The year 2024-25 witnessed 40 MBAEx students of Batch 18 travel to SDA Bocconi Business School, Italy and 40 to ESADE Business School, Spain for their International Immersion module with respective faculty members (Dr. Runa Sarkar-SDA & Dr, Manju Jaiswall-Esade) as Faculty-in-Charge for the Immersion, for each of the business schools. The Immersion Modules were held from March 10 to March 21, 2025 extending over the 2 weeks stipulated module. Both ESADE Spain and SDA Bocconi Italy have been ranked among the top 50 business schools.
#FT Ranking 2024: ESADE ranked 17 and SDA Bocconi ranked 3.
ESADE B-School had updated its module with Non-Market Strategies, Innovation and the new addition of Entrepreneurship Finance and High Growth ventures, including visit to their own Start-Up hub. SDA-Bocconi had updated its module with a Live Project workshop with Hydrogen in Europe Challenge through preparation of scenarios, with industry vertical – ISPT (Institute for Sustainable Process Technology)
Lectures and Industry Visits as part of the Immersion Modules
ESADE Business School, Spain
- Introduction to Social, political & Economic environment in the EU
- Non-Market Strategies
- Social Innovation and Leadership
- Spanish Business Landscape
- Entrepreneurial finance and Corporate venturing
- Creating high growth ventures
- IDEA room collaboration simulation
- Disruptive Innovation and Exponential Technologies
Company Visits:
- Winery Torres
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre
- KANTOX
SDA Bocconi, Italy
- Hydrogen in Europe Challenge: fine-tuning, mapping and analysis of driving forces
- Hydrogen in Europe Challenge: Preparation of scenarios, Action plan for ISPT
- Presentations of Hydrogen in Europe challenge
- Introduction to differentiation strategies, Strategic alignment: the case of Ducati MH
- Differentiation strategies and economic value management. Innovation in food & beverage industries: best practices by Made-in-Italy firms.
- Differentiation strategies in luxury and premium “Made-in-Italy” automotive industry: cases of Ferrari and Dallara Automobili
- Management and control in Made in Italy, luxury and premium firms: measuring excellence
- Luxury industries: technology, innovation and ambidexterity
- How digital enhances differentiation strategies of Made-in-Italy firms
- Sustainability and circularity imperative. Generating economic value through circularity: discussion of European and Italian case studies
Company Visits:
- Dallara Automobili
- E.Zegna
- Lavazza
Experiential Excerpts from ESADE
#Immersion Day 1
MBAEx Batch 18 kicked off international immersion at Esade with sunshine, stories, and some serious Catalan energy! The programme started with an engaging session on the Culture and Economics of Catalunya and Barcelona, diving deep into the heart of the region—its identity, history, and economic landscape. Then came the fun: a fast-paced, clue-hunting team-building adventure across the stunning streets of Barcelona. From Gaudí to Gothic, strategy met sprinting, and collaboration never looked this good. The Day 1 covered up with a delightful social dinner, filled with laughter, and shared moments that set the tone for the week ahead. The students thanked Prof. Jan Hohberger (Strategy and General Management) and Bibiana Alabern (Associate Director, MBA Special Projects) for curating this incredible experience—and to Prof. Manju Jaiswall for her constant support and coordination throughout.
As a small gesture of gratitude, the students of MBAEx gifted ESADE a book on IIM Calcutta and our very own MBAEx business magazine
#Immersion Industry Visit: Sustainability in Tradition: Exploring Familia Torres Winery
At ESADE, the batch explored sustainability in Spain’s wine industry through the lens of family-run businesses. Led by Professor Maria José Parada, the session offered insights into how multi-generational wineries balance heritage with eco-friendly practices, biodiversity conservation, and economic resilience. Through interactive lectures, a case study, and an immersive visit to Familia Torres Winery, the students witnessed firsthand how a leading family-owned winery navigates challenges while upholding its legacy and sustainability commitments.
#Immersion Field Visit: Innovation at Scale: Exploring the Barcelona Supercomputing Center
Also at ESADE, the batch had the unique opportunity to visit the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)—a hub of cutting-edge research and technological advancement. Led by Josep M. (Pep) Martorell Rodon, Associate Director of BSC, the session explored why supercomputers are essential and how they drive innovation in AI, climate modeling, drug discovery, and financial forecasting. The students also gained insights into quantum computing and potential successors to semiconductor technology, highlighting the next frontier in computing.
The Students highlighted the visit at MareNostrum, one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers, housed inside a historic chapel, as an extraordinary convergence of history and technology.
Experiential Excerpts from SDA
#Immersion Case Study Ducati
Professor Alberto Grando delivered a spellbinding session on operations strategy using Ducati’s growth and transformation as a case in point. With sharp insights, humor, and masterful delivery, Prof. Garndo unraveled the intricacies of aligning strategy with execution, transforming operations into a competitive advantage, and the delicate balance required to manage complex change. From the strategic turnaround of Ducati to broader lessons on organizational adaptation, every moment was packed with incredible value.
#Immersion Live Project with ISPT, Scenario Planning and Sustainability
Andreas ten Cate (ISPT - Institute for Sustainable Process Technology) and Prof. Olga Annushkina guided the students in shaping possible future discourses on hydrogen use in Europe. Students showered special thanks to them and to Prof. Runa Sarkar for their valuable insights and support throughout the journey! They were also delighted to present them with a book on IIM Calcutta and MBAEx’s very own business magazine as a token of appreciation.
#Immersion Industry Visit Dallara
The students had the incredible opportunity to visit the research center and Academy of Dallara, one of the key players in Italy’s global Motor Valley, located in Emilia Romagna. “Visiting the Dallara Factory was surreal — seeing up close the cars I’ve admired on screens for over a decade was a dream come true. Meeting their talented staff, exploring their state-of-the-art facilities, and studying their history—including their bold move into road cars with the Dallara Stradale—was an inspiring journey into how engineering meets business.” – students observed.
The students thanked Team Dallara for showcasing the pinnacle of motorsport engineering and reminding why innovation and teamwork are at the heart of success.
#Immersion Field Visit Zegna and Luxury Branding
The Zegna group led by Zegna family & its art director Alessandro Sartori is a name synonymous with craftspersonship & luxury. This rare factory visit provided the students with insider access and an opportunity to read the brand’s myth. The visit was complemented by in-depth analysis of the luxury industry. Prof Gabriella Lojacono exposed the students to industry nuances, encompassing digital transformation’s role in clienteling strategies, premiumisation strategy of challenger brands, and intricacies of omni channel distribution.
The most compelling insight was the luxury industry’s resilience and evolution with changing times, from conspicuous consumption to items of affordable affluence, self-indulgence & expression. Following the path of radical optionality luxury brands are also diversifying into luxury experiences (hospitality, restaurant).
