This is a joint project seminar of the Competence Center for Emerging Markets & CEE at WU, the Carlson School of Management (CSOM), University of Minnesota, USA, and a corporate partner. Both student groups - 10 WU and 13-17 CSOM students - will work together on a real life case.

This year we cooperate with a global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services. They are interested in a review of the importance of food safety for their institutional customers in Germany and CEE and how to adapt the firm's value proposition to address food safety in a differentiated way. The course will include a stay abroad.

This project seminar has a long tradition and continues a seminar series that has been successfully offered together with CSOM and changing corporate partners (IBM, 3M, Toro, Hormel, General Mills) and changing destinations every summer term since 1996. The course provides an unforgettable international experience due to the trip abroad, the cooperation with US-students and faculty, and a global company.

Important links:

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

CC CEE: https://www.wu.ac.at/emcee/

By the end of this course students will have

• Specific knowledge of an important and fast growing industry
• Insights in current business realities in Germany and CEE
• Learned how to formulate value propositions
• 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 mid-March to the end of May the CSOM and WU teams will work relatively independently although also in virtual WU-CSOM teams. Students will refresh their business case relevant knowledge and start with desk research related to the project.

The main activity happens during the 2 weeks from May 29 to June 9 when we go together on a field trip to Monheim/Duesseldorf and Prague (May 29 - June 2). Afterwards CSOM students will come to WU where we continue our discussion and prepare together the recommendations for the corporate Partner (June 6-9). 

With the final presentation to our partner and a farewell dinner on June 9 the course ends.

The output of this project seminar is a report that comprises the analyses and recommendations to the partner. 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:

• 20% Participation in the meetings at WU and group work before the joint session
• 50% Participation in company visits and group work during the 2-weeks in Warsaw and Vienna
• 30% Quality of the strategy recommendation and final presentation.

This course is exclusively offered to a maximum of 10 students from the CEMS-MIM program. Participation in the field trip  (May 29-June 2) and sessions at WU (June 6 - 9) is mandatory.

The destinations of our field trip will be Monheim - close to Duesseldorf in Germany - (May 29 - June 1) and Prague (June 1-2).

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

Participating students will have to pay for travel expenses by themselves. Estimated costs range from € 350 - 500 (depending on choice of transportation and accommodation). Hotel arrangements in Monheim will be organized for the whole WU-CSOM group, also the flight from Duesseldorf/Cologne to Prague.

The Competence Center for EM&CEE will arrange the hotel and travel to Vienna for the CSOM students. WU students can "opt in" or organize their travel and stay individually (see exceptions above). The Center will cover general costs (welcome & farewell dinner, sightseeing tour).