Global MBA Testimonials
The process of creating value through work-integrated learning is extraordinary. It shifts the primary learning experience from the confines of academic institutions to the actual workplaces of our students. This transformation leads to an unparalleled sense of purpose, as it transitions skills training from theoretical teaching to the invaluable experience gained on the job.
Additionally, work-integration redirects the traditional focus of study from analysis to practical implementation. It is the act of implementation that has the power to bring about real change in the world. This new approach enables students to realize their potential in effecting positive changes within their work environments.
We invite you to explore the remarkable feedback from some of our students who have been willing to openly share their experiences of creating genuine value in their workplaces.
Tawanda Nyandimu, MEDICAL DIRECTOR at MBUYA DORCAS HOSPITAL, HARARE, Zimbabwe
12.2019 |
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This course has deeply enlightened me on so many management skills that are necessary to equip me to be an effective manager and leader. After studying this course I realize I had a lot of gaps in knowledge and skills that I was not aware of before. Of particular significance is the concept of delegation and empowerment where I have been set free from the need to control and now allow my subordinates to exercise their talents and gifts in relieving me of some of the duties, I held so strongly to myself. I feel I am now empowered as a manager to let go these responsibilities and allow my team to adopt them while I focus on other more important duties. The different stages of team development were a huge eye opener. I was not aware of the dynamic nature of team formation and the skills and knowledge of how to handle each stage. I will now act appropriately and guide my teams accordingly without making blunders because of ignorance as before. I also feel I am now empowered to nurture and lead positive change through the knowledge I possess. I can now coach my subordinates and build their confidence in doing their own work and may also be instrumental in giving them hope especially in these trying hard times that we are in when companies are failing because of economic downturn and many employees are fearing for their jobs. |
| Appraisal and Performance of HR |
Olga Shantyr, Senior Analyst Investor Relations at AgroGeneration, Kharkiv, Ukraine
12.2019 |
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Many thanks to Prof Watkins for invaluable knowledge he shared with us during these five days. Incredible insight into the methodology of research study development with which we are now well equipped. WE are ready now for 6-months run to the key goal settled under this IBR Global MBA. Thanks to the fantastic group! Thanks to Zimbabwe again for hospitality and experiences. |
| Academic Research Intensive |
Kelvin Mukuku, Metallurgical Manager at Eastplats, Brits, South African Republic
11.2019 |
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This assignment has highlighted for me and my company the importance of having a sound management development program that is supported by top management. We always thought that training and development only involved hiring of external training services providers. But through this module, supportive communication has opened up my eyes to the fact that the best development comes from employees being responsible for their own growth. |
| Learning and Employee Development |
Kelvin Mukuku, Metallurgical Manager at Eastplats, Brits, South African Republic
11.2019 |
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This assignment has highlighted for me the problems faced by our HR Department in recruitment, selection and placement of new employees. It clearly shows the effects of not applying proper human resources planning and the effect of not selecting and placing correct candidates on vacant positions. As a company we should aim at improving our recruitment policies to ensure attaining proper candidates that add to the value of the company. Failure to do so will result in positions being filled in by poor quality employees, which is currently the case. |
| Recruitment, Selection and Placement of HR |
Lerato Mphelo, Strategic Programme Manager at Absa Group, Johannesburg, South African Republic
11.2019 |
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A mind blowing 5 days of fast paced sessions with our Prof Watkins. He says he is not a nice professor, I say he is one of the nicest and he makes dissertation seem easy. If there is one thing I feared when I started this 2 year journey, it was the dissertation. I must say this 5 days have given me courage to tackle it and I am very optimistic that I will be submitting in the next six months. Thank you IBR and Prof. Dr. mult. JA Watkins |
| Academic Research Intensive |
Ludwig Naunyango, Senior Client Services Consultant at GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS PENSION FUND (GIPF), WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA, Namibia
11.2019 |
