MBAs conduct field research in India and adapt to project changes

Hello all. We arrived in Bangalore last night, and had our first day with our client today. We have been very generously welcomed here. It was a very productive day, as we were able to meet with the heads of Finance, Marketing, Fundraising, and Strategy. They were all very impressive, and they run an extremely sophisticated operation. We were able to get a strong sense of their goals, and how they hope to achieve them. We also got a sense of the many challenges they face.

There is no lack of potential projects. However, our stated project (helping choose the optimal domestic expansion targets) will probably have to change. Currently, they expand into new regions based on invitations from the local governments. They only decline invitations if they lack the resources (i.e. private donations, municipal commitment, and availability of real estate) to operate viably in that region. They already have well developed methodologies for evaluating expansion targets. Our efforts are better served elsewhere, in helping with the many other challenges they face in reaching their aggressive expansion goals.

Potential areas of focus:

- resource procurement optimization
- marketing strategies to improve domestic and international awareness
- labor force efficiency: training, knowledge transfer
- formalized strategic plans: 2-3 year plans, and a rolling 10 year plan

These are just a few of the many issues that were raised in our interviews with the staff, which we recorded and look forward to sharing with you.

Tomorrow we will be touring the main kitchen in Bangalore, as well as some of the local schools. We will keep everyone abreast of our progress. As always, any and all feedback is appreciated.

-Saman & Reggie

UCLA CIBER inaugurates high school program around sustainability

UCLA CIBER finished its first Global Green Business Week For Young Leaders, a one-week summer program for talented high school juniors and seniors. Forty students came from California, New Mexico, Minnesota, Maryland, Italy, Malaysia, France, and the United Arab Emirates to participate in the program. The students lived in dorms on campus and were taught by faculty from UCLA Anderson and the UCLA Institute of the Environment, as well as from graduate students from management, economics, and urban planning. For more info, contact our center at ciber@anderson.ucla.edu.

Note: Photo courtesy Erin Orias Photography.

Executive MBA students sponsored by UCLA CIBER conduct research for Medical and Surgical Skills Institute (MSSI) in Ghana

With the financial assistance of UCLA CIBER, a UCLA Executive MBA (EMBA) SMR (Strategic Management Research) team was able to coordinate two visits to Accra, Ghana. The purpose of these visits was to conduct primary research for the business plan. Travel to Ghana was essential to obtaining information on the Johnson & Johnson/International Aid (J&J/IA) sponsored Medical & Surgical Skills Institute (MSSI) at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

During their visits, they conducted interviews and surveys of medical students, surgical residents, University of Ghana Medical School professors and administrators, medical society leaders, corporate contributors and equipment manufacturers, and representatives of our client organizations.

Prior to their visit, the team conducted a study of 300 surgeons at the West African College of Surgeons Conference in Conakry, Guinea. Their initial visit to Ghana afforded the opportunity to gather interview data to supplement our survey responses. They were fortunate to also travel to the Michigan-based headquarters of International Aid. The interviews conducted there and at the University of Michigan allowed the team to gain insight into the intricacies of medical equipment donation, NGO operations, and the nuances of international relationships between academic institutions.

The team's second visit to Ghana provided the opportunity to interview members from their client organizations, gain insight into their other corporate contributions, and observe the MSSI in action. Additionally, the EMBA students used this as an opportunity to present our preliminary findings to their clients as part of a mid-point presentation.

The scope of the SMR project required primary research in excess of what would have been possible with the limited standard budget. The additional funding provided by CIBER allowed for additional research that will undoubtedly yield meaningful and actionable recommendations for the team's clients.

MBA students attend the University of Chicago Microfinance Conference

On May 8, 2009, fourteen MBA students from UCLA Anderson attended the University of Chicago Microfinance Conference. The conference, entitled "Navigating the Markets: Microfinance in the New Economy" was held at the Chicago Booth School of Business Harper Center. In addition to the fourteen first-year MBAs who attended the conference, one Applied Management Research (AMR) team from UCLA Anderson, comprised of second-year MBA students Wallace Cheng, Amit Thakkar, Tulika Kundu, and Avantika Bhargava, presented their AMR project for client Grameen America.