BI Advantage no 2 2016

Advantage #2 2016

EMPOWERING PEOPLE – IMPROVING BUSINESS

BUSINESS PROFILE

Tonje Sandberg knows what it takes to keep 1 100 hungry consultants in a good mood

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ALUMNI SHARE WHAT FUELLED THEIR CAREER CHOICES AFTER BI

PINNING THE STRATEGY

BI Corporate Department pinpointed a new strategy for the cluster organisation Subsea Valley

”How hard can the EU push to keep its ­members in line? One must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

NICK SIT TER, PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF L AW AT BI

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PRESIDENT OF BI

NEWS

FRONTLINE

WORLD REPORT

“BI Alumni community has more than 75 000 members.” Page 5.

1.7 million views for BI campaign commercial “A Flying Start.” Page 7.

Teams that share their information will always perform better. Page 11.

Latest on Alumni events, Alumni benefits and more. Page 48.

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E XECUTIVE MBA

THE WORLD IS YOURS

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The Executive MBA at BI is a truly international programme – where the world literally becomes your campus. You have the option of three tracks; global, energy or maritime offshore. The programme takes you to various corners of the world, in order to learn from the very best in each field. Transform your career with the only ranked* Executive MBA in Norway.

Start up March 2017: bi.edu/emba *Financial Times 2015

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CONTENT

Advantage 2 / 2016

EMPOWERING PEOPLE – IMPROVING BUSINESS

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NEWS 007 The latest news from us.

FRONTLINE 011 Stay updated with BI’s latest research.

AMBASSADORS 021 Meet Jens Henrik Larsen and four other succesful BI alumni.

INSIGHT 032 BI Corporate Department helped Subsea Valley with a new strategy.

BUSINESS PROFILES 036 Tonje Sandberg leads Accenture Norway in her own successful way.

PROFESSOR 042 Nick Sitter, ­professor at the BI Department of Law, proves knowledge on terrorism is in strong demand.

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WORLD REPORT 048 Alumni events and more.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

EDITORS

Barbro Kolbjørnsrud

Morten Ståle Nilsen, Mikaela Hincks

BI ALUMNI RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

PROOFREADER

Nydalsveien 37, N-0442 Oslo ­Norway

Rob Hincks

WEBPAGE:

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

PRINTING AND P ­ REPRESS

E-MAIL: alumni@bi.no

Per Olsson

Forssa Print

ISSN: 1891-2874

ART DIRECTOR

PRODUCTION

Staffan Frid

Rävudden i Stockholm info@ravudden.se

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Mette Winger Eide, Audun Farbrot

www.bi.edu/alumni

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LETTER FROM THE president

Closing the gap

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he first business education degrees were created in the United States in the 1880s. In the early days of business schools, the curricula were based on real business cases. The decades that followed were characterized by “academisation” of the business school disciplines.

Research based knowledge, theory and modelling became the backbone of academic programmes.

Still, the practical know-how was an important part of student’s learning. Thus, the holy grail for business schools was to find the perfect balance between theory and practice in their activities.

Today, BI and other business schools alike focus on bridging academia with practice. To merge theory and practice rather than balancing them.

We call it “closing the gap”.

As an alumnus you have been part of this development. And from our perspective, you are still very much a part of it. There are approximately 300 000 graduates from BI, and the BI Alumni community has more than 75 000 members. You are our most important link with the business world. In our efforts to close the gap between theory and practice, we need to develop quality relations between BI, alumni and students.

Internships are one of the most concrete examples of the value of interaction between BI, students and alumni. Since 2011, BI has offered internships as an elective course in cooperation with partners in business and industry. 616 bachelor and master students have taken the opportunity to use their knowledge in practice. Internships have become increasingly popular, and we are working towards

expanding the programme. This semester I am happy to announce BIs first international internships, in cooperation with Nordea, Statkraft and DNB in Stockholm, Helsinki and Vilnius.

Internships are a “win-win-win” for students, companies and BI. Students get relevant work experience, business network opportunities and get to test their skills and knowledge. In addition, we know that students often find relevant jobs based on their experience. Companies get a new asset on their team; someone who can provide new perspectives and apply research based knowledge to problem solving. BI grows stronger from getting feedback from both students and companies. We use this insight to develop the quality of all our programmes.

In many companies, alumni are instrumental in providing these internship opportunities. We appreciate these contributions tremendously.

They are a great example, it is a great example of alumni giving back to the students of today. I want to encourage more of our alumni to engage.

Can your company offer an internship opportunity to a BI student? Let’s join forces in the effort to close the gap.

Inge Jan Henjesand PRESIDENT

”THERE ARE MORE THAN 75 000 MEMBERS IN OUR ALUMNI NETWORK.”

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Executive Short Programmes

Get inspired bi.no/esp

Executive Short Programmes gives you essential and business relevant knowledge that you need in order to face new challenges at work – in only a few days. The impact is immediate – and is easy to apply. There are no exams.

Executive Short Programmes Autumn 2016 Leading Global Business, 3rd – 6th October (in English)

Ledelse i en digital tid, 8. - 10. november

Lede og implementere strategisk endring, 11. – 13. oktober

Lederutvikling i organisasjonen, 9. - 11. november

Key Elements of Shipping, 11th – 13th October (in English)

Forretningsforståelse for teknologer, 14. -16. november

Strategy in Action, 17. – 19. oktober Ny som leder, 18. – 20. oktober Økonomiforståelse for ledere, 24. – 26. oktober Strategic Project Management, 26th – 28th October (in English) Digitalization for Growth and Innovation, 25th – 29th October (in English)

Supply Chain Management, 16. – 18. november Verdiskapende forhandlinger og avtaleutforming, 22. – 24. november Kontraktsledelse og kontraktsforhandlinger, 29. oktober – 1. desember Lean for økt lønnsomhet, 5. – 7. desember

Green Growth, 7th – 9th November (in English)

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Latest news and developments

The promotional video has been watched more than 1.7 million times on YouTube and Facebook, since it was uploaded on 1st December

Official Honoree for A Flying Start

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Flying Start”, BI’s first international marketing campaign of its kind, has been a success. The promotional video has been watched more than 1.8 million times on YouTube and Facebook, since it was uploaded on 1st December. Pageviews and visits to bi.edu have increased massively and the number of applications to BI has increased by 33% compared to the same period last year. More than 3,000 people have applied to be considered for “Your Name”. The winner will be pre-introduced to everyone in Oslo this fall — LITERALLY everyone. The campaign has been selected as the Official Honoree in the 20th Annual Webby Awards, ”

where the film was entered in the category Viral Marketing. The Webby Awards can in many ways be considered as the US digital Cannes and is one of the largest international advertising competitions. The campain has also won the Norwegian “Sølvtaggen” award, a prestigious digital marketing award, handed out monthly by INMA Interactive Marketing. All Sølvtaggen-winners are automatically nominated for the annual “Gulltaggen” award, Norway’s most prestigious advertising competition for interactive advertising.

READ MORE: www.bi.edu/aflyingstart

BI faculty appointed to Oil Fund committee Professor Hilde C. Bjørnland and Associate Professor Espen Henriksen are part of a newly appointed government committee assessing the equity portion of the Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG), colloquially referred to as the Oil Fund.

– The GPFG aims to get a high return on its investments within a moderate level of risk. An important part of our mandate is to analyse the expected risk and return in the Fund for different equity portions, and then make a recommendation on the equity portion, says Hilde C. Bjørnland, Professor at the Department of Economics.

Professor Hilde C. Bjørnland

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NEWS

The President invites top ­executives Kristin H. Holth, alumnus’84, DNB’s head of Shipping, Offshore & Logistics, gave an exclusive lecture at BI, on 15th March. Holth was in 2014 named the world’s most influential person in shipping finance. She spoke about the challenges in the shipping, oil and gas industry today and gave the audience valuable advice on courage.

The guest lecture was a part of The President Invites series at BI – campus Oslo, where BI’s President Inge Jan Henjesand invites top executives from Norwegian politics and business to speak to students, alumni and guests about current topics.

LECTURES ARE ANNOUNCED IN THE CALENDAR ON

bi.no/bi.edu

International case ­competition at BI BI hosted its first international case competition in February 2016. 12 teams from 4 different continents and 11 different nationalities gathered in Oslo, to solve the Hydro case “Better, Bigger, Greener”.

University of Belgrade, Serbia, won the competition with their “Recycle, Reduce and Renew” solution. The University of Melbourne came in second place, while Mays Business School at Texas A & M University took third place. The four-day programme was packed with inspiring guest lectures, with global companies like Jotun, Statoil and DNV GL. Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette Marit, alumnus from BI, was also present during the competition.

Bowtie Consulting – The winners of BI International Case Competition 2016

Students meet Kristin H. Holth

The beautiful Oslo Opera House

Evaluating the Opera BI professor Sigrid Røyseng led the expert committee behind the much-publicized report, «På de skrå bredder» («On the sloping shores»), evaluating the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet’s artistic quality and resource utilization. The report concludes that the opera has mainly been an opera for Oslo, and not for Norway as a whole, opposed to its original purpose.

The expert panel has also helped with developing an approach where resources and artistic activities are understood in a combination.

“We have become very familiar with the Opera after 14 months of work, giving us an opportunity to provide insight into the artistic activity, resource utilization and management and organisation,” says Røyseng.

NEW PROGRAMME IN CULTURE MANAGEMENT Røyseng is also responsible for the new Executive Master of Management programme in Culture Management (Kulturledelse) starting autumn 2016. The programme will provide knowledge on how to evaluate structure and analyze the opportunities and challenges surrounding cultural organizations. The course is taught in Norwegian.

LEARN MORE:

www.bi.no/emm

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On the rooftop of BI-campus Oslo.

12 doctorates encircling BI’s President Inge Jan Henjesand and Professor and Dean Øyvind Norli

Prepared for an international academic journey 12 doctoral graduates received their diplomas, proof of their academic achievement, at the Doctoral Conferment Ceremony in Oslo on 10th December 2015.

– Our PhD candidates develop as researchers under the supervision of internationally renowned BI faculty. The journey is challenging, but very rewarding. Each doctor

has contributed with new and valuable insights to his/her field of study, said Dean Øyvind Norli.

A PhD from BI makes you well prepared for a career at top universities and research institutions.

INTERESTED IN BI’S PDD PROGRAMME: bi.edu/phd

Recruit from BI We have made it easy to recruit BI students. BIs Career Portal gives you the opportunity to post job vacancies free of charge, including internships, trainee positions, part-time and full-time positions. You can also search for students who have registered in the portal.

INTERESTED IN RECRUITING BI STUDENTS: karriere.bi.no

Amir Sasson at his inauguration lecture February 2016

New ­Professors BI Leader­ship Magazine 2015-2016 Get the latest research and insights on ­leadership in the BI Leadership Magazine, a Science Communication Magazine.

