December 7, 2015, by Academic contributor
MBA Business Practice Week
Each year Nottingham MBA students take a week off-curriculum to get a first-hand taste of different types of organisation, examining their business model and approach to problems and business functions. This year students were treated to talks by inspirational record breaking polar explorer (and fellow Nottingham MBA alumnus) Adrian Hayes, and renowned business leader and CEO of International Airlines Group, Willie Walsh. They also visited workplaces as diverse as global aerospace company Rolls Royce, a contemporary art gallery, financial services giant Bloomberg, easyJet, and Bletchley Park. Business Practice Week is part of a wider programme of opportunities for Nottingham MBA students to engage directly with a variety of organisations and understand how key business concepts are most effectively applied.
In a series of special blogs we hear individual perspectives from current MBA students who recently took part in Business Practice Week.
Assel Kussainova
Fly high
The Business Practice Week was a strategic event in my studying process because of three insights that I had during that period of time. First, a passionate life follower Adrian Hayes reminded me why I am doing MBA. I am not here just for the theory; I want to discover an idea of business I will be passionate about. The business in which I will not only challenge myself but also have fun as Rough Trade’s founder did. This business will not be just for money but also for improvement of the life in my country.
CSR was my second insight in this trip. The last day of BPW I spontaneously decided to join a CSR group and did not regret. I was so inspired and tried to follow this impulse. I am still fascinated by this idea, concept, movement and way of life.
And the last insight flows from the previous one and it is people. I encountered real people in the MBA cohort not my perceptions of them. I was surprised how they opened their cocoons and suddenly I saw many beautiful butterflies around me. I felt that the issue I am most interested in is people and society.
However, I also noticed that I often do not take a responsibility. And this is how I understand social responsibility – think about people around every time you do or say something and not to inflict harm to them.
The questions that I asked myself during that week were “Who am I? Who do I hope to become?” I have not found answers yet but I have one year to think about it.
At the end I realized that I aim to be a leader not for guiding them but for changing their minds for the good of all.
Assel Kussainova is currently completing a full-time MBA
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