June 2009 1 Update Magazine For alumni of the Faculty of and Business Administration

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3 Update Magazine | nr 31 | JulyJune 2006 2009 2 where we will take you on a stroll down memory lane. Where a blackberry was just a piece of fruit. was of justwhere apiece we willlane. Where take ablackberry you astroll on memory down a glimpse relax back, of first, past. Sit the But readand of printed last version the thisUpdate magazine very database. alumni on-line in our will website. It the university also easier of friends be networks new and students, to findpart former We our news. of informed latest and are be adding “communities” (similar to LinkedIn, Facebook) to the alumni to our alumni circles in the cities where you live Actually, and work. even will easier it become to “keep in touch” interesting you our course, will about of faculty. and invitations news And continue stories electronic to receive alUMnieuws in your Talkin’ has email e-newsletter, aperiodic the faculty Inbox. And Business, packed with We value our alumni. we still And want to “keep in touch”. Monthlyyou will our receive online newsletter, hasn’t tissue, apaper with technology changed that yet). to inform you that thisI am sorry is the last the version printed Update magazine of ahead, your (go wipe tears Printed is technologicalnews environmentally expensiveand more advances. must accept not friendly. yes, So That crisp, and glossypaper fresh smell we, too, . inkfrom you news Unfortunately with of greeted Twice box and ayear the your Update magazine youpost opened (and ContinuUM) appeared your on doormat. sending my is of one favourite postcards pastimes. My grandmother and she age reached theold 90 did ripe of Iam still girl,ahuge in Buying theWhen Ialways post. print. and Iwas fan enjoyed of alittle receiving aletter You’ve got mail! Preface Send me a postcard! P.O. apostcard! me Send Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Fanp.s. mail is always welcome. Administration Business and Economics of Faculty Coordinator Alumni Poeth-Chervenic Leann Leann Poeth-Chervenic Leann click abutton. of email, sources, bring on-linenews us the happenings latest the at innovative Computers, with receiving news. ways of compete all since that. Newspapers, the dawn television, of have had to English) 1666. of Gazette Technology was the London changed pamphlets werenews passed around.newspaper first The (in when backPrinted goes hundreds news years of to the late 1400s to and paper news. pen send put family and friends in the Netherlands and abroad. It’s just easy ... writing tradition continues. Ienjoy to my sending cards and letters Although and– paper my pen. grandmother has passed away my havenot acomputer. We communicated the old-fashioned way Contents www.schrijen-lippertz.nl diensten grafische en print Druk, –LIPPERTZ SCHRIJEN Printing .nl www.gewoonbiel biel. gewoon Design pretations. misinter or omissions, any errors, for responsible held be cannot University Maastricht accurate, and current is that information provide to made been has effort every Although [email protected] www.maastrichtuniversity.nl Maastricht MD 6200 P.O. 616 Box Administration Business and Economics of Faculty University Maastricht Fotografie Bastings Maurice Photographer Poeth Leann Cruchten van Merel editing final and Coordination Poeth Leann Editor University. Maastricht of Administration Business and Economics of Faculty the alumni of the for especially apublication is Magazine Update Colofon 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 3 2 Day 2009 Alumni Homecoming The impact coaching of Brazil Maastricht 2009/2010: Research Project Research 1993 Project Marketing-Finance programmeMSc in Alumni in the spotlight A glimpse the of past Reunion an alumni organisation The beginnings of Preface - The beginnings of an alumni organisation MEV M a a s t r i c h t s e In the early 1980s the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration was founded at the Rijksuniversiteit Limburg (currently: Maastricht University). E c o n o m e n It started out with less than 100 students. In the first few years, this was a Verband rather small faculty with few students. In fact, at that time, the entire university (all faculties) was housed at the Tongersestraat 53.