LINK TO E-MAGAZINE: http://bit.ly/1Skj5Jy PRINTED COPY: Send your address to ­forskning@bi.no

New professors this spring are Ragnhild Kvålshaugen, from the Department of Strategy, and Birgit Helene Jevnaker, from the Department of Innovation and Economic Organization. BI now has 125 professors, out of whom 22 are female.

Amir Sasson, from the Department of Strategy, is one of BIs latest appointed professors. He held his inauguration lecture in February on the topic “Organizing for competitiveness”. Amir has worked at BI since 2008, and many alumni will know him from class. In addition to being a popular lecturer, Sasson has published research articles in a number of reputable journals.

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NEWS

Helene Holand got a new position in PwC

MSc Graduation Ceremony 2015

Best of BI

More than 300 graduate students received their diplomas at the Master of Science graduation at BI-campus Oslo, on 10th December 2015.

With family and friends present, the graduating students were handed their diplomas by BI’s President Inge Jan Henjesand.

During the ceremony, the top five best students received a scholarship of 5000 NOK and a Tag Heuer watch for their academic achievements. These were Kirstine Rust, Rasmus Stenebråten, Vidar Lyngvær and Kanutte Røstad and Henrikke Bakkerud, who all graduated with honors.

BI graduates in high ­demand Despite challenging times for the Norwegian economy, results from BI’s latest employment survey for full-time students show that demand for BI graduates remains positive and stable; this is very encouraging given that figures reached an all-time high last year.

Within six months, 86 percent of master graduates had secured a job, a one percent increase from last year. Average starting salaries were NOK 490,000, including bonuses and other additional benefits, a 3.2 percent increase.

Results for bachelor students were also stable, with eight out of ten finding a job within six months. Starting salaries for bachelor graduates, including bonuses and benefits, were NOK 408,000.

New campus in prime location

Career Advancement with an Executive MBA Half of the graduates from BI’s Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) gained a more senior position after completing the programme, according to the latest employment survey for executive education. Fifty percent also gained higher salaries.

Alumnus Helene Holand (36) got a new position as Director of Strategy Execution at PwC after graduating. - In my job as a consultant, I often face complex issues. After taking an EMBA I have gained greater professional expertise, says Holand. Holand was also awarded “Best student” in her graduating EMBA class 2015. www.bi.edu/emba

New l­ ocation for BI-campus ­Trondheim BI has signed a lease contract with Entra for a new-built campus in Trondheim. The campus will be located at Brattørkaia, an old seafront harbour close to the city centre, also known to many as pirområdet.

Construction will commence January 2017 and the project will be finalised in the summer 2018. The property will be 8,350 square meters, with space for up to 1500 students, fully let to BI on a 20-year lease. Entra is a leading owner, manager and developer of office properties in Norway.

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Frontline Does it matter if banks offer one-shot lending or if they are concerned with establishing longterm relationships? How should open offices plan for transition into the digital age? Do you know who you are in social media? Keep on reading to get the latest research results from BI.

Words by AUDUN FARBROT Head of Science Communication at BI

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Frontline 3. DISSONANCE. If what we know (for instance, our fossil energy use contributes to global warming), conflicts with what we do (drive, fly, eat beef, or heat with fossil fuels), then dissonance sets in. The same happens if my attitudes conflict with those of people important to me. In both cases, the lack of convenient behaviors and social support weaken climate attitudes over time. But by doubting or downplaying what we know (the facts), we can feel better about how we live.

Thus, actual behavior and social relations determine the attitude in the long run.

4. DENIAL. When we negate, ignore, or other-

Five ways to climate action Five solutions to bypass the barriers by doing more of what actually works.

5. IDENTITY. We filter news through our pro-

By PER ESPEN STOKNES Researcher at Department of Law

1. DISTANCE. The climate issue remains remote for the majority of us, in a number of ways. We can’t see climate change. Melting glaciers are usually far away, as are the spots on earth now experiencing sea level rise, more severe floods, droughts, fires, and other climate disruptions. It affects strangers in other lands, but not me, or those I know. And the severest impacts will come in the distant future - in the next century or even longer.

Despite some people stating that global warming is here now, it still feels distant from everyday concerns.

2. DOOM. When climate change is framed

as an encroaching disaster that can only be addressed by loss, cost, and sacrifice, it creates a wish to avoid the topic. We’re predictably averse to losses. With a lack of practical solutions, helplessness grows and the fear message backfires. We’ve heard that “the end is nigh” so many times, it no longer really registers.

fessional and cultural identity. We look for information that confirms our existing values and notions, and filter away what challenges them. If people who hold conservative values, for instance, hear from a liberal that the climate is changing, they are less likely to believe the message. Cultural identity overrides the facts. If new information requires us to change our selves, then the information is likely to lose.

Taken together these ‘five D’s’ may seem invincible. They are interrelated, but still distinct. Think of them as concentric circles around the citadel of the self, with distance as the first line of defense and identity as the final, innermost defense. So far they have defeated climate communications.

FIVE MOTIVATING STRATEGIES FOR CLIMATE COMMUNICATION

But luckily, social scientists have uncovered how to bypass the barriers by doing more of what actually works. I’ve synthesized these into the five Solutions:

REFERENCE: Per Espen (2015): What We Think About - When We Try Not To Think About - Global Warming; The New Psychology of Climate Action. Chelsea Green Publishing.

1. SOCIAL NETWORKS. We must use the power of social networks to bring the climate messages home. Peer pressure is a powerful thing. In a classic study, researchers tested putting a sign in a hotel room that said 75 per cent of guests in that room had reused their towels. Reuse increased dramatically— even though a similar sign, asking people to reuse their towels to save water, had little

ILLUSTRATIONS BY HANS VON CORSANT

T

he five main barriers to climate action exist all in our heads.

Let’s call them the five D’s: Distance, Doom, Dissonance, Denial and iDentity:

wise avoid acknowledging the unsettling facts about climate change, we find refuge from fear and guilt. By joining outspoken denialism and mockery, we can get back at those whom we feel criticize our lifestyles, think they know better, and try to tell us how to live. Denial is born out of self-defense, not ignorance, intelligence, or lack of information.

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effect. Humans want to be like those around us. Therefore we should be highlighting popular people who are getting it right, as, for instance, Green Sports Alliance are doing. Peers are also the best messengers for changing attitudes on climate change through face to face conversations.

2. SUPPORTIVE FRAMINGS. Most climate messages have come packed inside cata­ strophe, costs and sacrifice. Studies have uncovered framings that generate more support for the climate topics. Chief among them we find health-, insurance- and opportunity framings. Thus: climate is really a health issue, not one of sacrifice. It is rich in opportunities rather than costs. And should be talked about as a risk management and insurance issue, more than as a looming catastrophe.

Long-term banks are good

By BOGDAN STACECU Associate Professor at Department of Finance

3. SIMPLE ACTIONS. Taking cli-

mate-friendly decisions in everyday life can be difficult: we’re locked-in to cars, malls and foodstuffs that are fossil intensive.

But by applying nudging we can make climate-friendly decisions for energy, foods and appliances the easy, default choice.

Availability, salience and timely reminders make climate options convenient. By making it simpler for all to live and shop green, we reverse the dissonance and generate support for policy.

indicators on how fast CO2 is accumulating in the atmosphere or how fast Antarctica is melting. Rather, we need new signals and indicators to know that our society is making progress in responding to the crisis. Signals tailored to feel personal by measuring how much companies, cities, states, friends and ourselves are contributing – monthly or daily – to the great green swerve. ■

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raditionally, local banks have been concerned with establishing longterm relationships with borrowers. Loyal customers have been considered “golden” customers.

Local banks know their customers well, and have been able to be flexible should a customer need extra credit during a difficult period.

In recent years, we have seen major changes in the banking sector.

Large banks have expanded across regions and international borders, and often offer oneshot lending, focussing less on repeat lending to the same customer.

A CHANGING SECTOR

4. STORYTELLING. We’re tired of the climate apocalypse story with drowning polar bears and being told we’re wrong. Hell doesn’t sell.

Stories about entrepreneurs and scientists succeeding with new solutions are needed.

The visions and narratives we need to tell describe a green growth society with better livelihoods and smarter cities around which nature is re-establishing itself in resilient ways.

5. SIGNALS. Finally, less focus on global

Does it matter if banks offer one-shot lending or if they are concerned with establishing long-term relationships? It does.

REFERENCES: Artashes Karapetyan and Bogdan Stacescu: Collateral and Informed Screening During Banking Relationships. Research article presented at the 2016 FIBE Conference at the Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen.

SUMMARY : FIVE WAYS TO CLIMATE ACTION If you want to take action for climate you have to start with you own barriers. Luckily The five D’s could be solved with the five S’s.

Non-banks have also entered the lending market. Typically, the new players also offer one-shot lending. They are also less concerned with developing long-term customer relationships.

In addition to this structural change, the financial crisis has contributed to derailing many long-term relationships between banks and borrowers. Borrowers have been obliged to sell off mortgaged property to repay loans to banks hardest hit by the financial crisis.

The exception is banks with a solid balance sheet.

Does it matter if banks are concerned with developing long-term relationships or if they offer one-shot lending?

“Yes, it does,” says Bogdan Stacescu, Associate Professor of finance at BI Norwegian Business School, based on a study of how banks assess loan applications.

COLLATERAL OR CREDIT CHECK?

Together with researcher Artashes Karapetyan, Bogdan Stacescu has conducted a study of whether different lending practices influence the various methods of assessing potential borrowers.

When banks assess loan applications,

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Frontline they can either conduct a thorough credit appraisal of the borrower or ask for collateral as security for the loan (often in the form of a building or other property).

Both methods are costly.

A credit appraisal requires a time-consuming screening of the loan application and gathering of information about the applicant’s creditworthiness.

If the bank requires collateral, it risks suddenly having to take possession of a house (or other mortgaged property) should the borrower default on his loan. In a crisis, this may reinforce a potential economic downturn through compulsory sale of several properties.

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS ARE A GOOD IDEA

For the study, a model was developed to determine whether or not it matters if banks are concerned with repeat customers.

The results were published in a research article presented at the annual FIBE Conference held at the Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen in January 2016.

Stacescu and Karapetyan find that banks that assess a loan application from one of their previous borrowers prefer to conduct a credit appraisal instead of asking for collateral as security.

If there are prospects of repeated lending, it reduces the likelihood of the bank requiring collateral, also when it assesses a given borrower’s first loan application.

“The study shows that long-term relationships between banks and borrowers are a good idea. The study shows that long-term relationships between banks and borrowers are a good idea. The use of credit appraisal instead of collateral also generates value for society.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The BI researcher was awarded the 2016 FIBE award (Publisher’s prize) for the best research contribution at the 2016 FIBE Conference.

