placement handbook 2012-2013

7/31/2019 Placement Handbook 2012-2013

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PLACEMENT HANDBOOK2012/2013

International Business and Management Studies

Rotterdam Business School


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IBMS - Rotterdam Business School 2012/2013

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INTRODUCTION

International Business and Management Studies (IBMS) students who are doing their third year atRotterdam Business School (RBS), will spend their fifth semester on placement, gaining practicalexperience in one of the many fields of business and management. This is a key and compulsory partof the degree and the placement requirements must be met in order to graduate. The placement

period enables students to gain personal and professional skills which will be of great value aftergraduation.

This handbook explains the placement aims, formal requirements and procedures for the placement. Italso includes a section on CV preparation, application letters and interview preparation.

It offers advice on how to decide what type of placement would be most suitable for you, includesexamples of IBMS placements and some ideas on how to research opportunities for placements.

Securing the right placement takes time and effort on your part; you may be in competition withstudents from other universities and also with each other and you should be prepared for setbacksalong the way. It is very important to have a pro-active attitude.

This handbook also outlines what RBS/IBMS expects of students on placement; the monitoring andassessment of the placement semester and includes copies of forms and other relevant information.You should therefore take it with you on placement.

As with most things in life a great deal depends on your own enthusiasm, persistence andcommitment. Similarly, once on placement the quality of your experience will, partly, depend on yourown initiative, enthusiasm and persistence. Bear in mind that a positive attitude and a willingness tolearn and ask questions will enable you to make most of your experience.

Finally I would like to wish you a successful and pleasant learning experience.

Nathalie BarendswaardPlacement Coordinator IBMS


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Introduction 2Table of contents 4Timetable placement period 5

1. General 61.1 Placement aims1.2 Placement Implementations

1.3 Formal requirement & placement period 71.4 Placement credits & minimum duration of the placement1.5 Approval of the Placement 8

2. Supervision 102.1 Objectives for supervision2.2 Supervision2.2.1 The Placement Supervisor2.2.2 The Company Tutor2.3 Placement Abroad 11

3. Procedure 123.1 Placement information meeting3.2 Registration form placement

3.3 Intake interview3.4 What to do when you have found a placement

4. How to find a placement 144.1 Professional field of IBMS graduates4.2 Professional profile4.3 Criteria for an IBMS placement 164.4 Possible assignments4.5 What is expected of the host company / organization 174.6 Company information and addresses4.7 Finding a placement 184.8 Application letters 194.9 Curriculum Vitae (CV) 204.9.1 CV structure4.9.2 CVs dos and donts

4.10 Interviews 21

5. During the placement 225.1 Obligations to your placement teacher5.2 Addresses form and short report5.3 Placement assignments5.4 First company evaluation 235.5 Final company evaluation5.6 Final placement report5.7 Support from RBS/IBMS5.8 What if the placement is disappointing5.9 Non attendance 245.10 Correspondence5.11 Finding a topic for your thesis

6. Assessment 26

7. Formalities 277.1 Placement agreement / contract7.2 Financial compensation during the placement7.3 Sofi number7.4 Work permit7.5 Visa7.6 Insurance 287.7 Scholarship


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Appendices 29Annex A: Registration form placement 30Annex B: Description assignment and liability form 31Annex C: Addresses form 32Annex D: Placement Scan 33Annex E: Placement assignments 35


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TIMETABLE PLACEMENT PERIOD

PREPARATION PERIOD

Hand in the Registration Form Placement (Annex A) in duplicate + CV + letter of application on 1

May 2012 to your Study & Career coach.

Make an appointment with your study & career coach for an intake interview

Inform your study & career coach before 1 June 2012 whether you have found a placement

position yourself or not.

Hand in Annex B (in duplicate) together with Placement Scan before 1 July 2012 to your Study &

Career coach.

The deadline for starting your placement is 1 September 2012.

BEFORE THE PLACEMENT PERIOD STARTS

Fill in the Description Assignment and Liability-form (Annex B) and Placement Scan and go to

your study & career coach to request approval for your placement assignment. Once Annex B and Placement Scan is signed by your SC coach you hand in the required

document to the Placement Coordinator IBMS. (approval: see chapter 1.5).

Within 5 working days your will receive your confirmed placement approval from the Placement

Coordinator IBMS.

The supervisor folder will be handed to you by the placement coordinator once all forms have

been processed.

Take care of yourinsurance.

For foreign students in the Netherlands: apply for yourSOFI-number.

Take care of yourvisaand work permit. (if applicable)

Take care of yourcontract.

DURING YOUR PLACEMENT PERIOD

Within 2 weeks send in the Addresses form (Annex C) in duplicate + route description (for the

visiting IBMS representative).

Also within 2 weeks send in your Short Report (see paragraph 5).

During your placement you will have to submit Placement Assignments (see paragraph 5.2):

After 2 months, have your supervisor fill in your First Company Evaluation and send the original to

your placement teacher (keep copies for yourself) (see paragraph 5.3).

After 2 months you will be visited by an IBMS representative.

At the end of your placement period, have your supervisor fill in the Final Company Evaluation and

hand it in with your placement teacher (see paragraph 5.4)

Not later than 1 April 2013 hand in your Final Placement Report (see paragraph 5.5 and Annex D

for requirements). In order for your placement to be graded, this deadline cannot be extended

unless permission has been given by the placement supervisor.

All reports should be written in English.


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1. GENERAL

The placement period considerably supports the value of the HBO-diploma. Rotterdam BusinessSchool / IBMS constantly fine-tunes its programs in line with developments in Industry and Trade byexchanging information on the process. The goal of the placement is identical for any study program,namely an optimal training experience for both the student and the company. To follow education

outside the school requires a good organization, in which your cooperation is essential.

The intention is for the placement to provide the student with an effective and extensive introduction tothe sector or the field relevant to the programme for which the student is enrolled and the professionalgroups within this sector or field. The student will learn to quickly form part of his particularprofessional group in his capacity as a professional.

The placement constitutes a practice test of competence; a preparation for the graduationprogramme, during which the student will complete a test of competence in which he demonstratesthat he is able to act in the manner required of a competent professional at the start of his career in aprofessional context. The student will engage in practical activities in order to attain the ultimatecompetence expected of him as a professional at the start of his career

1.1 Placement aims

Apply business & management theories in practical situations;

Orientation with respect to the job market, in order to acquire insight into job perspectives andfuture career wishes;

Adding width and depth to the knowledge assimilated in school for performing future duties;

Practicing application skills;

Acquiring a professional attitude, including such aspects as working independently, copingwith responsibility and taking initiative;

Gaining experience of the national and international labor markets;

Acquiring and improving social and communicative skills, such as working in a team, dealingwith hierarchical structures, criticism and conflicts;

Learning to deal with language and cultural differences;

Learning to function in an unfamiliar international environment.

Develop report writing competencies.

1.2 Placement Implementation

The objectives that underlie the placement will largely determine how the placement will actually beimplemented. An overview follows below of the starting points applicable when deciding how toimplement the placement:

- The placement will take place in a professional practice that is relevant for the professional

development of the student.

- The company should be preferably based outside the students home country.

- If the company is based in the students home country, his daily working environment and tasks mustbe of a demonstrably international nature (working language, multi-cultural staff and internationalclient base etc.).

- A student who does a placement abroad will be allocated a supervisor, who will keep in contactwith him electronically and by phone. The fact that the student is doing a placement means that hewill be unable to have any in-school commitments that will be important to his assessment orstudy progress during the placement period.

