events within the own region is lower than visit events in other regions. However, we wondered what the real effect is on people travelling outside of their region.

more outside of their region.

Arjen Martens

is not endangering European-wide travels within ESTIEM. Additionally we saw that bigger local groups tend to travel

Alumnus Local Group

participation in other events decreases. By analysing the travel data of the past 10 years, we found that regional concept

Eindhoven and Trondheim

Perhaps a lot of ESTIEM’ers are solely travelling within their own region and due to the increase in regional events,

A network graph of who met who last year, the dots represent unique ESTIEMers whereas the lines represent if they were at the same event. Events on the outside of the graph are exchanges and TIMES events, on the inside you can see Council Meetings.

What has been done

The future

After completed our first tasks, we had our first

Right now, we are continuing to work on it by having

Working Group about ESTIEM Analysis to raise

a workspace on podio and defining our mission and

awareness about it. Moreover, after seeing that the

vision. We created a mailing list and had one forum

outcomes from our first tasks were used by the board

post where we shared our outcomes.

and ESTIEMers during College and CM, we decided to introduce and expand the idea of ESTIEM Analysis to

We surely have more things to do, more topics to

ESTIEMers during CM Austria. As we were voluntarily

analyze. If you are interested in joining us in this Task

providing statistics related to ESTIEM, with this working

Group and help us to shape it and to carry the whole

group we aimed to make it more sustainable and official

network further, approach us! â–

with the help of other ESTIEMers. During this working group, we focused on how to structure this Task Group, what are the benefits of having it and which

Selin Bekir (Selin.Bekir@estiem.org)

tasks should be included. You can find the Working

Stijn Zanders (Stijn.Zanders@estiem.org)

Group Report on the portal.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

63

INSIDE ESTIEM

SUPPLY CHAIN & MANUFACTURING A SUCCESS-DRIVEN INNOVATION FACTORY, ALWAYS ADAPTING TO MARKET CONDITIONS.

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Join this world of care and start your career in an environment that offers you the freedom to drive our international business with your entrepreneurial spirit. Shape your professional future from day one and explore our collaborative culture with smart, courageous teams that all share one exciting goal: developing skin care products of the next generation.

See that new NIVEA product in the drug store? That could be your baby: Our Supply Chain is incorporated into the development of new processes such as product launches early on. Together with our colleagues from R&D, Marketing, and Finance we pursue a holistic approach in continuously bringing new products to the shelf. Shorter product life-cycles require fast thinking, flexible solutions and innovative processes – and make sure that our jobs never grow boring. If you want to see your products on the shelf, a job with our supply chain, technology or manufacturing teams could just be right for you.

WHAT YOU COULD BE WORKING ON We offer a broad range of roles, both national and international: • Concept development and implementation of efficient, practical manufacturing technologies • Selection and evaluation of manufacturing processes • Fine-tuning the technological structure of new production facilities • Ensuring the delivery capabilities of a hub • Planning the procurement of finished products located at our production facilities • Management and optimization of production processes • Planning supplies and production • Monitoring incoming cosmetic products • Reporting and monitoring delivery stock Interested? Then we’d love to see your application for an internship or a permanent position!

www.beiersdorf.com/career

INSIDE ESTIEM

Project, Committee and Initiative updates Financial and Legal Committee

Grants Committee

Until Council Meeting Austria, all Local Groups of

During the last 4 months, the Grants Committee

ESTIEM have been acknowledged by the Financial and

successfully submitted 1 application to the Erasmus+

Legal Committee (FLC) of their legal entity (LE) status.

programme, having its deadline on the 2nd of February.