The competition is open to researchers under the age of 40. The prize consists of NOK 20 000. “This is a significant recognition for me. It was also high time that the award was granted to the BI Norwegian Business School finance community,” says Bogdan Stacescu. ■

Who are you in Social Media?

By CHRISTIAN FIESELER Associate Professor at Department of ­Communication and Culture

SUMMARY : LONG-TERM BANKS ARE GOOD New players in the loan market offer one-shot lending. But a long term relationship with a bank is a better deal for the bank, the client and society according to BI Professor Bogdan Stacescu.

New patterns identified in online impression management in a study of European communications professionals.

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s social media are evolving from being a uniquely private playground, into a vast and buzzing field for professional interaction, it is sometimes precisely this merging of professional and private purposes that makes digital media particularly valuable for professional communication.

The advent of social media encourages many professionals to revisit the formal boundaries between work and leisure, inviting their contacts from outside the office to partake (online) in work related questions and processes, thereby often contributing to their organisation’s brain pool and creativity.

Based on a survey among European communication practitioners, we were interested in the question in which ways communica-

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tors use social media for their impression management. Which kinds of communication patterns do they choose, and how do they interact with communities outside their organisations’ walls.

Four separate, yet complementary patterns of online interaction emerged: the self promoter, the help seeker, the digital care giver and the authoritarian.

THE SELF PROMOTER

Self-expression seems like the most obvious use of social media; however, there is a huge difference between random chatter and a conscious and strategised self-promotion through the circulation of information about us.

The self promoter uses social media to make her community aware of her successes, of the progression of her projects and of what goes on in her work. This keeps her friends from outside the office updated on her life, but also often contributes to the well-being of her organisations. Self promotion, when correctly understood, includes colleagues and the community, celebrates shared experiences and successes and thus creates an emotional bond.

SUMMARY : WHO ARE YOU IN SOCIAL MEDIA? A new survey shows how professional and private patterns in SocialMedia help people to do a better better job. The survey also found four typically, not flattering, online profiles.

»The selfpromoter uses social media to make her commnity aware of her successes.«

THE HELP SEEKER

The help seeker is an example of harnessing these emotional bonds: he uses social media to find the support he needs for daily work-related activities. Within his group of colleagues, but even further, within his connections and acquaintances, he has a good opportunity to find the requested information.

Furthermore, given the connection among his contacts, answers can also be exploited for unspoken or unsolicited questions: in this sometimes affection-driven form of crowdsourcing, the community maximises the options to find support for the organisation.

THE DIGITAL CAREGIVER

The same works also for the opposite approach: collective problem solving is, in fact, maximised when the skills of individuals have the biggest opportunity of finding a match.

Meet, therefore, the peer supporter: she uses social media as an opportunity to share her knowledge, and to make sure that the members of her network, be it colleagues, or friends, or both, are provided with assistance and support at any time they need it.

These communicators are there for their

REFERENCE: Fieseler, Christian; Ranzini, Giulia. The networked communications manager : A typology of managerial social media impression management tactics.

Corporate Communications. An International Journal 2015; Volume 20.

peers in the same way they would be by the side of their friends. In a wider perspective, we can think of caregivers and contributors to be the engine which drives collaborative social media’s existence, as wikis. And crowdsourcing platforms rely heavily on knowledge-sharing efforts.

THE AUTHORITARIAN

No typology of social media impression management would be complete with the opposite tactic: speaking from a position of authority. Even in social media, this does not necessarily have to be a bad thing.

Often, an organisational spokesperson has to take a stance vis-à-vis a community.

Sometimes they offer a more complete and more personal view over their peers, markets, and developments. This translates in the desire to guide, and eventually correct, the behavior of one’s peers, involving others more deeply in conversations.

Ideally, authority as an impression management tactic is one of honesty, and thus really engaging with the community, than to merely pay lip service to a perceived climate of opinion.

Whether or not you recognise yourself in one or more of the digital communication patterns exemplified within our study, one element remains clear: interaction through social media, just like relationships “in real life”, is widely shaped by personal characteristics of the individuals involved.

Unlike real life, however, social media offers the possibility for communicators to share with their colleagues a wider array of their personal traits, through the different roles they cover.

The online extension of their formal workplace, including acquaintances, friends and other contacts, allows the option to make their progress known, or ask for support, without losing credibility or authority. Furthermore, an “extended team” in which all members feel free to express themselves with their personal traits, characteristics and perks brings experimentation to the formal “core” team by means of creativity, boundary-spanning and crowdsourcing. ■

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Frontline

Teams flying blind without information People who work together in teams don’t always know to whom they should send their important information.

This causes the team to perform poorly.

H

ow can we best utilise each other’s knowledge in a team? How do we divide tasks between ourselves?

How do we know when and with whom to share what information?

These are questions Dominique Kost wanted to answer in her doctoral project at BI Norwegian Business School.

Imagine that your assignment is to eliminate a terrorist who headed to the Norwegian coast by sea. You are on a frigate and must solve the assignment along with one person on a patrol vessel and one person in an Orion marine surveillance aircraft.

You don’t know who the terrorist is or where he will strike. You learn that he is approaching the coast on board a fishing vessel, but there are many such vessels at sea. You haven’t necessarily worked together previously.

In order to solve the assignment, the team members must develop a sound understanding of the task assigned to them.

They must send critically important information to those who need it, with e-mail as the only form of communication.

This is a concrete and practical example of an assignment in which multiple people must work together to succeed in achieving a good result.

Dominique Kost recruited students to solve this assignment in teams of three participants. The experiments were conducted as a simulation game in a research laboratory at BI Norwegian Business School.

By DOMINIQUE KOST Lecturer at Department of Communication and Culture

REFERENCE: Dominique Kost. Understanding Transactive Memory Systems in Virtual Teams: The role of integration and differentiation, task dependencies and routines. Series of Dissertation - 01/2016.

BI Norwegian Business School.

ANALYSED E-MAIL

In the first part of the study, the BI researcher combed through the content of all e-mails sent between the three team members in eight of the teams participating in the experiments.

Kost analysed the many e-mails to find out what type of information was shared with which people on the team.

The study shows that team members struggled to understand how their own role and tasks are connected to the tasks and roles of the other members of the team. The teams also had trouble keeping up with changes and adapting to new job requirements along the way. This caused team members to not send critically important information to those who needed it. Sub-groups also formed within teams with their own understanding of the assignment.

“The team as a whole developed a poor understanding of the assignment they were tasked with solving. This makes it more difficult for the team to succeed with the task they were given to solve.

COMMUNICATION FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE

It is also not necessarily a good idea to send all information to everyone to ensure that no-one misses information that is critically important to them.

If too much information is sent between team members with tasks that are relatively independent of each other, this will result in poorer team performance.

The result is different when the team

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members’ tasks are more coherent. Then extensive communication will better enable the team to solve their tasks.

Teams that developed routines for communication and what was to be done, performed better than the teams that did not establish such routines. By following the routines over time, the team members developed a better understanding of each other’s roles and how their tasks were connected.

FIVE TIPS TO MAKE VIRTUAL TEAMS WORK

Based on her doctoral study, Dominique Kost has developed five practical tips to make virtual teams function to their fullest extent: When the team is established, it is important to create an overview of the roles of the individual team members and how the tasks they must solve are connected.

This is particularly important when the team members have not worked together previously.

The team leader has a special responsibility to remind the team members of how their tasks are connected.

Establish routines for communication in the team. This will help the team members understand how the roles and responsibilities are connected.

Make sure that sub-groups do not develop within the team. This may result in the development of different understandings of how to solve the tasks.

Find the right balance between informing everyone on the team and individual team members.

Think about who is dependent on a certain type of information at any given time. This means that the individual members of the team must have a sound understanding of how roles and tasks are connected, and must be aware of how this changes over time. ■

The office in a digital age

By DONATELLA DE PAOLI Associate Professor at Department for Leadership and Organizational Management

REFERENCES: De Paoli, D. and Ropo, A. (2015). Open plan offices – the response to leadership challenges of virtual project work?

Journal of Corporate Real Estate, Vol. 17, Issue 1.

De Paoli, D. (2015) Virtual organizations – a call for new leadership. In Ropo, Sauer, Salovaara and De Paoli (red.)

Organizing, leadership and spaces. Edward Elgar Publ.

De Paoli, D., Vaagaasar, A.L. og Müller, R. (2013) Project Leadership and work space. Paper Proceedings IRNOP 16-18 juni, BI, Oslo.

SUMMARY : TEAMS FLYING BLIND WITHOUT INFORMATION When you are in a difficult situation, sending the right information to the right person in your team is crucial. In Dominique Kost’s, Lecture at BI Department of Communication and Culture, a new study shows that teams that have routines for how, what and to whom they send information perform better than teams without routines.

Open plan offices will not become redundant.

But they must change in order to support work and ­leadership in a digital age.

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odern communication technology makes it possible for us to work anytime, anyplace. We communicate more and more via e-mail, mobile phones, social media, Skype or other digital platforms, whether we are in our office or not. Many employees and managers have an easier time concentrating at home, on a plane, in the country or in a café than in the office.

The increasing utilization of digital technology is changing the way we work. Having employees cooperate on projects from different places, at different times, is placing new demands on leadership.

Our infrastructure, our offices and our office environments are like remnants from the past. They are not conducive to work in the virtual realm.

Do we still need offices? How can open plan offices be designed to accommodate virtual work? Can the open plan office become the physical meeting space that makes the management of virtual work easier?

VIRTUAL WORK

Most people work virtually to a greater or a lesser degree, either by communication and cooperation online, on digital devices, on mobile phones and personal computers, via videoconferencing equipment or digital collaboration tools.

Most workplaces and offices communicate both by digital means and physical presence, either in the office or in other meeting places.

Virtual work brings with it many advantages – increased flexibility and better dynamics in decision-making, access to the best international competence and considerable savings in both travel-related costs and office rent.

The flipside is that virtual work also brings with it new cooperation- and man-

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Frontline agement challenges. Virtual work can mean worse communication, larger and more complex conflicts, reduced motivation and a lack of team spirit among employees.

There are three ways of overcoming the cooperation and management challenges in the virtual realm: u Developing the style and role of management u Better communication technology and software u More face-to-face interaction

posed by the digital workday. They must be designed in a way that attracts workers and others into the space. Architecture and design can create meaning and identity. The space itself can lead the people who work in it by inspiring them and making things happen.

