Immersion in Finland | Global Executive MBA

Finland is world-famous for high-tech and innovation, as well as for its outstanding contribution to industrial design and architecture. What is more obvious than traveling to Helsinki for a deep dive into design thinking & service design? This International Immersion – designed by our colleagues from Aalto EE - is all about understanding the practice of design thinking, innovation management and creativity with a special focus on leadership and culture. A varied program was organized for the students of the Global Executive MBA, complete with interactive theory sessions and study visits to 12 innovative companies in Finland.

With a special focus on leadership and culture the International Immersion enabled students to develop deeper understanding of how design thinking and service design can successfully be implemented into innovation processes and leading creativity.

©WU Executive Academy

Delving into the principles of design thinking, students explored how corporations can embrace them to transform their leadership culture to be more agile, innovative and entrepreneurial. Creating value, managing uncertainty and innovate in a sustainable manner have become a way of thinking, working and leading.

©WU Executive Academy

^{Expert talks during the company visits gave insights into Scandinavian business practices and entrepreneurship}

Practical assignments allowed students to be creative, experiment and immerse themselves into prototyping. Within creative workshops participants explored how leaders can empower their employees to help bring cultural transformation into their organization.

©Sampsa Kaijaluoto

^{Students worked on different projects together...}

Visiting different organizations allowed the participants to explore how these companies have successfully applied concepts and frameworks discussed in class. They gained a deeper understanding of how design thinking and service design are successfully exploited across industries. Being successful in highly competitive landscapes requires to nurture and grow the creative capital – the processes, structures and people who drive these creative endeavors.