- The placement will last a consecutive period of at least 20 weeks (840 credit hours) and will takeplace in Year 3. This period will be the minimum amount of time that the student will need to makesure that he settles in properly and achieves the depth required in terms of knowledge and


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competency development. The student will also need this length of time to be able to complete theapplied research that forms part of the in-depth assignments.

- The student himself will be responsible for finding a placement. However, he can also rely onsupport from the placement coordinator, placement supervisor and bureau external affairs.

- In principle, the placement will be completed at just one placement company. A break in theplacement, by switching from one placement company to another, will not be permitted. A studentwill only really be able to experience what it is like to work as a professional within a team if hedoes the activities required of him in one professional environment for a more determined periodof time. A proper familiarisation with every aspect of the students future profession will includeboth routine and project-based activities.

- During the placement period, the student will work independently on an in-depth assignment forthe placement company, in which he will resolve a practice-related issue for the placementcompany by carrying out applied research and applying the knowledge that he has. During theplacement, the student will prepare for the test of competence, in which applied research will playan important role. The student will also be expected to ensure that he gains a more in-depth bodyof knowledge during the placement and develop new knowledge. The resolution of a practice-

related issue will contribute to this. The in-depth assignment will have a minimum study load of168 hours (20% of the total placement).

1.3 Formal requirements & placement period

The IBMS program has one placement, which should be done in semester 5 (Fall semester year 3,starting date 1 September). The following formal requirements apply to the placement:

In order to start the placement students must have passed the propaedeutic exams and a totalof at least 90 ECTS.

For placements taking place in countries which are more difficult to get in touch with (e.g.countries in Asia, countries in Africa) it is required to give the name, telephone number and

email address (if available) of a contact person in this company to your placement teacherbefore asking approval for your assignment in this company. The company should have atleast 20 employees. Also a proof of registration with the local Chamber of Commerce shouldbe presented to the placement teacher.

It is NOT allowed to take a placement in a company owned by a close relative or under thesupervision of a close relative.

1.4 Placement credits & minimum duration of the placement

You receive 30 ECTS for the placement. The minimum duration of the placement is 20 weeks(effectively working 100 days). Most companies prefer to have students doing a placement for at leastfive months. Therefore you should start your placement on 1 September. In principle, it is not allowed

to take a holiday during your placement.

If the company allows it, it is possible to take a maximum offive daysoff (including illness & schoolexaminations). If the total of five days off is exceeded by circumstances beyond your control youshould contact your placement teacher immediately. In that case your placement has to be extended.For claritys sake: participation in exams and/or resits do NOT belong to the above-mentionedcircumstances beyond your control!


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1.5 Approval of the Placement

The placement coordinator and placement committee IBMS will approve or reject a placement on thebasis of the extensive placement action plan prepared by the student. In this plan, the student willdemonstrate his compliance with the entry-level requirements applicable for the placement, he will use

a workplace scan to show that the placement has sufficient learning potential for him and acompetency development plan to show how he will achieve the level required as well as the learningobjectives that he has formulated for himself. The placement action plan will also contain an initiativepaper on the in-depth assignment. The different elements of the placement action plan will bedescribed below.

a. Compliance with the Entry Level Requirements

The student must have completed first year modules (60 Ects) and attained at least 30 Ects in the Year 2before the start of his work placement and all credits for the subject Business Communications (BCN) inYears 1 and 2.

b. The Workplace Scan

Three objectives underlie the workplace scan (see Addendum 1):1) Placement selection

The primary objective of the workplace scan is to establish whether a company can offer a studentthe learning potential necessary for him to achieve the level required by his programme.

2) In-depth familiarisation with the placementThe student will carry out a workplace scan. By doing this, he will familiarise himself in detail withthe placement, the placement company and the work that he would do there.

3) Qualitative information for the placement companyIt will not be possible to do the workplace scan without the cooperation of the placement company.By cooperating in the workplace scan, the potential placement company gains a detailed overviewof what the IBMS programme can expect of a placement organisation.

If an organisation is not willing to cooperate in the workplace scan it will automatically be regardedas an organisation that would not be a suitable placement organisation.

A placement company will be approved if it meets the following criteria:

The company should preferably be based outside the students home country

The company should have a minimum of 8 10 full-time employees

The company must have a fixed location

The company must be registered with local authorities or the chamber of commerce

The company must have a website and its own e-mail addresses

The company mentor/supervisor should not be family or a relative.

Practical matters such as payment, supervision, confidentiality clauses, etc. are laid down in aninternship agreement.

The company must provide the student with a workplace (desk and computer, etc.)

The company must provide a suitable induction and training programme

The area of activity applicable for the company must be linked to an IBMS subject area, such asmarketing, finance, HRM, international operations or logistics, etc.

The tasks and duties must be at the level required of a graduate from a university of appliedsciences, i.e. varied workload, increasing responsibility and independence, room to developinitiative, the expectation that the student will take responsibility for his work.

If a student decides to do a placement abroad (outside his home country, he will not be visited by hisplacement supervisor). Instead of this, the student could be asked to provide his supervisor with a numberof documents. These documents could include those indicated below:

An extract from the chamber of commerce Photos of the students company and workplace


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A video of the students placement company, or the student could be asked to participate in avideo conference (Skype).

A workplace scan must always be carried out, regardless of whether the potential placement companyis established in the Netherlands or abroad. It will be up to the student to decide how he will collect theinformation he needs for the workplace scan. He could visit the potential placement company and

interview people face-to-face, but he could also interview his envisaged company tutor and othermembers of staff by telephone or e-mail. He could also study annual reports and websites, etc. Thelocation of the potential placement company will not influence the decision on whether or not aworkplace scan should be carried out.

The workplace scan that the student does will result in a report in which the student concisely andobjectively describes the placement company envisaged, the workplace where the student will do hisplacement, the tasks and activities that he will be expected to do and the connection between thesetasks and activities and the competency chart for the programme (the supervision that the student canexpect from the placement company and the possibilities that the placement organisation offers forfurther development).

c. Approval by the Placement Coordinator IBMS

To summarise, a placement application will be approved by the placement coordinator and placementcommittee IBMS if the placement action plan submitted complies with the following requirements:

Evidenced byThe student has complied with the placement thresholdsapplicable for a placement in Semester 3 of Year 3

60 ects for Year 1,30 ects in Year 2,all ects for BCN, Years 1 and 2

The placement company has sufficient learning potential forthe student to be able to attain competencies at educatedfor the profession level

Placement scan

d. The Placement Agreement

Once the IBMS Examinations Board and the coordinator have approved the placement action planproduced by the student, a placement supervisor will be allocated and formal agreements can bemade between the parties. Three parties are involved in these agreements: the student (placementstudent), the placement organisation and the programme for which the student is enrolled.


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2. Supervision

The activities undertaken by the placement student will be characterised by self-responsibility andindependence for a period of at least 20 weeks. During this period, the student will work continually onthe in-depth assignment, on the attainment of the competencies at the educated for the profession

level, on familiarising himself with working in professional practice, on establishing a link betweenprofessional practice and the knowledge, skills and attitude gained at school and on establishing thedocumentary evidence to be included in the digital portfolio, the last of which he will largely do himself.The student will receive supervision for all of these activities. Placement supervision will be discussedin this section: which object underlies this supervision, what form will supervision take and who plays arole in supervision activities.

2.1 Objectives for Supervision

- To support the selection processThe student will need to make choices when preparing for the placement, during the placementand when rounding off the placement. These choices will include which placement organisation tochoose, how to work on the various competencies at the placement organisation and the

documentary evidence that the placement student will select to substantiate his competencydevelopment.

- To contribute to an awareness of placement objectives and competency developmentCompetency development is key to the placement. As such, it will be important for the student togain a grasp of the term competencies and how they play a role during the placement period andwhen working towards graduation. It will also be vital for the placement to promote an awarenessin the student of the progress he is making in relation to the attainment of the placementobjectives and competency development.