There’ll soon come a time when we go to the office mostly for socialising and communication. Because we’ll be working and producing from other spaces, either from on the road, visiting clients or simply from home. ■

MORE TECHNOLOGY

When we want to find solutions for cooperation problems and leadership challenges in virtual teams and organisations, there has been a tendency to look to management and – paradoxically – even more technology. So far there’s been less time invested in figuring out how we can develop the physical space – the open plan office and other meeting places – in a way that will make it more conducive to virtual work.

I have conducted a study, along with Anne Live Vaaggaasar and Ralf Müller, of project managers in digital knowledge environments.

We found that the open, team-based office space – with plenty of room for interaction, coffeemakers, whiteboard and other utilities – worked very well.

The open plan office has by no means been made obsolete by modern communication technology. But it needs to be redesigned.

Open, team-based office environments have shown themselves to be fully up to the task of functioning as a meeting space in a digital workday, with people working from home or from on the road. The office can function as the physical meeting place that makes virtual work run more smoothly.

Some of the most important properties of an ideal physical office in the digital age would be: u Space (open space)

Same product, different price

By ØY VIND NILSEN A AS PhD Candidate at Department of Economics

ESPEN R. MOEN Head of Department of Economics

u Flexibility u An informal atmosphere u A socially cohesive atmosphere u An atmosphere that stimulates creativity

Offices that are conducive to teamwork, socializing, interaction and the sharing of knowledge can overcome the challenges

SUMMARY : THE OFFICE IN A DIGITAL AGE Today we work in completely new ways. This means that our offices not only have to be designed for the job but also be a place where staff can socialise and take part in the company culture.

Identical products are often sold at different prices. Half of these ­differences can be explained by which shop you’re buying from.

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n his doctorate project at BI Norwegian Business School, Øyvind Nilsen Aas has examined price differences in the retail grocery trade.

The study shows that the retail industry operates with different prices for completely identical products, for example 1.5-litre bottles of Coca-Cola or Milo wool detergent. The price variations are relatively modest for some products, while for others, like Coca-Cola, the price differences may be substantial.

4 300 SHOPS IN FIVE YEARS

Along with researchers Espen R. Moen at BI Norwegian Business School and Fredrik Wulfs-berg of the Oslo Business School at Oslo and Akershus University College, Øyvind Nilsen Aas has studied the prices of no fewer than 766 different consumer goods in the retail trade sector in Norway.

The prices were compiled by Statistics Norway from nearly 4 300 shops over a period of five years (from January 2000 to December 2004).

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same cut, you must be prepared to pay a little extra for the other products that also end up in your shopping basket at the same time.

If you make the effort to go to a fullrange shop to buy a fresh-cut piece of meat, it is highly unlikely that you would bother to also visit a discount chain to secure the lowest price on milk.

ONE-HALF IS DUE TO THE SHOP

Along with Moen and Wulfsberg, Øyvind Nilsen Aas has developed a statistical model to find out just how much price differences in the retail grocery trade are due to differences between the shops.

About half of the price differences, 49 per cent to be exact, can be explained by the differences between the shops.

“This means that we are left without explanations for about one-half of the price differences,” says Øyvind Nilsen Aas. CAN THE AUTHORITIES ADDRESS THE ISSUE?

DOES THE TYPE OF SHOP MATTER?

We can choose to buy a product in different types of shop. The shopping experience in a full-range shop is not the same as in a discount chain, 7-eleven or a petrol station, even if you’re buying the same 1.5-litre bottle of Coca-Cola.

The shops carry different product assortments, have different staffing levels and different opening hours. This means differences in cost structure that we expect to see reflected in the price tag.

If you want to be able to buy fresh-cut entrecôte of the finest quality rather than a vacuum-packed version of the

REFERENCES: Vaara, Eero, Paulina Øyvind Nilsen Aas. Essays in Industrial Organization and Search Theory. Series of Disserta-tion - 02/2016.

BI Norwegian Business School.

Can the rest of the price differences be explained by the fact that we, as consumers, cannot be bothered to go from shop to shop to find the lowest prices on the products we want to buy?

If so, it might be a good idea to establish an online food portal that compares prices for consumers. According to Øyvind Nilsen Aas, the benefits of such a food portal could extend beyond grocery customers.

“More openness may lead to a lower average price. But it could also make it easier for the suppliers to maintain a high price level,” the researcher warns.

A food portal will make it easier for the different chains to gain access to their competitors’ prices. This would not necessarily be beneficial for market competition. ■

SUMMARY : SAME PRODUCT DIFFERENT PRICE What makes the same product cost differently depending on where it is purchased. Øyvind Nilsen-Aas and Espen R. Moen have developed a statistical model to find out price differences in the retail grocery trade.

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Frontline

Leading by feeling Will you become a better manager by understanding and handling emotions and feelings at work? The answer is not a given.

25

years ago, the researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey launched a new concept in the field of psychology: Emotional intelligence (abbreviated EI or EQ, for emotional quotient).

A few years later Daniel Goleman released his international bestseller «Emotional Intelligence», named one of the Top 25 most influential books in the management field.

Researchers and consultants are in agreement that emotional intelligence is of great importance in work life. Goleman claims that emotional intelligence is four times more important than general intelligence – IQ – in order to succeed in business. He also claims that emotional intelligence is essential in leadership ability.

By HALLVARD FØLLESDAL Associate Professor at Department for Leadership and Organizational Management

u Extraversion (people who are extroverted, assertive and energetic) u Agreeableness (kind, trusting, cooperative) u Conscientiousness (prepared, responsible, reliable) u Neuroticism (level of ability to handle stress and insecurity, without undue worry and distress) u Openness to experience (independent, intellectual, curious)

FOUR RELATED QUALITIES 1. The ability to recognize one’s own and other

people’s feelings. This relates to one’s capacity to recognize one’s own and other people’s emotions, and emotions as they are expressed in art, language and behavior. It also encompasses one’s ability to express emotions.

2. The ability to use feelings in order to in-

crease the quality of thinking. This pertains to one’s knowledge of how emotions can increase thinking and one’s adeptness at recalling and utilising emotions in problem solving.

3. The ability to understand feelings. Pertains to one’s understanding of and insight into emotions. To what extent does one understand what emotions come into play under various circumstances? Also how emotions change over time.

4. The ability to handle emotions. Pertains to one’s openness to both positive and negative emotions, and the ability to influence what emotions oneself and others feel.

When researchers discover a new psychological capacity like emotional intelligence, they must prove that it can be measured and

that it is different to, and preferably more important than, already recognised psychological abilities – like overall intelligence and other character traits.

Tests have been compiled that can help us measure general intelligence (IQ), including our ability to argue, understand, solve problems and learn from experience. IQ can tell us a lot about how someone will perform in a complex work situation.

Personality tests measure character traits – how a person usually thinks, feels and acts in different situations.

Many character traits belong to one or several of five major categories (the five factor model):

REFERENCE: Rutger van Oest og George Knox: Håndtering av kundeklager.

Magma nr. 4/2015.

Knox, George og Rutger van Oest (2014).

Customer Complaints and Recovery Effectiveness: A Customer Base Approach. Journal of Marketing, 78.

«Is emotional intelligence important in the workplace?», published in Tidsskrift for Norsk Psykologiforening.

Tests that measure these five categories of character traits, or that measure more specific personality traits in each category, can tell us a lot about how a person will handle and perform in a job.

Both intelligence and character are important for managers and business. Is emotional intelligence a type of intelligence that is even more important than these?

Research into emotional intelligence has been going on for 25 years. The field produces somewhere between 200 and 300 research papers every year. Over 20 different tests designed to measure emotional intelligence have been compiled. Thus far there is little support for stating that we have succeeded in measuring emotional intelligence as a specific type of intelligence that is crucial for work life.

We should not rule out that there exists an intelligence that has to do with emotions, for instance our ability use reason in order to foresee how different people will feel in different contexts and situations. ■

SUMMARY : LEADING BY FEELING High emotional intelligence (EQ) has long been discussed as a factor for great leadership. But unlike IQ, it is still very difficult to measure EQ and demonstrate that it is a decisive factor for success.

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AMBASSADORS

»I’m quite good at seeing the big picture, meaning that I’m looking for results for the customer without being too distracted by the everyday details.« KJERSTI WIKLUND PAGE 26

Meet Jens Henrik, Emil, Andra Maria, Kjersti and Marie.

Five Alumni share what fueled their career choices.

Words by A N N A O L AU SS O N

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AMBASSADORS

PROPERTY MAN Jens Henrik Larsen always knew that he wanted to work with investments. Today he is a successful senior portfolio manager.

L

arsen believes that his education at BI provided the backbone and foundation for furthering his professional development. At the same time, it has made him more humble. “The more I have studied, the more I’ve come to understand that there is an awful lot I don’t know, but would like to learn.”

Describe your career.

My career has been exciting so far. I have gained insight into different investment strategies and different asset classes. I have been able to create and form my own career path to a great extent, through being proactive in suggesting areas where I could contribute, develop➢ AGE: 33 ing new models for analysis and ➢ LIVES: Oslo founding an academic research ➢ COMPANY: Formuesforvaltning group in Formuesforvaltning. Also, Aktiv Forvaltning AS I have been lucky to have had manTitle: Senior Portfolio Manager agers who have supported me and ➢ WORKING WITH: Real estate given me the chance to pursue new investments fields of work. ➢PROGRAM AT BI: MSc in FinanWhat have been the key lescial Economics 2006. sons? ➢ INSPIRED BY: Big cities like New York, Tokyo and San Francisco, and I have learned a lot by working cities with great history like Rome with investments during the recent and Athens. Football, reading, financial crisis and the sovereign writing and spend time with friends debt crisis that followed it. This and family difficult period also inspired me to ➢ BEST THING ABOUT study financial crises in more detail FREDRIKSTAD: I grew up in Freand resulted in the book Finansidrikstad, and there’s also my favorite elle kriser & resesjoner published football team, Fredrikstad FK!

by Cappelen Damm Akademisk.

The book project was purely driven by personal interest and ambition, and I wrote it during my free time, outside of my full-time work at Formuesforvaltning.

List your best professional qualities.

I like to think my best professional qualities are my analytical skills, my thoroughness and my ability to focus. If you asked my colleagues, I think they would say that I have a great analytical mind and that I am loyal, trustworthy and speak my mind.

Do you have an advice to those considering further BI-education?

Students might believe that some courses are less interesting than others. However, subjects that might not interest you today can be valuable and much appreciated in the future.

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PHOTO: MARTE GARMANN

JENS HENRIK LARSEN

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PHOTO: MARTE GARMANN

Jens Henrik Larsen is the author of the book Finansielle kriser & resesjoner.

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Kjersti Wiklund has worked in Russia, Ukraine, Malaysia and Norway.

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AMBASSADORS

CONNECTING THE WORLD Kjersti Wiklund is good at seeing the big picture. After a series of high profile global positions in the IT industry, she is currently director at Vodafone in London.

