Quinlan MBAs Start Up Study Abroad Program in Croatia
A recent post on the Quinlan School of Business website highlights the achievements of four MBA students who created their own study abroad course. Using the Ignatian Pedagogy framework as a guide, Abby Annala, Magi Zlatkova, Emily Schroeder and Amanda Schaumann and management professor Mike Welch spent 12 days in Croatia consulting with two companies. The Quinlan group provided the foreign businesses with market trend research, industry analysis, and information on the American consumer.
“I really admired how the students took ownership over the course and their learning,” Welch said. “They successfully used the Ignatian Pedagogy framework to maximize their time in Croatia and provide their client with an actionable business plan.” The Ignatian Pedagogy framework is a model for teaching and learning with emphasis on experience, reflection, and action.
The process began in the months leading up to the trip. Students began working with their first client, Kraš, a Zagreb chocolate company, by researching the company to determine its market share in Croatia while also analyzing American market trends from the confectionery industry.
Upon arriving in Europe, students met with representatives from Kraš and their second client, Stemi. They were able to visit Kraš retail stores and facilities. Following the trip, the Quinlan MBAs provided the chocolate company with an actionable business plan to help bring retail operations to Chicago.
Meanwhile, Stemi, a start-up company focused on educating women and children about STEM, requested insights on the American education market and consumer. The Quinlan students provided Stemi with research on the U.S. education market and advised the Croatian company to shift its marketing focus from individual consumers to educational institutions, such as schools and libraries.
“I’m very proud of what we accomplished in Croatia and our deliverables for Kraš and Stemi,” Magi Zlatkova, one of the students on the trip, told Qunilan. “At times it was challenging for us to balance both full-time school and work, on top of creating a study abroad course from scratch, but in the end it was all worth it!”
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Max Pulcini
Max Pulcini is a Philadelphia-based writer and reporter. He has an affinity for Philly sports teams, Super Smash Bros. and cured meats and cheeses. Max has written for Philadelphia-based publications such as Spirit News, Philadelphia City Paper, and Billy Penn, as well as national news outlets like The Daily Beast.
