CASE STUDY

“’s experience proves that there is more to learn than tools and techniques: with the right learning partner such as 2009 cohort participants say… Ashridge, companies can “I found the programme was extremely practical and not academic, and this develop a combination of was very suitable for our needs.” local and Western “My experience at Ashridge can only be described as excellent. When knowledge and behaviours compared to other training programmes I have attended, Ashridge that will give them a unique was first-class in its service, logistics, teaching and understanding our major Developing international competitive advantage in needs.” leaders at Sinopec global markets.”

Barbara Wang, Ashridge’s representative in Sinopec, China and Chemical Corporation, is one of the major petroleum companies in the world, and with annual revenues of around $207bn is China’s top revenue-earning company. Its business spans and gas exploration and refinement, research and development of and the import/export of these products. In 2009, it was ranked 9th by , becoming the first Chinese corporation to make the top ten.

the challenge The challenge was how to make ‘Western’ How to influence the participants was a the delivery issues and was combined with a session on the difference Sinopec realised that under World Trade business and management concepts major design and delivery issue. In the To enhance their understanding of leadership the oil industry from experts at Goldman Since the first cohort in 2005, over 250 Organisation regulations, China had to open understandable and approachable to Chinese educational system, the and management concepts, great emphasis Sachs. Initially the idea of spending time at senior leaders from Sinopec have been its markets, and so it has been expanding its executives who were deeply steeped in predominant method of learning is didactic was placed on the use of psychometric BP was met with some resistance, as through the programme. For the majority of international business, embarking on a Chinese culture and politics – and the – the polar opposite of the experiential instruments to stimulate the participants’ working openly and sharing information with participants, it was their first time using globalisation strategy. Therefore it needed majority of whom did not speak any English. approach embraced by us. A range of interest as well as to challenge their other organisations, especially with diagnostic tools in executive development the culture and approach of the whole In addition, Sinopec is a state owned blended learning techniques were therefore leadership styles and encourage thinking. competitors, is not usual Chinese practice. and they found that the Ashridge approach organisation, some 700,000 employees, enterprise with its own particular perspective incorporated in to the programme to The participants would have been most However, later feedback showed that in enlightened their awareness of themselves to change radically. on world affairs and business enterprises, so enhance the participants’ curiosity to learn comfortable with a familiar ‘chalk and talk’ terms of practical learning, this live case as leaders. The programme improved the Sinopec wanted to work with a development presenting free market principles, as and stimulate debate. experience, such as many of them had study was the highpoint of the programme collective understanding of the many partner that could help it to develop its practised in Western countries, posed a Special requirements were needed in the experienced on MBA programmes already. for many. business and leadership problems of senior leadership to lead in a global number of issues. teaching rooms. Computers were equipped They simply weren’t used to contributing The continuous eight-week programme was operating globally. with Chinese characters and all teaching something which had never been tried environment by being skilled in and having the design openly during teaching sessions, in As leaders in China, the Sinopec Presidents an understanding of a wide range of materials were translated into Chinese. syndicates and in plenary sessions. before at Ashridge and presented additional and Vice Presidents are rarely challenged, A special project team was put together to business disciplines and international ways Booths were installed and headsets provided However, we were able to help them learn to motivational challenges for Ashridge tutors but we challenged them vigorously – not create a Western-style development of working. to enable simultaneous translation of all the think and behave in new ways: not just here, and participants. In addition to novel learning only did they find this stimulating but they programme in an environment that took into After visiting a number of business schools learning and development sessions. Anxious but most importantly, back in the workplace. experiences, participants who were learned a great deal about some of the account Chinese culture and preferences. in Europe and North America, Sinopec to provide the best possible blend of As well as customising Ashridge’s teaching accustomed to working a 14–16 hour day in ‘softer’ skills needed to become a great The eight-week programme focuses on the recognised that our ability to customise Western and Asian hospitality, we also materials to the oil and gas industry, with the office were given the time to reflect while leader. The Ashridge programme is now management principles of leading an programmes and our picturesque location despatched our Head Chef to to both a Chinese and international context, strolling through the Ashridge gardens or perceived within Sinopec as a rite of international oil company, at the same time were a combination that would create an learn authentic Chinese cuisine, and Chinese we used industry speakers with global and during their programme of cultural activities, passage for senior managers. acquainting participants with systematic unforgettable experience for the Presidents satellite television was provided in the specialist knowledge. A live case study was which included sailing and visits to knowledge in disciplines such as strategy, and Vice-Presidents of their strategic bedrooms. organised over five days at the London Edinburgh, Cambridge, Stonehenge and human resources, finance, operations, business units. headquarters of British Petroleum (BP). This Stratford. business innovation and marketing. enabled learning around current business 20 21