"SKK GSB was a turning point in my life." by Hyunseok Ji (PMBA 2022)
- SKKGSB
- Hit512
- 2023-08-01
SKK GSB Professional MBA alumnus Mr. Hyunseok Ji, who now works to improve profitability in LG Energy Solution’s Automotive Battery Division, shared how his life-changing experiences at SKK GSB have influenced his career. He noted that his learning experiences at SKK GSB assisted him in creating innovative outcomes through strategic decision-making with a new perspective. He also highlighted the importance of differentiating strengths and of excellent problem-solving skills in our rapidly-changing world.
Read the full interview below:
1.Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am Hyunseok Ji, and I graduated from the Professional MBA program at the end of last year. I am responsible for improving profitability and productivity in LG Energy Solution’s Automotive Battery Division.
2.What were your reasons for doing the MBA, and why did you choose SKK GSB?
I chose an MBA to develop a mindset to understand business in diverse ways. I majored in mechanical engineering as an undergraduate, but when I worked as a purchasing officer, I had to work with sales, development, planning, cost, and quality assurance representatives from partner companies. That was when I realized that I needed not only technical know-how, but also an understanding of the business administration aspect. In particular, as I worked on improving profitability, I felt that I needed the knowledge and perspective to look at business in various ways, so I became interested in the MBA program.
The MBA was also a fascinating opportunity to meet students and alumni from a variety of fields, and it helped me to enrich my working life. My highly-motivated classmates were especially stimulating.
Among MBA programs in Korea, I found the program at SKK GSB most attractive as it offered 100% English-medium MBA classes applying the latest management theory to a practice-oriented curriculum.
3.Please share how what you learned during your MBA program has contributed towards your work.
In an assignment in the Product Service Design course, we selected a company, and drew a product life cycle and roadmap to propose a new business model. In that assignment, I analyzed the initial model, and successful and unsuccessful projects by investigating personal mobility companies that have various products. After that, I suggested future business strategies such as localization and subscription.
Another notable course was the Project Workshop. In that course, we had regular meetings with actual tech startup managers to discuss product strategies and mid-to-long-term operation plans, and we devised improvement roadmaps. I’m certain that this experience of analyzing and discussing business models, and formulating differentiation strategies with actual CEOs and CTOs was a great help in expanding my business perspectives.
These classes have assisted me a lot in the process of strategic decision-making, and have helped me to create the innovative outcomes required in my job.
4.Please give a word of advice to prospective applicants who are considering an MBA.
In a rapidly-changing world, I believe that it is crucial to differentiate our strengths, and to develop excellent problem-solving skills. Now I’m sure that an MBA is not only a platform for acquiring the knowledge of business and economics, but also a place to redefine our careers and directions in life by reflecting on ourselves.
Related article:
Korea Economic Daily on April 13th (Korean version)
https://www.hankyung.com/society/article/2022041296831