- To support the student if he encounters problems or has substantive questions.

2.2 Supervision

During the placement, the student will be supervised by a company tutor (from the placement

company) and a placement supervisor (lecturer/expert).

2.2.1 The Placement Supervisor

The placement supervisor is allocated to the student as a study coach during the placement and willprovide the student with support, advise him on content-related issues and monitor the progress beingachieved with the placement as a whole on a regular basis. Because of this, it will be essential for thestudent to keep his placement supervisor up-to-date. The placement supervisor will also contact thecompany tutor and visit the company at least once to discuss the progress being made. Where theplacement company is situated outside the Netherlands, contact is established and maintained by e-mail and/or telephone.

2.2.2 The Company Tutor

The company tutor will help the student to familiarise himself with the placement organisation, takingthe student under his wing as it were. The company tutoris the first point of contact for the student(and for the programme) at the placement company and is the person with whom the student makesagreements on working hours and time off, etc.

During the placement, the company tutor will have regular feedback meetings with the student, inwhich they will discuss the nature of the work, the working pace, the observation of companyregulations and interaction with colleagues, etc. The student will also be able to approach thecompany tutor with content-related questions, which he will do subject to the agreements made withthe company tutor. The company tutor will be the prime example of a professional for the student and,as such, the person from whom the student can learn the most directly.

Added to this, the role played by the company tutor will be crucial to the success of the placement.The company tutor must be able to:


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- speak, write and understand English;- conduct an interview with the student on the tasks, duties, assignments and project;- welcome and introduce the student to the organisation and his colleagues;- provide a suitable induction and training programme;- organise periodic progress meetings with the student on the placement assignment or research

and on the quality of the students communication within the organisation;- assess the students performance;- plan meetings with the placement supervisor to discuss the progress being made by the student.

2.3 Placement Abroad

It will be important for the student to ensure that he has had the opportunity to familiarise himself withhis placement supervisor properly before leaving the country to do a placement abroad. In the first fourweeks of the placement in particular, his contact with the placement supervisor must take placeweekly, by telephone

1. Telephone contact makes it possible to ask for clarification straight away, the

discussion partners can familiarise themselves with each others style of communication andunderlying feelings become clearer. After the first four weeks, the placement supervisor and the

student can agree on how often they will communicate and how. It is advisable for contact to takeplace at least once every four weeks via logbooks. The company tutor will participate in thiscommunication at least once.

1 Telephone contact can also be defined as contact via webcam. Direct verbal contact is important.

PLACEMENT CO-ORDINATOR IBMSHES BUILDING KRALINGSE ZOOM ROOM W1.112

Mrs. N.J.P.M.Barendswaard(Nathalie) 010 7946259(direct)e-mail [email protected] 010 7946001


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3. PROCEDURE

3.1 Placement information meeting

In March/April 2012 there will be a placement information meeting for second year students. During

this meeting IBMS placement teachers will be present.

3.2 Registration form placement

You are requested to complete the Registration Form Placement (see Annex A). Only typewrittenforms will be accepted.

Together with the Registration Form Placement, a high-quality Curriculum Vitae and letter ofapplication should be handed in. For information on how to produce a high-quality CV (see paragraph3.10). You are also referred to the Business Communication Classes (BCN).

The deadline for handing in your Registration Form Placement (with PHOTO) in duplicate, CV and

letter of application is 1 May 2012. You hand these to your SC coach.

Make an appointment with your study & career coach for an intake interview

3.3 Intake interview

During the intake interview your plans and wishes will be discussed. Bring all relevant documents,such as lists of company names and addresses.

3.4 What to do when you have found a placement

You should inform your study & career coach immediately once you secure a placement. Ask theorganization offering you a placement to confirm this placement in writing and to give a clear andcomplete description of your assignment to avoid uncertainties on both sides.

As soon as you have received this confirmation, you must complete the so-called DescriptionAssignment andLiability Form (see Annex B) and Placement Scan. This form also must betypewritten.

Once Annex B and Placement Scan is signed by your SC coach you hand in the required document tothe Placement Coordinator IBMS. Within 5 working days your will receive your placement approvalfrom the Placement Coordinator IBMS.

Your placement will not be approved if the description of your placement assignment is vague (notdetailed enough). After approval you have to hand the form in duplicate to your coach.

A placement is only valid when approved by Placement Coordinator before the start of yourplacement. If you start your placement without approval, you will not receive credits for it.

Do not forget to sign the form yourself at the bottom.

All other applications and/or interviews must be cancelled immediately. Once you have madethe decision to accept a placement, either verbally or in writing, it is not acceptable to reverse thedecision. In the event that any student is found doing so, the placement office will not support anyfurther application efforts from the student. The main reason for this is that the organization is not

likely to consider Rotterdam Business School students on future occasions and the schools reputationmay be damaged. You must act in a professional manner at all times.


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As soon as you have handed in a copy of your approved Description Assignment and Liability form(Annex B) and Placement Scan, you will receive the supervisor folder. This folder contains thefollowing information:

A. A letter with the necessary information about the procedure required from school.

B. Information regarding EvaluationC. Assignment(s).D. The IBMS brochure.E. The trainee brochure.


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4. HOW TO FIND A PLACEMENT

In this chapter a description of the professional field and professional profile of IBMS graduates will begiven first. This is done to give an impression of what your future can be like and, more importantly,how you can and should use your placement to work towards the level given below.

4.1 Professional field of IBMS graduates

The professional field of an IBMS graduate is both broad and international. In practice, this means thatthe activities will constantly involve international contacts demanding special knowledge and skills invarious fields, such as intercultural relations and international trade. Flexibility and adaptability arecore elements of his/her activities. Every assignment will be different, and reliability, empathy andpower of persuasion to co-operate with experts from various disciplines will have to be used. Wideknowledge of organization, management, commerce, and business administration make him/her aprofessional negotiator at management level, both internally and externally.

The IBMS graduate has career potential. He/she will often start in one of the companys positions andwill then rise to a more general, team-leading management position. In the run-up to a more generalmanagement position, the IBMS graduate will work in various departments, where the integrated

knowledge of finance, marketing, logistics, organization and management will be applied.

As a beginning professional, the IBMS graduate feels at home in international business environments.This requires qualities such as independence and perseverance. He/she will realize that his/herprofessional education provides only a basis for solving the problems encountered in practice. In theday-to-day activities, the IBMS graduate makes use of his/her wide knowledge of management issues,especially in the fields of international financial markets, marketing and sales, management, social andtrade policy, and organization.

4.2 Professional profile

The IBMS graduate has an excellent command of English and is able to build up and maintain anextensive international network. In his/her function, he/she is able to grow to management level.

He/she has the right professional attitude and sufficient cognitive, socio-communicative and strategicknowledge and skills to perform at a high-quality service level. Reliability, empathy, adaptive skills andcorrect manners characterize IBMS graduates. They are also stress-resistant, have analytical andproblem-solving skills and know when to call in outside experts.

The characteristic responsibilities and expertise of experienced IBMS graduates are:

the international strategic policy of their firm: its preparation, implementation and assessment;

corporate planning: its evaluation concerning international regulations, legal aspects, and caselaw;

definition and management of international purchasing and sales processes;

international marketing and sales: development of proposals and the preparation, design andexecution of international market surveys;

international finance: financial analysis and problem solving;

specification of the organizations ICT requirements.

