Daily Archives: November 23, 2009

Baruch College Zicklin School of Business is a global enterprise. Delivering academic programming in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and partnering with academic institutions around the world, Zicklin’s reach extends far beyond the five boroughs of New York City. The Global Zicklin Series will introduce you to these global efforts and feature members of the Zicklin community and their own global pursuits.

To kick the series off, we go to Kolkata, India, where second-year Full-time Honors MBA student Ashok Kamal is taking a semester to study at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC).  This study abroad opportunity, at one of the world’s leading schools of business, was made available to Ashok by working with Baruch College’s Weissman Center for International Business.  The Weissman Center sponsors study abroad activity, global conferences, international business internships, and other activities that prepare the Baruch Zicklin community for the ever changing global economy.

In mid October, Ashok wrote to us chronicling the first weeks of his journey.  That report is found below.  In January, we will hear again from Ashok, who will bring us up to date on the remainder of his journey, including a trip to Bangladesh to visit relatives.

Whitewater rafting. Watching the sun rise over the Himalayas. Touring a tea garden in Darjeeling. These are some activities that describe my first month studying abroad at the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIMC), one of Asia’s top business schools.

Then there’s class.

Despite being half a world away from the U.S., the IIMC curriculum invokes familiar business gurus: Kotler, Drucker, Porter. But most subjects are taught with an Indian twist. For example, my Sales and Distribution Management course covers the standard functions of the value chain. However, distribution in India – where most of the population resides in over 600,000 rural villages – poses unique challenges.  Yet villages encompass the attractive and much-discussed “bottom of the pyramid” market, so the physical challenge of distribution is transcended by an extraordinary growth opportunity.  

Ashok Kamal overlooking the Himalayas.

The extracurricular life at IIMC is electric. Students typically stay awake until 4 or 5am, taking short naps before morning classes. There’s simply too much going on to justify sleep.  Case competitions are constant, as is the sound of a bouncing soccer ball or Hindi dance music in the background.  After midnight the cafeterias convert into “night canteens,” producing snacks such as parathas (traditional Indian bread) to complement tea or Kingfisher beer.  Conversations center on financial markets, international politics, and entrepreneurial ideas to address the world’s problems.  I get the sense that I’m not only making friends, but also future business partners.

Sometimes the world seems truly flat.  In the middle of a nightclub such as Tantra or Venom, I have to remind myself that I’m not in Manhattan anymore. At other times, the contrast between NYC and Kolkata is stark, like when my taxi has to swerve around a stray cow in the street.

As an MBA student in a world with disappearing borders, there is no better way to prepare for 21^st century business than immersion into one of its emerging hubs. IIMC has added a new dimension to my education, extending beyond business to life as well.

More Information About:
Full-time Honors MBA: http://zicklin.baruch.cuny.edu/programs/graduate/mba/full/
Weissman Center for International Business: http://zicklin.baruch.cuny.edu/centers/weissman/
IIM Calcutta: http://www.iimcal.ac.in/