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Course
MSc Marketing Management (Class of 2007)
By
mixing academic and practical perspectives, the MSc in Marketing
Management gave Jim Yang a great platform to enter international
business. After completing his course, he was recruited by supermarket giant Tesco
for a special graduate programme to help its business in Jim’s home
country of China.
Aston
was invaluable in preparing Jim for the world of work, by equipping him
with marketing knowledge and data analysis skills. For example, he now
has to select the right products for customers by analysing market data
and reviewing previous sales performance, before sourcing the best
products from around the world at the right price.
Jim said:
“Aston Business School has the global reputation, especially in
marketing. Then I read one of its professor’s books while I was
studying in China and I decided to apply. The well
structured courses gave me an in-depth understanding of marketing
management from both academic and practical perspectives. The
lectures were delivered by the most experienced professors with an
international background.”
Aston also offered Jim a truly
international learning environment. He worked with a syndicate group,
made up of members from Europe, Africa and Asia, to complete practical
projects, case studies and present the final report to the professor in
the tutorial class. He said: “During one year's study, I not only
learnt professional knowledge in marketing but also improved my
influencing skills, team working and leadership.”
Jim, who
likes travelling, Tai Chi boxing and music, loved living in Birmingham.
“It is a very exciting city, combining fashion with tradition
perfectly. You can easily shop for everything you need and can get from
the campus to the city centre with a 15 minute walk,” he said. “You
have lots of options on a Saturday afternoon, like walking to the canal
side to enjoy the lovely sunshine, visiting the Birmingham Museum,
listening to concerts, nice dinners in China Town and having fun in the
pubs on Broad Street.
“I still miss my wonderful life at
Aston. Although I now act as a buyer, my studies at Aston still benefit
my career a lot, especially when I design the promotion plan and build
the product range. The communication skills I got from the
syndicate group also helped me to develop good relationships with
suppliers and always go for win-win negotiations.”
The topic
of Jim’s dissertation was ‘The role of the strategist in managing
retail innovation in the city of Birmingham’. This saw him interview
the Director of Planning Strategy, Planning and Regeneration at
Birmingham City Council on the subject of retail strategy. He added:
“My dissertation supervisor always encouraged me and spent lots of
quality time with me to give the right recommendations.”
Aston
offers international study opportunities through partnerships with
other business schools and Jim took full advantage. He enjoyed a
short-term exchange to RSM Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the
Netherlands, which he described as a “fantastic” way to gain a new
perspective on marketing.
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