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s Director of Group Technology Operations at the Vodafone headquarters in London, Kjersti Wiklund is in charge of the Vodafone data centres and the global network for all Vodafone customers. data racks the equivalent size of eight football fields and enough fibre to circle the equator 12 times.

What did you do before Vodafone?

I held a series of global positions including Chief Operating Officer at VimpelCom Russia, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer at Kyivstar in Ukraine, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Digi Telecommunications in Malaysia and Executive Vice President and Chief Informa➢ AGE: 53 tion Officer at Telenor in Norway. I consider ➢ LIVES IN: London, U.K. myself lucky to work in the global Telecom ➢ COMPANY: Vodafone and IT industries, and to have been able to ➢ JOB TITLE: Director, live in several parts of the world.

Group Technology OperHow would you describe your career? ations My roles have always been restructur➢ WORKING WITH: Deing-oriented, requiring the whole team to veloping and operating the step back and question what is done and how data centres and the global things can be improved. They have also intelecom infrastructure for Vodafone volved looking at the organisations’ cultures ➢ PROGRAM AT BI: Master – how habits and the way people interact can of Management 1998 be changed. This way of working is challeng➢ INSPIRED BY: Travelling. ing, interesting, exciting, and fulfilling. It is Some of my favourite cities a career, but even more so, a lifestyle. Addiare Kathmnadu, Kyoto, Hanoi tionally, as a family, we have raised our chiland Copenhagen dren in many different countries, and made ➢ BEST THING ABOUT friends for life, all over the world.

LONDON: Tate Modern – a What are your strengths? great place for reflection and I’m quite good at seeing the big picture, inspiration meaning that I look for results without being too distracted by every-day details and how things are done at the moment.

I prioritise spending a lot of time talking to front-line staff as well as to people within the organisation.

What has your education from BI done for you on a professional level?

I come from a technical background, and my education has helped me to see more of the business side of things; one that is perhaps easier for others to relate to. It has also given me the tools I need to better approach business and organisational challenges.

PHOTO: OSKAR GYLLENSWÄRD

KJERSTI WIKLUND

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Andra Maria Vasilescu likes to network and she is always up to date on what is happening in the BI Alumni Network.

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AMBASSADORS

FUTURE LEADER Originally from Romania, Andra Maria Vasilescu has studied and worked in ­Bucharest, Paris, Brussels and Oslo. Today she works at Statoil ASA in Stavanger.

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ccording to Vasilescu, her professional career has been a happy combination of some lucky choices, and a lot of hard work and determination. “I don’t yet have an exact picture of where I’d like to be in five to ten years’ time. But I am always pro-actively seeking opportunities that allow me to develop.”

Today, you live in Stavanger and work at Statoil. Doing what?

I am just completing a trainee programme in Governance, Risk and Compliance. I work in the corporate audit department of Statoil ASA, an international energy company. Most audit assignments are complex and require a multi-disciplinary audit team. As audit team leader, I am responsible for aligning shareholders and offering recommendations on how to improve business.

Why did you chose to work with energy?

The energy sector is an exciting industry – a lot of challenges and plenty of oppor➢ AGE: 30 tunities. I also enjoy an immense learning ➢ LIVES IN: Stavanger potential in this job. In many companies, the ➢ COMPANY: Statoil ASA ➢ JOB TITLE: Internal Auditor internal audit department is a good training ➢ WORKING WITH: Risk ground for leaders and senior professionals. management, governance, Do you want to become a leader? compliance I don’t aim to be a leader per se, unless I ➢ PROGRAM AT BI: MSc feel it gives me the chance to improve an orFinancial Economics 2011 ganisation and to convey a vision I strongly ➢ INSPIRED BY: Nature, believe in. travelling and volunteering What makes a good leader? ➢ BEST THING ABOUT STAI trust empathetic leaders who can listen VANGER: Definitely the locals, and empower their people to deliver their best. who are friendly to newcomers What was the biggest eye-opener at BI? and open to innovation The Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics course was an eye-opener for me. Acting with integrity is not only the right thing for any enterprise, but a competitive advantage in today’s global and digitalised markets. The course was based on teamwork, and it was inspiring to see that people from different cultures share the same core values and ethical dilemmas.

Do you use BI’s Alumni Network?

Yes, I always check upcoming activities in my area, through the event calendar on my BI Alumni profile. There are social and professional events every month in Norwegian cities like Oslo and Stavanger, but also abroad.

At the events, I learn about exciting subjects and meet BI alumni at various stages of their careers.

PHOTO: MARTE GARMANN

ANDRA MARIA VASILESCU

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AMBASSADORS

TRANSPORT ­EXPERT Emil Eike started his career in the military, and is now, as Commercial Director, taking Flytoget into the future.

E

mil Eike kept an eye on the Norwegian airport express train company, Flytoget, from his positions at other public transportation companies. He was not only curious, but also impressed with their good results. Being someone who is always after a challenge – and he thought Flytoget was a major one – he joined the company in 2014. “I needed a challenge, and thought they had one on their hands if they were to continue the success they had seen since the start, 16 years earlier.”

You say you like challenges?

Yes. I give myself new challenges by taking the opportunity to travel and work abroad. This has given me unique opportunities to learn from other business cultures.

What is the challenge for Flytoget?

The competition we face today is extremely motivating. We want to be this ➢ AGE: 47 industry’s equivalent to Apple. It is per➢ LIVES: Oslo haps an arrogant objective, but definitely ➢ COMPANY: Flytoget something we know will require the most ➢ TITLE: Commercial Director and out of us and our team. deputy to the CEO How do you get dedication from ➢ WORKING WITH: Strategy and your team? business development I especially believe in three elements ➢ PROGRAM AT BI: Executive when it comes to creating a dedicated MBA 2014 team, and and they are really basic. First ➢ INSPIRED BY: My children. of all the objectives have to be crystal Travelling, this summer to LA, San clear and interpreted in the same way by Francisco, Seattle and New York all participants. Secondly, the team and ➢ BEST THING ABOUT OSLO: The development of Oslo as one of the its members have to be made autonofastest growing cities in Europe and mous. They have to be able to work out its public transport system their own plan and sort their issues by themselves as far as possible. And thirdly, as the manager I have to recognise progress in a systematic manner, and be available whenever they need me.

Why is Transportation so interesting?

As urbanisation is accelerating across the world, the need for sustainable cities is required. Public transport is a cornerstone in the development of a sustainable city and it has to be viewed as a complete system. This means that sidewalks, bicycle lanes, car lanes, buses, trams, metro and railways have to be developed in close coordination, in order to achieve the best possible effect. And this is the reason why transportation is so interesting; it is complex and it is an important part of the solution for a sustainable society.

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PHOTO: MARTE GARMANN

EMIL EIKE

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PHOTO: MARTE GARMANN

Flytoget has been transporting passengers to and from Oslo Airport for 16 years.

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AMBASSADORS

THE INNER JOURNEY Marie Holm is an expert in mindfulness and spirituality and works as a speaker, researcher and professor.

A

fter a Bachelor’s degree in Economics at the University of British Columbia, Marie Holm founded and led a successful event management company. In 2006 she took an MSc in International Marketing and Management at BI and after a stint as Account Strategist at Google Ireland until 2009, she pursued a PhD at ESCP Europe and a doctorate at Sorbonne University.

What happened after your PhD? I completed a two-year post-doctorate at Grenoble Ecole de Management, exploring how meaning and purpose are being integrated into workplaces.

What are you currently involved in?

I’m working as an Affiliate Professor ➢ AGE: 38 teaching courses I designed about mindful➢ LIVES: I’m based in more ness and spirituality related to professional than one place and societal development. Two of my re➢ COMPANY: IÉSEG School cent articles are ‘Banking on Mindfulness: of Management Presence and Performance in a Financial ➢ TITLE: Affiliate Professor Risk Office’ (with Professor Gazi Islam) and ➢ WORKING WITH: Work‘Buddhist mindfulness: Enhancing manplace spirituality agerial adaptability in a turbulent world’ ➢ PROGRAM AT BI: MSc (with Professor Taran Patel).

International Marketing and Management 2006 Any passions? ➢ INSPIRED BY: The speaker, I’ve been practicing meditation for over author and artist Colette 25 years. I give talks on spiritual philosophy Marie Stefan and provide coaching to assist people in ➢ BEST THING ABOUT defining and reaching their goals, and surVANCOUVER: I grew up in mounting difficulties they face.

Vancouver. It’s a place with Any challenges along the way? stunning nature, healthy living It’s not been an easy path, despite having and friendly open-minded people supportive family and friends. But my experiences serve to deepen my compassion.

How do you use BI’s Alumni Network?

Since 2012, I’ve been a volunteer alumni coordinator for France, organising events in Paris and Grenoble. This allows me to keep and strengthen links with BI, and Norway.

What is your best advice to those who are considering further education at BI? Go for it! The experience will advance your career, and the friendships developed are precious.

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PHOTO: MARTE GARMANN

MARIE HOLM

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PHOTO: MARTE GARMANN

Marie Holm’s interest in yoga and meditation set her on the path to explore spirituality.

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I NSIGHT

David Sagen

Harald Hvidsten

Pinning the Right Strategy There was a vision for Subsea Valley, the Norwegian cluster organisation for subsea companies. But in order to finalise a future strategy, managing director Preben Strøm enlisted the help of David Sagen and Harald Hvidsten from BI Corporate.

Words by PER OLSSON Illustration by HANS VON CORSWANT

Preben Strøm from Subsea Valley, David Sagen and Harald Hvidsten from BI Corporate Department finalised the new strategy in only four weeks.

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FACTS

SUBSEA VALLEY Subsea Valley is a cluster organisation that, through cooperation and competence, strengthens its members’ competitiveness, both nationally and internationally. Subsea Valley consists mainly of companies in the central-eastern part of Norway, but also in other parts of the country.

The companies develop and manufacture a wide range of products and services for the subsea industry. Members range from large contractors that provide everything, to smaller technology and service providers. The companies represent significant technical expertise to the oil and gas markets worldwide.

Subsea Valley is a cluster organisation for Norwegian subsea companies, with many of its members working in the oil and gas industries. In 2010, the organisation started to promote cooperation by creating a network of competence. From the very beginning, Subsea Valley’s vision was to be the best member organisation within the subsea industry. ”We are world leaders when it comes to subsea engineering, and we will continue to be just that. But when we started looking at the future – where we want Subsea Valley to be in five or ten years’ time – we realised that many of our members have an expertise that extends far beyond the industries we focus on today. It’s no longer just about subsea engineering, but about engineering in general. We want to be able to use our members’ knowledge, in order to grow and be innovative in other industries as well,” says Preben Strøm, managing director of Subsea Valley.