Since some of the Local Groups are facing the problem

Now we are waiting for its evaluation, which we hope

of not being a LE they are working hard on getting this

to be successful. Meanwhile, we have already start

mandatory status. During the Coordination Meeting

preparing the next applications for the 26th of April,

in Warsaw, which took place in the beginning of

with a lot of Projects, Committees and Initiatives of

March, all proposals to change the internal regulations

our network to have shown interest. During the joint

got finalized. New thing in FLC is developed and the

Coordination Meeting in Skopje together with the

first webinar gave new experiences and knowledge!

businessbooster team, the team worked on improving

Webinars are online trainings which aim to improve

the applications, on setting up a new timeline process,

the financial knowledge within ESTIEM. Next to this,

on the structure of the Committee and also received

FLC kept checking budgets of various events and not

a Grants training from an external, provided by Local

only those that are supported by central ESTIEM.

Group Skopje, which opened new roads and gave us

This budget checking helps local organizers in order

something more to work on our future applications.

to optimize their events. In the future, FLC will focus

In addition, the “cash cow” team is doing an ongoing

on collaboration with other P/C/Is and improving the

research on finding new public funding support

existing tasks.

programmes all around Europe.

Social and Environmental Responsibility Committee

BrainTrainer

In the end of 2015, five years after its establishment, the

In the last months a lot happened in the Project

Social and Environmental Responsibility Initiative (SERI)

thanks to the motivated people working on it. The

was installed as the 9th committee of ESTIEM; a great

first steps were taken to improve the visibility of the

reward for all the hard work put in over the past years

BrainTrainer idea. But what is BrainTrainer about? In

and a milestone for our network. This achievement

short: It is about developing you! The most important

provides a moment for reflection and forces us to look

thing for us is to have high quality events which makes

into the future, what is the role of SERC in ESTIEM?

a difference in the life of people. It does not matter if it

Being established as a committee marked a new

is about gaining soft or hard skills. In the last months we

beginning for SERC. Apart from building a strong team,

focused on further developing the process of dealing

the focus in the first months of 2016 has therefore

with applications for organising BrainTrainer events

been on developing a totally new long-term strategy.

in the future. We came up with a new template to

This development is now at at full speed and we hope

apply and we’ll try it out now for the first time. We

to finalize our strategy at the SERC Coordination

hope that everyone will feel treated fairly! One of the

Meeting in Kranj.

most exciting things is definitely that we are starting a cooperation with the businessbooster team and we will have the first joint event in 2016!

Education Initiative An important milestone has been achieved: the first

Student Guide

edition of the European Master Thesis Award (EMTA)

Since the election of a new Student Guide Project

has ended. 26 graduated Master students from 10

Leader in Council Meeting Austria, the Team has been

different countries applied to be the first winner and

working quite hard on the evaluation process of the

receive a 1,000 euro cash award! Of course, the

Project. So far we’ve assessed the current update status

Education Initiative is more than the EMTA. The IEM

of the pages we have on the Portal, and until Council

Education Forum is planned to be implemented, an

Meeting Porto we are focusing our strength in updating

event where all the stakeholders of IEM education will

as many Local Group Pages as possible and having the

come together. The Lean Six Sigma team is currently

most Local Groups with a working Page on the Portal.

focusing on the content and choosing the platform. On

Also, with the new Road Tripping Responsible we are

top of this, an education survey will be distributed at

working on the development of the event concept as

Council Meeting Porto to obtain data from ESTIEMers.

to make sure the it is well communicated to the entire

Lastly, there has been a lot of improvement internally

network, when sending the Open Call for the next

in the structure of the initiative.

Road Tripping Organisers.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials 65

INSIDE ESTIEM Language Programme Initiative

Public Relations Committee

Constant improvement is the adequate description

Since the beginning of the year, the team has been

of the previous period for Language Programme

restructured and the new task group leaders and

Initiative. The team decided to evaluate and develop

responsibles within Online PR Team have been

the educational value of the Initiative and came up with

appointed. The Online PR Team came up with new

several outcomes. Except for approaching and providing

post ideas for Facebook and Instagram and new

organisers with an idea to implement language activities

tweet ideas for Twitter together with the current

and courses within their events, LPI is slowly becoming

Leaders. Also, as a milestone, we reached 9000 likes

the place for language learning within ESTIEM. With

on Facebook in the beginning of the year! The team

the first Online Language School classes, members

is also working on how to raise the awareness of

of our network will have an opportunity to be taught

LinkedIn among ESTIEMers. The Design Team took

foreign languages by natives, their fellow ESTIEMers.

