'I want to be the link between human beings and a product or service.'
“After finishing my Bachelor’s in International Business Administration, I decided to continue with the Master’s in Business Administration. I chose the specialisation in Strategic Marketing & Servitisation because marketing interests me - and of course the option to do a double degree and spend a year in Finland really appealed to me.
I find marketing interesting because, even if you offer a fantastic product or service, without marketing you are nowhere. Moreover, the specialisation in Strategic Marketing & Servitisation offers interesting opportunities. Servitisation (companies linking goods to services) is becoming more important. In our society, we own less and less but demand more service. Swapfiets (swap bicycle) is such an example. You don't buy a bicycle anymore, you buy the convenience of always having a working bicycle at your disposal. This requires a different business strategy and also a different relationship with your customers.
Combination of two master's programmes
The double degree starts at the University of Twente in September and continues in January at the Lappeenranta University of Technology. The transition from the Netherlands to Finland was a bit tough because you still have to complete some subjects at UT when you’ve already started in Finland. But it is doable of course!
Finnish minor
As part of the Master’s in Finland, I chose a minor in Sustainable Business, as this is becoming an increasingly important topic. The minor consists of several subjects, such as business ethics, sustainable strategy, sustainable reporting and a sustainable business project in cooperation with a company.
Finland, and Scandinavia in general, provide a lot of ‘best practice’ examples. For example, Finland is great at the separation of waste. But sustainability implies more than the climate. It’s also about economic and social factors. How do you ensure that your company makes a profit, takes good care of its employees, the community and the world? Sustainable business management has piqued my interest.
Lessons for life
Even though it is not always easy, I would highly recommend this Double Degree. Besides learning a lot within the two programmes, you will also learn what it is like to live abroad. By stepping outside of your comfort zone and getting to know other cultures, you also learn more about yourself. These are life lessons that you can use for the rest of your life.
After graduating, I would like to have a job in which I can make life easier for people and companies by offering them the service they need. I want to be the link between human beings and a product or service, and work on international servitisation ideas. Due to the large international character of my studies, I'd prefer to do this within an international company, with the possibility of also working abroad."
