metrobiz october14

31
MetroBiz Issue 2| October 2014 CREATIVEMORNINGS/HELSINKI DISCOVERING MALAYSIA “GOOD TO GREAT” BY JIM COLLINS

Upload: metropolia-business-school

Post on 06-Apr-2016

214 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

 

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: MetroBiz October14

MetroBizIssue 2| October 2014

CREATIVEMORNINGS/HELSINKI

DISCOVERING MALAYSIA

“GOOD TO GREAT” BY JIM COLLINS

Page 2: MetroBiz October14

STUDENT LIFESTYLE

FEATURE

EXCHANGE

WORK PLACEMENT

20 Universidad Europea de Madrid Profile

22 Discovering Malaysia Interview with Suvi Ellilä

26 Bloom Consulting Experience: Interview with Valentina Arrieta

10 CreativeMornings/Helsinki Interview with Johannes Romppanen

14 “Good to Great” (Jim Collins): Why some companies make the leap... and others don’t 16 Showing what is possible by being in the right place, at the right time Interview with Daryl Chapman

28 Events happening now

29 Travelling

30 Fast and easy recipes

IN THIS ISSUE NEWS

4 US Ambassador Bruce Oreck and Dennis McGinn on campus 5 New international partner for Metropolia

6 MetroSport Day

7 Spending a fun day with a Finn

Page 3: MetroBiz October14

LETTER fromTHE EDITORDear readers,

With the day light shortening and the deadlines piling on our desks, time surely passes fast! A few important things took place since our last edition. First of all, the MetroBiz team is now consisting of German exchange students Rabea Wickner and Ann-Tara Voelskow, as well as Finnish second year EM student Mia E. Varis. They have all contributed with text and photographs for this issue and will continue to do so in the near future.Second of all, we all enjoyed a series of events during September, among which MetroSport 2014 and a discussion on green energy from Dennis McGinn, the Assistant Secretary of the USA Navy.A new international partnership with HTW Saarland University from Germany has been agreed upon as well, which is a very important development for our school. In case you missed these, make sure you check out the News section below.Jim Collins’ best-seller “ Good to Great”( who has participated in the Nordic Business Forum held in Helsinki last week) is reviewed so don’t miss it out!I wish you all in advance a great Halloween and good luck on the upcoming exams and deadlines!

Olivia Nastase Editor in Chief

EDITOROlivia Nastase [email protected]

TEXTOlivia Nastase Rabea Wickner Mia E.VarisAnn-Tara Voelskow

Michael Keaney

SOURCES: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cre-ativemorningshelsinki/ http://rocksalted.com/2014/07/jim-collins-good-to-great/http://www.jeromecastaneda.com/hedgehog-concept-an-understand-ing-what-you-can-be-best-athttp://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Rovio-Accounts-Keep-Playing-the-Same-Game-on-Multiple-Platforms-2.jpghttp://wonderandbeauty.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/a-room-of-rain-bows/ http://www.visithelsinki.fi/en/whats-on/events-in-helsinki/search-events-in-helsinki

PHOTOS:Daniel Hunt

Louise Stansfielsd Risto Törrö

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Johannes RomppanenDaryl ChapmanSuvi ElliläValentina ArrietaTaneli Saari

MetroBiz Magazine

The text of the magazine has been written and edited by the Editor in Chief. All of the photographs originating from external sources have been added in accordance to the fair use concept and have been credited below.

Page 4: MetroBiz October14

On the 22nd of September, our campus had the honor of hosting the Assistant Secretary of the US Navy, Dennis McGinn and Bruce Oreck (who is the Ambassador of the US Embassy in Finland), for an informative session regarding climate change. Some of the topics that the Assistant Secretary touched upon were: alternative fuels, energy efficiency solutions, Green Tech, and how the US Navy is adapting in response to changes in climate and increases in fuel demands.

The “National Security and the Threat of Climate Change” report published in 2007 by the Center for Naval Analyses clearly showed that one cannot talk about national security without considering climate change. In this sense, Dennis McGinn fairly pointed out that national security is more and more threatened by natural disasters that, brought together with a frail government, are often followed by organized crimes, piracy, drug trafficking and so forth.

Amongst the disasters mentioned were hurricane Sandy, the increasing number of global wildfires, droughts, and heavy precipitations. The Arctic level decline was also discussed and it is predicted that the waters between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans will be possible to traverse for two to three months/year (due to the ice thinning), event that only occurred once in a few years.

Two possible solutions to these issues were discussed: the mitigation of CO2 emissions by using renewable energy, and the ability to adapt to the reality that we will have more prolonged environmental changes in the near future. The fact that nations worldwide are searching for a higher quality of life, has led to an increased demand for fuel, whereas the existing supply has significantly decreased. And, as we are finally understanding that the price we pay for energy is not the actual cost of it, especially on the long run, investments and research have started to move towards alternative sources of energy.Biofuels extracted from wood, feed stocks, algae, sea water (which takes a lot of energy to create) and municipal wastes are now more commonly used, although the Assistant Secretary considers that these should be given more thought at a global scale. As governments are slow to react to this reality, he stated that a partnership between logistics and airline companies for example, could create a larger demand for biofuels.

The US Navy, in cooperation with the Agriculture and Energy departments, has taken a few steps in mitigating its impact on the environment. Last year, it requested $70 million (with a hope of future increase) for each of its three programs meant to build commercial or pre-commercial scale, advanced biofuel plants and refineries; the result of these projects is expected by 2016.

US AMBASSADOR BRUCE ORECK AND DENNIS MCGINN ON CAMPUS

Assistant Secretary of the US Navy, Dennis McGinn (3rd from left to right) and US Ambassador to Finland. Bruce Oreck (4th from left to right)

IMA

GE

CRE

DIT

S: L

ouise

Sta

nsfie

ld

NEWS

4

Page 5: MetroBiz October14

Furthermore, the US Navy is also looking into replacing the Biodiesel 2 usage on its ships with alternative sources of energy such as electricity that is easier to produce (the vehicles can stay longer at sea if they do not need to be constantly refilled as now).We can thus conclude that Green Tech is now a reality, although we still have a long way to go until we can fully replace our traditional oil usage with a cleaner source of energy.

Dennis McGinn believes that this can only be done through a global collaboration between government organizations, businesses, and researchers, and he urges both Environmental Engineering and Business students to learn and work with each other in this sense.