care of the Posters and T-shirts for the CM Porto

The LPI Team has been doing its best to carry into

now as the team received many new Poster/T-shirt

effect concepts of Pen-Pal Friendship and Conversation

requests from several P/C/Is. In addition, ESTIEMers

Clubs which were being shaped during the fruitful

will have the opportunity to learn the basics of

Coordination Meeting held in Budapest. Looking into

design by attending several online design trainings

future, the second edition of Language Course will

that will be led by the Design Task Group Leader.

happen this summer in the Italian city of Catania and,

Finally, the idea of PR Package for LGs will be added.

this year, LPI will be full of surprises and the team is more than ready to take a step further!

Members Committee Training Committee

The Members Committee has been defining its focus

The Training Committee has been working hard on

for the upcoming year. ESTIEM exists due to our active

many aspects of ESTIEM Trainings. The Coordination

members, so the main focus area for the following

Meeting took place on the 19th to 23rd of February in

period will be Local Group support. Unfortunately,

Xanthi, where the committee decided to shift its focus

it was necessary to terminate the existence of a

towards the trainers. The structure and workload

dedicated task group until the respective tasks are

was, therefore, oriented towards the same goal.

more defined. The development and implementation

Meanwhile, 2 Successful Trainers on Tour events were

of the LG Mentorship programme has been started;

organised, one in the Balkans and the other in Poland.

a leap in ESTIEM’s HR will be made by finally having a

Local Groups received several training sessions;

“Get Active Button”; the efforts of the Approaching

during the Local Responsible Forum, potential future

Task Group have lead to some promising contacts

LRs developed skills for their upcoming mandates.

with possible groups in Norway, Bosnia, France and

Currently, Trainer Aspirants from TTA and Whistles

Italy. Furthermore, the team is delighted to welcome

generations (TNTs Belgrade and Siegen) are on their

our fourth Local Group from the Netherlands - Delft is

paths to become ESTIEM Trainers - some even Expert

now a guest group within the network!

Trainers - and more will join with the upcoming TNT Oslo.

Knowledge Management Committee T.I.M.E.S.

KMC has entered 2016 with the new generation of

Since the Council Meeting Austria, the TIMES Team

enthusiastic Knowledge Managers. The first months

had a lot to work on. Most of the Local Qualifications

of the year have been spent in forming a new family

came to an end with success, and so began the series

of task group leaders and training them. The Feedback

of 8 great Semi Finals organised in Poznan, Karlsruhe,

System has been training the newly appointed feedback

Oulu,

İstanbul-İTÜ,

responsible KMCers and gathering feedback from

Munich and Lyon. The grand TIMES Final is to be held

Darmstadt,

participants of each ESTIEM event. The BPD Task

in Ilmenau, in April, along with the unofficial end of

Group has been reviewing its current Best Practice

the TIMES 2015/2016 edition. However, TIMES is still

Documents. Some changes have occurred within the

facing major challenges. The team is working on the

KMC structure. Local Knowledge Task Group has been

changes for Final Concept, the Local Qualifications

combined with Central Knowledge Task Group. The

Concept as well as the changes for the Tournament

aim of the task group is to assure the competence

Structure. Soon, a TIMES Tournament Structure

of the Knowledge Management Responsibles on

Task Group will be installed in order to work on the

both Local and Central level by supporting them with

Tournament Structure of TIMES.

training.