An IBMS graduate is aware of the most recent social and political developments of the principal tradepartners of the Netherlands. He/she makes use of all the relevant national and international media,including Internet. Moreover, the basic toolkit of the IBMS graduate will contain the key features ofinternational legislation and regulations, and of management and organization. In addition, he/she hasgood understanding of international relations. Whatever the specialization (finance, commerce,logistics or organization) he/she can hold his own at an international level. There will be the ability tomake balanced decisions within the specialization on the basis of knowledge, skills, discussions and acertain amount of diplomacy. He/she has ample knowledge of and experience with cultural differencesbetween countries in general and intercultural management in particular, which will enable him/her tobe a good negotiator at an international level. His/her knowledge and experience are reflected inhis/her customer-oriented thinking and actions. His/her management skills are based on being a teamplayer with leadership capacities who motivates and stimulates people to achieve company goals.


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Marketing Management students are being educated to prepare for positions in import, export, sales,publicity, market research.

The IBMS graduate in Marketing is able to:

Plan and execute international surveys, interpret and explain research data to optimizemanagement decisions.

Keep up with international developments, select information and give a clear summary. Prepare the international marketing and sales strategy of the company.

Develop and defend a marketing and sales plan.

Define and implement sales activities and acquisition and retention processes.

Define and implement activities to optimize purchasing and logistic operations.

Maintain and extend the international network of the company and play the ambassadors rolefor the company.

Recognize future market opportunities.

The placement can serve to prepare for the following positions:

account manager: responsible for the marketing management and sales towards bigdistributors;

sales manager: responsible for planning and execution of sales;

marketing manager: responsible for planning and control of all marketing activities;

product manager: co-ordinates the marketing activities for one specific product;

market researcher: advises clients of marketing research offices and carries out researchtowards the needs of consumers.

Finance and Accounting students may be employed in many different sectors, not only financialinstitutions, but also organizations in the public and private sectors. Potential working areas includeadministrative services, financial/economic management, budgeting, planning, internal organization,credit provision and investments. The IBMS graduate in Finance & Accounting is able to:

To prepare consolidated financial statements for external reporting.

To prepare information for decision management and decision control.

To assist in the development and implementation of accounting systems.

To assist in the planning and monitoring of business performance. To identify and analyze costs.

To control expenditures and monitor budgets.

To promote growth in the organizations assets.

To monitor and maintain the organizations working capital requirements.

To contribute to controlling credits and monitoring debt.

To evaluate potential investment opportunities.

To identify and investigate fraud.

To determine the financial status of an organization

To advise and co-ordinate the issuance of stocks and bonds.

Finance and Accounting students are being educated to become:

financial manager: advises the company management on finance and accounting, calculatesthe consequences of management decisions;

controller;

investment consultant.

The Logistics Management specialization focuses on process management and goods flowmanagement in an international environment. Students who have chosen this specialization, acquire aknowledge of specifically transport-related issues, the creation and development of national andinternational goods flows, commercial agreements in the transport sector, logistics management andmodes of transport. The IBMS graduate in Logistics Management has experience with the followingtopics:

Purchasing logistics and supply chain management.

Production logistics and forecasting.

Physical distribution, international trade and transportation. Customer relationship management.


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Logistic infrastructures and enterprise resource planning.

Strategic management of resources.

Logistics Management students are being educated to become:

material manager;

manager warehouse;

traffic manager, manager transport; stock controller;

production planner;

logistics consultant.

4.3 Criteria for an IBMS placement

An IBMS student can do his/her placement in multinational, middle-sized or small companies.Students in general have a strong preference for well-known multinationals, so there is a very strongcompetition for these placements. The fact that a company is well known does not guarantee a goodplacement experience. Within a small local company a student is often given more responsibility andis given the possibility to get insight into various aspects/departments of the company. A company can

offer products or services. It is also possible to do your placement at a government agency or anembassy. The organization can be a profit or non-profit one. It is important to see where your ownpersonal interests and ambition lie and to tune your placement to that. For example, it is possible to doa marketing placement in sports or music, or a financial placement in a hospital.

Placements can be divided into three categories:

carry out a project yourself;

work in a department and in this way gain insight into the activities;

a combination of both possibilities.

It would be a misapprehension to think that you have a better placement if you are carrying out aproject rather than working either wholly or partly in a department. In all the ways mentioned above,

you are building up as much experience; it is only the method of doing it that differs. In general,students work in a department and carry out a project for the company by themselves.

4.4 Possible assignments

Marketing Management

drawing up a marketing plan;

market research (competitors, new product, etc.);

assisting in import/export activities;

advertising and public relations;

organizing conferences, workshops and seminars;

assisting account managers;

activities in purchasing and sales departments; product development research;

analyzing foreign markets;

establishing and maintaining international contacts;

assisting on (foreign) stock markets.

Finance and Accounting

research aimed at ensuring a balanced composition of the share portfolio;

cost structure research;

bookkeeping in small businesses;

studying budgeting as a management tool;

charting information and goods flows;

assisting in the drawing up of a business plan; research into ISO quality standards.


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Logistics Management

improving production planning;

optimizing the logistical system;

analyzing stock control systems;

logging all incoming/outgoing loads;

introduce the use of logistical indicators;

improving logistical performance of suppliers.

4.5 What is expected of the host company / organization

Rotterdam Business School/IBMS expects the following of organizations offering placements:

The assignment should be in accordance with the level of education and should be discussedand agreed with the student before the placement starts.

Practical matters such as payment, working hours, supervision, confidentiality clauses, etc.,are laid down in an internship agreement (a standard internship agreement is available fromthe placement coordinator on request).

Someone in-house has to be appointed as the students placement supervisor. He/she has togive the necessary feedback and act as the primary contact person for the student and for theplacement teacher. The student is still in a learning process which means timely guidance andcorrection are essential.

The company mentor/supervisor should not be family or a relative.

The student is introduced to the organization at the start of the placement.

The company supervisor has to evaluate the students performance on at least two occasions(after two months and at the end of the placement period).

The company has to provide a workplace for the student including the necessary facilitiessuch as table, chair, telephone, computer, etc.

The student should be involved in various activities; teamwork is important.

There should be sufficient possibilities to attend formal and informal talks, for example withcolleagues, clients, manager, presence at team meetings.

The student should be allowed to work one day a week on his/her placement assignments.

4.6 Company information and addresses

You are expected to try and find a placement for yourself. It is important to look for a placement thatmatches your interests as closely as possible. Nowadays most companies expect studentsthemselves to take the initiative when obtaining a placement. First of all, but this is probably the mostdifficult part, you should decide what you want. What kind of company/organization, what kind ofassignment, etc. During this orientation you can use the following sources:

INTERNETMore and more companies present themselves on the Internet. Often you can find the website of acompany by typing:www.companyname.nlorwww.companyname.com. It is also possible to use a

search machine. The Dutch word for placement is stage.A useful search engine is Ask Jeeves (www.aj.com), which will search for you in all major searchengines. Just fill in the company name and you will be given a number of matches in various searchengines.For information on career orientation and placement opportunities in the following European countries;Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, log on tohttp://eco.ittralee.ie.

VACANCIES IN DUTCH AND FOREIGN NEWSPAPERSBy looking at vacancies for HEAOers in (foreign) newspapers you will gain more insight in yourfuture working environment.

MEMORY MAGAZINE
http://www.companyname.nl/http://www.companyname.nl/http://www.companyname.nl/http://www.companyname.com/http://www.companyname.com/http://www.companyname.com/http://www.aj.com/http://www.aj.com/http://www.aj.com/http://eco.ittralee.ie/http://eco.ittralee.ie/http://eco.ittralee.ie/http://eco.ittralee.ie/http://www.aj.com/http://www.companyname.com/http://www.companyname.nl/


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This (Dutch) magazine, which is published six times a year and available near the reception desk inthe HES Kralingse Zoom-building, gives useful information and articles for HEAO-students andgraduates.