Soon after the first students graduated at and networking activities. In the 1990s, university to them. Then there’s the Annual the faculty, a number of them decided it was several hundred alumni were members of Alumni Homecoming Day! We continue to important to “keep in touch”, so they formed the MEV and, as the numbers increased, it host our annual alumni reunion, where we the first alumni association of the faculty, became increasingly difficult to manage the invite our graduates back to Maastricht for henceforth known under the acronym MEV data and organise events. At this point, the a day of lectures, networking and fun. On a (Maastrichts Economen Verband). One of university and the faculty became directly smaller scale, our graduates are often invited the primary goals of the MEV was to help involved in organising alumni activities and back to the university as a guest lecturer, for alumni keep in touch with each other and the gradually took over activities from the MEV. student recruitment activities, career events, university, and, for a small fee, alumni were the University Dinner, the Opening of the invited to become a member. As the number The UM alumni association has evolved: Academic Year and much more. of alumni was not more than a few hundred now, all graduates automatically become students, this was not a very complicated a member and there are no fees involved. All this would not have happened had there 3 task. It is perhaps difficult to imagine now, Our goal remains the same: helping and not been this need from the MEV to “keep in but at that time personal computers were encouraging alumni to keep in touch with touch”. As UM alumni association we greatly more or less nonexistent, and on-line each other and with the faculty. Our strength appreciate this, and we are sure all our alumni information and communication were terms lies in our 21 alumni circles in the Netherlands do, too! none of us even heard of. So a booklet, the (Amsterdam, Utrecht, , Groningen, “Economengids”, was produced, containing etc.) and abroad (Brussels, Berlin, New York, the addresses and other details of all FEBA Beijing, Frankfurt, etc.) Our motto is: We go Author: Dr. Boudewijn Janssen (Economie 1996, alumni. After a couple of years, MEV decided places! Our alumni go places so we go places PhD 2003), former board member of MEV. to invite the alumni back to Maastricht for an too! We host meetings in cities where our Boudewijn is currently working at the Open annual reunion, including lectures, workshops alumni live and work, so that we can bring the Universiteit Reunion for students who started studying in 1984 and 1985

Recognise these students? They are the first Update Magazine | nr 1 June 2009 graduates from our faculty. In September 2010, we are organising a reunion especially for the first students who started at our Faculty (1984 and 1985). Are you one of our first students? Please make sure that we have your current contact details! Send an email to Leann Poeth, [email protected] We hope that you will join us for a fun reunion in Maastricht. AUpdate Magazineglimpse asked how Maastricht of the past prepared me for my current job. The withshort answer: founding more than I expected. dean Prof. Dr. Wil Albeda

Over 25 years ago, Prof. Dr. Wil Albeda How it all started was asked to play an instrumental role in It all started in 1981, when Prof. Albeda was a establishing the Faculty of Economics and guest speaker at the “Limburgse Werkgevers Business Administration at Maastricht Vereniging” and was asked by the then President University, then called Rijksuniversiteit of its Executive Board, Rob van den Biggelaar, to Limburg. From 1981 to 1983, he was start up our faculty. Prof. Albeda: “It was a real esteemed dean of this faculty and after challenge to start the faculty. In the beginning, that, from 1983 to 1995, he was professor everything was small scale. I was a one-person by special appointment. Prof. Albeda faculty. The faculty was housed in its current joined us from the Erasmus University in location, Tongersestraat 53, but had to share Rotterdam. He was also Union Leader, as the building with several other faculties. In well as the Dutch Minister of Social Affairs. addition, the faculty had not yet found its place Today, Prof. Albeda is active in Maastricht, in the university, nor among the various business and he plays a role in sociocratic leadership. faculties in the Netherlands and abroad.” Together with the current dean, Prof. Dr. Jos Lemmink, Prof. Albeda looks back at the The approach history of our faculty. We started with the main question: what universities abroad were so interested in the PBL 4 do we want to teach our students? This system, as opposed to Dutch universities. In the resulted in three main areas of research: Public very beginning we could only hope that, over 25 Economics, Labour Economics and Technological years later, we would be standing where we are Development; at that time it was unique to right now, with annual top national rankings and start with defined research themes. The last a top-25 position in the Financial Times ranking. two topics have resulted in two UM research institutions: ROA (Research Centre for Education Can we learn from the past? and the Labour Market) and UNU-MERIT (United Hoping to draw on his wealth of knowledge and Nations University, and the Maastricht Economic experience, we asked Prof. Albeda if he could and Social Research and training centre on share some of his acquired wisdom with us. Innovation and Technology). At this point, we “One of the most crucial things that I learned – are still working with areas of research but, and which people often tend to forget – stems of course, other areas were added over time. from my interest in mediation and negotiations. Quantitative Economics and Statistics were My advice for everyone is LISTEN, and don’t integrated into the programme from the very get emotional. It is important to focus on the beginning. people in a negotiation. All too often, people get swept away by their emotions in negotiations, We were the first Economics and Business while ultimately the solution is a lot closer than faculty in the Netherlands to apply PBL (problem it seems. Think in possible solutions: do not based learning). Most viewed us with skepticism. become blinded by self-interest. This is of course In addition, we were an indirect competitor one of the main benefits of the PBL system.” of other Business faculties in the Netherlands and it was therefore difficult to find allies. So we went abroad, establishing strong ties with There is also a school named after Professor universities in Belgium and the United States. It Albeda. This is the Albeda College in was here that we laid the groundwork for our Rotterdam, a regional education centre. It was international network. It was remarkable that named after Prof. Albeda as he has provided

