Cross-cultural exposure at ESMT Berlin offers a unique blend of global perspectives, equipping students like Maria Alejandra Londoño with the tools to navigate an interconnected world.
Cross-cultural exposure reshapes your worldview, equips you with unique skills, and gives you a profound comprehension of the international business landscape. What better way to gain that exposure than by studying abroad?
We spoke to Maria Alejandra Londoño, a Full-time MBA student at ESMT Berlin, about her experience transitioning from Colombia to Germany, illuminating her personal and professional insights. Join us as we explore Maria Alejandra’s tale, revealing the pivotal role cross-cultural exposure has played in preparing her for the future.
In Colombia, Maria Alejandra worked for the German pharmaceutical giant Bayer, overseeing the marketing of cardiorenal therapies in Central America and the Caribbean.
Ignited by her desire to gain cross-cultural exposure and business acumen, Maria Alejandra decided to pursue an MBA. “I wanted to expand my knowledge and skills in a more holistic way. It was a perfect opportunity to learn more about different areas where my work experience had not gone as deep as I would like, but also was the perfect chance to learn from people around the globe with different backgrounds coming from different nations, cultures, and experiences.” (00:49)
Maria Alejandra‘s career at Bayer had already exposed her to German culture and business practices, which would make her move a little smoother. She attributes her decision to study at ESMT Berlin to an inspirational former colleague.
“She did her studies, her executive MBA here at ESMT. She was literally the one who introduced me at first glance to how ESMT works, [what] the program is about, and the high academic level that the university had.” (01:36)
Still, adapting to a new culture and environment can be challenging, but Maria Alejandra took on the challenge and wholeheartedly embraced Berlin.
According to the cultural analysis firm Hofstede Insights, there are vast cultural differences between Colombia and Germany. For example, Colombia accepts inherent power disparities in society. In contrast, Germany has a strong middle class and emphasizes participative decision-making and expertise-based leadership.
The cultural differences didn’t go unnoticed by Maria Alejandra. However, she was able to adapt quickly.
“There are some cultural differences in the way of life, in the way you do things. But I think it’s a process that I have been handling very well. I may say it’s a process of adaptation, and Berlin is such a diverse city. The vast majority of people speak English, and there are endless activities that make you fall in love with the city.” (02:29)
While it takes an effort to adapt to different cultures, Maria Alejandra is grateful for every opportunity to do so. And ESMT’s Full-time MBA program provides plenty of opportunities for new experiences. Maria Alejandra says, “I think it is such an advantage. Working with people from different countries, understanding the way to do things. And here it’s also what I have been experiencing in the cohort: we are 37 people and we are 20 nationalities.” (04:51)
A global perspective and team diversity aren’t just buzzwords for resumes. Research shows that diverse teams are more innovative and better at solving complex problems than homogeneous ones.
The Full-time MBA class decided to test their abilities and explore more of Europe by participating in the MBA tournament at HEC Paris.
Participating in the MBA tournament in France was a memorable highlight for Maria Alejandra. Although their cohort was smaller, she and the ESMT team achieved impressive results.
Maria Alejandra says, “Our team did so great. It’s very complex to compete with cohorts that have more than a hundred people. Our cohort is just 37, and we went to Paris, almost everyone. We were 35 people competing all alone. We did not get into the top rank, but we did so well.” (08:18)
In fact, the small, diverse team broke all of ESMT’s previous records.
In the time she has left in the Full-time MBA program, Maria Alejandra looks forward to specific courses that will enhance her skill set. “One is Quantitative Methods of Marketing because I’ve been related to marketing strategies in the past. I’m looking forward to complimenting my learnings and skills in data analytics… Another course that I’m looking forward to is Doing Business Sustainably.” (09:09)
Sustainability is a pillar of ESMT’s philosophy, and Maria is grateful to explore it. Most of her electives have incorporated sustainability, and she’ll carry that comprehensive understanding into her work post-MBA.
Upon completing her MBA, Maria Alejandra aspires to stay in Germany, where innovation and science drive forces. She also wants to stay in the pharmaceutical sector, developing marketing strategies. To make her goal a reality, she emphasizes the importance of networking, a skill she has honed during her MBA.
She says, “Everything is positive about networking. Maybe I had this mindset before coming out here that networking was very hard and not useful, but it actually works, and it actually is important.” (11:47)
The ability to network can be a key asset, especially in an environment enriched with cross-cultural exposure. As Maria Alejandra demonstrates, the experiences gained through exposure to different cultures can be the key to unlocking professional growth opportunities.
Keen to discover more about studying at ESMT Berlin? Contact an ESMT ambassador today.