Photo, left to right: Daryl Chapman, Holger Buck (Professor of law), Terhi Topi, Andy Juncker (Profes-sor of accounting), Heikki Valmu (Dean, Metropolia UAS), Michael Keaney, Doris Kollmann (Director, International Office)

At Metropolia Business School, the network of international partners is integral to the success of the degree programmes. There is always a need to ensure that the partnerships are continuing to offer students the best possible opportunities for relevant, challenging, rewarding studies, and experiences abroad. MBS is by far the most international school inside Metropolia, and now its experience and expertise is being used to help other subject areas to internationalize. On 29th and 30th of September, three visitors from the German university HTW Saarland discussed cooperation possibilities with representatives of the business school and colleagues from two different engineering programmes, Industrial Management and Environmental Engineering. The results were very successful.In the future, there will be a new interdisciplinary double degree, “Business Engineering”, based on an outstanding German model that combines both knowledge of business and a range of engineering skills.

Graduating with this degree will enable students to gain access to the many opportunities for well-paid and rewarding jobs that exist in Germany for suitably qualified people. Finland is the only country in Europe with a surplus of engineers, so anyone with the right skills can find a very good job almost anywhere inside the EU, as long as the language skills are sufficient. Also, HTW Saarland has agreed to offer 5 study places per year to ambitious students on our International Business and Logistics degree programme who would like to graduate with a double degree. In return, up to 5 students from Saarland will study logistics at Metropolia Business School each year. More details about this will be published once the paperwork has been completed in spring 2015. Cooperation with HTW Saarland gives Metropolia access to other partners in the Netherlands and Poland, so this is a very significant development for our school and a big step towards the goal of maximizing Metropolia students’ access to life-enhancing, useful learning experiences.

NEW INTERNATIONAL PARTNER FOR METROPOLIA

- Michael Keaney

- Olivia Nastase

IMA

GE

CRE

DIT

S: D

anie

l Hun

t

5

Page 6: MetroBiz October14

METROSPORT DAY!

BMX-racing, circuit training and baseball – these were only a few of the different sports activities offered at the fifth MetroSport on the Olympic Stadium on 17th September. Entering the Olympic Stadium, students were welcomed by a cheerful atmosphere. After a free lunch consisting of fresh fruits and fair trade coffee it was time to warm up. Students could challenge each other in different kinds of bouncy house races and try out the awarded Finnish innovation ‘ClimbStation’.

All kinds of stands were giving out information about student discounts and student well-being, give-aways and badges. The library stand challenged everyone with a little game of skills. While balancing a book on your head you had to master an obstacle course. The reward was, of course, another badge.

The warm and sunny weather made it easy to enjoy the main stage’s program. After the opening ceremony held by principle Riitta Konkola the warm-up was followed by a show and try out of the Japanese martial art “Taido” and the Blue & White dance club presented ballroom dances.

Another highlight was the panel discussion about how a sense of community creates well-being, including the famous former ice hockey star Juhani “Tami” Tamminen. Unfortunately the discussion was only held in Finnish which made it difficult for exchange students to follow.Those that did not register for the mini football and street-floorball tournaments could try the demo classes. Everybody interested in dance, acrobatics and music had fun at Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art. Moving back and forward, kicking and dodging led by the music of the instrument berimbau makes you work on your stamina. This class is now taught at Arcada campus on Mondays and at Vanha Viertotie campus on Thursdays. Besides Judo, Historical Fencing was also offered. After a short introduction the participants could practice basic moves with gears and weapons from the Viking period. Students who prefer a calmer form of sport enjoyed Pilates, a physical fitness system which helps you to relax after a long day of studying and improves flexibility. Pilates is now offered at Bulevardi on Mondays and at Vanha Viertotie several times a week.Extraordinary sports were also be found at MetroSport. Glide flying was introduced by the Nummela Gliding Centre. At the computer simulator students could figure out if they are skilled enough to start becoming a glider pilot next summer at Nummela airfield, about 40 kilometres from Helsinki city center. Shooting with laser and small plastic bullets were greatly enjoyed by all students, male and female alike, which was shown by the long line. Surprisingly, pole dance was also a fun experience not only for girls. The team from Pole4fit showed their skills and taught the basic moves. If anybody missed the chance to try this effective form of fitness training for the whole body, they are welcome to visit the Pole4fit-school at the Pasila railway station for a free trial lesson.

NEWS

- Text and pictures: Ann-Tara Voelskow

6

Page 7: MetroBiz October14

SPENDING A FUN DAY WITH A FINN!

For exchange students who moved to Finland, learning about Finnish culture, lifestyle and traditions can be quite difficult if you live in a shared apartment with other exchange students or even students from your own country. It does not help much either that Metropolia is one of the most international universities of applied sciences in Finland.

To give exchange students a chance to learn more about the everyday life of Finns, the event “Spend a day with a Finn” was created. Employees and students of Metropolia (mostly Finnish of course, or at least living here for a few years) invited exchange students to all kinds of different activities during the week between the 20th - 27th of September. Helsinki sightseeing tours, bike trips and cooking were offered, as well as assistance on how to do grocery shopping on a budget or visit Jean Sibelius’ home.

I chose to spend my day with Mari Rupponen, study coordinator for the Finnish students at Metropolia. She invited me and a group of three other exchange students to her home. Mari’s friend Sari, also study coordinator, was so kind to give us a ride and we immediately started to exchange our experiences and tips.

We were warmly welcomed by Mari and her two little kids and showed around the house. An open kitchen and a fire place are typical for a Finnish house and create a cosy atmosphere. But we did not stay too long in the living room as our actual activity for the day was geocaching in the forest nearby.

7

Page 8: MetroBiz October14

Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunting game in which the participants navigate with a GPS-enabled device (or a phone with a GPS App.) to a specific set of coordinates and try to find the hidden geocache there. Mari had prepared 4 stations, one for each of us, and gave us her phone to navigate to the coordinates with the GPS App. The geocaches in this case, were self-painted drawings made by Mari’s daughter and hidden in the forest. Mari really enjoyed watching us while we had to climb up a rock or down a rock crevice.

After all geocaches were found, we enjoyed the fantastic view over Helsinki and had a delicious picnic with Finnish snacks, such as cinnamon rolls, mandarins and karjalanpiirakat (Karelian pasties). Mari had also prepared hot chocolate and brought her collection of Moomin cups. As it started to get cold, we decided to make our way home. Walking back through the forest, Mari and Sari explained berries and mushrooms to us. Unfortunately most of them were already picked but we still found a few to taste.

Back at Mari’s house, we gave her a hug and told the kids goodbye. When Sari dropped us off at home, we promised her to visit the two of them at their office soon. It was a great afternoon, not only because we spent time in a Finnish forest, enjoying Finnish snacks, but also because we got to meet two lovely Finnish ladies whom we will definitely visit again!