Update Magazine | nr 1 June 2009 Update an important contribution to professional education and the development of Rotterdam. Alumni in the spotlight

a group of 23 colleagues, we raised a staggering €100.000 euro. A teacher and materials cost around €1.000 euro/year. The calculation is simple: a significant impact on education in Nepal.

The challenge of the “walk up there’ started I’m back! Healthy and 10 kg’s with the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, lighter but a lifetime of possibly one of the most scenic flights experiences richer. imaginable and shocking because you land at Alumnus: Ward Grootjans an airstrip which is actually too short. Arriving One year ago I received an email with the in Lukla, we met the 35 Sherpa’s who would Study: heading ‘Everest Base Camp Challenge’. I assist us: cooks, carriers, herders and 6 zoo’s Business Administration (2001-2006) decided within 10 minutes to subscribe, little (sort of cows) would carry our baggage up the did I know about the work and joy this would mountain. Our journey began by walking the Current Position: bring me. The challenge is an initiative of VSO whole day. At night, it was -22 Celsius making Supply Chain Management Consultant, (voluntary services overseas) and Accenture sleeping and using the toilets impossible. Accenture (my employer) to support educational programmes in Nepal. As a challenge for your As we approached 5000 meters altitude donations, I would walk to Everest base camp sickness set in and you felt miserable most of felt so small in my life. It was a once in a lifetime and summit Kala Pattar (5700 meters). the day. But then, le moment supreme, arriving experience for which I’m very grateful. at base camp/Kala Pattar Summit! Imagine If you have the chance, go and do it too! It’s a challenge that changed my life! And it a standing at 5700 meters with an oxygen Your donations are still welcome on the has changed my perspective of donating to saturation of approxi-mately 60%, looking over following page: http://www.justgiving.com/ 5 charitable organisations. I have never been a the mountaintops and having this giant Mt wardgrootjans big donator but after seeing what can be done Everest summit above you. Ward is the son of Ine Kuppen, UM alumni with one Euro in Nepal this has changed. With It is extremely expressive. I think I have never officer.

