MSc in Business Administration

What I like the most about the GEM-specialisation is how it has broaden my own perspective on the world, not only work-related but also my thinking in general. Diversity and inclusion issues can be found everywhere in society and this specialisation made me more aware of my own position in these.

This Master specialisation is quite new, so there are not many students enrolled yet. I see this as an advantage, as this makes the contact with our Master coordinator very personal and informal. Professors are passionate about their field of research and are always in for a discussion. They are very approachable to answer questions or to explain things that are unclear. Most seminars are with +- 30 students, which provides the opportunity for personal attention.

What I find most challenging in this specialisation are the courses related to political theory. These courses require a different way of thinking and debating that I was not used to. However, these courses helped me to grow and develop myself and to step outside my comfort zone. I think this is exactly what a Master is supposed to teach you.

I am currently finishing my thesis about inclusive leadership, where I look into barriers and facilitators to inclusion. I was free to choose my own topic of interest within this very broad research field and I enjoyed writing about a topic that I had chosen myself. Feedback from my supervisor challenges me to perform better and to be more critical towards my own work. Yes, writing a thesis is sometimes frustrating, but definitely worthwhile.

I think this Master is of societal value, as it brings more awareness and there are still so many issues of inequalities to be found in both society and organisations. This Master specialisation is quite unique and I think that might help in finding a job in the current labour market. After I finished my Master specialisation I would like to work as an HR advisor, applying my knowledge to HR practices, making managers more aware of issues of diversity and inclusion and maybe do some projects related to this. As I said before, besides the knowledge and skills I acquired during this Master's degree, I also broadened my perspective on the world and my own position within. I am convinced that this will be of value for the rest of my life.

International Business incorporates some economics as an interesting addition to my previous study. Compared to the bachelor of applied science, doing a master’s study requires a different understanding, more theoretical and scientific. However, lecturers are trying hard to include some practical examples/assignments. The challenge for me really was methodology. But with a lot of practice it is doable.

The interaction with lecturers and students really achieves a next level. The pre-master study was with so many people. Especially with the IB specialisation, the group is much smaller and there is more interaction. This really creates a positive and motivating vibe, as there are more discussions and willingness to interact.

The most challenging was the workload at the second half of the year. Three exams, of which one is methodology, and starting the master thesis really requires a lot of us. But as my supervisor told me: “Take the bull by its horns and have confidence”. So that’s all you got to do, accept the challenge and work hard. It will pay off!

The thesis I am writing is about innovation in emerging markets. Many SMEs originating from these countries are not capable of innovating due to lack of resources and a constraining institutional environment. Nevertheless, it is important to understand the drivers of innovation of those SMEs that were able to innovate. In the end, SMEs are the backbone of the economy and to survive challenging environmente they need to innovate. So, what I basically look at is which resources internal to the firm (such as: human capital and experience) drive innovation. In addition, I also analyse how cooperation with others strengthens this relationship and how the poorly developed institutional environment constraints it.

In addition to learning about topics related to international business, you develop a work ethic from which you can benefit in your future career. Receiving this degree isn’t easy, you have to work hard but along the way you benefit so much. You develop your theoretical knowledge, but you also develop personally. I will use this in my job at Dell, which I recently accepted while I am still studying. At such a company, a multinational, having IB as a specialisation is a great fit as I learned about a lot of different aspects regarding doing business internationally.

I chose this Master's specialisation because I was interested in the theories and models marketing managers use in their decision making. The Master’s programme is a good reflection of the entire marketing spectrum. From consumer behaviour to international brand management, and of course measuring your marketing performance. All these and other interesting topics are covered in this Master's programme.

Traditionally, marketing is mainly customer-oriented. This Master's specialisation at Radboud University offers a broader view. The focus is on a multi-stakeholder perspective and it highlights the importance of long term stakeholder relationships. An important topic in this era of fierce competition, technological breakthroughs and more attention to sustainability.

This Master’s specialisation prepares you for a career in a field that is changing faster than ever before. Where the youngest on earth learn to swipe rather than learn how to walk. This programme gives you an understanding of these changes, the impact of these changes on society and how to act as a future Marketing professional in these turbulent times.

Personally, I am really interested in Digital Marketing. I want to get familiar with sets of big data and make marketing decisions that let the company flourish. I hope my Master's in Marketing will give me the right tools and insights to make work of it in my future career.

The combination of design and development was especially triggering my attention. In my previous studies, I developed some change programs, but I only looked at the soft factors and I ignored the underlying structural problems. Focusing on the big picture is interesting. I always thought that organizations are primarily focused on creating profit or that people only work because they want to become rich. However, now I learned that there are other important aspects for developing organizations. The social aspect of an organisation is important in this Master’s thesis. Employees are the key to organizations.

The teachers are very enthusiastic about their research domain and this Master’s specialisation. This helps me to develop a critical, future-oriented attitude towards organisational design and development. Talking to teachers or asking something in a lecture was not always easy for me, but the atmosphere in class is good and confident. The diversity of the courses is a plus for this Master’s thesis as they are perfectly related to each other.

I was always a little bit scared about the Master’s thesis. However, there are lots of opportunities and you can focus your research on a topic of your own interest. Every supervisor has one or two broad topics and within this topic you can choose your own Master’s thesis topic. The feedback is challenging, but very interesting and rewarding. The supervisors try to move you in the right direction. My thesis is about new forms of organizing (virtual teams) and how this effects team collaboration.

The skills I learn here will be of great value to me for the rest of my life. I really like the diversity of the courses and the different skills you learn. I think it is important that there are ODD practitioners in the field to design and develop a workable organization, with an eye for the employees, the society and the organizational goals. Once I received my Master’s degree, I would like to work in an organization that undergoes a lot of changes. Especially, I like the changes through globalization, technology-usage and the reaction on these trends in new ways of working. A traineeship in IT in combination with organisational design and development sounds interesting.