BRAINSTORMING AND DIPLOMACY
The client assigned to the group was Maastricht’s prestigious shopping area the Stokstraatkwartier, “they wanted to do market research to build a stronger brand for themselves comparable to the PC Hooftstraat in Amsterdam”. Ashwin’s group conducted this research, analysing the opportunities for the different entrepreneurs in the area and determining how they could work together more effectively. In other areas of Maastricht many groups of entrepreneurs had already been successfully working together on new and innovative projects. “In the end we gave our client a lot of best practice advice based on field work in Maastricht and the PC Hooftstraat as well as desk research on marketing and branding.”
The most challenging aspect was working with the different entrepreneurs, and mediating effectively between many different views. “The diplomacy was a challenge. A small part of the group of entrepreneurs in the area came up with the idea to build a collective brand and we communicated these ideas to the other entrepreneurs, who sometimes had very different mindsets. We had to convince them, so a lot of mediation was needed.” Showing the benefits of their ideas was key and this mediation turned out to be one of the key skills gained during PREMIUM. Today Ashwin still sees the result of the project while walking through the Stokstraatkwartier and the successful results the group achieved.
If we hadn’t developed these planning skills the project would not have succeeded. You need to be determined to make this project work.
With the PREMIUM project running next to general coursework, Master theses and other projects, the experience could be challenging at times and planning became an essential skill. “Most of us were working on our Master thesis at the same time and had exams and other activities going on as well. We were all quite avid learners who aimed for the highest grades, so this could be stressful at times. If we hadn’t developed these planning skills the project would not have succeeded. You need to be determined to make this project work.” Fortunately the group dynamic was good, allowing to enjoy the communication with the entrepreneurs and learn from the projects that the clients were working on. PREMIUM was not only a place to gain skills and develop yourself but also a social experience, as Ashwin is still in touch with many of his PREMIUM colleagues.