The trip, part of the Global Business Module was divided into company visits, meetings with professors and students of the Executive MBA from the ESCA (one of EDHEC's many partner institutions) and guest lectures by the leaders and CEO's of various Morocco-based companies. Each visit offered the chance to glean new knowledge first-hand as the participants were able to interact directly with businesses and meet policy makers.

The companies well chosen to provide a different theme of interest, such as production, development, distribution and R&D  and guided tours were given by company executives  (Mr Michel Pousin Director Morocco Industry Business of Sanofi-Aventis,  Mr Jamel Eddouhbani General Director R&D of Centrale Laitiere, Mr Mohamed Iraqi  PR Director of the Agency for the Development of the Bouregreg Valley, Mr Ahmed Khattabi PR & Communication Director of VEOLIA,  Mr Abdelkébir Badaqui Production Director Lesieur Cristal) whoall provided detailed accounts of company procedures. The diversity of companies allowed useful comparisons of techniques and management style and the discussions that ensued from the visits were rich in opinions and comparisons of past experiences.

The trip began in Casablanca with a company visit of Sanofi - Aventis where the MBA class leaned about the production, research and distribution within the pharmaceutical industry in Morocco and the African continent. In the afternoon, the class was hosted by ESCA Business School, where conferences were given on the History and Culture of Morocco by  Professor Abdellatif Filali. This provided the MBA class with a better understanding of the political climate, religion, culture and other the issues that the country has to deal with today and which influence the way it functions.  This presentation was followed by detailed information on the Economy and Business Practices in Morocco by  Professors Hamid Bousta who provided valuable information that allowed the class to get more from the company visits that were to follow. The MBA participants learned how Morocco has positioned itself as the ideal transit point between Europe and the USA and how it attracts investors. The class also attended a manager's forum for executive-level discussions with speakers including Mr Khallouqui Samir of HPS ( Start up of a credit card banking system) Marketing Director EVP integration and Mr Belemlih Amine from ONA, Director Development & Support Division.

The visits that followed took the class to Eljadida, site of the Dairy Plant Centrale Laitiere. The students discussed with Mr Jamel Eddouhbani the company's General Director of R&D, and talked about the problems the company faces to collect and treat milk from all over the country while respecting the ISO 2000 norms. He also outlined the distribution difficulties and solutions.

The Visit of Valley Project Bouregreg offered an insight into the government investment politics to improve the living and environmental standards in Morocco. The class also visited the VEOLIA training center which offered the confirmation of the government priorities to improve the environmental issues in Morocco . Visits of Confetex - Groupe Laalaj, a large textile industry give an insight into a textile production plant and Lesieur Cristal provided a visit of the production of oil and soap.

A cultural element involving unforgettable visits of Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech was also appreciated by the group who returned to class with an even stronger bond.

Prashanth Kale, an Indian MBA participant gives his account:

This Kingdom of Morocco trip was beyond the collective imagination. It was a pot-pourri of cultures, history, ethnicity, and flamboyant modernity and development. Any attempt to explain the richness of the experience we gathered, given the already rich diversity within the class, is almost betraying reality.  We participated in the real power-network interactive events in Morocco all week long. We had dialogue with CEO's, Directors of Business Affairs; Chief Editor of leading news paper of Morocco... It was enlightening talk straight the national icons and masters who are influencing the local economy. It gave pragmatic knowledge of who, what and how it works in Morocco. We visited companies from various sectors and had high adrenalin discussions with management teams. It helped our course knowledge take a reality dip and got a treatment from diverse management styles. It helped me understand how strategies really take shape in terms of raising capital, plants, resources and people in manufacturing and production.

This trip enabled us all to realize the story behind the financial statements that are available on the web.  We visited several important cities as and relished the real Morocco feel. Casablanca, El-Jadida, Rabat, Marrakech, and Mazagan beach village. Everyone was flooded by exotic and unavoidable hospitalities. For me, Marrakech was the most impressive; a market-town amidst desert, with snake charmers, horse-carriages, shopping and food stalls, gypsies and multitude of people with all sorts of music and noise. This place also tested our negotiation skills in extreme conditions -30 minute bargains with street sellers,  in the heat, amid the overwhelming noise of hundreds of shoppers! Needless to say, we went as 40 classmates came back as one group of best buddies.

The Global Business Module stimulates curiosity and gives MBA participants the chance to understand the potential of two developing economies. Past countries include India, Turkey, South Africa and Poland. The MBA EDHEC favours international diversity and mobility and the next trip on the agenda is South Africa, which last year proved to be one of the most appreciated in the Global Business Module.

Read more below...

India
2008
2007

Turkey
2006

South Africa
2009

Morocco
2008
2007