Amsterdam Awaits: A Practicum Exploration at Mainfreight

By Shakgantan M Balakrishnan

Shakgantan travelled to Amsterdam for the Global Business Practicum subject over the winter term to make the most out of his Master of International Business degree at Melbourne Business School.

Shakgantan in Melbourne
Shakgantan in Melbourne

I applied for the Global Business Practicum to understand the real impact of strategic decisions in business operations. The subject enabled me to test classroom theories and see the tangible outcomes of tactical planning.

Twenty of us students travelled to Amsterdam. We were assigned a client organisation and acted as consultants, providing solutions to a business problem. The cultural vibrancy and the business ecosystem’s complexity were immediately palpable.

I was matched with four other students, each from different parts of the world. Diversity was one of our key strengths, allowing us to approach problems from various perspectives. We sought to understand individual work preferences and assumptions, which helped us to align our expectations for the project’s success.

My team was assigned to work with Mainfreight Amsterdam, a multinational logistics company based in Schiphol. ​​Following the first meeting with our hosts and determining our team objectives, I found myself in a dynamic setting, where business analysis and supply chain management played pivotal roles. Our task was to analyse emerging trends and optimise operational practices in the airfreight industry. We took a deep dive into logistical processes, conducting interviews with the branch manager and executives from various departments in sales, import and export.

Our final presentation to Mainfreight’s management consisted of our findings in the industry’s current processes; our analysis and assessment grounded in economic reality; and our recommendations of actionable strategies to address challenges and potential limitations in implementation.

Delivering the presentation was the highlight of my experience, marking a major milestone in the subject. It was a culminating moment of intense preparation and learning. Plus, we received positive reactions from our host organisations. I fondly recall us treating ourselves to hollandse nieuwe (Dutch herring) afterward. My team and I have remained close after completing the subject, and we plan to socialise over a meal in Melbourne soon.

Shakgantan with his team
Shakgantan with his team members at Mainfreight’s office in Amsterdam; (left to right) Honglei Zhao, Shashwat Goyal, Shakgantan M Balakrishnan, Mitali Tarwani and Xinyu Huang.

Working in a new culture in Amsterdam taught me to become more adept at articulating complex ideas persuasively. I gained clarity on my professional path, aligning my current role as an engineer, with my interests in international business and operational management.

I highly recommend completing the Global Business Practicum for those wanting to engage with a specific business sector or clarify their career interests. Bedankt!

Are you an MBS student and interested in taking Global Business Practicum as a subject? Find out more.