The task of finding a viable and clear strategy for Subsea Valley was given to BI Corporate. “Well in tune with our needs, a member of our board suggested that my project leader, Katrine Vetlesen, and I met with David Sagen and Harald Hvidsten from BI Corporate,” Strøm explains. “The idea was to create a small and rather fast-moving team as there wasn’t much time. We had just

one month to clarify a new strategy, package it, get the board to approve it and test it on some of our members.

The strategy was presented at the internationally renowned Subsea Valley annual conference.

“We clicked and got cracking straight away. It was easy to talk to Sagen and Hvidsten, partly because of their humbleness. They asked the right questions and clearly wanted to make a difference. This may not have been a big assignment to a consultant, but it was to us,” says Strøm.

Sagen explains why this was an exiting project for BI to be involved in: ”It was easy to agree to take part in pinpointing the future for an organisation like Subsea Valley – one that brings together some of the most important oil and gas companies in Norway.”

After the initial meeting, when Subsea Valley’s future was outlined, Sagen and Hvidsten went back to BI to read up on the organisation. Information included Subsea’s current position and where the organisation wanted to be in the future. Another challenge was to understand what was important to the various members.

“We have an incredible advantage because there is so much knowledge, experience and research with regards to similar cases at BI. But there wasn’t as much research on member organisations,” says Sagen.

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”We had to encourage them to think bigger, not just the next delivery, but also what would be important to the entire region in the future. To dare to think outside the subsea-box and embrace more”

When did you see a just working in the subsea breakthrough? When did segment, the members’ you know what needed to expertise and experience be done? can open doors to other “The first breakthrough industries as well,” Sagen was when we realised that explains. we were facing the same “When we commenced journey as the members. our work with the stratPreben Strøm That we had to create a egy, a survey showed that strategic story that that could be 76 per cent of our member compacommunicated to the board as well nies felt that their expertise could be as to the members. The groundwork used in other industries. That was – the vision – was already set by when we realised that we were not a Preben and his team. Our mission trade organisation but in fact a comwas to boil it down so that it could petence organisation,” Strøm adds. be communicated to those who were to implement the strategy,” says Does BI Corporate have its own Sagen. “The second breakthrough approach when taking on assignwas when we presented our ideas ments? to the board and they gave their ap“I think we are different from a proval. We had to encourage them regular consulting firm in that we to think bigger, not just about the come from the world of academia, next delivery, but also what would and our work is based on research be important to the entire region in and evidence”, says Hvidsten. the future. To dare to think outside Strøm agrees: “To me, the big the subsea-box and embrace more. difference with BI is its business To become an engine for the engiintelligence. Many have business neering expertise that exists in the experience, but business intelligence region,” says Harald Hvidsten. is slightly different, created by a combination of research, industrial What did you present? experience, academic background “The new vision was that Suband consulting work. My MBA from sea Valley is not only a world-class London in 2014 taught me how imorganisation for subsea companies portant it is to link research to this of equal calibre, but also a leading kind of work.” global engineering organisation What are the results of the new with plenty of expertise. Instead of strategy?

“The strategy was made into a film, screened at the main conference. But before that, it was shared with some of our most important members. They are all happy to be on this journey with us,” says Strøm.

What lessons will you bring back to BI? “That development within membership organisations is very much undervalued. There is huge potential here. We have also gained in-depth knowledge on how these types of organisations work,” Sagen concludes. ■

FACTS

BI CORPORATE ­D EPARTMENT BI Corporate develops programmes and processes enabling businesses to create value by successfully crafting and executing strategies. BI Corporate is led by a Business Development Director and has 12 full-time Business Development Manager’s (BDMs), all senior personnel, supporting BI faculty when addressing and working with corporate clients.

There are nine BDMs in Oslo, two in Stavanger and one in Bergen.

By SIRI EK | Photographs by ALICE PAYNE

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“There is always a next step in Accenture,” says Tonje Sandberg when asked about the future

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Business Profiles

TO LEAD WITH DESIRE Tonje Sandberg started working for Accenture in 1991, immediately after graduating from BI. Today, she heads a team of 1 100 consultants, has a strong focus on results and makes sure her door is always open.

Words by PER OLSSON | Photographs by BOBO OLSSON

I

t takes about 30 seconds before Tonje Sandberg’s face lights up with a contagious smile.

The first of many.

Accenture’s offices near Oslo’s former Fornebu airport are modern and very quiet. We start off on a floor where customer meeting rooms dominate, lined up one after the other. Upstairs, some of the 1 100 consultants are hard at work. Sandberg, managing director of Accenture Norway explains: “There shouldn’t be that many in the office today, as 90 per cent of their time should be spent with customers.”

Growing up, Sandberg helped with

the family business, both with figures and practical tasks. It was this business that inspired Sandberg to apply to BI. “I already had the bigger picture and at BI I knew I would be able to focus more on the financial side.

Business was my thing and at BI I was able to apply it both theoretically and practically.

After her exams, Sandberg contemplated several job offers. Both from the public sector and the private sextor. She chose the one as a consultant at Accenture. “I was impressed by Accenture. It was also a solid international company, and an exciting one at that. So the choice was easy.”

“This was in 1990 and I was thrown right into the thick of the banking crisis. My father passed away

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Business Profiles

Tone Sandberg has her own “millenium coach” that keep her up to date with the youngest employees at Accenture

in 1996, which meant I had to make another decision – take over the family business or carry on at Accenture.

I stayed and haven’t regretted a single minute.”

W

e walk through the building and take the lift up to the consultants’ level.

Sandberg makes a point of saying hello, or talking to people, always

with a smile at the ready. ”It’s important that I’m accessible and visible. That’s why I have a desk in the open-plan office just like everyone else. I do have a separate office as well, and that door is always open,” she says. “I’m very hands-on, take part in projects and keep myself updated on major launches. In addition to managing Accenture, I’m responsible for health cross Nordic.”

Available, dedicated, entrepreneurial and focused on results – that’s how Sandberg describes her leadership style. Qualities she has always had, but that have been given room to grow at Accenture.

Being a very self-motivated leader, how do you get your staff to feel equally motivated? ”It is important that our consultants see their projects as exciting

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events, but also to training and development. The company supports sports and culture, such as running, skiing and playing in a band.

When there is a balance between professional and personal develop­ ment – that’s when we know we have succeeded.”

How do you stay up to date with 1 100 employees that are hardly ever in the office? ”One way is that I mentor a few of our employees – people on different levels of the organisation. I also have a millennium coach, who helps me understand what our youngest members of staff find important. I work very closely with the management group, based all over Norway. I encourage staff to come and talk to me.

And I am very involved in many of our biggest projects.”

TONJE SANDBERG ➢ AGE: 51 ➢ LIVES: Oslo ➢ TITLE: Country Managing Director ➢ AT BI: Sivilkøkonom 1991 ➢ LIKES: Art, travelling, culture and fast cars ➢ BEST OSLO TIP: The Henie Onstad Kunstsenter at Høvikodden outside Oslo

and fulfilling. Although we demand a lot from our employees, we also offer personal development no matter what stage they are at in their careers. Because we are consultants, often out and about, our time here in the office becomes extra important. We want our people to feel a sense of belonging and also to understand what Accenture is all about. That is why we pay special attention to social

How do you make your staff feel at ease with you? ”It’s about being open and approachable. Having had several positions at Accenture Norway, I can contribute with both tips and anecdotes. I actually find it easier to be personable now that I’m a country managing director, and I share things today that I would never have told my colleagues in the past.”

S

eniors looking after those who are more junior is part of the Accenture culture, according to Sandberg. It is a “yes culture” that encourages good performance. Well put-together teams are essential when solving customer problems.

“Diversity is important in every way. Some of us are trained engineers and economists, others are psychologists. A total of 40 different nationalities are represented at Accenture Norway, but we can also use

FACTS ABOUT ACCENTURE NORWAY Accenture Norway has about 1 100 employees in Norway.

Customers are renowned and comes from the Norwegian private and public sectors.

Accenture Norway is providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations.

THE ACCENTURE MOTTO:

Creating value for our clients and Attracting, Developing and Retaining the best talent for our business. .

resources from other parts of the world. The IT expertise can come from Accenture India, the project manager from one of our US offices and the consultants from here. This creates interesting dynamics, as well as diversity.” ”I’m in touch with managers from all over the world on a daily basis. At Accenture, we always respond to a request. It is a very interesting way of working.”

Sandberg’s predecessor now holds an international position with Accenture Europe, and there is one other Norwegian in a similar, global position.

Is there anything that distinguishes Norwegian managers?

“I think we are considered very direct, we say what we think. A kind of sobriety. We also like being a bit more personal, so that people see the person, not just the position.”

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Business Profiles

A global company that attracts great people led Stig Ove to Accenture

STIG OVE NYSTAD ➢ AGE: 26 ➢ LIVES: Oslo ➢ TITLE: Management ­Consulting Analyst ➢ AT BI: Bachelor of Business Administration 2014 ➢ LIKES: Climbing with skis in the mountain ➢ BEST OSLO TIP: Take the ferry from Aker Brygge to Bygdøy on a sunny day

In 2009, you took over the business area Health and Public Sector, work which you combine with your management responsibilities. How come you carried on?

“Because it is so rewarding to be able to see what good you can do for society.

Now is more exciting than ever, as we move into a time when we have to start thinking differently about how we use new technology. We mustn’t forget that everything has to revolve around people.”

Does your job at Accenture keep you awake at night? ”Although I bring work home with me, I’m incredibly good at switching off. I am also a great sleeper, so no, the job very rarely keeps me awake at night.”

What was the most important thing that BI gave you?

“A good understanding of how businesses work, and that there are always different buttons to press in order to

»I feel the same about Accenture. People are very talented and like having fun«

find a solution. But most important is my BI club, made up of 12 of the girls I met while studying. It is my best network.”

S

tig Ove Nystad, analyst at Accenture, has just joined the company but shares Sandberg’s view on networks. He became part of his network while studying at BI in Trondheim. ”I’m in daily contact with my old classmates from BI,” he says.

Why did you choose BI? “I had heard a lot of good things about their programmes. The atmosphere in Trondheim was great. Despite there being over 2 000 students, there was a sense of intimacy. I feel the same about Accenture. People are very talented and like having fun.

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Why Accenture?

“At Accenture, you can chose to work with retail today and shipping tomorrow. The variety really suits me, and I feel like I’m developing at a rate of knots. I like demanding and tough challenges, and working with Accenture’s customers also appealed to me. Last but not least, I was happy to join a global company.”

