Students on the听International MBA course had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of JCB based in Staffordshire.听
It was a day trip听which听was an hour by coach from the Curzon Building.听42听students听along听with听three听staff reached the company site at noon听and听we听were immediately welcomed听with custom-made 黑料吃瓜网 VIP tour IDs and some delicious lunch.听We thoroughly enjoyed the听hospitality of the JCB staff听and听we听appreciate the quality of food as all of the ingredients are from the Daylesford Organic farms.
After lunch at the JCB canteen, we听were divided听into听five听small groups and each group was led by a JCB staff Tour Guide (some of them have been working at JCB for more than 40 years!). All students听were given听safety vests, glasses and wired headphones as the Tour Guides talked us through the tour.听
There were two parts of the tour听which听kicked off听with an introductory video about the rules and regulations for Health and Safety for the visit.
During the first half of the tour at the JCB Story, we got to travel back in time and experience how the company听was set听up,听and听where and how the origination happened. We got to see the innovative mindset of Lord Joseph Cyril听Bamford on display and how he came up with new futuristic designs. The rich history was inspiring and well documented in the museum. Hats听off听to our energetic and lovely Tour Guides for making it听interesting听and fun.听
In the second part of the tour, students got to see the manufacturing, operations, and supply chain management听of the company.听It was surreal as it was the听first time we got to see such a听renowned British manufacturing company producing at a massive level听and听yet听it was so well structured and systemised.听Our group witnessed the step-by-step manufacturing of the famous 鈥淒igger鈥� from moulding to assembly and finishing with a quality check.听
There are integrations of听Robotic and manual operations throughout the complicated processes, with most of their parts and assemblies produced in the house with their engineers and operators.听Many thanks to our experienced tour guides for providing a lot more detailed understanding and sharing their knowledge and experience throughout different stages of the processes.听They even have their on-site medical centre and dentists to听take care of听their employees.
The JCB visit was a phenomenal opportunity for the International MBA students to get an in-person experience for applying what we have learnt from the course to the application of theoretical knowledge.听This visit was very insightful because everything we witnessed directly aligned with the Global Operations Management and Strategic HRM modules听in the International MBA course.听JCB being one of the most famous family businesses in the UK听which听produces and sells their machines听around the world, the scale of production and operation was celestial, and we had an enthralling opportunity to tour through it.
We听would like听to thank our course听leaders听Jenny, Ashikul and Rob听for听organising this wonderful experience听for us.听
Authors: IMBA Student Representatives, Syed Abraar Nawaz, Malhar Bhojane,听and Course Leader Dr Juanling (Jenny) Huang.