Professor Svein Arne Jessen was one of the pioneers behind BI’s activities in China. He now looks back at 14 years of teaching Change Management for Executives in China.
Text: Silje Langemyr
Saturday, Jun 8, the staff of BI at Fudan held a surprise retirement party for Professor Svein Arne Jessen. Being one of the main forces ever in its establishment, Jessen has contributed greatly to the development of the BI- Fudan MBA programme. Through the years Jessen has taught his subject of Project and Change Management to 36 different MBA classes at Fudan, and has through his vivid style of lecturing and wide use of illustrating stories become one of the program`s most popular lecturers. In this regard, we have sat down with Jessen, and asked this remarkable man to share with us some of his thoughts, views and experiences.
Svein Arne Jessen has less than an hour ago received a grand applause for his welcoming speech to the newest MBA class. Ending his speech with; “Have a nice four days with me, see you tomorrow morning” MBA class 14 seemed more than eager to embark on what would be their first, and Jessen`s final round of lectures at the program.
Being one of the initialting parties of the BI – Fudan cooperation, Jessen has many stories regarding the original ideas behind what today has become the MBA programme. Before it in 2003 was turned into an MBA, the original name of this program was Master of Change Management. Though the name might seem a mystery for people who only recently have become acquainted with the program, Jessen has a very clear explanation for why it was chosen, as it was he himself who invented the term. “The reason for calling it change management was that this was a program not only for managers but for leaders”, he explains, “and the difference between managers and leaders is that managers follow the rules, while leaders make the rules… and the change”.
Jessen can clearly see how the program has evolved, from its beginning in 1996, until today. He vividly explains about the different challenges and complications that arose in both the early negotiations, and about the fist class he ever taught at Fudan. “It was in the winter, January I think”, Jessen smiles. “It was freezing cold, and we had gotten a room at the 8th floor in the old building. 45 Chinese students met up for that lecture and all were wearing large winter jackets. The room had room for 30 students, and it was completely packed. We were supposed to be there for five days, but after two we realized that it would never work, and then we had to use guanxi”, Jessen explains, referring to one of the many special features of establishing the program in China. “We managed to throw out a class on the fourth floor. That is how it got started; we had to come up with solutions. That was truly change management”.
Coming from a family of fishers and bus drivers, it was not obvious that Jessen should choose a career as a BI professor. How he became the first person in his family to take a higher education, he ascribes to his interest and talent for mathematics. “It is the most common 'language' in the world, you simply communicate with math”, Jessen explains enthusiastically focusing on how math can be used as a common platform across different cultures, which is another of his great interests.
Having visited more than 100 different countries, Jessen has definitely seen more parts of the world than most people. “I am very curious about cultures” Jessen reveals. He also believes that there is much to learn from meeting different cultures, and that it also can help one to better understand one`s own background. “The strange thing about cultures”, he explains, “is that if you are going to understand the Norwegian culture, you have to be outside it. It is first then you can see how Norway actually is, and how strange Norwegians are. That is an exciting experience”.
He believes that his passion for exploring different cultures is rooted in his early childhood. Being a child he was always on the move and became restless. “We moved a lot, and I thought it was fun”.
One of the major episodes that led to Jessen`s family moving happened during the end of the Second World War. Originating from Tana, in Finnmark, the most Northern part of Norway, Jessen`s family was heavily affected when the German soldiers withdrew after occupying the area. In order to stop Russian soldiers when crossing the Norwegian border, the Germans burned all villages in this area to the ground. This also included the home where young Svein Arne Jessen and his family lived. “My parents did not want to be evacuated”, he remembers. “Together with some other members of my family we escaped into the mountain, where we lived in a cave until the Germans had gone away. Afterwards, we came back down. My father was a hunter and fisher, and we tried to survive, but it was impossible. My mother came from Troms?, so we decided to move there”.
Even though Svein Arne Jessen has been working within the BI system since the early 80s, being a professor was not what he originally intended. “My plan was to have a business career” he explains, before telling how he, in 1981, got his first position as a BI director. “At that time J?rgen Randers had become principal at BI, and I was on Sri Lanka on a mission for NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development and Cooperation)“, he recalls as if no time has passed. “We were four Norwegians who should examine the possibilities of developing the other side of the isle. After two weeks, a Jeep came driving through the jungle with a telegram to me, from J?rgen Randers. The telegram read; I know you are at Sri Lanka. We are going to establish a new position as director at BI which you shall apply for”. And this became the start of what would be a long career within BI.
Working as a director for BI, Jessen`s main task was to build a center for continuing and executive education. But while working in this position he realized the need for attaining even higher education. In 1988 he therefore took a leave of absence and went to the US where he finished a PHD in project management.
Returning to BI in 1992, Jessen had already made several publications and was rapidly encouraged to apply for a professorship, which he immediately received. His rapid development from PHD to Professor, he largely explains by BI acknowledging the importance of project management. “The students are learning many different subjects at BI. They learn economy, law, logistics and much more. But what is the first job they get when they finish at BI? They are working with projects”, Jessen says.
It is obvious that Jessen is passionate about his field. “There are no theoretical projects, only practical”, Jessen explains “But it is very good to have a theoretical background in order to do well in practice. Having one foot in each camp, suits me perfectly”. This is also something Jessen heavily stresses before his students, and he is continually focusing on the usability of the theories which he is teaching.
Working as a consultant in addition to lecturing, also helps Jessen t