NEWS

Text and pictures: Ann-Tara Voelskow

8

Page 9: MetroBiz October14

9

Page 10: MetroBiz October14

10

BREAKFAST LECTURES

FOR THE

CREATIVE COMMUNITY

“Color” event, September 2014, Helsinki. IMAGE CREDITS: Risto Törrö

THE STORY BEHIND CREATIVEMORNINGS/HELSINKI

Not many know about the CreativeMornings concept, especially here in Finland. When the topic was brought to my attention I had no idea what this event was all about. But, as I got to read more about it, I

became more intrigued and decided to participate in the second CreativeMornings speech in Helsinki. There, I got the chance to have a small talk with the mastermind that brought the concept here, Johannes Romppanen.CreativeMornings was created in 2008 by Tina Eisenberg who desired a frequent and accessible event for New York’s creative community. The concept followed a simple idea: select a theme and a speaker one Friday morning a month and invite spectators for a small breakfast and short talk, free of charge. These events were not only meant to bring friendly, international-minded people together, but also to promote a city’s creative talent. And you will be surprised to see how much creativity exists even in the most unexpected places! Now, six year later, CreativeMornings is bringing people together in almost 100 cities spread across the globe, and it is enjoying a humbling archive of breakfast talks.

Page 11: MetroBiz October14

11

From the “Color “ event in September.Ville Matvejeff (left) and Johannes Romppanen (right) IMAGE CREDITS: Risto Törrö

Interview with Johannes RomppanenEven though this is an event dedicated to creativity, it applies to the business world in many ways, since it follows almost the same patterns as a start-up company. And let us not forget that a drop of creativity is required in most fields, no matter how mundane they might sound like. We wanted to know how the concept was brought to Finland, how the organizers got (and stayed) together, and how they managed to gather sponsors for the CreativeMornings/Helsinki talks (as this is a non-profit organization after all), amongst others. Johannes Romppanen, a graduate of Hyper Island University in Karlskrona, Sweden and a photographer at heart, attended a Helsinki Design Lab event by Sitra and, impressed with he had heard and seen there, wondered if Helsinki could host any other similar events. It was there that he met someone who had heard about CreativeMornings and he encouraged Johannes to bring the concept to Finland.With the help of his friend Maria Taari and together with the creative video agency KLOK, Johannes sent the application video in September 2013, through which he had to prove that Helsinki was a worthy candidate for these events (it was basically a sales pitch).

FEATURE

This was followed by a Skype interview with the CM headquarters in New York in December, in order for the team to get to know him. He remembers that taking over this felt very overwhelming in the beginning, like it was a project that is simply just too complex as a one man job. He then contacted Sannaliina Mononen who was an old friend of his, and she became CreativeMornings/Helsinki’s project manager. Together, they formed a small team of eleven and they set on finding a location and sponsorship for the events. Whereas in most cases the location of each CM talk changes regularly, Johannes wanted to keep it simple and have a fixed venue to start with. This is where Design Museo stepped in with their building in downtown Helsinki. Soon after, small businesses such as Théhuone and SIS.Deli+Café, and Kaffecentralen joined the sponsors list and the first two CreativeMornings/Helsinki speeches successfully took place in August and September, on the topics of “Failure” and “Color”, respectively.

Page 12: MetroBiz October14

CreativeMornings/Helsinki team members and volunteers, September 2014. IMAGE CREDITS: Risto Törrö

12

This is yet another proof of the fact that the Western world is more and more chasing intrinsic motivators, such as engaging in meaningful and enjoyable work, and less and less monetary rewards. It has also reinforced his belief that we often tend to over-complicate our lives and hover over problems that are usually solvable. Whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee, you need to remember to simplify, to pursue long term goals, and, most of all, to take on new challenges, no matter how scary they might appear.CreativeMornings/ Helsinki is constantly interested in collaborating with both companies and start-ups. Volunteers (either Finnish or foreigners) with a creative and international mind set are also more than welcome to join the team of volunteers. For more information, you can contact the CreativeMornings/Helsinki team at [email protected].

Since mingling with others plays such an important role here and this project is so similar to a start-up, I asked Johannes if networking was the most crucial element in starting such a project. “Not really”, he says “the most important thing is to get out of your comfort zone and just do things”. Many of us start networking during our university years. For Johannes who studied in Karlskrona, this was clearly not the case upon his return to Finland. He did find the right people for CreativeMornings/Helsinki in the end, but, before that, he had to manage with what little he had. He realized immediately that this is going to be an important project which would involve leading others, and most of all, speak in front of an audience. These fears however, managed to motivate him rather than intimidate him.The most surprising thing that Johannes learned through this experience is how much energy, enthusiasm, and motivation people are willing to invest, just for the sole purpose of creating something great.

- Olivia Nastase

Page 13: MetroBiz October14

13

THE NEXT EVENT WITH THE THEME “CROSSOVER” WILL BE HELD AT THE DESIGN MUSEUM ON FRI-DAY THE 31TH OF OCTOBER. FOR MORE INFO, PLEASE VISIT CREATIVEMORNINGS.COM/CITIES/HEL

Page 14: MetroBiz October14

“GOOD TO GREAT” - JIM COLLINS

why some companies make the leap...and others don’t

And yet, at some point, they managed to overcome these challenges, transformation which always appears like a revolutionary event for the outsiders and an organic, cumulative process to the insiders.

Furthermore, they achieved greatness despite the fact that none of them used pioneering technologies , “ for the simple reason that you cannot make good use of technology until you know what technologies are relevant” (unlike their competitors)! Rather, they employed their inner thoughtfulness, creativity, drive for turning potential into results, and regarded technology only as an accelerator of their momentum, not a creator of it. Mediocre companies on the other hand, failed not because of the technologies used but from management failure, in most cases.

Strategy is not an indicator that separated the good to great companies from their competitors, both sides had well-defined, long-range strategies. What good-to great firms did however, was to confront reality and determine what they could be the best in the world at. They focused equally on what not to do and what to stop doing, they used compensation as a method to get the right people on their team and retain them (not to get the right behavior from the wrong people), and created the conditions necessary for problems such as commitment, motivation and alignment to slowly melt away by themselves.