SENIOR STUDENTSIt speaks for itself that senior students, who already have done a placement, are a source of

information.

INTERNATIONAL OFFICEThe International Office of Rotterdam University (room Z2.005) at the Kralingse Zoom has contactdetails of companies outside the Netherlands. These companies have had students from RBS oranother economic department of Rotterdam University in the past

Bureau External AffairsOffers for placements that come in are published on HINT and in the window of their office: W0.110.Students interested in a placement can contact them at [email protected]

LIBRARYIn the company archives of the HES-library at the Kralingse Zoom you can find annual reports of a lot

of companies in the Netherlands. You can also find the Intermediair Jaarboek and NobilesEconomengids with more information about career opportunities - and so also placementopportunities - for HEAO-students. The HES-library has different directories for addresses ofcompanies in the Netherlands and abroad, e.g. Europages, Yellow Pages, Kompass and CD-ROMREACH with an extensive company file. For information which is not available at HES the staff of thelibrary will refer you to other authorities.

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

RELATIVES AND ACQUAINTANCESPast experiences have shown that talking to relatives, friends or friends of your parents is the mosteffective way to secure a placement.

4.7 Finding a placement

Nowadays most companies expect students to take the initiative when obtaining a placement.Therefore, the procedure for obtaining a placement is comparable to that of the job applicationprocedure, so that you are building up useful experience in this area. By adopting responsibility foryour application activities you will be in a strong position for getting a placement well suited to yourrequirements. To obtain a placement which satisfies your preferences in terms of location and careerpath you must be pro-active in your search. Students are expected to be flexible when choosing whichplacements to apply for, particularly with regards to geographical location. Students who have specificpreferences and are inflexible can find it difficult to secure a placement. In being too selective, you canmiss the opportunity of applying for very rewarding jobs. It is also possible to be selected for aplacement offered through Rotterdam Business School, but you should not depend on that too much.

Frequent contact with your study & career coach is essential and can lead to you securing aplacement early in the year. The study & career coach will assist you in your placement search andserves the purpose of securing high-quality placements. You can expect support in the applicationprocess, in choosing between companies and assignments. In return you are expected to give regularfeedback to your study & career coach.

The better your study & career coach knows you and gets feedback from you (in person, throughemail or by phone), the easier it is for him/her to coach you in finding a high-quality placement.

Should you want a foreign placement, think carefully beforehand about the consequences, such as:

getting a visa for certain countries can be a long and often difficult process;

financial consequences;

language problems have a negative effect on the level of the assignment;


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You are expected to develop activities to find a placement yourself, such as:1. choose companies which match your interests;2. inquire by telephone for placement possibilities;3. writing application letters;4. inquire for placement possibilities through private contacts, which is a very effective way.

Frequent contact with your Study & Career Coach (in person, through email or by phone) is essential.Your Study & Career Coach can support and advise you in the application process, in choosingbetween companies and assignments. Sometimes companies want to talk to somebody of the schoolto have some more information. In that case you can encourage them to contact the placementcoordinator, Nathalie Barendswaard, by giving them the telephone number and email address of theplacement coordinator.

Please note: it is NOT allowed to take a placement in a company owned by a close relative or underthe supervision of a close relative, who may influence the assessment.

It is not easy to find a placement, so you should take into consideration that you will receive rejectionsto your applications. Even invitations to interviews do not mean automatically the company will offeryou a placement. It is important to persevere after these rejections and keep in mind that you are not

the only one who receives rejections. Contact your Study & Career Coach in time to see if you shouldchange your method of application. The placement office has a limited number of placements at itsdisposal. Companies that offer placements through the placement office expect the placement officeto be responsible for either the selection for these positions or at least a first selection (which meansthat companies then invite three students for an interview). In this case, it should be obvious that thosesuitable candidates who have themselves expended more effort will be given precedence over thosewho have done nothing or hardly anything. The student must inform the placement coordinatorimmediately of how the interview went and whether he/she got a placement or not. The placementcoordinator cannot guarantee a place.

4.8 Application letters

A letter of application is an accompaniment to a CV. The purpose of the letter is to introduce you to thereader and stimulate interest in your application. Keep your letter of application to one side. One sideof A4 is not a lot of space to give the information employers need to select applicants, so effective useof positive wording is vital.

The following guidelines are to help you structure your letter:

Paragraph 1: Identify the position you are applying for and how you came to be aware of thevacancy. Also state your course and year of study.

Paragraph 2: Draw attention to relevant aspects of your education, work experience, skills andqualities contained with your CV and state how these qualify you for the position.

Paragraph 3: Highlight any other relevant information and identify why you are attracted to working

for that particular organization. This paragraph is particularly useful for demonstratingyour research and knowledge of the company.

Paragraph 4: Briefly mention availability for interviews and specify dates when interviews are notpractical, for example exam dates.

Before you write to a particular company, try to find out to whom you should send your letter. A letteraddressed to a person may be read more carefully than a general letter addressed to DearSir/Madam. Also make sure that your letter is immaculate, both in appearance and language. Askyour BCN lecturer to have a critical look at it.

If you do not have a reaction to your letter of application within two weeks, you should contact thecompany to see whether they received your letter and that you would like to have an answer. This

follow-up call is very important, companies might be interested in you but they wait until you take theinitiative because this shows you are really interested in their company.


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4.9 The Curriculum Vitae

A CV is a personal history of your academic success, personal achievements and employmentexperience. It is also a personal advertisement, which should be clear, concise and positive. It is nolonger sufficient for your CV to simply be a list of exam grades and other information, which says

nothing in particular about you as a person. CVs are now regarded as a personal advertisement andmust be highly individual and attention-grabbing. It is also advisable to target your CV to eachvacancy. This can be applied to the layout, emphasis on particular skills and the vocabulary used. Astandard CV designed for all applications has less potential for stimulating interest, and initial interestin your application is what you want to achieve. The screening of applications can be boring and CVsare only looked at for an average of thirty seconds. It is possible to avoid producing a boring CV bytaking note of the following points:

Demonstrate your communication skills throughout your CV by captivating the readersattention.

The CV does not have to include every detail of your life to date. It should provide the readerwith enough information to create a desire to find out more about you by projecting images ofachievement and potential.

In using your CV as a means of persuading the selector to invite you for an interview, it isessential to avoid negative vocabulary.

CVs are quite often the first point of contact with any organization that may offer placements. It is theone chance you have to convince them that you possess the education and experience, skills andqualities to be of benefit to them. Placements are very difficult to find, therefore it is vital that you taketime to compose a good CV. If your CV is not of a high standard, you may find that you are not offeredthe opportunity to discuss your placement requirements further in an interview.

4.9.1 CV structure

All CVs should start with personal details. This includes name, address, telephone-number, emailaddress, date of birth, place of birth (and country), marital status. You may also decide to include a

personal statement at the beginning, giving information about your personality and/or careeraspirations.

Educational achievement should begin with the most recent study first and should outline thequalifications gained and the institution at which you studied. Your current degree studies should beincluded, outlining modules studied.

Employment history should include paid or unpaid work, both full-time and part-time, national serviceand any other relevant work experience. Again, you should start with the most recent workingexperience and state the job title, the name of the organization and the town/city (and country) inwhich they are based. You should outline the skills that you developed whilst working, asorganizations are interested in skills which are transferable, e.g. communication, teamwork, timemanagement etc.