66 ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

Ankara-METU,

INSIDE ESTIEM Academic Days

Vision

2015 was a year of growth for Academic Days. For the

The last months increased the workload of the whole

first time, a total of four high-quality academic events

Vision team because, right after CM Austria, the

were hosted by several Local Groups of the ESTIEM

Vision event series started. Until now, 6 of the 11

Network. Since Council Meeting Austria, European

events were successfully organised by Local Groups

students have had the chance to participate in “Industry

Istanbul-Bogazici, Gothenburg, Madrid, Trondheim,

Days: Energy Technologies” in Vaasa, “Robotics Days”

Gdansk and Tallinn. In total, the local groups hosted

in Seville and “Strategy Days” in Aveiro. With the

109 participants who were carefully selected from 201

establishment of a Human Resources Responsible

applicants using new application form.

in the team, there has been an effort to improve task assignments and team spirit. Very soon the next

Besides the events, the team has been working hard

organisers of Academic Days’ Events will be appointed

to improve the Vision project and increase its visibility.

and a new batch of events will be available on the

The PR Team kept a constant event promotion on

Portal. The Project is now changing its Online Pages and

social media and created videos to summarize the

Brainstorming about new different ways of Promotion.

events. For the first time, the team delivered an online

to get them into the ESTIEM pool, and we are happy to

Photoshop training to improve the skills of the team

share with you that we established fruitful partnerships

members. They also implemented actions with New

thanks to the great work of CRC wolfies! We, as CRC

Year’s Eve and Christmas promotion videos which

Family, have done a lot together in this short 6-month

put a smile on many ESTIEMers faces. The knowledge

term; but we still have a lot to succeed together for the

team improved the selection process of Vision events

future of ESTIEM!

and organising Local Groups, and started preparations for the Final Conference together with LG Belgrade.

Information Technology Committee

The team members also successfully registered 2

This year, the silent ninjas of our network have worked

WGs for the CM Porto where they will work on new

on improving the IT capabilities of our network,

ideas, such as implementing a Vision study trip. The

managing the existing knowledge and improving

cooperation with ESTIEM Magazine is continuing this

our back-end system. Apart from day-to-day work

year as well. Several articles from were gathered to

for keeping the portal up and running and helping

present the focus topic “Materials - Key Drivers For

ESTIEMers in every kind of IT related areas, after CM

Innovation” in the Magazine.

Austria we managed to have the first CoM of 2016 in Eindhoven (01.01.2016, so literally) and worked on our back and front-end system. The design of the

Summer Academy

portal has changed and comes with a better navigation

One more unique summer is coming, with promises

system. We had an awesome IT School Fall edition in

of wonderful memories. There will be 3 Summer

Skopje and we will have the second edition IT School

Academies this year, which will be lead by our dearest

in Xanthi focusing app development in March.

Academic Leaders Saskia Harkema, Gregory Watson and Toon Arjens. On January 24th the first Winter

Europe3D

Academy of all the SAC history took place at Kartepe,

After Council Meeting Austria, a new team was created

a city famous with its beautiful nature between high

for the Europe3D Project. Some members have been

mountains in Turkey.There were 10 people from 7

around for a long time, others are new, which gives

different Local Groups. It was about Intercultural

a lot of diversity to the team. With 4 Team Leaders

Management and Innovation in a Globalizing World,

and 12 Task Group Leaders, the Project is ready to

lead by Saskia Harkema.

go one step forward and aim higher than ever. The first Coordination Meeting was hosted by Local Group

Within the project, we’re trying our best to strengthen

Sofia and was particularly productive. The team is

our connections with Summer Academy Alumni and

working on many new concepts, such as Europe3D+,

recording the SAC history. Therefore, the plan is to

Mini Europe3D and joint events.

organise a Summer Academy Alumni Meeting with the

The first events events of the year took place in

contribution of the Alumni Coordinator and writing

Seville and Baku. The next events of this year have

a Summer Academy history book. On the other

now been all announced and will be organised by the

hand, we applied for Erasmus+ programme grants for

Local Groups in Skopje, Izmir-Economy, Vienna and

Summer Academy Helsinki. Applications for the other

Budapest, and Lund.

two Summer Academies will be submitted by April! ■

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials 67

EXPLORE EUROPE

How being uncomfortable got comfortable in Poland?

I had an amazing opportunity to spend my summer in Warsaw doing my internship in Procter & Gamble Planning and Service Center. In this article I will tell you in more detail of how I came by this opportunity, how I felt about my time there and how it changed me.

