IBM – Reverse Logistics Project – Part I

At the beginning of the semester, when we learnt about the opportunity to work with IBM on a Reverse Logistics based project, we were very excited.  We knew that IBM has been a consistent pioneer in applying latest Supply Chain ideas and methods in its operations and in recent years IBM has zeroed in on Reverse Logistics as one of the most promising new sectors of business opportunity.  We became doubly enthusiastic about the project when we found out that the project will be a joint collaboration between Smeal MBA students and Students from Indian Institute of Management at Bangalore, India (IIM-B).  While we were going through the relentless grinding of 1st Year MBA curriculum, we often wondered how our fellow MBA travelers in other schools are faring.  Are they going through the same frantic pace or are they having it easier?  Are they learning the same ideas and methods as we are doing or are they picking up something more?  Whenever we met someone from another school we quickly compared notes about our experiences.  We found that although the basic curriculums in all schools are broadly similar, each school leaves its markedly different imprint in all its students.  That’s why we are very keen about this collaborative project.  We knew that our two schools are bringing two different sets of skills and perspectives in the working group.  We have a great opportunity to learn from each other.

IBM has also assembled a great team to oversee our project.  The point man for the IBM side is Mike Franzese, a senior program manager who is currently based in the IBM offices at Southbury, Connecticut.  Mike has a long history of working with the Center for Supply Chain Research at Smeal.  He keeps reminding us that how much he enjoys interacting with students, especially now since his son and daughter have left home and gone to colleges.  Apart from Mike, IBMers advising us on the project are, Cathy Raybeck from Fishkill, NY, Peter Braunschiedel from Endicott, NY, Kevin O’Connor from Poughkeepsie, NY, Pitipong Veerakamolmal from Waltham, MA, Stephan Laforge from IBM-France, and Mohamed Zakaria and  Jayapreetha Natesan from IBM-India.  It is quite an impressive international group of experts!  We, the students, feel highly privileged that so many IBMers from all over the world are giving up a part of their busy work hours to advise us on the project.

And that brings us to another interesting part of our ongoing collaboration.  Anyone who has scheduled international conference calls knows what a thankless job it is to agree upon a time when everyone can get onboard.  Bangalore is 9 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Eastern Standard Time.  When our school hours start in the morning, it is already dark in Bangalore and students are winding up after another day in the business school.  Our weekly conference calls usually start around 9-o-clock in the morning when it is 6:30 in the evening in India.  Our Indian colleagues have been very accommodating and haven’t expressed the slightest displeasure hinting their discomfort.  After DST reverts to winter time in 1st November and the time difference between State College and Bangalore widens to 10 and a half hours, we may be trying the patience of IIM-B students a little in persisting with the 9:00 am schedule.

So far we’re near to the halfway mark of the project plan.  Our progress is a lagging a little from the anticipated timeline because threshing out the details of the project took longer than expected and our regular schedule of work kept getting on the way.  We’re confident now that we’ve crossed the unsettled phase and home stretch of deliverables lies clearly ahead of us.  Working on this project is a highly rewarding experience for us.  We cannot overstate our gratefulness towards IBM for the incredible support.

-Shafiq Rahman, Ron Fresta and Adeline Letizia (Smeal MBA Class of 2010)

This looks like a super exciting project. I have worked with Penn State on 3 different projects in the past and found the students of top caliber both as students and more importantly as people. What do I think of Penn State? Well all my life I rooted against PSU as a football team and now I root for PSU !!!!!!. The students have converted me !!!!.   This is my first project with IIMB but I know it is a top Indian University. I have Logistics Market Intelligence background and some knowledge but I know very little of Reverse Logistics so I am glad that I have strong IBM people as Subject Matter Experts providing leadership and guidance to the students. Adeline is a superb leader for Penn State. I look forward to this project. For significant times of my IBM career I have worked in IBM World Trade and traveled to Asia. Latin America and Europe. This will be a terrific experience for the students of both Universities as they will experience the global nature of today’s business world as they must deal with each other “across an ocean” and collaborate together to be successful at a project. This will be a great introduction for them.

I have always liked music and videos so I thought to myself what would be a great theme, premise for this project? I thought of the song “It’s a Matter of Trust” by Billy Joel. Why? Because in today’s business world and in life, “trust” is so important, it is essential. So for a light moment or two, here is the video. Please note that I do not see myself as Billy Joel, the lead singer. Rather I am the drummer in the green shirt.

http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/Billy-Joel/A-Matter-Of-Trust–43934656

-Mike Franzese, IBM