Additional information is the final category within a CV. You can start with language skills andcomputer skills and you can include any other information that you feel relevant and that is anopportunity to show other details about yourself (remember, organizations want placement students tobe more than economic units and this is the opportunity to personalize your CV). You should includeyour hobbies and interests, membership of clubs, societies, professional organizations, sportingachievements or anything that you feel will help the employer to get an overall picture of you. You canend this section with the inclusion of two referees. You must ask the referees permission prior tousing their name, as they may not appreciate you using them without their consent.

4.9.2 CVsDos and donts

This list of dos and donts may be obvious to some and enlightening to others. You can check your

completed CV against the following: Is it neat, tidy and presentable? Word processed on two sheets max of A4 paper is best.


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Does it include all relevant information, as mentioned previously? Make sure your CV iscomplete, with all relevant information given.

Have you highlighted transferable skills that would be useful to an employer?

Is your CV current, with all recent information included?

Make sure you keep a copy for yourself for reference.

Have you checked your CV for spelling, grammar, punctuation etc? Ask other people to look

over it as they might spot something that you missed. Have you sold yourself adequately, i.e. does your CV represent your achievements and not

your shortcomings?

Is your CV concise and easy to read? This will create a favorable impression.

Is your CV an honest reflection of yourself? You may need to discuss its contents at theinterview and expand on the information given.

4.10 Interviews

It is becoming increasingly common for the selection process to invite students for an interview beforea placement is offered. The purpose of an interview is to allow the interviewee to demonstrate his/herskills and personality. It is vital to prepare for an interview:

research the company and their market through sources such as the Internet, brochuresprovided by the company (you can phone them to ask to send you information about thecompany), the placement office (if there has been a student before, you can read theplacement report);

be clear about why you are interested generally in undertaking a placement, what appeals toyou about their particular organization and why you have applied for the position you are beinginterviewed for;

consider the skills required for the job and whether these match the skills you can offer theorganization;

familiarize yourself with your own CV, or with a copy of the application form you submitted, asyou will probably be asked about your application;

prepare your own questions, as you will probably be invited to ask some at the end of theinterview.

First impressions count. Ensure you look professional and arrive in good time. When meeting peoplebe polite, confident and do not forget to shake their hand. Try to relax, sit back in an upright posture asthis looks professional and helps you to breathe properly, thus reducing tension. You can come to theplacement office to get a list of typical interview questions and thus be better prepared for theinterview because you have been thinking about a lot of things before the interview.

After the interview you should consider how the interview went. If there is the possibility of beinginvited to attend a second interview, you should make notes of key points raised and any issues youwould like more information about. If, at the end of the interview, you have no desire to work for theorganization, it is best to take some time to consider your next move. If your decision is a definite no,you should contact the organization to cancel your application, whilst thanking them for theopportunity. In such situations, it is best to seek advice from the placement office before acting.

At the end of the interview you should always make agreements with the company when they will letyou know if they are going to offer you a placement.


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5. DURING THE PLACEMENT

5.1 Obligations to the school during the placement

We would like to be kept informed about your work and whereabouts. Therefore, you are required toreport back regularly. Please inform your placement teacher about any changes during your

placement period (address, duration of the placement, assignment, illness etc.).

Students will be held responsible for submitting all the required reports and evaluations in time. Non-compliance with the deadlines mentioned below will have effect on your final placement grade.

5.2 Addresses Form and Short Report

Within two weeks you have to send in the Addresses form (see Annex C) in duplicate + a routedescription for the visiting IBMS representative. If you carry out your work at an address different fromthe one mentioned on the Addresses form, please mention this as well. At the same time you have tosend the short report. The short report should consist of two A4-pages describing the following:

concise description of the organization (history, objective, product, culture)

your place in the organization (description & organization chart)

nature of the assignment and how you are going to tackle itDo not forget to mention your name, student ID-number, your IBMS class, your placement period, thename of your placement teacher and the name of the company on the first page. The report has to besigned for approval by your company supervisor.

5.3 Placement Assignments (see Annex D)

During your placement you will have to complete different placement assignments, see Annex D.

Assignment 1: You have to choose 1 assignment out of the 5 mentioned below(Management & Organisation, Entrepreneurship, Communication, Social andCommunicative skills or Marketing)

Assignment 2: Self reflection, is for every student at the end of their placement. The assignmentscan be done by analyzing written material and / or by means of in-company observation. Interviewswith those who work in the departments concerned can also be an effective way to gather information.

Assignment 3:Placement report. After your placement you also have to write a placement reportregarding your position, tasks, activities, etc. (min. 1500 words, max. 2500 words)

The assignments can be seen as an internal analysis of the placement company/organization. Bycompleting the assignments you should get an in depth insight into the company/organization. Youshould start with the assignments right from the start because it will help you understand the way ofworking in the company/organization. These assignments have to be written in the English languageand have to be signed by your company mentor/supervisor.

The assignments are also meant to achieve a closer contact between the student and the RBS/IBMSand to evaluate the developments during the placement period more intensively.

Dates of submission:

Within two weeks: Short report

After two months: 1st

Assignment

End of placement 2nd

Assignment and 3rd

assignmentSelf reflection, Placement report& a final version of your assignment.


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5.4 First Company Evaluation

After the first two months of your placement ask your supervisor to fill in the first company evaluationand to discuss it with you. You should send the original to your placement teacher (keep copies foryourself!).In the forms the following aspects will be evaluated:

knowledge and practical skills, e.g. your insight into the assignment and organization,theoretical knowledge, written and oral expression, command of foreign languages, computerskills;

professional attitude, social and communicative skills, e.g. your initiative, independence,feedback, involvement, responsibility, adaptation, handling of conflicts withcolleagues/supervisors, your attitude and personality;

other points, e.g. which are your strong points, what needs to be improved.

Do not forget to complete the form by filling out your name, student ID-number, placement teacher andIBMS class in the right hand corner.

5.5 Final Company Evaluation

At the end of your placement period ask your supervisor to fill in the final company evaluation. Havehim discuss it with you and bring the original to your placement teacher together with the placementreport.

5.6 Final Placement Report

At the end of your placement period you have to hand in a final placement report. The deadline forsubmission is 1 April 2013. The placement report is for internal purposes of the Placement Officeonly. The final placement report includes the placement assignments (see Annex D). Other reports,written for the placement company/organization may be added as appendices. The placement reporthas to be signed for approval by your company supervisor.

5.7 Support from Rotterdam Business School / IBMS

The general co-ordination of IBMS placements rests with Mrs. Nathalie Barendswaard, teamcoordinator IBMS placements. If you have questions and you cannot find the answers in thisplacement handbook or if there are problems you can always contact her by phone or by email. Forsubject-related questions you should turn to the IBMS teachers.

During the placement there will be different moments of contact with your placement teacher:

Once your placement teacher has received your short report he/she will contact you to discussyour placement;

On receipt of the first company evaluation your placement teacher will contact the student andthe supervisor;

Students doing their placement in the Netherlands will be visited by their placement teacher oran IBMS representative halfway through the placement period. The purpose of this visit is toget an impression of your placement and to get acquainted with the company. Students doingtheir placement outside the Netherlands will be visited if possible;

If you or your supervisor have any questions during the placement, you both may always call or e-mailthe placement coordinator or the placement teacher.

5.8 What if the placement is disappointing

In the first place it should be emphasized that a placement period is a personal experience. Theplacement teacher acts as an intermediary, gives information, follows developments and gives a finalevaluation, but making a success of your placement period will be yourjob. You may find that:

you do not get enough opportunity to apply the theory; you have to do work that is too difficult for you;


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you have to do very simple work for too long a time;

the atmosphere is not what you had expected.

First of all you should realize that also in a working situation less pleasant things may happen and thatit is not always possible to use all your knowledge in practice.