Taavi Valgerist

Local Group Tallinn

68

How I got there?

months ago, looked up the e-mail address and since I

This journey starts in October 2014 with a very

had nothing to lose I wrote to that address just to see if

memorable event - Europe3D Poland, during which we

the offer was still in the air. Again I was very positively

first visited the historical city of Krakow and then the

surprised by the Polish culture and how helpful the

proud city of Warsaw. As it was my first big ESTIEM

people I spoke with about this internship were. In the

event I didn’t really know what to expect, but looking

end I just had to go through the standard recruitment

back in time I can safely say it was the event which

process. Unfortunately standard process for them

really shaped my view of ESTIEM. “Work hard, play

means online survey, reasoning test (IQ test with a

hard” culture I experienced during the event amazed

more fancy name) and minimum 2 interviews.

and impressed me, carrying me through exhaustion and made a lasting impact somewhere deep inside.Local

How was the time in Poland?

Group Warsaw had managed to secure a partnership

After the date of me starting my internship was set

with Procter & Gamble so we were able to have a

I started looking for a place to live those 3 months I

company visit at their new European Planning and

would be staying there. I found a lovely single room

Service Center. From the first tour around the office I

apartment next to the office with a fairly reasonable

started to like the place and after the person responsible

monthly price and as I was planning to drive there with

for recruitment told us about the opportunity to do our

my car I also found 3 people who would like to share

internships there I had my mind set - I want to do my

my ride. Everything was going better than expected.

internship here in this country, in this city, on this floor!

Of course in life not everything goes as planned - 3

After her great presentation she told us to contact her

days before I started my cars engine the owner of my

in February over e-mail and we parted ways.Time and

chosen apartment called and told me that unfortunately

events flew past so fast that suddenly it was February

he just rented the apartment out for a year to someone

and I realized that I needed to start thinking about my

else and wished me good luck in finding a new place.

upcoming summer. I remembered about this offer I got

That left me scrambling around, looking for a place to

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

EXPLORE EUROPE live for the next 3 months without having to sell my

fanatics who did manage to crash into my standing car

kidneys in the process for rent. Finally, 1 day before

few times, luckily without any harm to themselves or

my departure, I got a verbal agreement for an OK

my car though. Warsaw due to it’s quite dark past

apartment and set off in fear that what if I reach my

doesn’t hit one as a city which has many things to offer

destination and it has also been rented out to someone

regarding sights, but that is totally wrong assumption.

else again? Once again I had luck on my side - I got the

Warsaw has beautiful parks ranging from English style

apartment and I wasn’t crushed by the trucks on the

to French style, amazing modern buildings as well as

road to Warsaw. Only then walking on the streets of

rebuilt or renovated old ones and the most important

Warsaw I realized that I had done it - I am going to

of all - the people themselves are cheerfully passionate,

start tomorrow my internship in Warsaw at P&G! The

talkative and pleasant for the eye.In the end I gained

relief I felt at that moment was worth all the hassle it

some amazing friendships, learned more about the

had taken to get there. I spent around 3 weeks getting

country and my profession than I had learned until that

used to the working environment, the working culture

point in time and successfully finished my internship

and learning everything I had to learn in order to start

with 2 offers from good companies: Procter & Gamble

properly my internship. Once again I was stunned

and Coty.

by what I saw in mostly positive ways - Everyone at the office was speaking fluent English with about 40

Would I do it again?

different nationalities represented overall, the average

I would absolutely do all of it again because this was

age of around 700 employees was 28 and everyone

a true test of comfort zone. Jumping into a totally

was so supportive and eager to help that sometimes

alien environment where I know nobody for 3 months

I wondered how they are able to do their own work.

without a way back is a challenge for any adventurer.

