This is a joint project seminar of the Competence Center for Central and Eastern Europe at WU, the Carlson School of Management (CSOM), University of Minnesota, USA, and the corporate partner, General Mills from USA. Both student groups - 10 WU and 20 CSOM students - will work together on a real life case that centers around the launch of a food brand in Switzerland, Austria and Czech Republic.

The objective of this project is to develop a go-to-market/launch concept for this brand including the marketing-mix and financial Evaluation.

This project seminar continues a seminar series that has been successfully offered together with CSOM and changing corporate partners (IBM, 3M, Toro, Hormel) every summer term since 1996. Each course includes a study trip to the target countries - this year Zürich and/or Prague.

Important links:

CSOM: http://carlsonschool.umn.edu/

General Mills: http://www.generalmills.de

CC CEE: http://www.wu.ac.at/cee

By the end of this course students will have

• Specific knowledge of doing business in Central Europe
• Learned how to develop an international brand strategy
• Improved their ability to work in a multicultural group
• Strengthened their library and Internet research skills and learned how to synthesize and assess data/information from a variety of sources.

The seminar consists of two parts. During the first part from March 16 to the end of May the CSOM and WU teams will work relatively independently. Students will refresh their (international) marketing knowledge and after the launch of the business case in early April start with desk research related to the project.

The main activity happens during the 2 weeks from June 1 to 12 when CSOM students come to WU and we work together on the market/brand analysis and recommendation for the launches. It is planned that a part of the group will visit Zürich, the other part Prague for data collection purposes.  

Back in Vienna the findings are consolidated and the final report is prepared. With the final presentation to executives of General Mills and a farewell dinner on June 12 the course ends.

The output of this project seminar is a report that comprises the analyses and recommendations to General Mills. The grade is based on the individual contributions to the research work, participation in class discussions and Quality of the presentations and final recommendation. I expect that all students contribute equally to the preparation of the report and final presentation. To pass the course you need 60% of the total score.

The course grade will be determined as follows:

• 50% Individual contribution & participation
• 50% Quality of the strategy recommendation/final presentation.

This course is exclusively offered to a maximum of 10 students from the CEMS-MIM program. Participation in the field trip and sessions at WU is mandatory.

The sessions at WU and field trip have been coordinated with the CEMS Office and the program management is informed about potential time conflicts.

Participating students will have to pay for the travel and expenses during the stay abroad (transport, accommodation). We will book transportation and hotel for the CSOM students; WU students can opt in or organize the field trip by themselves. Estimated costs (4-5 nights, two students share one room) will differ depending on the destination.

The Competence Center for CEE will cover general costs (welcome & farewell dinner, sightseeing tour) and will provide a travel stipend of EUR 100 to each WU participant.