14 July 2008

GRADUATION

On Thursday 13 July, a graduation ceremony was held at Kasteel Limbricht to recognize the achievements of the graduates of International Business and Management Studies.

 

26 March 2007

 

Press Release

The Netherlands / Tapei - March 18, 2007

Just published:

Taiwanese companies in Europe
What is required to be successful

A research project carried out by:
The department of International Business and Management Studies of Zuyd University, The Netherlands, in cooperation with leap2market Limited, London.

Over 600 Taiwanese companies are exhibiting at CeBIT this year. This fact alone illustrates the desire Taiwanese companies have to do business in Europe. leap2market, a pan-European consulting firm with offices in Taiwan, worked with several Taiwanese companies in the past to help them become more successful in Europe. "The experience indiates that there is a gap between desire on the one hand and plans on the other. This phenomenon prompted leap2market to ask the department of International Business and Management Studies of Zuyd University to conduct a research programme into the factors that influence success and failure for Taiwanese companies in their quest for market share in Europe," says Magnus Lund, Director of leap2market in Helsinki.

The work that was carried out comprises desk-top research and literature studies into strategies and the successes of Taiwanese businesses. An analysis has been made of the facts that were collected. In addition to that, the report contains results of an extensive field research programme. For the field research many Taiwanese companies active in Europe, and European customers that have been doing business with Taiwanese companies, were interviewed extensively. "The conclusions are revealing," says David Chang, Director of leap2market in Taiwan. David also noted: "the research work clearly indicates that Taiwanese companies, even the ones already sussessful in Europe today, only realise a fraction of their potential. I am delighted with the outcome of this work because it indicates that with limited resources much more revenue is to be generated in Europe". The project team explicitly looked at both OEM/ODM suppliers and branded products.

Some of the conclusions of the report are:

  • Marketing strategies for the EU market of Taiwanese companies can, with only limited adjustments, yield more business;
  • Europeans will buy more if the Taiwanese challenge them harder and sell more actively;
  • The passive sales style of most of the Taiwanese companies is rather ineffective in Europe;
  • The quality and price the Taiwanese offer is excellent; however they are slow in adapting their product designs and after sales processes to the European customers' requirements. This adversely affects the growth of Taiwanese product and service sales in the EU.

The report also includes an essay on the characteristics of doing business in Europe, and a lot of information which is valuable for Taiwanese business people who want to successfully conquer a part of the European market.
The research clearly indicates that Taiwanese companies can do much better at winning business in Europe than they are doing today.

The report can be obtained for €185 (excl. postage and packaging). It can be ordered by email: ew@leap2market.com.

07 June 2006

IBMS students can now directly move on to the Master’s degree programme at Maastricht University

 

Jos Lemmink, Maastricht University (left) and Jean Geelen, Limburg Business School

Graduated IBMS students can now, on certain conditions, directly move on to the International Business Master’s degree programme at Maastricht University. To this end, the Limburg Business School and Maastricht University signed a partnership agreement.

Jean Geelen, Dean of the Limburg Business School, and Jos Lemmink, chairman of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, sealed the partnership in Maastricht. IBMS students can already follow three modules during their studies at Zuyd University. These modules are the preparatory programme for the Master’s degree programme. They are partly incorporated in the regular curriculum and partly an addition to this. “But students can already start in their second year,” Jean Geelen says.

Advantage

He regards the collaboration with Maastricht University as an advantage for the international IBMS study programme. “We can now offer a double study route. This will also work in the students’ advantage internationally speaking. Students can follow a practice-oriented Bachelor’s degree programme here, enabling them to find a good job quite easily. And anyone with plenty of ambition can then move on to the Master’s degree programme. This will cost students only one year extra compared to students going to Maastricht University immediately,” Geelen explains. He particularly regards the combination of practice and theory offered to this group as a highly positive aspect.

Highly interested

International students at IBMS are highly interested in Master’s degree programmes. Recently, 25 second and fourth year IBMS students already followed the first module. These modules are offered by lecturers at Zuyd University and were developed in collaboration with lecturers at Maastricht University, who also supervise the whole procedure. “The programme is tailored to the students’ work, their study programme and the requirements of Maastricht University. This enables a smooth transition.”

Every year, approximately 60 students enrol on the international study programme.

Administration