I also had a surprised chuckle or two when I learned

During that time I learned a lot about different

that the most used program is Excel and the most

cultures and experienced working in a multicultural

valuable IT related skill was knowing VBA, which you’d

environment. I will take the liberty to say that this

not expect in such a huge company, but on the same

was possible and also a lot easier thanks to ESTIEM.

time makes sense for how flexible and multifunctional

If it wasn’t for ESTIEM I would have never had the

those tools are. I also had plenty of time aside from

opportunity in the first place or I wouldn’t have made it

the work to live a normal life and explore the city even

past the interviews. Even if I had found the opportunity

further. Only downside in using a car in Warsaw is

and gone through the successful recruitment process I

that you expect some major traffic and serious health

would not have had the set of skills to cope with such

hazards due to reckless driving. Former of which I was

different problems or environment I was faced during

able to dodge thanks to my flexible schedule and latter

my internship. ■

turned out to be infuriating but mostly harmless bicycle

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

69

EXPLORE EUROPE

Living in Denmark Ending up living in Denmark was pure accident. It was not calculated until a few months before moving in. I didn’t expect that now, after living 6 months in Roskilde, Denmark, I would have fallen so deeply in love with this tiny, windy and flat country.

Anniina Heikkilä

Local Group Tampere

70

A fact that might be difficult to understand after my

entrepreneurship student and enthusiast, I found the

daily struggle by bike through vertical rain and blowing

Danish model of participatory society very innovative

wind. The answer is simple: hygge. Danes know better

and creative, and I believe that many have a lot to

than anyone else the essence of the word “cozyness”

learn from their friendly environment and community-

- so much that the word is overused in every context.

oriented lifestyle, which seems to have contributed to

But I guess that’s what it takes to smile like a crazy

make them the happiest people in the world.

person on a daily struggle through the wind.

Once you arrive in Denmark, your first stop will most Before going into details about specific places to visit, it

likely be Copenhagen, a city that I often describe with

would be good to explore the essence of ”Danishness”.

”where being hipster is mainstream”. Perhaps the city

I would best describe it by an ecological lifestyle and

doesn’t have jaw-dropping sights that are famous

strong community-feeling. More than half of the

worldwide, but it has an atmosphere like no other

Danes use bike on a daily basis, and in Copenhagen

city, especially during summer when it gets as lively as

it’s easy to observe that it’s the most common means

it can get. Despite having a relatively small population,

of transport. Nearly 40 % of the country’s electricity

it has activities for all tastes. Copenhagen can mean a

comes from wind, and some of its islands have even

glass of wine in a trendy bodega in the idyllic old town,

declared themselves CO2 neutral. Denmark has

a bubbling Tuborg at the hip ”meatpacking district”

captured the essence of being a community quite well.

in Vesterbro, a cheap shawarma in multicultural

The amount of voluntary and citizen-led initiatives to

Nørrebro, or swimming in the canal with Djs playing

create a more inclusive and equal society often leave

along Islands Brygge. And all this without mentioning

me impressed. This can be seen, for example, in the

a place like nowhere else in the World – Christiania,

widely-spread concept of community kitchens, where

a freetown in Christianshavn, which started as a social

volunteers cook ecological food for low prices, so

movement during the 70s, and through decades of

that everyone can come and eat together, whether

fighting has gained stability and became accepted as

they are unemployed or well-paid. On the roofs of

an experimental neighborhood, covering a large area

Copenhagen the homeless people cultivate bees for

of old military barracks, forest, lake and hundreds of

local honey production, and volunteers take elderly

carefully build artistic houses. Entering Christiania is

people on a daily bike ride with rickshaws. As a social

like discovering another reality just in the middle of

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

EXPLORE EUROPE

Copenhagen, but splits opinions on whether it should

for the viking culture and an idyllic traditional Danish

exist or not. Perhaps the existence of such a place is

city, a step away from cosmopolitan Copenhagen.

related to the open-mindedness of most Danes.

Just outside Roskilde there are the rolling evergreen fields, dotted with old farmhouses and mansions, that

Most people visit only Copenhagen, forgetting that

eventually lead to bridges and ferries that bring you

Denmark actually consists of 80 inhabited islands, and

outside the island of Zealand to discover other parts of

is full of attractive natural and historical sites to visit.