Following a research spread on five years, “ Good to great” presents the success of eleven companies that managed to reach and maintain extraordinary results, both in their

industry and on a market level. Although Jim Collins wrote “Good to great” after the best-seller “ Build to last”, he considers that this is actually a prequel of the aforementioned, as the first one looks at how good companies used timeless principles and became great, and the second one talks about how they managed to maintain their status over time. Touching upon the popular subject of intrinsic motivation, the research underlines the importance of finding the right people for your business and offering them the proper conditions for development.It is clear that all the eleven good to great companies followed different paths and, yet, they have certain things in common. First of all, most of the good to great companies managed to produce spectacular returns in some very unspectacular industries, such as the steel industry, consumer goods, and retailing.

“You absolutely do not need to be in a great industry to produce sustained great results. No matter how bad the industry, every good to great company figured out how to produce truly superior economic returns.”

Second, all of these organizations attained greatness after they have faced extreme situations. Many of them were, at some point, on the verge of being taken over by their competitors, going bankrupt or operating in obsolete industries.

FEATURE

14

IMAGE CREDITS: Rock Salted

Page 15: MetroBiz October14

An interesting idea presented in the book relates to the Hedgehog concept, according to which people are divided into two basic groups: foxes and hedgehogs. Foxes are usually the ones that are pursuing several goals at the same time, in a scattered and diffused manner. The hedgehogs stand at the opposite: they follow a basic principle that unifies and guides them in organizing an idea. Hedgehogs are able to reduce dilemmas and simplify their lives.

According to Collins’ research, good to great company leaders tend to be hedgehogs, as compared to their competitors. By consistently following this concept and by being aware of the fact that it is a continuous process, good to great companies take about four years on average to have a clear hedgehog concept. Finally, what all of the good to great companies have in common is a culture of pure discipline, without going to the tyrannical extreme. By this, we understand that discipline requires employees to adhere to a consistent system and, at the same time, offers them the required freedom and creativity within the framework of that system.

Another topic emphasized in the book is the idea that people are not the most important asset in a company, the right people are. In choosing the “right people”, all of the good- to-great cases tended to place greater weight on employees’ character attributes than on practical skills, knowledge, or work experience.The importance of skills and specialized knowledge are not dismissed by any means. They are considered however more learnable, whereas character, ethic, and basic intelligence are more inbred values. We can only hope that more companies and industries will embrace this idea in the near future.We cannot talk about good to great companies without mentioning the idea of level five leaders. All of the eleven company cases were led by this top tier individuals.

What makes them so special is the fact that they were able to work for their company’s best interest, while putting their self-interests asideThese incredibly ambitious leaders have the power to look outside the window and allocate credit to those who have earned it when things go welland, at the same time, to look in the mirror and take responsibility when things do not end as planned.

Another intriguing argument is that most of the level 5 leaders that led good to great companies have been individuals from within the company. Choosing a highly charismatic outsider with an attitude rivaling that of a super star is usually negatively perceived as hindering a company’s possibility to become great ( See Lee Iacocca’s case with Chrysler). “One of the most damaging trends in recent history is the tendency to select dazzling, celebrity leaders and to de-select potential level 5 ones”.

The big question here is then: What can mediocre or good companies do to achieve greatness? And to this, the study answers: you need to have a culture of rigor, to confront the brutal facts of your situation, to create an environment in which the truth can be heard, and to reduce hierarchy and bureaucracy as much as possible.

What is important to remember is that only a few companies are the best in their industry. There are even less companies that can keep their supremacy on the long run. Even so, it is always possible to find a niche in which you can reach your full potential and become great. The basic concepts presented in “Good to great” can even be applied by those of us who are not entrepreneurs by heart, since we will all have to manage others in one way or the other or work in a team.

“Level 5 leaders embody a paradoxical mix of personal humility and professional will. They set up their successors for even greater success in the next generation, whereas egocentric level 4 leaders often set up their successors for failure”.

- Olivia Nastase

IMA

GE

CRE

DIT

S: Je

rom

e C

aste

nada

15

Page 16: MetroBiz October14

SHOWING WHAT IS POSSIBLE BY BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE, AT THE RIGHT TIMEINTERVIEW WITH DARYL CHAPMAN

On the first day of Autumn I went out to interview Daryl Chapman, a Management Lecturer at Metropolia Business School, regarding a case study he had written for

Europe’s best selling Strategy textbook (Exploring Strategy) and came back with a story, which illustrates how important networking is and being able to take advantage of the opportunities that life presents us with.

You have been living in Finland quite some time. Could you tell us what were the rea-sons you moved to Finland in the first place?

Like most foreigners, I didn’t necessarily plan to come to Finland. I travelled with a friend to the island of Kos, in Greece in the late 1980’s.

There, we met a group of Finnish people, I had never met Finnish people in my life before at that point.

Later in that particular year (1988), I went on a short holiday to Finland, for just two weeks. After that I returned to London and worked there for three more years. I always considered Finland as a possible place to move to. At some point in the early 1990’s, I decided on a career change and so I applied to a firm that offered training to business executives in Europe. My original intention at the interview was to start working at their office in Lisbon, Portugal. However, the interviewer, after noticing that I was widely travelled on my CV and had been to Finland, asked me to forget about Lisbon and start thinking about Helsinki because they were in great need of trainers there. So the company offered me a one year contract and an apartment in Ullanlinna in Helsinki as part of the package.

What drove you to a teaching career after that?

I started teaching with the career change. Before that, I was a Market Information Executive in London, working for a large Trade Federation. I got interested in the possibilities teaching offered when I was training business people in Finland. So a possible career in teaching came to my attention later on while I was working as a business

What circumstances brought you to Metropolia?

I came to Metropolia as a result of a series of merger processes between institutions. After I extended my contract for two additional years with the company that originally brought me to Finland, I had a look around at what else was possible. I noticed an advertisement in the National Newspaper (Helsingin Sanomat) in which there was a small business school in Vantaa that wanted people to lecture in English on a range of business related subjects. Later on I applied and I got the job. That was Mercuria Business School, that had a merger with an institute called EVTEK, which in turn was the forerunner to Metropolia Business School.

FEATURE

16

Page 17: MetroBiz October14

How got you involved with the author team of “Exploring Strategy”?

That links in with Lancaster University, where I studied when I was living in the UK. I studied post graduate level work in relation to Management Systems. I was aware that a Professor from Lancaster, Gerry Johnson, was actually the main Professor behind the book “Exploring Strategy”. I was interested in his work because it forms the basis of the best selling business strategy text book in Europe.

I decided to try and get to a specialist workshop held at Aston University in the UK. It was at this first workshop that one of the case studies they presented was about Nokia. So at the end of the presentation it was the ideal moment for me, because I was the only attendee from Finland in the room. I told Professor Gerry Johnson that I was interested in the fact that they were using Nokia as a case study. He simply replied that they were interested in the Nordic countries as an area, where they could possibly use other case studies in relation to their work.

