Category: consulting-abroad-program

By: Shreyas Kuradagi (GMBA '26)

My CAP Sweden experience was both eye-opening and enriching professionally, personally, and culturally. Collaborating with AstraZeneca to explore pharmacovigilance AI implementation offered a unique opportunity to witness how a global pharmaceutical giant balances innovation with regulation and how culture and organizational structure influence strategic decisions.

One of the most striking aspects of AstraZeneca’s organizational structure was its flat hierarchy and emphasis on collaboration. Unlike more rigid corporate environments, decision-making here seemed decentralized, empowering individuals across levels to contribute meaningfully. At the Gothenburg Research & Development site, I observed cross-functional teams of data scientists, clinicians, regulatory experts, and IT staff fostering agility and innovation in problem-solving. To some extent, the business practices we observed matched my expectations particularly the focus on innovation, sustainability, and collaboration. However, I was surprised by how egalitarian and relaxed the workplace culture felt. I expected a more formal, traditional corporate setting, especially within a major pharmaceutical company. Instead, the balance of professionalism with a deeply human approach to work was refreshing. It challenged some of my assumptions about productivity and taught me that high performance doesn’t have to come at the expense of well-being.

Swedish work culture played a significant role in shaping our interactions. The emphasis on consensus-building, open communication, and work-life balance created a welcoming environment where our ideas, even as students, were taken seriously. The fika tradition of short breaks for coffee and conversation seemed symbolic of a deeper cultural value: that productivity thrives in spaces where people feel seen, heard, connected and rested. This was a stark but welcome contrast to the often high-pressure, fast-paced corporate cultures elsewhere. The experience underscored how organizational culture is not just an internal dynamic- it directly impacts external partnerships and the ability to collaborate across borders. Understanding and respecting Swedish cultural norms allowed us to engage more effectively and build trust with our counterparts.

Within my team, I felt a strong sense of camaraderie and mutual respect. We all came from different academic backgrounds, which initially seemed like a challenge but turned into our greatest strength. We were able to divide tasks based on individual skill sets such as technical research, presentation design, and client communications, and the results were both efficient and high-quality. What went particularly well was our collective ability to adapt. Whether adjusting timelines due to shifting expectations or integrating feedback last minute, our communication stayed transparent and constructive.

Participating in CAP has helped me grow in profound ways. Navigating a different country, understanding its customs, and building professional rapport in a cross-cultural setting taught me humility and adaptability. Understanding the nuances of using AI in sensitive domains like pharmacovigilance where ethical concerns, patient safety, and regulatory compliance intersect was extremely invaluable. These insights into the intersection of AI and healthcare will serve me well in my future career. CAP was a transformative journey that broadened my worldview, sharpened my professional toolkit, and left me deeply inspired by Sweden’s innovative yet human-centric approach to work and life. I return home not just with deliverables and project takeaways, but with a renewed perspective on how we can build better, more inclusive, and forward-thinking workplaces.

One of the most fascinating aspects of working with AWS was observing how the company operates almost like thousands of startups functioning under one massive umbrella. This decentralized and highly autonomous structure was eye-opening, especially in the context of our project. Our topic, AI adoption and strategy in the UAE, was inherently broad and filled with uncertainty. Interestingly, that mirrored how AWS itself works: each person owns a unique slice of the problem space and must navigate it with a high tolerance for ambiguity.

AWS’s ability to foster innovation through its lean and self-directed model stood out to me. There’s no  hand-holding; each team member is trusted to act like an owner. That mindset permeated our engagement. We weren’t given detailed instructions or guardrails; instead, we were encouraged to find the white space and make it ours. This pushed us to become more resourceful, iterative, and strategic in how we approached the work. Especially with the fast-moving AI scene in the UAE and the broader Gulf region, AWS's culture of independent ownership felt incredibly relevant. The work being done now is pivotal and potentially groundbreaking; not just for AWS, but for how governments and tech companies collaborate globally. Every detail mattered, and every assumption needed to be challenged.

What stood out most in our AWS interactions was the intentionality behind every initiative. Nothing felt ad hoc. Even in a region known for rapid development, there was a sense of discipline in execution and clarity of long-term purpose. This blend of agility and vision is something I want to carry into my own work moving forward.

Having previously worked and lived in the UAE, I entered this project with a strong  understanding of the country’s infrastructure, innovation appetite, and culture. However, what was especially rewarding was seeing my classmates, many of whom were unfamiliar with the region, begin to grasp the complexity and ambition of the UAE. There’s a unique kind of energy in the UAE: a drive for excellence, an openness to global talent, and a deep-rooted respect for tradition. CAP helped me see these dynamics from a more external perspective, as my classmates asked questions and challenged assumptions I had previously internalized. It reminded me how important it is to approach every context with humility, curiosity, and a willingness to reframe our worldview.

Our team experience evolved significantly over the course of the semester. In the early phases, I found myself carrying the brunt of the work. This imbalance was frustrating and, at times, unsustainable. However, it also taught me a lot about team dynamics and the importance of setting boundaries and enabling others to step up. After the midpoint check-in, I made a conscious shift in how I worked with the group. Rather than trying to manage every detail, I focused on shaping the overall narrative to ensure our final presentation and report told a compelling, coherent story.