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Residential period for master thesis was awesomely juxtaposed. I could not believe how the 5-star days with 5-star Prof. Watkins went by. Though I did not know much of research strategies, the guru amazed me in Windhoek by conducting world class research at masters level: research made simpler and graduation real. Prof threw the ball in my court and is my choice to either grab it or let it fall for success is not final, failure is not fatal but it is the courage to continue that counts. Thanks to fellow masters students, prof. Watkins and IBR for this mind-blowing experiential learning. As Og Mandino said, I will act now, for now is all I have. |
| Academic Research Intensive |
Henry Hoveka, Managing Director at Multi-Wealth Management (Pty) Ltd, Windhoek, Namibia
11.2019 |
| A stunning experience to spend five days in company of equally great minded individuals under the cloud and direction of a learned, skilled and passionate Professor. Prof Watkins opened not just my/our eyes, mind and soul on the subject matter (research methodology and dissertation) but further sparked my/our craving to participate in national and global development agenda of leaving the universe a greater place than I/we found it. Thank you colleagues, Prof and IBR for I/we have just once again been reassured that this is all possible. "Everyone is a MASTER of his/her own Destiny"!!!! |
| Academic Research Intensive |
Vincent Bosha, Sales Executive at Rainbow Tourism Group, Harare, Zimbabwe
11.2019 |
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This assignment has given me an appreciation of coaching, counselling and supportive communication when dealing with my team members. As practical outcome, it has shown me a different dimension to motivating and getting the most value out of each member. It has been very helpful in guiding me also how to deal with a negative situation by being problem oriented rather than focusing on the person. |
| Learning and Employee Development |
Alan Krohne, Manager: Retail Infrastructure and Development at Mobile Telecommunications Ltd, Windhoek, Namibia
10.2019 |
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Over a period of 10 years I have been fortunate to be involved in the recruitment, selection, training and placement of staff. It is so rewarding to see how fast a new recruit can excel in the organization if this is done correctly. However, we are dealing with a new brand of workforce, the millenniums. This course made me realize that our HR processes are a bit out of date and do not correspond fully to the needs of our future employees (millenniums). |
| Recruitment, Selection and Placement of HR |
Kelvin Mukuku, Metallurgical Manager at Eastplats, Brits, South African Republic
10.2019 |
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With the outcome of this assignment I am able to pinpoint where my company and I can improve performance. Looking at traditional financial statements, one does not get a clear picture of the performance that affected revenue. Finally, we understood why the GP/hr and GP/ton fluctuated such much. Having worked on this assignment, we discovered that employee performance impacted on this figure. The course enabled me to pinpoint unproductive people or areas in order to improve or eliminate them. We obtained information, such as productivity, that we don’t find in our traditional financial statements. |
| Financial Planning |
Tangeni Erkana, Project Leader: E-Commerce at Namibia Post Limited, Windhoek, Namibia
10.2019 |
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I have been involved and exposed to developing strategy maps but was never aware of information capital portfolio until this assignment. I am now able to develop an information capital portfolio and understand how a related investment strategy can be put in place. This allows me to best utilize both the IT and business skills that I have attained in the process. I can now look at IT from both perspectives. |
| Managing IT and strategy |
Vincent Bosha, Sales Executive at Rainbow Tourism Group, Harare, Zimbabwe
10.2019 |
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This module entrepreneurship has been the most difficult and the most rewarding at the same time as it has opened up my thinking and guided me to think strategically. A special highlight for me was: Growth is not an objective; however, it is a result of an objective. Whilst working on the assignment I experienced that as an organization we must constantly be looking ahead to the future potential profit and objectives to will lead to achieving that point. Technology plays a major role in helping the organization achieve the point of future profit potential. |
| Strategic Management |
Alan Krohne, Manager: Retail Infrastructure and Development at Mobile Telecommunications Ltd, Windhoek, Namibia
10.2019 |
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In the past, I’ve been involved in projects where we tried to track our success. But this was never linked with financial planning, apart fr om the operational budget that was in place. The biggest surprise was how the financial planning process introduced in this assignment went to the heart of wh ere the project’s impact could be felt and how it impacted profit and loss statements, balance sheets and cash flows. |