So that is where I got in contact with the author behind the book. I also mentioned that I used to study at Lancaster, so I knew some people that Professor Gerry Johnson knew. In a way it was a networking operation. That very first workshop set the scene for me being involved in the project. Two years later at the workshop, again held in Aston, I was able to meet with other authors of the same strategy book, including Professor Richard Whittington of Oxford University. They asked if I would prepare a draft case for them to consider.

So I prepared a draft about Rovio Entertainment. I got in contact with Professor Richard Whittington who sent the draft back to me. He was very interested and suggested some changes. After that I made some changes and took a slightly different direction to the original idea. Around Christmas 2012, the case coordinator of the book contracted me and told me that professor Richard Whittington was interested in collaborating with me on my text for the case study, where I would be published as the lead author and he would be published as the second author.

Why did you pick Rovio Entertainment as your research case?

I picked it because there was clear evidence that the gaming industry would develop very strongly in Finland, but at that time, back in 2011, not that many people knew about “Angry Birds” so it wasn’t something that happened straight away. I could monitor and move along with the development that the company was going through. So the rewritten version made Professor Richard Whittington realise that he could potentially work in collaboration with me. And you rarely get the chance to collaborate with a Professor from Oxford University.

IMAGE CREDITS: Softpedia

What were the key points you found during your research?

One of the points which Professor Whittington is quite keen on is to look for cases which provide a sort of human angle. So one of the reasons he was attracted to Rovio was that it is a family business. He was interested in possible family tensions.

The other thing with Rovio is that Professor Whittington is drawn to the area of innovation. He liked the fact that Rovio was brave enough, in a way, to stick with its beliefs and turn down a $2 billion offer from the American Company Zynga. They did this because they knew what they had was something worth keeping. The innovation aspect within the case study is interesting because there is considerable pressure on Rovio to continue to innovate, they have to keep their development at and indeed beyond the leading edge to satisfy their global army of fans.

At one point, I approached Professor Whittington about getting in touch with Rovio because they are not a listed company in Finland and private companies don’t have the legal obligation to provide certain information to the public. I planned to approach Rovio in order to get more information, but Professor Whittington was against the idea because it was very important to remain impartial in our work. The moment you approach a company there is the possibility that they can influence your writing.

The book is all about presenting interesting situations to students that they can read about and learn from, it should not be seen as any form of company promotion.

What exactly got you interested in Business Strategy?

I was looking at the field of Business Strategy in the 1990’s. Thinking back to my Masters studies, there was a large strategic element, so students were carrying out strategic research studies on organisations operating within the UK. It gives you a real sense of how important strategy is in relation to how companies operate and function.

17

Page 18: MetroBiz October14

These people are very driven and, at the same time, highly sensitive and this of course offers a very interesting topic to write about. Essentially, Rovio can still be classified as a Start Up company even if it is successful and it is growing all the time. But, until it is listed on the stock exchange, it does not go beyond a Start Up classification.

What were the most surprising things you came across in the project?

One surprise was that one of the people involved with Rovio, Peter Vesterbacka, is very aware of what it means to be an entrepreneur. He has supported entrepreneurial efforts in the greater Helsinki capital area for several years, particularly an event called “Slush”, which has grown enormously alongside the development of Rovio.Another surprise was the simple fact that these days you can go global with the touch of a button. What we are talking about here connects with the success of Apple Computers. If it hadn’t been for the founder Steve Jobs and his vision to allow developers outside of Apple to produce applications, to go on to the Apple platform, the store, and so forth, then the environment for Rovio’s success wouldn’t have been created. What is surprising is how successful this really has become, these days everybody is talking about “Apps”. But Rovio were not able to get through to the Apple platform by themselves, they did it through the UK based company Chillingo, a well-connected games publisher which was in contact with Apple. And if you see how one connects to the other, you see success can happen really, really fast, due to our highly inter-connected world.

Do you think your research had an impact on the company?

Not directly. One of the things you have to bear in mind is that the people that run companies don’t always have a business degree.

I think in the case of Rovio, only one of the founders had any significant business education. But they are the pioneers in their niche market, they don’t really need to be interested in academic publications of this type. This particular case study is just one example among many of a piece of writing concerning Rovio.

Quite a lot of people outside of Rovio are influenced by what we are writing about because the book is available in so many countries and translated into so many languages.

What is your conclusion regarding this project?

One of the reasons the book is so successful is because of the case studies and the approach that the authors take. This is mainly driven by Professor Gerry Johnson. He has a great belief in engaging students and he thinks that the best way to do this is through case studies, which are fresh and challenging and can be instantly related to.

Do you think you will undertake any further research of this sort?

At some point next year, I will be contacted in relation to the Rovio case study. What we were able to do was follow the Rovio situation up to now and we have written the case from a fairly neutral angle and, in the next edition, the case could be updated further. So Rovio may or may not be a successful company in the future, but whatever happens we can write about it.The general philosophy is to remain impartial and present cases in a neutral format. That is I think the healthiest way to display the book. Also, I may be working with Patrick Renege, a professor at the Stockholm School of Economics. He is from Sweden and we are the main representatives from the Nordic area, so we can talk about the Nordic perspective. Furthermore, he is quite keen on maintaining the Nordic direction in the book’s case studies. The Rovio Entertainment case study will feature in another strategy text book entitled “Fundamentals of Strategy”, which will be published in January 2016.

Did your research change your view of the company?

The research reinforced a view I already had and that Professor Whittington loved anyway: Paranoia. What this case is showing, what goes for many Start Up companies in fact, is that there is a certain sense of nervousness, they are constantly on edge. Even when they appear successful, they can’t sit back and say “We’ve made it!”. So

- Rabea Wickner

18

Page 19: MetroBiz October14

19

STUDENT WELL-BEING IN METROPOLIA

Who to contact: Well-being advisors Taneli Saari, tel. 040 834 2940 [email protected] Counselling psychologists Sanni Saarimäki, tel. 040 668 4004 [email protected] Nurses Riita Toiviainen, tel. 0400 974 320 [email protected]

University chaplains Kristiina Hannula, tel. 050 420 1540 [email protected]

WELL-BEING staff members can be contacted for any issue you may have!All the students of Metropolia can approach them if they are facing any kind of obstacles, either related to studies or personal life. Remember, we are all struggling with different problems (be them health, psychological, or spiritual related) that are not always under our control.If , for example, you are under a lot of stress, exhausted, and feel as if everything is pointless, it may be time to take a step back and seriously consider asking for assistance.Having these issues doesn’t make you weak, it just makes you human. Seek help from professionals that are able to offer you the best advice in these situations!All discussions with the well-being members are strictly confidential and free of charge!