Denmark. It’s a compact country which invites visitors

For instance, I landed in Roskilde – the first capital of

to explore and get inspired. A country that got me

Denmark which is only an half hour train ride away

for its attractive study opportunities, which I am now

from Copenhagen. In addition to having of the most

happy to call ”home” after such a short period of time,

well-known festivals in Europe, Roskilde is also a hub

not having any reason to leave. ■

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

71

EXPLORE EUROPE

Hola, tranquilo? My trip to Latin America Ever since I was little I loved going abroad and experiencing different cultures. ESTIEM already gave me the chance to experience every corner of Europe, and now I felt it was time for the next step. Little did I know, this became the most amazing experience of my life.

Siros Badlou

Local Group Eindhoven

While approaching the end of my Bachelors, I knew I

network ESTIEM has offered me to build. I met up

wanted something different. A life changing experience,

with a good old friend - Duygu - who did a volunteer

something that not everyone can do. I considered a

project in Rio. Drinking some beers in Copacabana

world trip before continuing with my Master. Once I

was a perfect way to start my trip. After exploring

started thinking, I determined my plan quickly. When?

Rio, I travelled southwards for the next 6 weeks. After

During the autumn. Who? Just me. And where? It did

exploring colonial villages, beautiful nature, enormous

not take much time either to decide this. While most

São Paulo, and surfers’ paradises, I ended up in Porto

of the people I know choose Asia, a cheap destination

Alegre, where I stayed at a sweet family that I came in

ideal for your first big trip, I knew I wanted to go

contact with via a Brazilian guy I had met earlier.

somewhere else. People that know me will know I have a passion for football, beaches, Latin music and the

I totally grew into the travel flow. I met a lot of inspiring

Mediterranean lifestyle. And that led to a very simple

people, knew the ins and the outs, and experienced

choice for me, a lifelong dream: Latin America.

stuff I will never be able to do again. I knew I could live this life forever. The next stop was the Iguazu Falls.

Letting it sound as an easy decision doesn’t mean I

Despite making many photos and videos, there is no

was not nervous. Of course, I experienced travelling

other way to experience these falls than visiting them.

independently in ESTIEM, but this trip was another

The power, the sound, the 360° view - unbelievable.

level. I did not know how to survive without knowing

The falls are located on the three border point with

the language. I had no idea whether my plan was

Argentina and Paraguay, so I also took the chance to

feasible. People told me I would get robbed. Trying to

visit a shady town famous for being home to a big black

prepare myself as much as possible, I initially planned to

market in the corruption-ridden country of Paraguay.

visit Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. And so I flew to Rio

After this, I reflected on the first part of my trip. While

de Janeiro, ready to start my adventure.

being satisfied so far, I knew I could do more with my time left. So, once again, I returned to my ESTIEM

72

So, where did I go?

friends and asked our Chilean boardie Stephanie

Safely arrived I immediately took advantage of the

what were my possibilities of visiting their capital city,

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

EXPLORE EUROPE Lifelong Memories It is extremely hard to tell the highlight of my trip, because each experience was so different. South America has an unbelievable variety of places. Beaches, rain forests, cities, mountains, glaciers, natural parks, deserts, salt flats and so much more. Besides that, you meet so many people full of interesting, inspiring or crazy stories. The most amazing people I met were the family in Porto Alegre. We had a great connection from the start and within 10 days they became my family. We are still in contact and saying goodbye to them was very hard. Lastly, saving myself all alone, learning more and more of the language and looking back on the amazing adventures I have experienced, I can only be happy I did this.

