CUAS International Business Management Master Students on Excursion in Italy and Slovenia

Danieli_Visit_2017_06_07.JPG
International Business Management students with Ms. Camilla Benedetti and Mr. Giacomo Mareschi, Owners of DANIELI s.p.a. (in the middle) and accompanying professors Mag. Katarina Gutownig-Fürst (second right hand) and FH-Prof. Dr. Dietmar Sternad (first left hand).
Piran_2017_06_08.JPG
International Business Management students in Piran with FH-Prof. Dr. Dietmar Sternad
Calligaris_Visit_2017_06_07.jpg
International Business Management students with Mr. Alessandro Calligaris, Owner of CALLIGARIS s.p.a. (in the middle) and accompanying professors Mag. Katarina Gutownig-Fürst and FH-Prof. Dr. Dietmar Sternad (first and second at the right side).

From June 7th to June 8th, 2017, our International Business Management master’s program students in the second semester were on an excursion to Italy and Slovenia as part of the course “Doing Business in CEE/SEE”.

The excursion provided a unique opportunity of discussing current business issues as well as study-related topics with top managers and owners of internationally successful companies. This time, the companies DANIELI (IT), CALLIGARIS (IT) and INTEREUROPA (SLO) were welcoming our students. Additionally, the group spent a night in the beautiful Slovenian coastal city of Piran.

In the morning of the first day of the excursion, the students visited the company DANIELI Plant Engineering in Buttrio, Italy. It was a great honor to talk to two members of the Board of Directors of this leading company in the manufacture of steelmaking plants, Ms. Camilla Benedetti and Mr. Giacomo Mareschi. The students got an insight into the history and the present situation of a global company with more than 10,000 employees and several production sites all over the world. Especially interesting was the very open discussion about current company issues such as global market developments, the internationalization process, the technological progress in the industry and the company’s global human resource management and talent development strategy. Furthermore, the company representatives provided first-hand insights from personal experiences and challenges in international business. In the end, the students participated in a guided tour through the factory of DANIELI and could get insights into the complex production process of steel plants. Thanks to HR manager Ms. Alessandra Bisol, the group had a perfectly organized and interesting morning in Buttrio.

After enjoying a typical Italian lunch in a near-by restaurant, the group travelled to an Italian village called Manzano, a town that produces more than 35 million chairs annually (two-thirds of the European annual demand). The group visited the world-famous furniture producer CALLIGARIS s.p.a., a company that is specialized in producing mainly premium chairs and tables. Mr. Robert Mirabella, Sales and Marketing Director, welcomed the students and discussed the newly developed international brand strategy of CALLIGARIS with them. This discussion gave a very practical understanding of international marketing issues and challenges. Following to that, the group had the opportunity to see and test the high-quality products in the showroom. Also Mr. Alessandro Calligaris, the owner of the company, joined the group for a short talk and for taking a picture together. After this company visit, the group travelled to Piran and spent a lovely evening with a traditional Mediterranean dinner at the Adriatic Sea.

On the second day of the excursion, after a delicious breakfast by the sea, the students visited the global logistics provider INTEREUROPA in Koper (Slovenia). The visit was well planned and organized by Ms. Dolores Liliana Marolt, Expert Consultant for Personnel. The students had a lively company presentation and discussion with Ms. Dorjana Gregorič, Product Manager for Continental Services. Ms. Gregorič gave a good overview of the company’s activities in the CEE/SEE countries and current trends and development in the logistics industry. Afterwards, the students had a very interesting question and answers session with Ms. Gregorič and HR manager Ms. Petra Furlan Dodič about challenges and opportunities in these markets and the HR policies of the company.

Through this excursion, the International Business Management students were able to gain insights in the specifics of doing international business in the CEE/SEE (Central and Eastern Europe/Southeastern Europe) region as well as on a global level.  They could also deepen their knowledge in various business fields such as internationalization strategies, HR management, or international marketing. Furthermore, the group had the possibility to enjoy the Adriatic Sea and the marvelous historic cities Piran and Koper.