In these cases you have to initiate action to try whether and to what extent you can change thesituation by e.g.:

acquiring more theoretical knowledge (books, professional literature, asking your IBMSteacher);

talking to your supervisor in the company so that you may be able to solve the problemtogether;

If your problem cannot be solved this way, contact your placement teacher or the placementcoordinator at school.

If you have problems with your placement, your supervisor usually has them too. Discuss yourproblems, as you are still in a learning process. In all cases, do not wait but take action yourself andcontact your placement teacher or the placement coordinator in time.

5.9 Non-attendance

The minimum duration of your placement is 20 weeks. The following rules apply to non-attendance:

Illness: If you get ill you must inform your company in accordance with their internal rules. Ifyou should be ill for more than five days, or if you are frequently absent for shorter periodsbecause of illness, your placement coordinator should be informed. This may lead toprolongation of your placement period.

Leave: Taking days off is restricted to the following: regardless of the number of days-offgranted by the placement company, not more than five days may be taken in a four monthsplacement period. Moreover, this should always be in consultation with your supervisor. If thetotal of five days off is exceeded by circumstances beyond your control you should contact

your placement teacher immediately. In that case your placement has to be extended.

N.B. Taking examinations is to be included in the five days. It goes without saying that normalschool holidays do not apply.

5.10 Correspondence

If you change your address temporarily during your placement period, please inform Studielink.Students will get their correspondence at the address recorded in the student administration at theschool (not the placement office). You can change your address onwww.studielink.nl.

See to it that relevant information gets to you in time. You can log in to your school e-mail (web mail)

anywhere in the world. Go towww.RotterdamBusinessSchool.nl, , web mail. Log in with username:(studentnumber) and your regular Hogeschool password.

Do not forget to inform STUDIELINK about address changes once you have finished yourplacement.

5.11 Finding a topic for your thesis

IBMS students have to write a thesis in the final semester (semester eight). A good thesis should aimto provide a workable and practical solution to a business problem. Ideally, it will combine both thepractical with the theoretical, backed by empirical evidence.

Researching and writing a thesis is an important element of the IBMS programs. It is the way in which

you will show your ability to present your ideas coherently, in a well-organized manner, through clear
http://www.studielink.nl/http://www.studielink.nl/http://www.studielink.nl/http://www.hro.nl/http://www.hro.nl/http://www.hro.nl/http://www.hro.nl/http://www.studielink.nl/


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analysis and concise discussion. It is advisable for third year students to start thinking about a thesistopic during the placement and already start gathering information.

More information about writing your thesis will be given at the start of semester eight. For subject-related questions regarding your topic you can contact one of the IBMS teachers (e.g. for marketing-related topics contact one of the marketing teachers, for finance-related questions contact one of the

finance teachers etc.).


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6. ASSESSMENT

The final assessment of the placement is done by IBMS. The following aspects will be taken intoconsideration:

quality of the placement assignments

first and final company evaluation achievement of learning objectives

argumentation

presentation of the reports

dealing with deadlines

For information about the company evaluation you are referred to 5.4, 5.5 and 5.6. For moreinformation about the placement report, see 5.6.

The placement period will be evaluated with an insufficient, sufficient, good or excellent grade.

You will be informed by your placement teacher if your final placement grade is insufficient. In thiscase you have to do a new placement or an additional placement assignment. The educational

manager of IBMS, Mr L.R. Klienbannink will decide what has to be done. It is necessary to have asufficient grade for your placement to graduate from Rotterdam Business School/IBMS (seeExamination Regulations).


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7. FORMALITIES

7.1 Placement agreement / contract

In a placement agreement, the rights and duties during the placement period are laid down betweenthe student and the company (and sometimes Rotterdam Business School/IBMS). The company

granting the placement often submits this for signature. Never sign this without consideration.Always read it properly. Should it contain anything, to which you do not agree, or if it is not completelyclear what is meant, ask the company or your placement coordinator for more clarification. A standardplacement agreement / contract is available in Dutch and English in the Netwerkmappen of RotterdamBusiness School/IBMS. Remember that a placement agreement signed by you also createsobligations. Always keep a copy of the agreement for yourself.

The placement agreement contains among other things:

the description of the assignment

the placement period (start & end)

the remuneration (also see 6.2)

confidentiality

termination of the placement agreement

7.2 Financial compensation during the placement

Financial compensation is arranged individually between the student and the company. In theNetherlands, a frequently occurring average placement payment is 300.00 gross permonth.Considering the scarceness of good placement possibilities in the Netherlands for non-Dutch speakingstudents, you are advised to accept lower wages. Should an OV-jaarkaart (public transport card forstudents) not be available to you, mention this to the company. Perhaps the company will pay yourtravel costs.

7.3 Citizen Service Number -Burger Service Nummer / BSN (old Social-fiscal number)

A BSN (short for BurgerServiceNummer) is a general unique registrationnumber for every citizen andis to be used in contact with any government service. You receive your BSN when you are registeredwith your local municipality (GBA).When you receive the confirmation from your local municipality that you have been succesfullyregistered in the GBA you will also find your BSN number in this letter.The BSN replaces the old sofi-number, a unique personal number which the Dutch tax and customsadministration (Belastingdienst) used to identify registered taxpayers.Other people may also ask you for your BSN-number. For example, your employer, benefit provider,bank or insurance company may also need to know your BSN-number. This is because they arerequired by law to provide the tax and customs administration with any information that may berelevant to your tax situation.

7.4 Work permit

Since 1 November 2006 students with a non-EU nationality do not need a work permit anymore fortheir placement in a company in the Netherlands. However, It is compulsory to use the standardplacement contract which can be found in Netwerkmappen in the folder Placement.

7.5 Visa

Students doing their placement outside the Netherlands should check with their placement coordinatorif they need a visa and/or work permit. Start early in the semester because the application procedurefor a visa for certain countries can be a long and often difficult process. The expenses are for yourown account.


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7.6 Insurance

You are responsible for your own insurance. Check your insurance package, especially if you goabroad, and see to it that the following risks are covered adequately: illness, accident, legal aid andliability. Students are advised to take out their own third-party insurance. If you are going abroad, you

should also bear in mind extraordinary expenses such as transport and presence of relatives in thecase of illness, and, of course, your luggage.

7.7 Scholarship

To see if you are eligible for a scholarship please turn to the International Office (room Z2.005).

Note: Closing dates: 1 May for the Fall semester15 November for the Spring semester


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APPENDICES


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ANNEX A PHOTOThis form must be typewritten!

REGISTRATION FORM PLACEMENT

2nd

year group: RBS11IBMS. student number:...................

Surname and initials:

First names:

Date and place of birth:

Nationality:

For NON-EU nationalities; residence permit valid: Yes / No (strike out where not applicable)Would you like to do your placement in the Netherlands ? Yes / No (strike out where notapplicable)

Preference foreign country : 1) 2)

Students current address: from till

Town and Postal Code:

Telephone number:Mobile number:

E-mail address:

Parents address:

Town and Postal Code:

Country:

Telephone number (include country code):E-mail address (if any):

Language skills

Oral Written Modulescompleted/grades

Dutch

English

What would you like to do during your placement (e.g. assignment, department, company,country) ? Why ?

How are you going to arrange your placement ? / What have you done so far?

Signature: Rotterdam, (date)...Hand in this form (2x) to your SC coach


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ANNEX B

2nd



SC COACH :

DESCRIPTION ASSIGNMENTand LIABILITY

This form must be typewritten, signed by your Study & Career Coach and then handed to Mrs NathalieBarendswaard, placement co-ordinator, in duplicate.