What qualities are essential in a good consultant? ”Patience is very important, as you do get exposed to a huge range of tasks and problems. You also need to have clear goals. Whenever I’m given a new project, I decide to deliver more than what is expected of me, and try to do this well ahead of the deadline. Therefore, I’m always working on improving my routines.

I relate to the customer, the business and the problem. It’s precisely this that motivates me, and to be part of the customer’s journey. From problem to solution.”

Spirits are high in Nystad’s openplan office; Accenture’s spring party is being held the following week. It will be the first time he attends, just like many of his colleagues.

What is so exciting about consultancy work?

“Working as a consultant is very much about relationships. Something I’m good at, and something that’s also very stimulating. I like working as part of a team, solving problems and pushing myself. And I’m restless.

From where do you get the strength on a rainy Monday morning? ”I always manage to find strength in what I do, in what I find interesting. But it’s also important to remember other interests, and to carry on doing what you love outside of work.

Although Krogh has only been with Accenture for just over six months, she has already started to become more involved in projects that are of particular interest to her. ” I like the fact that some days I am completely out of my comfort zone, and other days I know exactly what I’m doing.”

Is there a challenge in not spending every day at the Oslo office?

“It is important to constantly remind yourself that you are visiting the customer. That you are not a colleague, but a representative of Accenture. It is also important to blend in, to quickly gauge the various codes in the workplace. Sure, I’m occasionally aware of the distance but I always get very good feedback from my managers. This makes me feel like I’m part of the office even though I’m not physically there. Of course it’s also important to join any social gathering, to sign up for courses and not only be in touch with those who work in your team.”

How would one know that you’ve graduated from BI? “I think that I, along with my colleagues who are also BI graduates, solve problems in a different way, a slightly more creative way.

The reason is probably that we were given a huge toolbox with both qualitative and quantitative business tools. Tools that I use on a daily basis.” ■

Rosa is currently working with an international client in Malmö, Sweden

Have you landed your dream job?

“Well, I’m just starting my career at Accenture. Next step is consultant, but eventually I hope to work internationally. I feel as if I have many challenges ahead, but right now, yes, I’m really in the right place.

R

osa Krogh also applied to Accenture to work with the very best. “BI and Accenture are very similar that way. They invest in top performers,” she says. Krogh studied at BI with the aim to specialise in marketing. “To get the business perspective,” as she describes it. She worked as a consultant during her studies, and when she was given the opportunity to join Accenture, the decision was easy. ”I wanted to work for a global company. I’d love to get a job in China in the future, as I speak Chinese. But for the time being, I’m happy with my two big Swedish customers.”

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ROSA KROGH ➢ AGE: 29 ➢ LIVES: Oslo ➢ TITLE: Management Consulting Analyst ➢ AT BI: MSc in Strategic Management 2015 ➢ LIKES: Nice people, art, wine and food ➢ BEST OSLO TIP: Bring someone you like, pack some food and drink and take a tour with Nesodbåten at sunset.

2016-05-10 12:38

NICK SITTER P R O F E S S O R AT T H E D E PA R T M E N T O F L AW AT B I

”I wanted to understand how the left and centrist people ended up as market liberals, while the right became market sceptics.”

When Nick Sitter started at BI in 2000 he was a rising star in regulation of the energy sector and democracy in Eastern Europe. Today, more people know him as one of the main experts in international political economy and terrorism.

Words by MORTEN STÅLE NILSEN Photographs by MARTE GARMANN

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Nick Sitter is part of a new research project trying to find

out more about how the EU deals with various crisis.

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On the top of BI Campus Oslo, north of city centre, Miha Škerlavaj looks out over his new hometown.

Nick Sitter started primary school

in Denmark, finished compulsory education in Norway and went to an international upper secondary school in Sweden.

You had quite the panScandinavian upbringing.

That’s right. One of my parents worked for the foreign ministry. I started primary school in Denmark, finished compulsory education in Norway and went to an international upper secondary school in Sweden.

I was thinking about going to university in Denmark or Norway, but managed to round up just about enough points to be accepted to The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

As a child, did you know that you wanted a career as an academic?

Not really. At school, my main strengths, besides language, were mathematics and history. Two possibilities opened up: political science, history and economics, or mathematics and physics. I chose the former, and I’m glad I did.

Tell us about your time at LSE. I did my master’s thesis on the European Economic and Monetary Union. I handed it in in September 1991, right when the negotiations were going on. Still, I realized this

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“How hard can the EU push to keep its member states in line? One must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. No one wants to push Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Croatia or Romania into the arms of Vladimir Putin.”

and democracy in Western Europe to analyse what was going on in Eastern Europe. I was interested in integration.

What did you learn?

My main thesis was that the former communists, or people belonging to the left, wanted to adapt to social democratic and Western European policies and markets right away, just like the more liberal-minded people on the right.

The conservative contingent, however, looked back to the ➢ ONLINE: www.politico.eu, 1930s. I wanted to www.euractiv.com understand how it ➢ MAGAZINES: The Eco­ could be that it was nomist; Foreign Affairs the left and centrist ➢ BOOKS: Non-fiction – people that ended David Kilcullen, Blood Year, up as market liber(2016); Jason Burke, The New Threat from Islamic als, while the right Militancy (2015); fiction – became market scepMichael Dibdin’s Aurelio tics. When I finished Zen series; Philip Kerr’s my PhD in 1999, we Bernie Gunther series had gone through a ➢ DESTINATION: My period of optimism – favourite is Rome Clinton, Blair, steady ➢ OSLO: Walk or run – oil prize, Russia unVettakollen–Ullevållseter– der Yeltsin, The End Sognsvann of History by Francis Fukuyama.

NICK SITTER’S FAVOURITES

wasn’t quite what I wanted to do. This was the time when the Soviet Union collapsed. The Berlin wall came down, and Eastern Europe exploded. The monetary union was well and good, but the larger-scale news of the day was even more exciting to me. So eventually I did my PhD on the development of competitive party-systems in post-communist East Central Europe. I wanted to find out how we could utilise our knowledge about states and markets

And then that optimism was curbed?

– 9/11 can be seen as the symbolic end of that era, yes. Somebody once said that history didn’t have a name for the period between 1989 and the late nineties – but that it didn’t matter now, because it was over!

What has the rise of nationalism in Eastern Europe meant for the EU? I’m part of a new research project at the moment, based at the LSE, in which we will try to find out more about how the EU deals with various crises. There are several. What we call democratic backsliding – the rise of political populism, nationalism and attacks on constitutionalism and rule of law – could turn into a problem.

When it was just Hungary, it was unique. When something comparable happened in Poland as well, it began to look like a pattern. What happens when certain nations start to back away from the EU’s core values, of which a commitment to the open market – the tool for securing democracy, welfare and safety – is one?

How hard can the EU push to keep its member states in line? One must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. No one wants to push Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia or Poland into the open arms of Vladimir Putin.

Which leads us to one of your other areas of research.

Yes, energy policy, Russia and the EU. I think the EU is very aware that Putin is on the prowl for allies, and that energy is one of his weapons in this fight. There’s a delicate balance to be struck to keep the EU together, and I think that Angela Merkel, with her cold war baggage, is very adept at calibrating how the union should deal with these issues.

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What peaked your interest in energy policy?

I got a job at a small consulting firm in 1994, while I was working on my PhD. The logic was sort of like “hey, you’re from Norway. You must know something about oil and gas.” I didn’t, really, but I was keen to learn.

Once again, the timing was fortunate. These were interesting times in the energy sector. The EU commission was working on their proposals for breaking up the monopolies.

Exciting enough for energy policy and regulation to become your main area of research over the years that followed.

Yes, and it was my knowledge in a pretty nerdy sector – the crossroads between the public and the private sector – that eventually got me recruited to BI when Kjell Eliassen started a big research project on telecommunications. I jotted down a few words about telecommunication deregulation on the back of a napkin during a pub lunch in London, and later wrote a chapter on it with the help of a friend of mine who actually knew something about that particular business. That was my ticket in: my knowledge of regulation, specifically in markets that had been monopolised after the Second World War, but were now ripe for liberalisation as a consequence of technology, new thinking in economic theory and political changes.

Then there’s your third major research interest.

Which started purely as an in-

terest. Things were going relatively smoothly in the countries that I was looking at, but everything was breaking down in Yugoslavia. A friend of mine was studying the early Twentieth Century civil wars in Finland and Ireland. Civil wars are nothing new in Europe, and we wanted to analize what was happening there in relation to other civil wars, like the ones in Italy and Spain. What causes political systems to break down and civil wars to break out? That led to an interest in terrorism – and how to best handle it.

And then terrorism became one of the biggest issues facing Europe and the world at large.

It became a hot-button issue at BI too, especially after the attack on the gas plant in In Amenas in 2013 and the Russian occupation of the Crimea. With my knowledge of both energy and terrorism, I found myself in the middle of all this.

That’s quite a way from where you started.

Yes! I came to BI as an expert on markets and democracy in Eastern Europe and regulation in the energy sector. That’s what I taught – regulation. After a while it became my job to teach everything that had anything to do with Britain: Norway looked to Britain when it came to reforming big government areas like education and health. Then events conspired, and I’ve spent the last couple of years teaching and studying almost nothing but international political economy, energy

“Terrorism is propaganda. Leaders and governments should be careful how they react in the aftermath of attacks. Act of terrorism are rearly an existentional threat to nations”

and security. That terrorism has become such a big issue is of course unfortunate for the world. I would have much preferred that it had remained a small interest I had on the side.

Tell us about your research in this field.

Terrorism is propaganda. Leaders and governments should be careful how they react in the aftermath of terrorist attacks. Acts of terrorism are rarely an existential threat to nations. By acting like they are, for instance by passing new laws in a hurry, one runs the risk of playing into the terrorists’ hands. Drastic measures can have an adverse effect – laws can be hard to repeal. Terrorists understand this: one of the main goals of terrorism is to provoke politicians to overreact.

Not overreacting requires bold politicians?

Yes, and any political scientist will tell you that if there’s one thing politicians want, it is to be re-elected.

If you’re François Hollande, you’re going to worry about Marine Le Pen. Choosing a more sensible anti-terrorism policy will open you up to attacks from your political opponents.

However, all terrorist experts will say that it is sensible to do so.

Has BI given you a lot of freedom to pursue your many and varied interests?

They have, and I am very grateful. One thing I like about this institution is that they’re very clear about what they want from you. It is expected that you teach and do relevant research, and if you want to do something else besides, you’re welcome to do so, even if that research might not have immediate relevance to the institution. As I said, I’ve been very lucky, in that all my interests have sort of converged – and have become relevant to BI. There’s a pragmatic demand dynamic, and as a lecturer and researcher you’re expected to keep up with those demands. At the same time you’re encouraged to follow your more obscure interests. ■

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MORE ABOUT NICK SITTER ➢ AGE: 46 years. ➢ FAMILY: Married with two children. ➢ LIVES: Divides his time between Oslo and Budapest. ➢ WORKS AS: Professor at Institutt for rettvitenskap. ➢ ACADEMIC DEGREES: 1990, London School of Economics Bachelor.

