Our team’s project is to define the sales and distribution channel for Valio’s consumer products sold in China including both on-line and off-line channels. Valio as a leading brand in Finland has the high expectation on our result and recommended strategy. On the day of the presentation, we were well prepared for the presentation and ready to give out findings and the report. Firstly, we gave out the comprehensive ideas about sales channel in China and the difference between city tiers. We delivered the data step by step. We also gave out the team’s analysis. After number of comprehensive research and interviews, we showed them advantages and disadvantages of each of the channel if Valio would like to entry and the reason why it would fit the product and its positioning. We successfully gave 3 steps of penetration as sales channel strategy that would fit to Chinese Market.
Clients were so satisfied with our result as our result was unlike the general consultant research, but we gave out the practical concept that worked in China that we brought from insights of people who worked in these channels. Not only we gave them the comprehensive recommendation, we brought them to visit the potential partner, which they gave valuable information lives and our client would be able to discuss with them directly.
After all, client gave us the compliment not only by our academic and professional report, but also the real value that we brought to their business. They were super satisfied.
Valio Team II
The Fudan-Tekes iLab projects were officially ended on 8 July 2015. Among which, the two projects sponsored by Finnish largest food and dairy company – Valio Ltd. are still noticeable. Under loads of attention and guidance given by faculty mentor Dr. Emma Qiu, in addition to great efforts attached by students, customer company representatives spoke highly of the final report in the end.
On 8 July, the final report began from one o’clock in the afternoon. Mr. Paavo Salminen as category manager of baby food business unit and Ms. Taru Pilvi as senior vice president of R&D and baby foods listened to the presentation about how to promote in China given by Team 2 and the report about how to distribute in China given by Team 1. They expressed the satisfaction with Fudan team’s performance.
During the in-depth study for half a year, the students always maintained good communication with customers, which are vital to collect valuable information and provides the important basis to the project. With one year's rich and colorful MBA knowledge, the students fully dug out the exact demands of customers. Therefore, group members came up with a feasible distribution and marketing recommendation on the basis of the most advanced marketing knowledge combined with enterprise’s actual situation.
iLab project not only shows the critical thinking and business capability of students from Fudan University to the customers, but also creates a platform for students to apply what they have learnt from the class. The team members expressed their happiness in doing the project. There is no doubt that the project will be even better in the future.
(By Valio Team II)
Modern Diagnostics Team
Another Joint Week, the same people met again in the metropolitan city of Shanghai. It is the iLab project that connects the team members closely, that communicates business strategy and brilliant ideas cross continents.
The whole week is quite fully scheduled. We have been to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, from which we further interviewed some industry expert to obtain valuable information as well as demonstrated the Chinese hospital facilities and procedures to our client. In addition, Fudan campus is definitely what our Finnish guests cannot miss. The whole scenery of the beautiful campus to them is really different from the Nordic countries. Being in China, Chinese food experience is always the first priority for visitors. Our clients are surprisingly very accustomed to the spicy dishes as well as the iconic hot pot.
During the week, we also met one of our client’s collaborative partners and provided our professional feasibility analysis towards the cooperation situation. Furthermore, the Bring Alive session which we invited industry expert from Oriental Hospital really added value and highlighted some instructional ideas for our client.
This is a week not only for final presentation, but for brain storm and cultural immersions. We are proud that the relationship between our client and the team is so smooth that we establish good friendship despite the tough jobs. We are really looking forward to meeting them again and witness Modern Diagnostic growing drastically.
(By Modern Diagnostics Team)
M-Brain Team
After half year’s effort, Fudan-Tekes iLab M-Brain project final presentation was closed on July 8, 2015 in Starr building. Fudan M-Brain team delivered the China market entry strategy and business recommendations to M-Brain company from different aspects as the final achievements.
The whole project process was divided into four stages. Firstly, the team deeply analyzed the company’s product offerings and knew about the core competence. Secondly, we launched the market study to media monitoring industry of China. Abundant first-hand data were collected from more than 20 potential customers and 6 competitors. Then, in May, Fudan team gave the mid-term report to the high-level management team about the China market in Finland. When going back to China, we began to formulate the concrete market entry strategy and business recommendations after a large amount of desk research. At last, it was the final presentation to exhibit the total achievements.
M-Brain project is a challenging project, since Fudan team was required to do a consulting project for a consulting firm. Despite of the challenges, the final achievements were fruitful and won high recognition from Tekes, M-Brain company and Fudan MBA office. After the mutual learning and communication, our team successfully applied the theory from class into real business case.
(By M-Brain Team)
Premix Team
Premix Oy is a middle-size company in Finland, producing carbon black conductive plastics. Now Premix is seeking for further development and being more international, Premix would like to bring its advanced applications to China. Fudan team is working with them to provide consultancy on how’s the market in China and where to start to establish the business.
Our mentor, Professor Zhao helped us from very beginning to raise effective questions to define the real needs of Premix, set up the targets and guided us throughout the whole process; during the mid-term review, Professor Zhao also supported us on an excellent delivery and finetune the direction for final reports. Without her mentoring, it’ll be very difficult for us to bring the effectiveness and efficiency to Premix. Regarding our team members, all of us endeavored so much effort on fulfillment of this project. Since we are working for the solutions for a pure B2B company, it’s really not easy to find the right person for executing market intelligence; but we tried our best to utilize the power of networking, and succeeded in analyzing the industry chain, the critical point for entering the market and how to get their business. Premix’s management is very satisfied with our findings and practical suggestions.
We have accumulated extremely valuable experience from this project. Firstly, is entrepreneurship, Premix management is great role models on showing the solid attitude towards business. During the discussion with them, we’re also truly inspired on how to start business and conduct effective project management in the future. Secondly, is team work, we’re target oriented, and really work like “running man”. Each of us has own strength and working experience, we helped each other even challenge some points to optimize the process, to ensure an excellent delivery to Premix. Every team member has made great contribution to this iLab project.
(By Premix Team)
Place Team
After another two months of research and analysis, the UQ (University of Queensland) team, along with two directing professors, Tim and Chris, finally arrived in Shanghai on July 5th for the final presentation of Australia-China Lab. The final week consists of a three days preparation, one day presentation, and one culture day.
Since the client demanded the presentation to be hosted on Friday, July 10th, the Fudan team decided to arrange the culture day on the first day of UQ team’s arrival as a way to give them a warm welcome before focusing on work. The Fudan team took UQ team to a personal city tour visiting Temple of the Town Deity and Yuyuan Garden. Our Australian friends were amazed by the artistic inspiration and the in-depth culture of ancient China. The tour ended perfectly by taking a ferry cruising on the Huangpu River and watching the glamour of Shanghai shining from both Pudong and the Bund.
With the experience from the mid-term report, both Fudan and UQ teams were well equipped to conduct the final presentation, and it proved to be satisfying and educational to the iLab client, Place Design Group. Mark Burgess, General Manager and Director of Place’s Shanghai Office, commented the presentation an amazing report that points out many of the exsiting problems in the company which few people would tell from the internal. Fudan and UQ teams offered Place a solution of business development, marketing, and HR strategies on a nationwide scale in the Chinese market that would restructure the company’s foundations in China for the company to take-off aiming for business prosperity.
(By Place Team)
