The MBA - a toolkit full of ide updates By Andreas Langl, MBA graduate of The Open University Business School
The MBA a toolkit full of ideas
travel notes... Air Travel... From the the end of this month (March), Andalus Airlines is increasing its flights to and from Madrid and re-opening the Barcelona route.
options and solutions for rate from my w even the most difficult life, my MBA stu of problems. Second, if ten helped me t challenging situat you have a well-stocked With morning and evening flights both ways to work. th every day except Saturdays, As it is nowsuch toolkit, there are Madrid methpossible to organise your travel schedule to suit tended ‘wor without having to plan extra overnight stops inmy the ods in it, which if correctSpanish capital — and it is even possible to make There were many the return trip in the same day if you need to make ly applied, can help find a quick business trip. the solutions. And third, gies between my Barcelona flights are re-starting with one flight and on-theyou have to knowThe what in each direction in the early afternoonmy (see the full flight schedule in next month’s issue for more) and tivities. I was able method to use, when these extrato routes now open the door for travellers to and from Gibraltar to use these two major airports the methods I wa use it and how to apply it.flights worldwide. for connecting ingtheto tackle wor MH Bland Travel Services, representative for Andalus Airlines in Gibraltar will be working and closely with the airline to introduce arrive pre- and post- at sust cruise stays as well as football packages for both solutions. Of course, I at looked Barcelona at and Madrid fans. If you want to find outFor exa what’s available, why not pop down to your local was able to struct other MBA providers be-or book online travel agent, directly through the website www.andalus.es n fore I decided to join The information availa Open University Business search any missin by Andreas Langl, MBA graduate of The Open School MBA programme. and analyse it usin University Business School those Everyone knows I compared the content able tool from m moments in our working and the value for mon- ies. It was just knows those moments lives Everyone - there’s a seemingly ey as well as the overall step from theory in our working lives — there’s a seemingly difficult professional difficult professional chal- context of the various tice, but it was a challenge and you have just run out lengeof ideas. andNowyou just programmes. The factors mous help when imaginehave what it would be likeof to have a toolkitNow to hand. imYou run out ideas. to finding the so that made me choose TheLink... Ferry can reach into it and pull out exactly aginewhatwhat itsolve would be Open University Business you need to the problem. main things I learned to one of Spain’s like The to three have a toolkit School were the Transcoma, pracduring my MBA studies were: first, leading maritime companies, has hand.thereYou can reach into tice-oriented approach, I applied are alternative options and recently established a Gibraltarmy newly solutions for evenout the most difficult branch, Transcoma (Gibraltar) it and pull exactly skills as a senior the flexibility with reof problems. Second, if you have Ltd (ship agents and brokers), analyst atbeTelekom whata well-stocked you need to are solve If you have gard topleasestudy time and toolkit, there any questions, contact your local and the company hopes it will call +34 91 578 1616 or email: in it, which if correctly as department h the methods problem. The three representative the— fact thatnow forthe school able to further enhance the cruise m.wiggett@open.ac.uk. Or register the applied, can help find the solutions. 1st presentation of the Open University Busiand travel offerings available ina research Evolaris, hasprogramme. triple mainAnd things learned dur- May third, you Ihave to know what ness School Deadline accreditation. 31st March. Spain and Gibraltar. Contact details: www.open.ac.uk/gibraltar email: method to use, when to use it and in Graz, Austria and ing my MBA studies were: oubsgibraltar@open.ac.uk how to apply it. The parent company introduced a ferry route Shuffle Master, an sepaAlgeciras and Gibraltar, which started on first, there are alternative Rather than beingbetween Of course, I looked at other MBA providers before I decided to join The Open University Business School MBA programme. I compared the content and the value for money as well as the overall context of the various programmes. The factors that made me choose The Open University Business School were the practice-oriented approach, the flexibility with regard to study time and the fact that the school has triple accreditation. Rather than being separate from my working life, my MBA studies often helped me to solve challenging situations at work. As such they extended my ‘workbench’. There were many synergies between my studies and my on-the-job activities. I was able to use the methods I was learning to tackle work issues and arrive at sustainable solutions. For example, I was able to structure the information available, research any missing data and analyse it using a suitable tool from my studies. It was just a small step from theory to practice, but it was an enormous help when it came to finding the solutions. I applied my newly learned skills as a senior market analyst at Telekom Austria, as department head at Evolaris, a research centre in Graz, Austria and at Card Shuffle Master, an American casino supplier with headquarters in Las Vegas. The blend of management experience and my MBA skills are also the foundations on which I built up my own market analysis institute. We identify and analyse new markets for our clients including an evaluation of the needs and preferences of their customers and trading partners. We support our clients’ growth and work with them to develop and implement new market strategies. My learning from my MBA studies at The Open University Business School can be compared to a strategic road map that helps me find the best way forward, a toolkit that can help keep an organisation afloat in tough times, or a tow rope that helps pull organisations out of situations which, without it, would seem impossible.
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MARCH 2010