1991, London School of Economics Master of Science.

1999, London School of Economics Political Science Ph.D. ➢ WORK EXPERIENCE: 2009–Present LSE Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation: research associate 2008–Present Central European University, professor 2005–Present BI Norwegian Business School, professor 2000 –2004 BI Norwegian Business School, associate professor 1999–2000 Central European ­University, assistant professor 1997–1999 American University, ­London Semester Programme, lecturer 1996 –1997 Kingston University, Dep of History, lecturer 1995 –1996 University of Reading, Dep of International Relations, lecturer.

1993 –1997 The London School of Eco­ nomics and Political Science, part-time teacher ➢ TEACHES IN: • Comparative european Politics • Political economy and regulation • International political economy • European Union public policy • Terrorism and counter terrorism • EU competition policy and law ➢ RESEARCH AREAS: • Comparative European politics • Political parties, party systems, elections, party strategy and coalition politics, Euros­ cepticism • Comparative European politics (Scandina­ via, Italy, the UK, East Central Europe) • Democratisation, nationalism, terrorism and political violence • European Union politics and policy • Theories of European integration, Europe­ an institutions

Nick did his master thesis on the European Economic and Monetary Union and handed it in September 1991.

• The single market: competition policy, regu­ lation, liberalisation, utilities • The EU and non-member states: N ­ orway, the European Economic Area

• Public administration and institutional reform • Europeanisation of national policy and institutions

➢ PUBLIC POLICY: • Energy policy

➢ FOR EVEN MORE INFO : Twitter.com/ sitternick

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WORLD REPORT News from the world of BI Alumni

ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP

Steinar Bjartveit and his analysis of Henrik Ibsen’s masterpeice

A membership gives you free access to top academic journals - in all subject areas. You can also read tradeand business magazines. Download from alumni.bi.no.

ALUMNI AND ­STUDENTS MEET IN NY Views of Manhattan, social networking and possible future cooperation were some of the themes at the 4th annual networking event in New York, on 16th February 2016.

BI alumnus Lars Christian Andresen, Director, Payer Insight and Access at Pfizer gave a talk on marketing in pharma and trends in the bio pharmaceutical industry.

He was followed by Pace alumnus Tony Branda, Head of Decision Management at Citi and Adjunct Professor NYU, who gave a short guest lecture on “Top Trends in Analytics, CI, and Big Data”.

The event brought together alumni living in the Greater New York area, BI Bachelor of International Marketing students at Pace University, and guests from the business community. The event took place at Pace University, BIs partner school in New York.

Top Trends and networking in Manhattan

A Doll’s house in tatters Steinar Bjartveit analyzed Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House at a networking event for alumni in Stavanger, followed by an acclaimed interpretation of the play at Rogaland Theatre.

Bjartveit, lecturer at the Department of Communication and Culture, discussed the play in relation to Nietzsche, leadership, entrepreneurship and human life. Leaders must have the will to exert power, that is, to create something, make something and make their mark, said Bjartveit. This is also the antithesis of mediocrity, which Nora (main character in the play) could not live with.

Alumni in the Stavanger region are invited to alumni events 2-3 times a year. They also have free access to “Lederskolen”, a breakfast seminar series in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce in the Stavanger region.

ALUMNI EVENTS Keep in touch and get professional updates through a range of alumni events - on campus and globally. Update your personal information at alumni.bi.no and become member of alumni networking groups.

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Mette Beyer Fossum

BI Alumni and partners in Reykjavik

ICELANDIC ALUMNI NETWORK Norwegian Ambassador, H.E. Cecilie Landsverk welcomed Icelandic BI Alumni and guests from our partner schools, Reykjavik University and University of Iceland to her residence on 14th March for a business networking reception.

Representing BI were Provost Dag Morten Dalen, Dean Executive Ragnhild Silkoset, Dean Master Janicke L Rasmussen and Senior Advisor, Dora Sigurdardottir who were in Iceland to visit colleagues at Reykjavik University. MBA Alumnus 2002, Adalheidur Palmadottir who is Regional Director for Northern Europe for Controlant ehf gave an inspiring speech about her time on the MBA programme and her professional journey since.

MEMBER DISCOUNT BI Alumni get 20% member dis­count on all Executive Short Programmes. Your colleagues can achieve the same advantage: www.bi.no/esp

Accenture’s Vegard Kolbjørns­ rud shared his thoughts

HOW TO SUCCEED IN CREATING ­CONTENT THAT ­ENGAGES CUSTOMERS Volkswagen’s commercial for the rear-sensor, ‘Trailer Assist,’ was a viral success. VG and Rema 1000’s recent collaboration shows that content marketing is the way to readers’ hearts. What is the thought behind such successful ads?

This was the theme at the BI Alumni-network event on marketing at BI’s Oslo campus on 10 March. TRY shared the story behind Volkswagen’s viral video featuring a driver going in reverse and navigating turns at high speed. Mette Beyer Fossum, Communications Director at Rema 1000, and Svein Arne Haavik of VG also presented their collaborative content marketing initiative on “Familieliv” which has attracted a lot of attention.

Succesful content marketing collaboration

HOW TO CRACK THE TOUGHEST NUTS ­TOGETHER Alumnus Vegard Kolbjørnsrud (PhD 2014), Senior Research Fellow at the Accenture Institute for High Performance, presented his thoughts on collaboration and knowledge sharing in an increasingly dynamic and networked knowledge society at the latest BI Alumni Denmark Forum hosted at Accenture in Copenhagen on 26th January 2016.

Thanks to four engaged alumni volunteers, Marlene Støttrup, Erling Trudsø, Lise Madsen and Siri Zachariassen, this BI Alumni Community is one of our most active international alumni communities.

JOIN THE CLUB! Join international alumni communities at alumni.bi.no: Brussels • Bucharest • Budapest Hamburg • Kiev • Copenhagen London •­ Luxemburg • Madrid • New York • Paris • Reykjavik • San Fransisco • Shanghai • Singapore • Zurich

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WORLD REPORT MEETING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ­NORWEGIAN ENTREPRENEURS Annual BI Norwegian Business School joint student and alumni event took place this year in Palo Alto at the Nordic Innovation House on 10th March. Innovation Norway Director Gro Eirin Dyrnes hosted this stimulating event for the BI Executive MBA students, BI Exchange students and alumni. She opened the event with a short presentation on the innovative ways they are helping Nordic startups in the early stages of development. This was followed by a unique opportunity to meet the first-ever Norwegian companies on the Y Combinator accel-

erator program, a program that is rated top in the world. KONSUS and Nurx gave short presentations followed by a fireside chat with Y Combinator partner Geoff Ralston, where guests heard first hand what it takes to succeed.

Introducing Nordic startups in Palo Alto

MEMBER DISCOUNT BI Alumni get 20% member dis­count on all Executive Short Programmes. Your colleagues can achieve the same advantage: www.bi.no/esp

Talking green growth with Per Espen Stoknes

GREEN ­COMPETITIVENESS Senior Researcher Per Espen Stoknes gave an introduction to Green Growth and the driving forces accelerating it toward 2030.

He argued that people are tired of the doomsday prophecies and moralizing. The way forward is to focus on concrete solutions that can ensure profitable green growth.

In partnership with BI, The British Norwegian Chamber of Commerce hosted this breakfast seminar in February. Being partner member of the BNCC has given BI and more especially our alumni an extended professional network.

Breakfast and discussions

HOW TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE BUSINESS MODELS? Campus Trondheim invited alumni and guests to a breakfast seminar where lecturer Frode Solberg from BI and Frode Berge from Fugro Oceanor gave an introduction on how to make use of the business model as a tool. Over 30 alumni and guests started their day off with a light breakfast and a great discussion on how to implement an effective process to develop your business.

MEET LIKE-MINDED ALUMNI Meet like-minded alumni via 14 professional interest groups in Oslo: • HR & Management • Marketing • Strategy • PR & Communication • Finance • Energy • Shipping & Offshore

• Political Economy • Supply Chain Management • Innovation & Entrepreneurship • Culture & Management • Retail & Management • Board Work • Economics

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INNOVATE OR GET LEFT BEHIND! Large corporations must innovate, evolve, and push new boundaries just like aggressive, young start-ups in order to remain relevant.

This was the challenge issued at an alumni-networking event on BI - campus Oslo, on 10th of March, where BI Professor Espen Andersen provided commentary on the BI Professor Espen Andersen innovation theme.

Serial entrepreneur, Inge André Sandvik kicked off the evening by discussing his experience in building companies and sensing market opportunities by focusing on the customer.

Alumnus Jon Kåre Stene spoke about how his company, Kolonial. no, is successfully defying tradition by taking grocery sales from the store to the internet.

Executive Master of Management students Linn Celine Christensen, Ine Foss, and Magnus Mustonen followed. They presented the case for innovation in healthcare by creating a platform where people can take a greater role in monitoring their own health.

The evening was rounded off with networking and mingling at BI followed by a social gathering at Kroa.

HAVE YOU RECENTLY MOVED? Changed your job, or completed another degree?

Update your profile and stay connected through alumni.bi.no.

CO N TAC T U S !

BI Norwegian Business School Alumni relations Department Nydalsveien 37, N-0442 Oslo -Norway WEBPAGE: www.bi.edu/alumni E-MAIL: alumni@bi.no

More than 500 BI Alumni in London

FRESH PERSPECTIVES FROM ALUMNI IN LONDON Launched back in 2011 at the Norwegian Embassy, the BI Alumni London community has been meeting twice a year since.

This spring was no exception when alumni, BI exchange students and guests from our partner institutions enjoyed an elegant business networking reception hosted by BI Provost Dag Morten Dalen at the Norwegian Ambassador’s Residence in Kensington on 3rd March.

Joining the Provost in welcoming the guests were the Dean and Associate Deans from the Master Programmes and the Executive Vice President Communication.

The Provost invited the alumni to share their perspectives on how BI’s academic programmes can provide current students with the relevant skills set to fit the needs of industry. Dean Janicke L Rasmussen also addressed the guests on the topic of international internships and the benefits to both students and alumni, as well as their companies. Through successful international internships, Dean Rasmussen emphasized that together, we can continue to strengthen the international recognition of BI Norwegian Business School.

With over 500 alumni living in London, this is one of the largest international BI alumni communities.

NETWORKING GROUPS TEASERS

BI Campus Oslo

Connect with alumni all over the world through International Communities, or meet like-minded individuals via a number of professional interest clubs. Find out more at alumni.bi.no.

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