Close cooperation with companies in the MSc International Business program
Our proximity to business enables MSc International Business students to immerse in real-life business projects, better understand international business challenges, and develop recommendations and solutions.
Our students get access to state-of-the-art topics, allowing them to network, interact and help companies to explore their environment, examine capabilities and boost performance. As a result, analytically sound and creative solutions support businesses and organizations in their international activities while students acquire practical business development and management skills.
What we offer?
We offer two streams – Management Consultancy and Innovation projects. In first stream the students offer an outside perspective and analysis and develop alternative solutions. In the second stream, they take the role of the company’s own Innovation lab and co-design user profiles, co-define innovation space and co-develop solution prototype. Especially in the second stream, the cooperation with companies can take the form of a strategic collaboration, which offers multiple benefits for all participating parties. Under the supervision of a faculty coach, the solutions include the application of the latest management theories and concepts as well as interdisciplinary methods and tools.
Teams & Duration
The business projects take place in the first and second semester. Groups of four to five students are formed based on the specific project requirements. Projects have a duration of approximately 5-6 weeks. The project can be continued in the second part of the program or/and in the form of master thesis.
Project Deliverables
Students use the interdisciplinary knowledge: strategic management, global marketing, innovation, system thinking, human-centered design, digital transformation, change management, circular economy and more. In the management consulting stream, the results can include a conceptual solution, strategic analysis, business, or implementation plan, and in the innovation stream - customer insights and solution prototyping. All depending on the defined project scope and level of complexity.
Company input usually consists of a kick-off meeting, status check and attendance to the final presentation. Upon completing the project, the company partner receives the agreed deliverable in the form of a final business report and presentation in English.
In small groups, students analyze the following exemplary topics:
Examples of Business Projects
ESG Strategy Implementation
A team of students had the opportunity to work together with the global mechatronics solution provider, Stäubli, during the business project module. They put into practice their analytical skills, ESG knowledge and research methodology skills to find the best solutions and recommendation for the company.
"Working with ZHAW teams is very valuable and pleasant. Valuable because they show very good project management skills, focus on deliverables as defined in the project brief and provide an untainted external perspective on the subject. Pleasant because they are ambitious and energetic young professionals. We also appreciate the support ZHAW teaching staff, as subject matter experts, provides to the teams."
Marko Radosavljevic - Strategy Execution Officer – SEO at Stäubli
Market Entry Strategy
A team of students had the opportunity to work together with the family-run Swiss company which specializes in the production & distribution of innovative as well as exclusive natural products during the business project module. Students put into practice their intercultural competence as well as market understanding skills and analytical skills to find the best solutions and recommendation for the company.
"The renewed collaboration with the students of the ZHAW has once again taken us a step further as a family-run start-up. We were able to take away many points from the detailed analysis and conclusions of the study group, which serve us as a basis for the development of internal measures in the run-up to the internationalization of our company. We were impressed by the students' approach to a business case in a highly complex environment and are convinced that working with students is the right way to go in the future. We are already looking forward to further cooperation and next project work!"
Marco Hoffmann, CEO, SWISS Gate AG
Internationalization Strategy
A team of students had the opportunity to work together with the fast-growing Swiss IT startup which operates in the area of conversational AI. The company with presence in numerous European countries and North America is a leading developer and provider of voice and text dialog systems for companies. Students put into practice their marketing, resource planning, analytical as well as strategical thinking to develop solutions for the company.
"As a Marketing Manager with extensive experience in various industries, I know from experience that collaborating with top educational institutions is key to developing innovative ideas. Within the scope of an international business project, the students from ZHAW demonstrated the importance of approaching ideas from different perspectives without bias in order to develop innovative solutions. I am thrilled about working with ZHAW and look forward to initiating new projects together in the future and setting new standards."
Carmen Keller, Marketing and Communication Manager DACH, Spitch, Switzerland