where I became director of several companies, Belgian and French market (summer 2009). allowing me to travel to South America and the Only several years ago, clients looking for birth Caribbean in order to create new business. announcement cards or wedding cards went to their local printing store to look for sample Several years ago, I returned to the Netherlands cards. With geboortekaartjes.nl and and decided to become an entrepreneur. I trouwkaarten.nl, our clients can view all Alumnus: Bob van Leeuwen wanted to be in control of my life and my sample cards on internet 24 hours a day, with business and have full freedom. I bought La the possibility to receive sample cards at home. Study: Carte Internet, an online company selling birth Like in the past, our clients can send printed Business Economics (1989-1995) announcement cards (geboortekaartjes.nl) and cards by post to their friends and family. wedding cards (trouwkaarten.nl) to private Current Position: consumers through the internet. We also sell Bob is married to Madelon van Leeuwen-Wijers Entrepreneur, owner La Carte Internet Christmas cards (kerstkaarten.nl) for corporate (Business Economics 1991-1996). She is Update Magazine | nr 1 June 2009 use. La Carte Internet has 12 employees. In currently working for Mees Pierson Private 2008, we produced birth announcement cards Banking. They have two children: Floor (5) and My career began as Logistics & Purchasing for approximately 10.000 clients (from Casper (2). manager for an electro-technical wholesale Maastricht to Groningen, and even to Dutch company called ElectroAutomatisering, part of expats all over the world). This year we expect the Twentsche Kabel Holding. After 2,5 years I to grow by 50%. In March 2009, we won the became the director of the fully automised “Thuiswinkel Award 2009”, an important Dutch logistic centre of Twentsche Kabel internet award, for our site geboorte-kaartjes.nl. Deutschland. In 2000 I relocated to Curaçao, Our next big step will be our expansion to the Update Magazine | nr 1 | June 2009 6 Drive Financial Performance Financial Drive Identifying Marketing Actions that Marketing-Finance MSc programme in Something new: on the role of those marketing those theon of role strategies analyse, evaluate, and consult organisations professionals finance canthatdepartments, linking-pin their marketing between and as a act who people without do cannot in particular.interface However, companies risk management, and the marketing-finance of marketing,the field financialand services formanagerialprepared students in action There was educational no programme that inposition an increasingly world. competitive marketing and to establish actions aunique returnon theirfirms achieveto better a becoming commonplace. more This helps and shareholderperformance value are afirm’s on and actions strategy financial marketing of investigations the effect of and that andtheories methods, marketingbeing made and between finance shown is that and more the more connection publications in academicliterature have marketing-finance Recent interface. demand understanding the adeep of and shareholder’sperformance value that contribute to an organisation’s financial In today’s business environment, the factors Christopher Pena Christopher good thingsgood as Ienter the market.” job this of groundbreaking part only be programme and expect professionals. industry from response Iampositive to proud and we have atremendously seen concise and effective, ”The MSc. Marketing-Finance track. The programme is ChristopherPena TESTIMONIAL www.maastrichtuniversity.nl information, more For please visit: &Gamble.Bank and Procter in companies well-know such as Deutsche enthusiastic business from response leaders addition, the programme receives have students enrolled. InAlready 40 Ir. Pennings Joost and Hoffmann. Dr. Arvid programme, Prof. by which isDr. co-headed real challenges, world are central to this to synthesise the literature and to to apply it and working in small tutorial groups, in order scientific insights. recent most Interacting problems the with practical and connects programme demand is driven industry by Marketing-Finance Master programme. This we initiated the 2008, In September performance. that ultimately enhance financial

Arvid Hoffmann Arvid

1993:Indonesia ResearchProject A glimpse the of past repair with a flat-iron (!). Westayed we had throughout to the project we had to rent a few laptops, which alaptop days, those at so possessed and paper,pen us of None fax. or was established by old-fashioned non-existing, so communication E-mail and SMS were differences. many cultural and interpersonal to practice team work and deal with an invaluable experience as we had The field research in Indonesia was joined our teamstudents 21). (total organising and 11 committee among in the the ten students and responsibilities were divided October 1992 – January 1993. Tasks from ideaThe was being developed company related success factors. looks at country, industry and Economics,which Socio-cultural Marketing, Finance, Accounting and fourfrom research domains: Indonesia”, which was investigated project was “Successful Business in The main theme of the research region. upcoming ASEAN the of the main to be seemed port relationship. Also, Indonesia Netherlands have ahistoric seeing as Indonesia and the as our destination, was selected Kimman, Indonesia Prof. E.J.J.M. Dr and Prof.with Hofstede Dr. Geert Limburg”. exchanging After ideas Indonesia /Rijksuniversiteit that time called“Study Project in Maastricht,Research at Projects organisation the first of one of the with started students 1992 agroupIn October ten of continued on page 7 page on continued Successful inIndonesia Business

A glimpse of the past Research Project Research Project Maastricht 2009/2010: Brazil 1993: Indonesia