Health check-ups Health counselling Vaccinations Birth Control Eating disorders Weight problems Quitting smoking

Depression/stress Studying difficulties (lack of motivation) Learning difficulties Unexpected or prolonged life events and crises Relationships Social problems Addictions

Advice on ceremonies (baptism, matrimony, burial, blessing) Working with aspects concerning all the phases in life, from birth to death. Silence as spiritual practice

NURSE WELL-BEING ADVISORS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS

UNIVERSITY CHAPLAINS

Page 20: MetroBiz October14

EXCHANGE

Madrid is the capital of Spain. With an impressive population of approximately 3.3 million in the city and 6.5 million in the Madrid

metropolitan area, it is the third largest city in the European Union. Madrid is located in the heart of Spain. Some of the most significant sights and landmarks in Madrid include the Royal Palace of Madrid, Plaza de Cibeles, Gran Vía, Museo Nacional del Prado, Parque del Retiro and Templo de Debod. Madrid is full of history given that it has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Although the cityscape mostly embraces historical architecture and monuments, Madrid is an extremely modern city with a well functioning infrastructure and a relaxed atmosphere.

Universidad Europea de Madrid

Universidad Europea de Madrid is the largest private university in Madrid. It was founded in 1995 hence it’s a relatively new university. Universidad Europea de Madrid has approximately 16 000 students on all campuses. The business campus is in Villaviciosa de Odón, which is a municipality that is located approximately 40 minutes from the city center by bus. The campus itself boasts an artificial lake, a massive library, various buildings and 14,000 square meters of sports facilities including an outdoor swimming pool.

- Mia E.Varis

20

PARTNER UNIVERSITY PROFILE:

UNIVERSIDAD EUROPEA DE MADRID

IMA

GE C

REDITS: W

onder and Beauty

Page 21: MetroBiz October14

EXCHANGE

LIVING

UNIVERSITY

LIFESTYLE

Accommodation: € 350-450 a month per person in a shared apartment.

The most affordable way to get an apartment is rent it from a private person

The university also provides accommodation options but the price level is relatively high.

Make sure that you have enough cash when you enter the country because most initial payments and deposits are done in cash.

Cold houses in the winter so don’t abandon all of your winter clothes in Finland.

Previous exchange students have had problems with course enrolments so arrive to Spain on time.

No introductory period for exchange students.

Even though your courses are in English, everything from the course titles to the online-exam system is in Spanish.

There can be various tests throughout the courses.

Classes usually start in the afternoon, at approximately 3 p.m., and last for 4 hours.

Since the campus is located outside of Madrid (approximately 40 minutes) you will need to take the bus to the campus if you choose to live in the center.

The university’s facilities are breathtaking. For instance, there is a lake, a fountain, a sports center, a gym and swimming pools.

¡Aprende español! Don’t forget that most locals rarely speak English so it’s a good idea to study Spanish in advance. You should have numerous (at least 5) copies of your passport when you arrive to Madrid because you need them in order to registrate to the university and in order to open a Spanish bank account. You will also need several passport photographs.

Prices are cheaper than in Finland.

Good public transportation system (monthly bus ticket costs € 42 if you’re under 24 and € 72 if you’re an adult).

Two-way straight flights to Finland from Madrid are approximately € 250.

Madrid comes alive at night, which is why the night-life is one of Madrid’s primary attractions.

Recommended bars/restaurants (with student-friendly prices): 100 Montaditos and Lateral.

Be patient since certain things might take more time and effort than what you are used to.

TIPS FROM PREVIOUS EXCHANGE STUDENTS

21

IMA

GE C

REDITS: W

onder and Beauty

Page 22: MetroBiz October14

EXCHANGE

Name: Suvi Ellilä Nationality: Finnish Year and program: IBL/4th year Location and duration: Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia, 5 months

Moi Suvi! Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us why you decided to be a foreign exchange student?

I am a final year IBL student who is constantly trying to look for new adventures and experiences. My motto is to find positive aspects in any occasion. Even the biggest challenges can be dealt with more easily with a spark of humor :)

When I considered different options for my degree there were two things I prioritized very strongly: improving my language skills (especially English) and internationality. It became very clear that working in the future would involve an international aspect to some level- either working among foreign affairs, going to work abroad or interact with different cultures. Metropolia provided a perfect study programme to match these requirements: IBL. When the opportunity was provided to apply for exchange studies I was in immediately! I was even more intrigued when our International Coordinator offered me a chance to go to a new partner school as the first exchange student from Finland, no need to think about jumping into this adventure twice. In fact, I spent the whole semester as their only exchange student and only Western person in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The other students were local (Malays) or from Middle East, Africa and other parts of Asia.

After spending a semester there, what would you say makes Malaysia unique?

Malaysia is a relatively easy place to live in from a Western perspective. Almost everyone speaks English (Or Manglish as it called there) to some level, and Kuala Lumpur is a wonderful city.

The place is a melting pot for many different cultures and religions. Malays, Chinese and Indians are the biggest populations and, on top of that, there are numerous ex pats and students/interns. This is an Islamic country, but other religions manage to coexist harmoniously (Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and others). However, one should pay attention to the customs (most of local Malay females cover their hear and wear loose gowns).

Malaysia is an unique and beautiful country. Kuala Lumpur is full of modern architecture and wonderful parks. Taman Negara is one of the oldest rainforests in the whole world, and the paradise islands are believed to be among the most beautiful ones in the world.

DISCOVERING MALAYSIA INTERVIEW WITH SUVI ELLILÄ

22

Page 23: MetroBiz October14

What is Malaysia’s favorite word?

“Boleh!” which means “can”. Either in a question or in an answer, “boleh” can be used in many different contexts and can be heard quite often.

How is Finland perceived there?

People are very interested and impressed with Finland. University teachers and other students have an image of Finland as a very developed country with an excellent education system. Assumptions included accuracy and punctuality and Finland was often compared to countries like Germany.When it comes to weather, the most common thought is that Finland is a very cold country throughout the year so they are very surprised to hear that Finnish summer is actually very warm.

How important is it to speak the native language there and how good is your level of Malay?

In general everyone speaks more or less English in Kuala Lumpur (taxi drivers, shop assistants, public institutions etc.).My studies were conducted in the International Business School, so my level of English was quite ok and there weren’t that many problems.