CAP pushed me in meaningful ways, both personally and professionally. On a personal level, I’ve become more comfortable with discomfort, particularly the discomfort of ambiguity, team conflict, and letting go of control. I learned to trust the process and lean into uncertainty without losing sight of the end goal. Professionally, I honed my skills in stakeholder management, strategic storytelling, and cross-cultural collaboration. Leading the team while navigating complex inputs from AWS, faculty, and government partners required me to constantly adjust and zoom in on details while never losing the broader arc of our message. Most importantly, I gained clarity on how I want to show up as a leader: someone who sets the vision, builds the structure, and brings others along; not by doing everything, but by creating space for others to thrive. CAP reminded me that real leadership is measured not by what you control, but by what you enable.

By: Mariah Chappell (GMBA '26)

One of the most intriguing aspects of working with Burjeel Holdings during CAP was understanding how their organizational structure and management functions  operate in a rapidly evolving healthcare system. Their governing system allows them to remain agile, innovative, and responsive across multiple countries. I was particularly impressed by the leadership and the clarity with which Burjeel’s mission of integrating advanced technology with compassionate care guided strategic decisions. It was also an incredible experience getting to visit Burjeel Medical City to see it all in practice. They curated a patient-centered hospital setting where hospitality was at the forefront.

Working on this project gave me rich exposure to the UAE’s social and policy landscape, particularly in relation to healthcare. The demographic shift, where individuals over 60 are projected to grow six-fold by 2050, has immense implications for healthcare. I learned how insurance structures, regulatory gaps, and public misconceptions around end-of-life care shape healthcare in the UAE. Healthcare is an inherently complicated industry to dive into, but also a fascinating one, so I was glad we got to research the UAE system as well as U.S. best practices. I have a summer internship in health services at Cigna, so I was glad to get this exposure. Additionally, I was struck by the complex interplay of religion, family values, and government policy. In particular, learning about the reluctance to discuss terminal illness, and the hesitation around Do Not Resuscitate orders, deepened my understanding of how care models must align with cultural attitudes to be effective. This knowledge fundamentally shaped our proposed hybrid model, which integrates elderly and palliative care services and  emphasizes dignity, family support, and cultural education.

By: Riz Rafi (GMBA '25) May 21, 2024

I experienced many “firsts” throughout CAP. These “firsts” make up the bulk of the knowledge that I gained. I had the opportunity to hone my public speaking and time management skills. I also learned more about how global culture plays a role in business. CAP was an unforgettable holistic learning period which will stay with me not only for the rest of my MBA journey, but also throughout my life.

Working on a consulting project was one of the “firsts” I encountered through CAP. I was apprehensive about consulting because I viewed the work as temporary and surface level. CAP changed my mind. The amount of time and effort put into the work we presented to PwC far exceeded my expectations. Utilizing Friga's TEAM FOCUS framework was an eye opening experience as it was such an effective way to meaningfully organize and convey ideas. Among the other “firsts” was the experience of examining a multifaceted real world business challenge. Previously, as an engineer, I only had experience dealing with technical problems that would arise with products and did not have to consider macroeconomic factors. I mistakenly thought my real-estate themed project with PwC would be narrowly focused. However, diving deeper into the details of the project, our team needed to examine all aspects of Germany's macroeconomic environment in order to find the root of the country’s real estate issues. This was at first overwhelming as I had no idea where to start. My teammates and I were ultimately able to put together a plan to examine the crucial factors impacting the real estate market such as politics and interest rates. Reflecting on the broad range of topics we researched and later presented on, I gained deep understanding far beyond the real estate market and was able to learn how Germany functions as a whole.

In addition, I learned more about Germany’s unique cultural aspects. The first “culture shock” I experienced happened well before traveling to Germany. It was the punctuality expected from my PwC partners. While this was something that was communicated beforehand, the promptness of the partners even during the initial meeting was not something I expected. Oftentimes, the partners showed up earlier than the scheduled meeting times. Since I am not the most punctual person, I had a bit of a learning curve. This experience inspired me to take punctuality more seriously. I will admit that I have made an improvement, but I am still working on perfecting this skill. The Dresden visit was something I was dreading, not due to the location of the cultural experience, but because of the early start time of the visit. I was truly afraid I was going to be late and miss the bus. I set various alarms in order to wake on time and managed to successfully get up with the first alarm! The internal shift of needing to not just be on time, but early, truly worked!

The most important growth I experienced during CAP was improving my public speaking skills. Throughout the semester there were plenty of opportunities for me to hone this skill. I ultimately became much more capable and confident speaking in public due to Dr. Messerli’s targeted feedback regarding my presentational speaking strengths and growth areas. During our final presentation with PwC leadership, I ultimately was in command of the content I was presenting on and confident enough to take the lead on answering questions during the Q&A session. CAP's emphasis on presentations helped me gain an essential skill for post-grad.

Overall, CAP has been a journey for me. It was the defining reason why I decided to attend GWSB. CAP far exceeded my expectations. What I assumed to be a minor project with a company in a different country turned out to be so much more. CAP not only allowed me to grow as a person, but also understand the true meaning of globalization in business.