Successful Business in Indonesia Research Project Maastricht has been politically stable and has a rich history with conducting annual research since 1989, with strong Western influences. Brazil therefore the full support of Maastricht University, and offers endless opportunities. the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in particular. The story from Contractual Research the 1993 project shows that the concept of RPM provides company specific research on the Research Project has remained about the a nonprofit basis. Its goal is to successfully same over the years but of course the project complete research for companies interested can now benefit from many years of in the opportunities a country – in this experience and advancements in technology. instance Brazil – has to offer. RPM can conduct virtually any type of research tailored Each year, a team of carefully selected to the company’s individual needs. This in Jakarta, which is an enormous students successfully completes a company includes Market Analysis, Sector Analysis, metropolitan with over 9 million specific research in emerging markets all Competitor Analysis, as well as Market inhabitants. Upon arrival we immediately over the world. The current team consists of Expanding Opportunities, or any other form discovered a completely different culture, thirteen students in the final stage of their or research a company might wish. with a very hot and humid climate, studies, and is fully qualified to offer a pollution, traffic jams, and different combination of recent academic knowledge, Seminar standards of living. After the research most practical skills and research capacities. In In June 2010 a seminar will be organised, 7 of us continued their exploration of previous years, research was conducted in focusing on the economic potential and long Indonesia individually, or in a small group. emerging economies such as Indonesia, term prospects of Brazil. During this seminar, Upon our return it was tough to complete India, Mexico and Vietnam. This year the the results will be presented. the book and to organise the symposium, team has selected Brazil as the destination as most participants already found a job. for its research. Brazil is among the world’s If you are interested in customised contrac- Over 16 years later, many of us have top ten economies, with a population of 190 tual research or if you would like to receive responsible jobs in a multicultural million. Over the last fifteen years it has been more information about the project, please environment and most probably this first one of the most stable growing economies in feel free to contact us. Research Project project contributed to our successes in one the world. In addition, the country is Maastricht; www.researchproject.nl way or the other!

Gaby Odekerken-Schröder Maastricht University, Associate Professor of Marketing / Director MSc programmes

Participants:

Yvette van Aarle, Michel Beckers, Piet van Bergeijk,

Robbert Bergmans, Boris Broeders, Huib van Gastel,

Jolande Jansen, Michiel Kortstee, Gerrino Mulder, Update Magazine | nr 1 June 2009 Frans Nomden, Frits van der Poel, Bas Possen, Marijn

Rasenberg, Roger Schils, Gaby Schröder, Trudy Smedts,

Christiaan van Tilburg, Paulus de Vries, Niels Vullings,

Bram de Wit

Book:

“Successful Business in Indonesia. What are factors of

success?” ISBN 90-801874-1-0 Keep in touch!

The impact of coaching

After its proven success in coaching for individuals, teams, all programmes offered and organisations are numerous. by Universiteit Maastricht Coaching is an investment in Business School, coaching increasing an individual’s or a is now also offered as an team’s effectiveness with lasting individual trajectory. effects. Coaching offers space for creativity, meaningful action Coaching is a very important and reflection and it is effective component of our MBA because it provides structures programmes, but we also offer that create and maintain coaching in our in-company momentum. programmes and on an individual basis. Recent research For more information visit Coaching: building bridges connects people shows that the benefits of www.umbs.nl

Would you like to share your story A new address? A new job? with us? Do we have your most recent information? We hope to increase and improve the accuracy 8 of the information in the alumni database, and encourage you to keep your records with us We are always interested to know where our up-to-date. alumni are working and what they are doing! You can do this online: www.maastrichtuniversity.nl >> click “alumni” or by email: We would like to include your story in our [email protected] newsletter! Please contact: Leann Poeth- Chervenic, Alumni Officer at Maastricht University will improve its contact with alumni in 2009 by introducing a new [email protected] website and CRM system that allows for more frequent and valuable communication. Our online environment will help you stay in touch with each other and with the university.

Alumni Homecoming Day 2009 Business Networking – take the fast lane to success

This year, the Alumni Homecoming sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Hyves Day for graduates of the Faculty of are booming, are these useful tools for an Economics and Business Administration effective business network? Charles D.A Rufollo was held on June 20th. For over 25 years, our faculty has been Leading in Our reunion offered exciting insights into the Learning. world of business networking, starting with about, and, practice your networking skills! an inspiring lecture by the networking guru Because the Update magazine was already printed before But learning is not the only ingredient for Charles D.A. Rufollo. We also held our popular our alumni homecoming event, we could not include success. It is also about who you know, and “speed networking session” and later in the photos but you can find these on our website: more so, who knows you. Therefore, effective day there were parallel workshops which www.maastrichtuniversity.nl business networking is a key to success. combined learning with social activities in We hope to see you again next year at the

Update Magazine | nr 1 June 2009 Update But what is effective networking? Network Maastricht. All in all, a perfect mix to learn Alumni Homecoming Day!