23

Unfortunately my Malay isn’t very good as the school didn’t provide any courses to learn the language. This might be because receiving exchange students at their department is a new thing (I believe I was their third exchange student this far).

Have you taken part to any cultural activities / seminars/ important events there?

As said before, UTM’s experience of exchange students is very new so there are many areas they should develop. One of the lacking things was absence of student activities and events, so unfortunately I wasn’t able to participate to any events or seminars.

Have you travelled to other regions of Malaysia /different countries while being there?

One of the greatest experiences of spending my time in Malaysia was the ease of exploring many wonderful places. Malaysia is a beautiful country and it has a very interesting history so traveling around Malaysia was extremely rewarding. In contrast to living in Kuala Lumpur, I was able to discover the wonderful Paradise islands with white beaches and clear waters (such as Perhentian and Tioman, Langkawi), to go to the Cameron highlands and explore clean and fresh nature with jungle and tea plantations, as well as and to discover cities such as Malacca with a strong influence of the Dutch colonial era.

Page 24: MetroBiz October14

24

EXCHANGE

In addition to this, traveling to neighboring countries is quite cheap and easy; I was able to go to Singapore to admire the wonderful architecture and to spend a few weeks in Indonesia, Bali, Lombok, Gili’s, and Sumatra.

How different is Universiti Teknologi Malaysia from Metropolia and the Malaysian education system from the Finnish one?

I conducted my studies in UTM, which is a public technical university. The biggest difference is definitely the fact that there is much more bureaucracy there, documents usually require signatures from many different parties.I ended up collecting them by running back and forward between different departments. The best way of getting things done is going to talk to people face to face, since getting responds via e-mail might take a long time or they might be forgotten.UTM is influenced by Harvard University and the International Business School (IBS) applies many case studies and study methods used by Harvard. Many of these methods were interesting and good, but in general Metropolia’s methods are more efficient and demanding. The International Business School there acknowledges that many European countries have more advanced education levels compared to them and, because of this, they aim to target their study places to students from developing countries such as from Africa, in order to educate them and improve their knowledge.

What was your favorite class there?

I studied four courses: Technology Management & Innovations, Leadership & Organizational Behavior, Negotiations Skills and Economic Analysis. The most interesting one was Technology Management & Innovations, in which past and current innovative technologies were discussed in forms of many case studies and other assignments.

On a scale from 1 to 10, how international do you consider the country/university?

By evaluating both the university and country, 9 ½ would be a fair grade. It is relatively easy for a person who hasn’t travelled before, since the communication can be done quite well in English and it has many wonderful places to visit. UTM was also a very unique experience. I didn’t expect to be the only exchange student at the school but this turned out to be one of the best aspects of my experiences here. Besides local students, we had students from many places such as Iran, Pakistan, Palestine, Oman, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Saudi Arabia (girls were wearing a niqab veil, meaning only eyes are revealed), Thailand, Brunei, China, Nigeria etc. On my spare time I also got to know many ex pats, interns and exchange students from other schools, but still no other Finnish people though. This was an opportunity to truly get to know interesting people and cultures, both on campus and in my spare time.

Page 25: MetroBiz October14

- Suvi Ellilä & Olivia Nastase

25

Best/worst things about being there and what did you miss most about Finland?

The best things about staying in Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia would definitely be the amazing people, wonderful climate and very good travelling opportunities. A bad side would be the pollution (especially in Kuala Lumpur, there were times when the haze was a great problem and breathing was uneasy, also streets can be quite dirty from time to time, this really made me appreciate Finland’s clean nature more). Another negative side was the lack of assistance from the school on general matters. Since they are not very experienced with having exchange students, I had to find out everything on my own and had to be responsible for organizing everything including accommodation, all spare time activities and even finding where different facilities at school are located. However, my character is quite independent so this was not a problem at all. I ended up staying in Bukit Bintang (right in the so called “golden triangle” area in the middle of Kuala Lumpur) with amazing people either working or doing their internships, and found wonderful friends from all over the world. Regarding Finland, I missed the fresh and clean nature, beautiful lakes, and the endless, midsummer nights. In Malaysia evenings are dark after sunset at around 7-8 PM and the air is very sultry

and stuffed, especially in Kuala Lumpur.

Do you want to share an unforgettable moment/memory from there?

I have many great memories from Malaysia, however, one of the most unforgettable experiences happened while travelling to Indonesia. I decided to travel to Lombok island where I trekked to the active Rinjani volcano for two days through the jungle, across steep, sandy and stony paths, spent a night in a tent, swam in an amazing volcanic lake and relaxed in hot springs under a waterfall.

Would you recommend foreign exchange to Malaysia to someone else?

I would absolutely recommend Malaysia to anyone interested living in a big metropolitan city, with a busy international atmosphere, keen on travelling easy and cheap around Malaysia and South-East Asia. If you have a patient and curious nature to explore new adventures, Kuala Lumpur is an excellent place for your exchange period.

Page 26: MetroBiz October14

Name: Valentina Arrieta Nationality: Russian Year and program: IBL/4th year Location and duration: Madrid, 6 months

WORK PLACEMENT

Hello Valentina! Could you tell us a bit about the company you worked for and your position there?

Bloom Consulting offers all kind of services related to country, region, city or place branding, from the situation analysis stage up to development, implementation and monitoring of the branding strategy.I worked as a Project Manager and my main responsibilities included managing multiple projects simultaneously, leading complex internal and external projects (with team sizes ranging from 1-15 people), facilitating project meetings , and communicating the ongoing project’s status to the CEO and the managing partners. Furthermore, I had to manage and plan deadlines and tasks for the other team members, while providing purpose, direction and motivation. And finally, I was in charge with maintaining a positive environment meant to promote individual development, and to ensure high quality standards for all the projects.

How did you find this position and what skills gained in MBS helped you most during your internship?

I found this position through Tuubi. I have always been checking internship opportunities throughout my studies, so it’s difficult to say how long it took me to find the internship.Team working skills and multicultural experience gained at Metropolia were extremely helpful during my internship. The skills gained through the communication course were very helpful during the application period (especially the interview simulation). The working life was definitely very different from the student one. In my case, it was much more demanding and I had to handle a huge responsibility.

BLOOM CONSULTING EXPERIENCE INTERVIEW WITH VALENTINA ARRIETA

What were the challenges and rewards of working there?

The biggest challenge for me during the internship was keeping my team motivated. As a Project Manager, I was responsible for the success of most of the company’s projects, and a motivated team was an essential aspect of this. Sometimes projects required the team to work longer hours, to put some extra effort or redo a job from scratch. These situations can easily lower the team spirit. It was my responsibility to maintain this, which was not easy for me. However, this challenge helped me improve my leadership, team-working and communication skills.

