31 May 2018
My second semester at the University of Edinburgh was a mix of challenges and excitement.
The MSc International Business and Emerging Markets (IBEM) class is very diverse, consisting of students from Germany, Syria, the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, France, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Russia and Macedonia—to name a few! I am the only African in the class and surprisingly there are no Scottish students! The teaching staff are exceptional, interesting and challenge us daily.
I took four courses in the second semester: Global Financial Markets and Emerging Markets, Financial Analysis, Doing International Business in Emerging Markets Project 2, and Research Methods.
Global Financial Markets
This was one of the most interesting courses I have ever taken. The topics included: the risk-taking behaviours of CEOs; the Efficient Market Hypothesis; the impact of legal origin on economic development; the impact of the African Tsetse fly on Africa’s economic development; and the impact of historic shocks such as slavery on culture, trust, and modern institutions. Most of the papers in the course involved a regression model, and this was a challenge that I was proud to overcome as I learnt how to run and test regression models for our group presentation. The course finished with an exam in May. I enjoyed the content of the course because of the mix between macro-and-micro environments and politics and economics.
Financial Analysis
I challenged myself to take a subject that I knew nothing about, and I am really glad I did because I learnt a lot. We read John Kay’s The Long and Short of It and learnt more about market behaviour and how to be a sensible investor. Our group project involved conducting a deep analysis of the unstated strategy of some of the oil majors and preparing three presentations and a report. I learnt a lot about ratio analysis, and also how to look deeper than the numbers and more at the behaviours of the company—how often companies do not spend their money where they say they do. The course finished with an exam in May.
Project
In the first semester we consulted for a Colombian company expanding into a developed country. This semester we worked with a Scottish company expanding into a growing market, China. Other groups on the programme advised their clients on the feasibility of expanding into markets such as Turkey and India. We traveled to our client’s offices and factory and met with them in person regularly, which was a good lesson in relationship-building and managing client expectations.
It was an intense project with several deliverables and presentations. We collected a lot of primary data from potential clients in China and presented this to the client and the panel of business experts. The Business School delivered several workshops on effective team work and managing conflict, which are critical professional skills.
Research Methods
To help us prepare for our dissertation in the summer, we had to write a 4000-word research proposal. This included an outline of the key literature for our proposed topics and the methodology we intend to follow. I applied for the Robertson-Ness travel scholarship and after an intense application and interview process, I was awarded it to conduct research in Rwanda in June 2018. I will be studying technology innovations in Kigali and how the companies gain acceptance in the market.
I love living in Edinburgh, it is a magnificent city steeped in history and rich in culture. I am a member of the University of Edinburgh running club, which I have competed for. I have learnt how to run in freezing, snowy and dark conditions—all character-building stuff! I am also a social media ambassador for the Business School, writing for the blog and creating content for the School's Instagram page. I completed the Edinburgh Award for professional development where I focused on improving my problem-solving skills and confidence with dealing with big data. I also represented the Business School on the Colombia trek and Dublin trek which were incredible professional and life experiences.
Natasha Lynne, MSc International Business and Emerging Markets