Company address

Name (complete) :

Business/ product :

Address : P.O. Box :

Postal code/city : Postal code (P.O. Box)/city :

Country : Country :

Tel. number : Fax number :

Name of company's contact person for placements(full name, Ms, Mrs or Mr, any titles) :

Position : Telephone (business) :e-mail:

Name of company's placement supervisor(full name, Ms, Mrs or Mr, any titles) :

Position : Telephone (business) :e-mail:

Detailed description of work/assignment during placement :

(see placement scan)

Only hand in your annex B together with placement scan

Placement period (exact dates) from: till: (minimum 20 weeks)

The Study & Career Coach hereby declares that the above mentioned assignment is suitable for aplacement.

Study & Career Coach IBMS: Date:(Signature)

The undersigned (I) hereby declare(s) that1. Within the company where I will carry out my placement period there are no relatives or acquaintances of any kind who may in

any way influence my assessment.2. I am acquainted with the fact that I will be responsible myself for all requirements demanded by the authorities or the placement

company or firm for the fulfilment of this placement period. Among these requirements are: acquiring visa, travelling documentsand work permit. I recognize that Hogeschool Rotterdam shall not be liable in this respect.

3. I am acquainted with the fact that I have been informed of the necessity to take out insurance for the risks connected with orderiving from doing placement work, in particular risks like medical expenses, liability, (prolonged) incapacity for work anddisability.

4. I accept that Hogeschool Rotterdam shall not be liable for any risks deriving from the placement period.

Student (Signature) : Date :


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ANNEX C

3rd



Placement supervisor:

ADDRESSES

This form must be typewritten and in duplicate handed in to the placement coordinator not later than two weeks afterthe beginning of the placement period. Students abroad may also fax this form to prevent late arrival.

Students address

Home address :

Postal code/city : Country :

Telephone : e-mail :

Address during placement :

Postal code/city : Country :

Telephone : e-mail :

Company address (for visit)

Name of company/organisation *:

Address (not P.O. Box):

Postal code / city : Country :

Telephone : Fax number :(including dialling code) (including dialling code)

Name of company's placement supervisor(full name, Ms, Mrs or Mr, any titles) :

Position :

Telephone (business) :e-mail :

Name of companys contact person for placements (full name, Ms, Mrs or Mr, any titles):

Position:

Telephone (business):e-mail:

Actual period of placement (exact dates) // till ././

Date: Signature student:

*) if you carry out your work at another address, you should inform your placement teacher


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ANNEX D

Workplace Scan for the Placement

(must be handed in together with Annex B)

1. Data on the Placement Company

- Name

- Address (visiting and postal)

- Telephone

- Website

2. Information about the Organisation

a) External characteristics

- Sector (sector characteristics, developments in the sector)

- Core business (what kind of product or service does the organisation produce? How and

for whom does it produce its product or service? Unique selling point)

- Mission statement and vision

- Area of activity (regional, national, international)

- Image

b) Internal characteristics

- Size (number of employees (local, regional, national, international), number of branches

(regional, national, international))

- Structure (organogram for the organisation as a whole (departments and business units)

3. Information about the Workplace

a) The department

- Activities and tasks (what does the department do?)

- Place of the department in the overall organisation

- Organisation of the department (organogram showing positions)

- Working hours

b) Supervision

- How much time for supervision

- The frequency of supervision

- Company coach:

o Nameo Position

o Field

o Level of education

o Involvement in the learning process of the student

o Experience of (placement) supervision

c) Relevance of the workplace for the programme for which the student is enrolled.


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4. Information about the Position

a) Daily (routine) activities and tasks

- Implementation, preparation, support, policy-decision related activities and tasks?

- Extent of independence

- Responsibilities

- Powers

- Connection with programme competencies at the educated for the profession level

b) Project-based activities and tasks

- Implementation, preparation, support, policy-decision related activities and tasks?

- Role in project

- Extent of independence

- Responsibilities

- Project team

c) Extent to which the educated for the profession level applies

d) Results expected of the student (professional products)

- General criteria to be met by the results (for example: what must the client be able to do

with the result? Which objective must it be possible to achieve on the basis of the results?)

e) Functional meetings

- Organised or informal

- Frequency

- Participants

- Type of content (operational, tactical, strategic, brainstorming, etc.)

5. Development Possibilities for the Student

a) Possibility to develop the competencies further and/or broaden them

b) Possibility to take a look outside the department

c) Possibility to do an in-depth assignment (with research) within the organisation

d) Possibility to have his first experience of the level required of a professional at the start of his

career

6. Special Details

7. Conclusion Arrived at by the Student on the Suitability of the Placement


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ANNEX E PLACEMENT ASSIGNMENTS

During your placement you will have to work out the following placement assignments:

Assignment 1: You have to choose 1 assignment out of the 5 mentioned below

(Management & Organisation, Entrepreneurship, Communication, Social andCommunicative skills or Marketing)

Assignment 2: Self reflection, is for every student at the end of their placement. The assignmentscan be done by analyzing written material and / or by means of in-company observation. Interviewswith those who work in the departments concerned can also be an effective way to gather information.

Assignment 3:Placement report. After your placement you also have to write a placement reportregarding your position, tasks, activities, etc. (min. 1500 words, max. 2500 words)

Assignment 1

You have to have to choose one assignment out of five

1. Management & organization

Learning objective: to obtain and apply understanding of management- and organization processes ofthe company/organization by means of a written analysis of a couple of business processes and thestudents/interns position in that.

1. Structure (nature of the allocation of tasks/duties in the organization)

2. Culture (nature of the corporate culture and cultural differences)3. Strategy (Internal organization & strategic processes)4. Human Resources Management (HRM)

1.1. Structure

Learning objective: To gain understanding of the allocation of tasks/duties in organizations and theunderlying considerations.

Draw the organization chart of your placement company/organization and comment on this by meansof the following questions:

How can the structure be characterized (line organization, line-staff organization, etc.)?

Which differentiation principle (Functional-, Product-, Geographical-, Market division) is used,and what are the advantages and disadvantages in this specific case?

How is the coordination of tasks and responsibilities realized; which coordination mechanisms

are used? Do informal groups exist within the organization? Are you part of such groups?

1.2. Culture

Learning objective: To recognize corporate cultures and develop an understanding for the effect ofthat.

Describe the culture of the company/organization or the department where you work and answer thefollowing questions:

Which influence does the corporate culture have on the execution of the work and themotivation of the staff?

With which country/countries does the company/organization have business relations? Doesthis have consequences for the corporate culture and in which way is this noticeable?


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Which national culture is most noticeable in the corporate culture (the culture of the countrywhere the company is based or another culture)?

Which standards and shared values exist within the company/organization and which of thosedo appeal you personally the most?

1.3. Strategy

Learning objective: To gain understanding of the internal organization and the strategic processes ofthe placement company/organization.

Describe and analyze the strategy of the company/organization by means of the following questions:

What are the mission statement and objectives of the company/organization?

Which strategic processes take place, in terms of planning, implementation, control andevaluation?

What is the internal organization of the company/organization? (Give a description by usingMcKinseys 7S-model: strategy, structure, system, staff, skills, style, shared values.)

1.4. Human Resources Management

Learning objective: To look for jobs that meet your own ambition and to become acquainted with anumber of HRM-aspects.

Collect at least four tangible job descriptions and answer the following questions:

Which one of the jobs meets your own ambitions and possibilities after graduation at IBMSmost?

What salary goes with this job? How is this determined (collective labor agreement, jobranking, performance pay)?

Which selection criteria apply to this job and to what extent do you meet these criteria?

Formulate a personal objective for the rest of your studies, which focuses on meeting the

placement handbook 2012-2013

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