26

Page 27: MetroBiz October14

WORK PLACEMENT

What message do you have for the current MBS students in terms of the work placement?

I would advise you to learn as much as you can and try to figure out what you like doing, on what are you ready to spend your hours on, and what gets you excited. Once you’ve found something that you would like to do all your life, then just try to get as much experience and knowledge as possible, try to meet people who can help you learn more, and try to teach others what you know, then I am sure that success will be waiting for you.

27

What role does internationalization play in Bloom Consulting? How international is the company, as compared to the Finnish context?

Internationalization plays an extremely important role in Bloom Consulting, because the client base is very international. For example, Bloom Consulting, worked with Sweden, Latvia, Poland, Malta, Brazil, Seychelles, Aruba, Spain etc. This aspect makes it important to have an international team to understand the specifics of different cultures and take a diverse look at certain issues. During my stay in Bloom Consulting, I worked with people from countries such as the US, the UK, Germany,

Lithuania, Finland, South Africa, France, Italy, Portugal and others. Such an international team is not very common for Spain, nor Finland, and it often depends on a company’s field of operations and many other characteristics.

What kind of position would you like to have in the future and how big of a role do you think the internship played in this sense?

During my internship I discovered my passion for data analysis, therefore I would like to work in this area in the future. It was a very important and challenging experience for me, and I think that it could help me get a job that I would enjoy.

- Valentina Arrieta & Olivia Nastase

Page 28: MetroBiz October14

EVENTS HAPPENING NOW

Location: Finnish National MuseumAddress: Mannerheimintie 34 Period: 10.10.2014 - 01.02.2015 Program: Tue-Sun (11-18)Price: 6€ (reduced) / 8€ (adults/

Location: LinnanmäkiAddress: Tivolikuja 1, HelsinkiPeriod: 11-12/15-19 October

ADVENTURES IN SIBERIA

CARNIVAL OF LIGHT 2014

This exhibition features photographs taken by Finnish researcher Kai Donner during his expedition in Siberia between 1911-1914. Donner was a linguist, ethnographer, explorer, writer, and deeply passionate about Siberian languages and cultures. Throughout his travels, he recorded landscapes, indigenous people, officials, and many more. In his photographs you will also be able to depict descendants of Finns, Swedes, and Germans that were exiled to Siberia during that period.

Between the 11th and 19th of October the amusement park celebrates the annual Carnival of Light, with the theme of love and marks the end of this year’s summer season. Linnanmäki will glow with light, fireworks and a special atmosphere. All of the services at the amusement park show their best to provide a fun experience as the winter approaches. Admission to the grounds is free of charge, and many of the rides are open (weather permitting).

Program:• Sat 11.10. at 7 PM- Anna Abreu• Sun 12.10. at 7 PM- Jesse Kaikuranta• Wed 15.10. at 7 PM- Mikael Gabriel• Thu 16.10. at 7 PM- Valoshow Lumen• Fri 17.10. at 7 PM- Standup evening hosted by

Ali Jahangiri: Niko Kivelä, Johanna Tohni• Sat 18.10. at 7 PM- Waldo’s People + DJ Matti

Airak • Sun 19.10. at 9 PM- The final act of the royal

season is the king of Finnish soul Sami Saari feat. Elastinen.

• Sun 19.10. at 9.50 PM Fireworks (rockets fired near Estradi).

STUDENT LIFESTYLE

28 IMA

GE

CRE

DIT

S: V

isit H

elsin

ki

Page 29: MetroBiz October14

TRAVELLING

STUDENT LIFESTYLE

Period: 09-16.11.2014

Location: Messukeskus Address: Messuaukio 1, Helsinki Period: 23.10-26.10.2014Program: Thu./Sat./Sun. 10-18:00 Fri. 10-20:00

BALTIC CIRCLE INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL 2014

HELSINKI BOOK FAIR. HELSINKI MUSIC FAIR WINE, FOOD & GOOD LIVING 2014

Baltic Circle is an international, contemporary theatre festival organized every November in different venues in Helsinki.The festival showcases the most recent trends in contemporary theatre and serves as an important meeting place and networking platform for theatre professionals and audience. Some of the events are free, others range between 10-25 €. As there are so many events, make sure to check the festival programme that will provide all the information you need at: http://balticcircle.fi/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/aikataulu.pdf

The Helsinki Book Fair is the year’s most important forum for lovers of literature and book industry professionals. The Fair has also become a notable cultural event, a place where the major issues and phenomena of our time are discussed within the context of literature. The Antiquarian Book Fair organized by the Finnish Antiquarian Bookseller’s Association will also feature as part of the Book Fair. At the same time, Messukeskus offers also Helsinki Music Fair and Wine, Food & Good living events.

29

A good way for exchange students to discover Finland is the inner-city express bus service OnniBus.com. The company just started its operations in July 2014 and offers tickets from 1€ (plus a 1€ booking fee). OnniBus offers modern and fuel efficient coaches, equipped with air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. They currently provide 11 inner-city routes including popular routes from Helsinki to Turku, Pori, Tampere and Oulu. To get the lowest price, tickets should be booked in advance and online. One piece of luggage and one hand luggage are included in the fare. After filling in your travel information you can choose your favored trip, add it to the basket and pay by credit card, debit card or electronic bank transfer. You will receive a confirmation via e-mail including the booking reference which has to be shown to the driver when entering the coach.

IMA

GE

CRE

DIT

S: V

isit H

elsin

ki

IMAGE CREDITS: Wikipedia

Page 30: MetroBiz October14

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and arrange the rack in the middle.

2. Place some oil, the spinach and the cream cheese in a pan. Heat and mix until combined.

3. Spread a little bit of the tomato sauce in a thin layer over the bottom of the baking dish.

4. Layer with 2 or 3 lasagna sheets, the spinach mix until noodles are covered,lasagna sheets again and now tomato sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with noodles and tomato sauce.

5. Put the shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

6. Bake 30-40 minutes until cheese turns golden. Check with a fork if noodles have softened.

15 min. Preparation time30-40 min. Cooking time

1 Casserole dish

1/4 cup Olive oil

1 pack Lasagna sheets

400 ml Tomato sauce (preferred type)

450 g Frozen spinach

1 pack Creme cheese 1 bag Shredded mozzarella cheese

SPINACH LASAGNA

FAST AND EASY

RECIPES FOR BUSY

STUDENTS!

30

- Ann-Tara Voelskow

Page 31: MetroBiz October14

STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT ISSUE!