| Advanced Financial Planning |
Leon Whyte, CSO/Co-Founder at SMC Ltd, Maidenhead, United Kingdom
09.2019 |
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Unrelated to this topic, personally, I have learnt a lot from this assignment. I think this week the reality hit me in regard to the size of the project I have taken on with my MBA and how difficult the next couple of years are going to be trying to juggle work, family and studies. I have realised that I need to get more organised, disciplined and structured to achieve the task at hand and in general develop better time management skills. |
| The Nature of International Business |
Alwyn Dzinamarira, Director Operations at Afghanaid, London, United Kingdom
09.2019 |
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This assignment taught me to look at issues and problems in a different light. There is need to get to the root cause of a problem if it is to be addressed adequately. In many instances, the tendency is to deal with the symptom of the problem. This assignment taught me that dealing with the symptom will not make the problem go away. |
| Operations Processes |
Tawanda Nyandimu, MEDICAL DIRECTOR at MBUYA DORCAS HOSPITAL, HARARE, Zimbabwe
09.2019 |
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Of significant personal importance, the invoice analysis process has equipped me with knowledge on how to assess productivity more intricately and help to improve efficiency by both human resources and other resources employed in the business. The fact that this process can be done more on a regular basis allows me to intervene on the needs of the business rather than waiting for the infrequent financial statements which lack this information for decision making. |
| Financial Planning |
Chido Boka, Managing Director at Boka Floors Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
09.2019 |
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As this analysis was for the company I work for, I found it very helpful as I usually rely on our finance team to look at data and make recommendations to me. However, from now on, I am able to analyze financial statements on my own. I will also be able to question what the finance team gives to me. I have also understood that because the financial statements measure historical data, there is a need to further analyze financial information about our company in order to come up with solutions in real time and make sure we meet our goals. |
| Financial Accounting |
Alan Krohne, Manager: Retail Infrastructure and Development at Mobile Telecommunications Ltd, Windhoek, Namibia
09.2019 |
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This was my first encounter with financial planning. The biggest surprise for me was how cheap we sell data/MB. It was also an eye opener to discover geographical areas and technologies with the highest usage of data/MB. I’m involved with many commercial campaigns and projects as part of my key performance areas. We usually start with a project or business plan and plan towards a number of sales bases on the return on the investment we want. The analysis method introduced in the Global MBA (TARI) is a great tool. It is equal to trouble shooting and bringing to light with regards to pricing or operations, in short discovering areas that we can we fix. |
| Financial Planning |
Prosper Rugube, Process Operations Manager at MINOPEX, Tete, Mozambique
09.2019 |
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In doing this course, the writer realized how critical it is to consider information capital portfolio during strategy mapping. Many at times, this aspect is overlooked during strategy formulation and mapping. Having considered, information capital, the revised strategy for our company looked much better in the writer’s opinion. The other interesting aspect of the exercise was the amalgamation of concepts from financial management, IT, Operations Management and Entrepreneurship. It has been an enlightening and enjoyable exercise. |
| Managing IT and strategy |
Jessica Moore, Organisational Effectiveness Manager at Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), Windhoek, Namibia
09.2019 |
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In conclusion, this assignment was tough to say the least. I think I worked on this for 5 months easily. I read the book a few times, and every time I thought I had it, I was confused again. But I wanted to commit myself to understand it, and really try to apply it. It forced me to source information from senior executives in the company that also had no clue as to what the strategy really is or how to explain it. So, I am really proud of knowledge I gained, and can now understand, even though it might seem like not significant on paper, behind each target, and process was hours of working through what the most important area would be. I definitely gained a wealth of information and knowledge. |
| Strategic Performance Management |