MBA Students on Overseas Study Trips

In its continued quest for academic distinction, the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business has introduced overseas travel initiatives into its MBA programmes, adding a dimension of fun, cultural awareness and networking opportunities to the student experience.

The trips were designed to build into students those soft skills which are not learned in the classroom but which are critical for business success in a global economy. At the same time, it advances our internationalisation of the MBA experience.

The School undertook the full cost of airfare, accommodation, ground transport, breakfast and lunch. The study trips will become a standard component of the MBA programmes and will be extended to other academic programmes.

Read more on:

• EMBA Students in Overseas Networking Initiative
• IMBA Students Immersed in Latin American Culture

• Centre for Training & Development
  • Professional Development
    • Team Building Workshop
    • Leading Change & Innovation
  • Skills Development
    • Effective Interviewing Skills
    • Administrative Professionals Workshop
    • Spanish For Administrative Professionals
    • Managing Corporate Events For Administrative Professionals

EMBA Students in Overseas Networking Initiative

Eighteen students from the Executive MBA Programme Cohort 16 recently embarked on a four day networking trip to Barbados .

This initiative grew out of the Lok Jack GSB's premise to take the MBA experience to another level by equipping students with skills that will serve them beyond the classroom.

The EMBA class comprises managers and executives from a wide cross section of corporate Trinidad who are challenged on a daily basis to make their companies more relevant and responsive to the changing business environment. This trip helped them to initiate contact with other regional business professionals and leaders and forge relationships which they can leverage as the Caricom Single Market & Economy advances.

Sergey Trenkinshu, of EMBA Cohort 16, summed up the experience as such: “Managing globalization is one of the major challenges of an executive manager in the modern dynamic world of business. This study tour provided an excellent opportunity for practical experience in understanding the similarities and differences in conducting business within the region and internationally.”

The EMBA students were hosted by our sister institution, the Centre for Management Development, for a half day programme on “Business Trends in Barbados ”. Presenters included:

• Peter Whitehall, Central Bank of Barbados
• Ann Gittens – The Nation Publishing Company Ltd.
• Marlon Yarde – Barbados Stock Exchange

A networking cocktail reception was later held with CMD alums.

There was an enthusiastic response to an island safari which promoted social interaction among students outside of the classroom. Finally, the EMBAs were treated to an informative session with the Barbados National Bank on the realities of doing business in Barbados .

The Barbados trip demonstrates the Lok Jack GSB's unrelenting commitment to enhancing the student experience. A similar trip to Jamaica is already being planned for next year in collaboration with the Mona School of Business.

Why were students of the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business recently riding a cable car into the Caracas mountains?

Because interacting with our Spanish speaking neighbours is no longer negotiable – it is a business reality.

In keeping with the Lok Jack GSB's language philosophy to immerse students in the culture of Latin America, eleven (11) students from the International MBA Programme Cohort 15 recently returned from a six day tour of Caracas , Venezuela . The group was hosted by the Instituto de Estudios Superiores Administracion (IESA), a triple accredited business school in Caracas . Students sat in on MBA classes at IESA and engaged in case discussions in the presence of CEOs whose companies were being studied.

For a more authentic feel of Latin American business culture, visits were paid to two companies to expose students to the working environment and have them engage the management of the companies. These were:

• HBO Latin America ; and
• Empresas polar (leading food & beverage company)

Several cultural and tourist sites were visited such as Avila Magica, Paseo Quinta Arauco o Museo de Bellas Artes.

“The class interactions, as well as the cultural interactions, were invaluable because I can now truly appreciate the country, the people and the culture which were all foreign to me prior to this trip,”  remarked Sandeep Maharaj, of IMBA Cohort 15.

This undertaking strengthens the GSB's relationship with IESA and furthers its mandate towards internationalisation. A Memorandum of Understanding is being developed that would allow the GSB to reciprocate by hosting IESA's MBA students and lecturers.

The cultural initiative is rooted in the Lok Jack GSB's commitment to deliver a value added MBA experience and will become standardised on the academic programme.

Centre for Training & Development

Professional Development

Team Building Workshop
April 25 th or 26 th 2006

This is an excellent opportunity for individuals to participate in a world renowned experiential learning workshop on Team Building . Since 1997, this unique approach focusing on Teamwork and Personal Leadership, has been embraced by leading professionals and business managers globally as their tool of choice in employee development. Mr. Bill Geraats, President of VISTA Learning Services, will be joining us from Canada to facilitate this lively and enjoyable workshop.