So, after this long trip I ask myself, what can my advice be to you? To begin, I can surely say that you should not be afraid to travel alone. It is scary in the beginning, but meeting people is extremely easy. Also, travelling can be difficult sometimes, but problems on the road lead Santiago. Quickly, I had a place to stay at her uncle’s

to the best stories. Secondly, do not plan too much. You

place. The house was located perfectly in the center

certainly need to know where you are going, but you

and with a big bed, which was unbelievably comfortable

will hear so many stories of places you did not know of

after 6 weeks of sleeping in bunk beds in 10 person-

and will regret it if you fix your plans too much. Lastly,

dorms. But the best part was of course to experience

follow the (un)written rules, be streetwise and you

the Chilean culture and this lovely city like a local.

will be safe. Safety is probably the biggest concern for most people and I was very paranoid myself in my first

I continued with travelling to places I did not plan to

weeks. Once you get used to the do’s and don’ts and

go to on first hand. Via the Atacama desert I went to

act accordingly, you’ll be fine.

the salt flats in Bolivia. These 7 days I stumbled upon astonishing nature around every other hour. Incredible

It is for sure I recommend every reader to take the

lagoons, volcanoes, rock formations, flamingos, llamas,

opportunity to travel before you start your career and

ostriches and wild pigs. The fact that I visited these

lose the possibility to take such a long time off. It is a

places unplanned made the experience even better.

life-changer and I cannot wait until I can make my next world trip ■

From Bolivia I travelled back into Argentina, where I quickly went to the bustling Buenos Aires, the city that takes at least 7 days to see. From here I flew to Ushuaia in Patagonia. This small city, laid next to the natural park “Tierra del Fuego”, is perfect for hiking. Next to that, it is possible to spot penguins and sea lions, and get a passport stamp of visiting the southernmost city of the world. How cool is that?

In my last month I travelled along the Uruguayan coast.

Uruguay is very progressive, safe and ‘tranquilo’ calm. It is a perfect place to chill out and enjoy life. I returned to Porto Alegre for another week with the family I stayed with earlier. After spending my last days in Montevideo, it was time to return home. And after the amazing but long 4 months, I did not mind to go back home at all.

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

73

EXPLORE EUROPE

Event calendar

See you somewhere in Europe!

April 2016 ■ ■

■

02.06-07.06 ESTIEM Career Event, Eindhoven

Kragujevac

■

03.06-06.06 Motivational Weekend North

24.04-01.05 Vision & businessbooster - Driven

by Innovation, Paderborn, Dortmund and Siegen

■

June 2016

22.04-26.04 Balkan Regional Meeting,

West Region, Dortmund ■

20.06-26.06 Vision, Smart Textiles, Aachen

27.04-02.05 Sofia visits Grenoble July 2016

May 2016 ■

02.05-07.05 Munich & Stockholm visits Istanbul-

■

03.07-10.07 Summer Academy, Helsinki

■

04.07-25.07 Summer Entrepreneurship Training,

Bogazici

Tel Aviv, Bremen, Eindhoven

■

04.05-09.05 Gothenburg visits Belgrade

■

11.07-18.07 Summer Academy, Bucharest

■

04.05-10.05 Europe3D+ Politics Macedonia,

■

30.07-06.08 Summer Academy, Minho

Skopje ■ ■

05.05-09.05 Baltic Regional Coordination

August 2016

Meeting, Vilnius

■

09.05-15.05 Vision - Organic Materials, Groningen

■

01.08-08.08 Language Course: Let’s learn Italiano!

■

Europe3D Turkey, Izmir-Economy

11.05-16.05 Studentfest Activity Week, Warsaw

September 2016

■

18.05-22.05 ESTIEM meets EPIEM, Vienna

■

09.10-15.10 Vision Final Conference, Belgrade

■

20.05-26.05 BrainTrainer, “Critical thinking”,

■

Europe3D Austro-Hungary, Vienna & Budapest

Novi Sad ■

21.05-28.05 EPSA-ESTIEM Training New

October 2016

Trainers, Oslo

■

Europe3D Sweden, Lund

■

23.05-29.05 Vision, Cork’In, Aveiro

■

26.05-31.05 Knowledge Management

November 2016

Committee CoM, Kiev

■

07.11-13.11 LIII Council Meeting, Novi Sad

ESTIEM Magazine | 50th issue - New Materials

74

EXPLORE EUROPE

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