Fri/Sat March 20/21 - Final Post

Our last day was excellent.  We started at SEMIA, the innovation incubator associated with the University of Strasbourg and heard about the process they use to successfully help turn ideas into viable profitable companies.  Then, we visited with the founders of one of their companies in incubation, a company that creates simulations for endoscopic surgeries.  We followed that with lunch in Strasbourg and several of us did some souvenir shopping.  In the afternoon, we toured the Kronenbourg brewery (Kronenbourg is the largest brewer in France).  We tasted their different types, and then headed back to the Chateau.  We had a nice little farewell happy hour at the chateau, followed by an amazing farewell feast at the Jardin du Portales, a little restaurant nearby.  We ate maltoschen (a German pasta dish not unlike ravioli), guinea hen with potatoes, and an amazing chocolate dessert.  We wound up the evening with a small gathering at the chateau, but most of us got to bed at a decent hour.  We depart in about two hours for Strasbourg Airport and head back home.

Sandy and I thought the trip was both educational and fun and hope that everyone enjoyed their experience.  The students still have a major paper due that should summarize and integrate what they've learned, so we'll soon get a better sense of whether the trip changed their understanding of business, people, and culture. 

Well, this is the last post.  Thanks for reading!  Below is one final photo from the Kronenbourg tour.

-Mike

Thursday, March 19

Our final day in Germany was busy.  We started with a really cool visit to HP.  We first had a corporate overview from two of their HR people, and learned about how they are managing their people through the economic downturn.  They told us about their virtual teams, and how they leverage their own hardware and software to facilitate global collaboration and innovation.  We then had a product demo in their customer facility - all of their products were on display.  Then, we drove a few kilometers to their European assembly and testing facility for large computer solutions.  The factory was very interesting, with a large logistics center and automated delivery vehicles (robots).  They used a really interesting staffing solution.  

After a quick stop for lunch and souvenir shopping, we went to the Audi plant, and watched them build Audi A6's in their second largest plant.  We saw them fabricate aluminum bodies, mainly with robotic welding machines. Cool stuff.

Friday is our last day in Europe before our departure back to the US on Saturday morning.

It was not a big photo day, because photos were not allowed in either factory, but here are a couple of pictures from the display area at Audi:

 

Tuesday/Wednesday, March 17-18

Tuesday and Wednesday were two very busy days.  Tuesday started with a visit to a Metro market in Karlsruhe, Germany.  Metro is a store only open to owners of restaurants, hotels, caterers, small grocers, and other business customers.  They carry a complete line of foods and department store items.  Then, we stopped in Karlsruhe for a trip to the mall and some lunch.  Then we continued on to Weberhaus, where they assemble houses pre-built in sections and delivered and assembled quickly on a job site.   We had dinner on our own.  Wednesday was another long day.  In the morning, we visited Nussbaum, a manufacturer of automotive lifts and parking systems.  We stopped in Mannheim for lunch and had a Turkish feast!  John Deere was in the afternoon.  The best was the Munich feast we enjoyed for dinner at the Chateau.  Some photos are below:

Well...the one below was from our barbeque on Monday night.

The students relax at Weberhaus:
The students got to check out the tractors at John Deere:

Our Munich-style feast at the chateau Wednesday night:

Sunday-Monday March 15-16

The weather in Strasbourg is improving.  Yesterday, we had a discussion with Clarkson Alum Leah Murphy who is currently a graduate student at Jakobs University in Bremen, Germany.  She talked with us about life as an American in Europe and we discussed the differences in the educational system.  In the afternoon, we took a tour of Strasbourg and had a great dinner of tarte flambe, a traditional local dish.  

Today, we started with a lecture from a Dr. Patrick Dollet a Professor at the University of Strasbourg.  We learned about the history of the European Union and discussed current issues facing the EU.  In the afternoon, our facilitator Arabella, took several of us on a bike tour of the area.  Tonight, we are off to a outdoor barbeque dinner with the students from Austin State University who are also here at the chateau.

Below are some photos:

Saturday, March 14 - Basel to Strasbourg

Today, we left Basel by bus and headed back into France.  We travelled up into the Vosges mountains and started our day with a visit to the Struthof concentration camp.  This is the only camp that was on French territory.  About 22,000 people were killed there during a 2-3 year period.  It was abandoned by the Nazis a few months before the Allied forces liberated the area.  It was a very somber visit, but the students learned a lot of history and really got a first-hand learning experience about what happened during World War II.  We descended down from the mountains and on to a different mood as we started along the Route des Vins - the Alsacian wine area (Alsace is the region of France where Strasbourg is located).  After lunch and a short stop to visit the beautiful and historic town of Obernai, we learned about Alsacian wines at the Klipfel Winery in Barr.  We arrived in Strasbourg at the Chateau around 6pm and had dinner at a great little restaurant a few steps away from the Chateau.

Here are some of us at Obernai:

Friday, March 13, 2009 - Basel, Switzerland

Friday the 13th is also unlucky in Switzerland.  However, we had a good day.  We visited Novartis, a major global health care and pharmaceutical company.  We learned a tremendous amount about Novartis and the health care industry, enjoyed a great discussion with Doktor Stephan Mumenthaler, the head of Economic Affairs at Novartis. We toured their facilities and were the company's guests for a delicious lunch.  We are all planning on sending our resumes in!

In the afternoon, we took a tour that covered the commercial history of Basel, and walked throughout the old city.  Tomorrow, we leave for Strasbourg, stopping at the Struthof Concentration Camp (the only one that was on French soil) and then on to a tour of the Alsatian wine region.  The weather is turning better and the students continue to be in a positive mood.

Some photos of us out and about in Basel:

Weds/Thurs March 11 and 12

Everyone enjoyed their final day in Paris on Wednesday.  Everyone covered a lot of ground - the weather was pleasant, and everybody is in good health.  The students saw all the major sights, and even packed in some visits to lesser known places, which was great.

At 4:45am, we bid Paris goodbye and took the TGV (hi-speed train) to Basel, Switzerland.  We arrived, checked in to our very nice hotel, and got used to the dramatic change in architecture, language, and customs.   Many of us sampled good Swiss and German foods - Rosti, Wurst, and plenty of local pastries.  Tomorrow, we head to Novartis for a factory visit.

Below:  The view out our hotel room in Paris.

The Luxembourg Garden on Wednesday - as you can see, our final day in Paris was beautiful.

Below:  Speeding past the French countryside on the TGV to Basel.
Below: Some excellent pastry and coffee in Basel!