Learning Objectives

• Develop strong Team Synergy; a crucial ingredient for the success of all projects and business assignments.
• Experience first hand how Personal Leadership and good Team Management determine the outcome of most projects.
• Learn how to manage the multiple changes that are a natural part of doing business, and welcome them as new “opportunities” to excel.
• Experience hands-on how this workshop develops and enhances the People Skills required to deliver the Job Skills.
• Recognize the power of “experiential” learning in fostering long term retention, and its inherent ability for self assessment of your own talents and traits, as well as those of your team mates.

For further information contact:

Email: professionaldevelopment@gsb.tt
Phone: 645-6700 [Melissé Massy ext. 162 / Nisha Nanan-Mahabir x.130]
Fax: 662-1411

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Leading Change & Innovation
April 19 th – 21 st 2006

In the face of emerging global trends, fuelled by rapid technological advancements and the new rules of trade, organisations in developing countries and, in particular, small-island states such as Trinidad and Tobago , have found that change has emerged as perhaps their most dominant strategic imperative.

Successful organisations have found, however, that change initiatives that fail to leverage the human potential have little chance of delivering lasting results that contribute to the long term survival of the organisation. It is also true that most change efforts fail where organisations fail to involve the people who must implement the change.

The challenge, therefore, lies in the organisation's capacity to facilitate buy-in to change initiatives while tapping in to the creative potential of its members.

This programme is designed for senior managers who may be charged with the responsibility of implementing organisational change to develop the skills to implement and mange change.

Learning Objectives

• Create an environment that encourages and facilitates innovation in their organisations
• Identify and apply principles involved in designing and leading change initiatives
• Apply organisational Development concepts to the change process
• Review and improve process for managing and deepening the transformation process
• Analyse their own capabilities to lead and manage change and innovation

 

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Skills Development

Effective Interviewing Skills
April 25 th -27th

Recruiting and selecting the right employees have always been a challenge for managers. Recruiting people who are wrong for the organisation can lead to increase labour turnover, resulting in increased costs for the organisation, and lowering of morale in the existing workforce.

Consequently people are likely to become discontented, unlikely to give of their best, and end up leaving voluntarily or involuntarily when their unsuitability becomes evident.

This Workshop will assist Human Resource Office by providing a planned and systematic approach to recruitment and selection.

Learning Objectives

• Attract talent through innovative recruitment sources
• Engage in and handle face-to-face interaction
• Conduct a goal-directed interview and uncover more in-depth data about the candidate
• Understand and comply with legal rules and guidelines
• Prepare effective and easy interview preparation steps
• Develop an interviewing strategy and to open and close an interview
• Implement consistent recruiting, screening and hiring procedures
• Uncover the areas in which the interviewee needs improvement and has strengths
• Establish a selection standard for employment

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Administrative Professionals Workshop
April 24 th -25 th or 27 th -28 th

This programme is designed to enable the Clerical Officers, Secretarial Staff and Administrative Professionals to broaden their outlook and develop their skills to become more effective in their roles. At the end of this programme, participants will be able to strengthen their department in its response to the ever changing environment.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this programme, participants would be able to:

• Function in supportive roles to their managers/supervisors.
• Enhance core skills related to developing positive interpersonal environments, motivation, communication, leadership and decision making.
• Assume higher responsibility than that associated with clerical and secretarial functions, but which now includes elements of management.

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Spanish For Administrative Professionals
April 24 th -25 th

Speaking and writing Spanish has become an essential part of today's business environment. The growth of trade and commerce between Latin America and the Caribbean is rapidly increasing, more so for the Trinidad and Tobago business environment given our proximity to Venezuela . As an Administrative Professional, a basic understanding and use of the Spanish language makes the individual an invaluable asset to the organisation. The Lok Jack Graduate School of Business has formulated a two-day, comprehensive workshop especially designed to fulfill these needs.

Learning Objectives

• The objective of this program is to provide the vocabulary, language structure and conversational use of Spanish necessary to communicate information with a Spanish speaking client. Participants will be taught pronunciation, sentence structure and essential information as required by Administrative Professionals in their daily functions to interact competently.

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Managing Corporate Events For Administrative Professionals
April 24 th -25 th

Confidently take on the added pressure and challenges associated with projects—and get the job done!

Today, Administrative Professionals have to juggle daily responsibilities with special projects. This demands a large investment of time and requires you to stretch your skills--to coordinate the work of people, identify project requirements, gather resources and set project goals that result in successful events.

Learning Objectives

• Manage kick-off meetings effectively
• Develop an Event Breakdown Structure
• Conduct a Risk Management Exercise
• Develop an Event Schedule
• Conduct Event Evaluation
• Manage Finance effectively

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