
to go beyond
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Campus b – To Go Beyond
In January 2023, we had the privilege of welcoming a group of MBA students from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University interested in learning more about how the private sector expands and adapts across international boundaries.
Through a real-world case competition and a series of visits to international companies with operations in Brazil and Brazilian companies with operations abroad, students had the chance to explore how these companies manage intercultural differences, challenges, and opportunities.
MBA student, Kelley School of Business at Indiana University
With the support and vision of Dr. Erica Piros Kovacs, we were able to bring together this week-long immersive experience with company visits, a central case competition, and academic lectures.
Afya is a leading medical education group in Brazil, delivering an end-to-end physician-centric ecosystem that serves and empowers students and physicians to transform their ambitions into rewarding lifelong experiences from the moment they join us as medical students through their medical residency preparation, graduation program, and continuing medical education. They also offer digital products to help doctors enhance their healthcare services through their career.
MBA student, Kelley School of Business at Indiana University
During this month, in addition to working on their cases virtually in collaboration with their international colleagues, students had a mid-point check-in session with the project host, during which they were able to request additional information and clarifications and run their initial ideas and progress by the representatives of Grupo Afya. By the time students arrived in Rio de Janeiro, they were able to meet with their teammates to put the final touches on their presentations, which they delivered in person to Grupo Afya for deliberation.
In addition to the case competition, Kelley students had the opportunity to attend a lecture on business in Brazil with local professors and conduct visits with a number of companies based in Rio de Janeiro, ranging from the beverage conglomerate AmBev to the energy company Vibra Energia. They were even able to participate in a roundtable discussion with international expats living in Brazil, who opened up about their careers and their lives abroad.
Beginning the journey with an academic lecture from local professionals with extensive experience in Brazilian and international corporate contexts equipped students with the appropriate tools to process and operate in this new culture. The corporate visits they participated in following this lecture helped to further develop a holistic image of what this all means in practice.
The case competition thus came to represent the culmination of all of this learning, materialized in a single activity. In order to propose a market entry strategy to Grupo Afya, students were challenged to understand the Brazilian market in which the organization currently operates, the unique idiosyncrasies of the target market, and the tools the organization could employ to exist in both of these realms.
Following a rigorous session of presentations, Q&A, and client feedback, Grupo Afya named the winning team, which was able to propose a relevant, realistic, and implementable solution. In any case, all teams left with a clearer and practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities that arise when the private sector crosses international borders.
MBA student, Kelley School of Business at Indiana University
Campus b Team
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Rua Helena, 140 cj 103
São Paulo – SP – Brazil, 04552-050
+ 55 11 3845-0550