Testimonials
Value creation through work-integrated learning is phenomenal. It transfers the main learning experience from the ivory tower to our students' workplace. This creates unprecedented meaning. It releases skills training from being taught theoretically to the most valuable experience that happens on-the-job.
Also, work-integration shifts the traditional study focus from analysis to implementation. It is implementation that changes the world. This new dispensation allows students to experience that they are able to change their worlds at work.
Enjoy screening incredible feedback about real value creation that some students agreed to share publicly.
Miranda Khumalo, PARTNER at Atherstone and Cook, HARARE, Zimbabwe
07.2021 |
| The residential was absolutely superb. The content was extremely informative and delivered in a way that a person without a financial background could easily follow. I particularly enjoyed the visual illustrations, through the games and case studies. Thank you Janos ILLESSY and IBR Institute of International Business Relations |
| Finance Intensive |
Cosmas Zvikaramba, Market and Operational Risk Manager at ZB Financial Holdings, Harare, Zimbabwe
07.2021 |
| The suite of tools (i.e. case studies, games, simple models, group work and subject matter expertise) used during the virtual financial management residential period opened a new world for me with regards to business administration. Indeed, what a memorable way of learning financial management to us non finance managers and I greatly appreciate this Global MBA program. |
| Finance Intensive |
Martha Bhunu, Associate Director at Standard Chartered Bank, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
07.2021 |
| The Finance Residential was indeed the definition of new ways of learning. I could have never imagined that an online residential could be so interactive and captivating. I can safely say that the delivery of the sessions was exceptional. I am no longer afraid of numbers after I learnt accounting using a board game. Thank you IBR for proving that there is no better way to learn and Prof Janos for a job well done |
| Finance Intensive |
Japhet Zoraunye, Research And Development Engineer at Stamicarbon, Waalre, North Brabant, Netherlands
07.2021 |
| Great experience learning the basics of financial accounting and management accounting. I am now able to look at things from a different perspective. Thanks Prof Janos for simplifying the principles |
| Finance Intensive |
Itayi Marufu, Concentrator Manager at Bindura Nickel Corporation, Bindura, Zimbabwe
07.2021 |
| Wonderful time, participating in an online residential exceeded my expectations. Well done Prof and IBR team |
| Finance Intensive |
Lindelwe Manyawu, Executive Assistant to the Chairman at The Vumba Trust, Harare, Zimbabwe
07.2021 |
| Thoroughly enjoyed it. I found the residential very informative and the topics generated interesting and thought provoking discussions. A massive thank you to Professor Illessy for being so patient with us. |
| Finance Intensive |
Mmakgomo Maubane, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer - Africa & Middle East at Zutari South Africa, Mahikeng, South African Republic
07.2021 |
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Enjoyed this week-long experience of learning and discovery. Financial accounting demystified. Great effort delivering this online IBR Institute of International Business Relations. Kudos to Prof Janos! Great experience learning the basics of financial accounting and management accounting. I am now able to look at things from a different perspective. Thanks Prof Janos for simplifying the principles |
| Finance Intensive |
Leon Whyte, CSO/Co-Founder at SMC Ltd, Maidenhead, Germany
07.2021 |
| It was a great week, good mix of virtual class room teaching sessions, group work and games. I thoroughly enjoyed it and feel empowered with knowledge in regards to the understanding and creation of financial balance sheets, P&L statements and a range of financial ratios. I would definitely recommend the IBR program to anyone considering undertaking their MBA. |
| Finance Intensive |
Brian Chizodza, Senior SAP Business Solution Consultant at Baraka Technology Group, Johannesburg, South African Republic
07.2021 |
| Thank you Prof Janos for a week long of insightful tools and methods managers can use to navigate and make informed decisions quickly and with precision. Despite the fact that this was an online delivery, it exceeded my expectations!! |
| Finance Intensive |
Pride Gwaze, Group Financial Manager at Vunani Limited, Johannesburg, South African Republic
07.2021 |
| I thoroughly enjoyed the residential. Coming from a financial background, I was really impressed with how informative, interactive and enlightening the sessions were. Thanks Prof Janos! |
| Finance Intensive |
Linda Shininge, Section Head: Contact Center and Quality Assurance at City of Windhoek, Windhoek, Namibia
07.2021 |
| Thank you Prof Janos for empowering us, the week was very interactive and informative , I appreciate everything and especially the new way of learning.Be blessed… |
| Finance Intensive |
Vincent Bosha, Sales Executive at Rainbow Tourism Group, Harare, Zimbabwe
07.2021 |
| This residential was challenging but Prof Janos made understanding finance a lot easier. Despite being online we managed to go through the content and also participate in group discussions. I have been empowered and ready to take on my next chapter in my career. |
| Finance Intensive |
Tatenda Makuni, Executive Director at Introcane Enterprises, Harare, Zimbabwe
07.2021 |
| One week with Proffessor Janos, empowered for a lifetime. It was all worth it. IBR is the institution to learn with. |
| Finance Intensive |
Moreblessing Mutswiri, Project Director at Sanning Foundation, Harare, Zimbabwe
07.2021 |
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The residential period was most insightful. I now have a much better understanding of the fundamentals of financial management which helps me to be prepared in a new world of connectivity and international business. This has hugely provided me with a foundation for making decisions along with the input of deep learning. Once again thank you Prof Janos for walking with us in this great journey. IBR Institute of International Business Relations - is the place to be! |
| Finance Intensive |
Moreblessing Mutswiri, Project Director at Sanning Foundation, Harare, Zimbabwe
06.2021 |
| One thing that stands out to me at the end of this course is that church leadership training is often neglected and usually people survive on improvising most of the time or rather rely on the grace of God. I would like to believe that church has to be managed like a business to be effective. |
| Tasks and Tools of Effective Management |
Moreblessing Mutswiri, Project Director at Sanning Foundation, Harare, Zimbabwe
05.2021 |
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Whilst studying this course what was new to me was the patterns of cross-cultural business behavior and how they vary in different environments or continents compared to our local business behavior when it comes to doing business or negotiating business deals globally. I have learned and realized that, when one needs to get into the international markets, to negotiate any international business deal or relations, there are many ways to attain one’s desired results without provoking or misjudging others. Thus, avoid losing or delaying to conclude any business deal. I have seen that confusion, serious disagreement, and frustrations may emerge simply because people with different business cultural behaviors have different assumptions during a business negotiation process. I have seen this with the experience we had when we were trying to do business and partnership negotiations with the Chinese suppliers and the Americans, respectively. Therefore, the new communication skills I have learned as described by Gesteland R.R. (2012:21) will help me to improve myself and our organization. The course has also taught me to learn to accept and be patient with differences in cultures, especially when it comes to doing business internationally. After studying this course I have seen and related again to the personal experience we had with the Chinese supplier when we wanted to buy the packaging products for our organization. If we were not assisted and encouraged to be patient by the agent we eventually engaged, during the negotiating process, we might have ended up losing a supplier with the best products we were looking for. I believe what I have learned will help me to improve my patience to understand local business customs and practices of a particular country that we want to do business with as an organization, even if we do not engage a negotiator. |
| Cross-cultural Management |
Michael Kavalata, Senior Engineer at City Of Windhoek, Windhoek, Namibia
05.2021 |
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The assignment is of great value to me and my organisation. Firstly, I never thought that the differences in people’s behaviour is due to culture, I had always though that this was due to idiosyncrasies. I now understand that the differences are caused due to norms and cultural differences. I also never imagined that a simple misunderstanding which can be due to a body language can lead to promising deals to be cancelled. This assignment has therefore opened my mind up and enriched me with the skills of observing and studying the negotiating partner’s cultures in order to avoid misunderstanding that can lead to deals being spoiled. The assignment also made me learn about the different global business protocols and etiquette which comes in handy when doing business on an international level. This has certainly added value to me personally by making me a better negotiator as I can now use this knowledge on my personal business as well as on the City of Windhoek to better the organisation as far as doing business across the borders is concerned. |
| The Nature of International Business |
Tatenda Makuni, Executive Director at Introcane Enterprises, Harare, Zimbabwe
05.2021 |
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The assignment comes at a stage where there are actual negotiations taking place at my workplace. The negotiations are currently at a stage where the two parties are deciding to form a totally new company altogether and this assignment helped me to examine what will be the best way to move forward and the regulations involved in terms of debt-to-equity ratio. During the interview with the tax accountant, she mentioned that transfer pricing is a big thing in Zimbabwe now and that it was something that foreign investors would need to be familiar with before one runs into penalties thereby jeopardizing investment. Hence there is critical need to familiarize the involved parties with the rules and regulations that can affect them, directly or indirectly. I have scheduled myself to attend tax training sessions for business, I realized how important this is. The tax accountant I spoke to runs such trainings and I believe they will be beneficial to me. |
| International Business Law |
Cosmas Zvikaramba, Market and Operational Risk Manager at ZB Financial Holdings, Harare, Zimbabwe
05.2021 |
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Globalisation of production and consumer markets is real and failure to respond to global environment trends is a recipe for disaster to an individual and/or an entity. This course gave me an opportunity to analyse things from a global perspective and also to view the Group in the global arena. Coming from a developing world country and coupled with being in the financial services industry, during this course the most outstanding global trends were on the ecological environment and technology environment. How serious is the issue of climate change and how fintechs are transforming the banking industry. I learnt new things on climate change, how it is a threat to the environment, as well as how international banks have responded to growth of fintechs. After going through such a course, one’s mind will be inclined to solve individual or work related problems with a Global mind-set and not only the local environment. |
| The Nature of International Business |
Itayi Marufu, Concentrator Manager at Bindura Nickel Corporation, Bindura, Zimbabwe
05.2021 |
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Personally, in this course I improved my personal time management. This course required a lot of reading for me to understand the basic principles of law and taxation. I got understanding of what the assignment was all about during the tutorial, which required that I had to start compiling the assignment whilst managing work commitments within seven days. Technically I can now compile my own business proposal with confidence, as the course gave me an opportunity to understand the principles of a business proposal. |
| International Business Law |