WHU

Executive Education –

Organizing events for top-tier executives

Wharton Study Tours.

Studying German / West-European Industrial Competitiveness

As part of the MBA course "OIDD-680 - Operations Strategy Practicum" taught by Professor Morris A. Cohen from The Wharton School, a European Study Tour was organized by the Chair of Production Management in the years 2016 to 2019.

Professor Arnd Huchzermeier and the program manager for the Industrial Excellence Award Germany accompanied the group each year. Over the time span of 5 days, 10 operationally leading companies were visited: usually, the head of the business unit explained the company’s operation strategy first and then a tour of a representative production or service unit followed.

Students were tasked to write a mini-case study on a company of their choice and thus prepared ahead of time for the visit; during the on-site visit, they then had a chance to raise key questions. The final report was shared with the hosts to facilitate international benchmarking and learning.

A welcome session on Sundays and a farewell dinner on Friday evening complemented the program. This exclusive event was limited to 25 pre-registered attendees. The feedback of this unique learning experience in practice was very positive.

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Tour 4: Frankfurt to Amsterdam, March 3 - 9, 2019
"Day 1: Canyon Bicycles, Koblenz, and Zalando Logistics Center, Mönchengladbach
Day 2: Henkel, Dusseldorf, and VDL Nedcar, Born, The Netherlands
Day 3: DAF Trucks, Eindhoven, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Day 4: Hutchison Ports, Rotterdam, and Kühne & Nagel, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Day 5: Friesland Campina, Amersfoort, and Philips Consumer Lifestyle, Drachten, The Netherlands"
Tour 3: Frankfurt to Munich, March 4 -10, 2018
"Day 1: ABB, Heidelberg, and SEW Eurodrive, Bruchsal
Day 2: Audi, Neckarsulm, and Trumpf, Ditzingen
Day 3: Porsche, Stuttgart, and BSH, Giengen
Day 4: KUKA Robotics, Augsburg, and Rational, Landsberg
Day 5: BMW, Munich, and Rohde & Schwarz, Munich"
Tour 2: Frankfurt to Hamburg, March 5 - 11, 2017
"Day 1: Wirtgen, Windhagen, and Zalando Logistics Center, Mönchengladbach
Day 2: ASML, Veldhoven, and Smart Robotics, Best, The Netherlands
Day 3: Schmitz Cargobull, Vreden, and Meyer Shipyard, Papenburg
Day 4: Mercedes Benz Plant, Bremen, and Airbus, Hamburg
Day 5: Lufthansa Technology, Hamburg, and Kühne & Nagel, Hamburg
"
Tour 1: Frankfurt to Berlin, March 6 - 12, 2016
"Day 1: Deutsche Lufthansa, Frankfurt, and EvoBus, Mannheim
Day 2: Mercedes Benz, Stuttgart, and KUKA Robotics, Augsburg
Day 3: Siemens, Amberg, and Harry’s, Eisfeld
Day 4: Deckel Maho, Seebach, and Zalando Logistics Center, Erfurt
Day 5: BMW, Berlin, and audibene, Berlin

"
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Industrial Excellence Award Conferences

Over the years, the IEA competition has moved away from a focus on France and Germany only to a focus on all countries of Western Europe. Consequently, we changed from collaborating with national media partners to business schools as hosts of the annual award ceremony.

23rd Industrial Excellence Conference & Award Europe 2019
  • IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain, December 4, 2019 View more
22nd Industrial Excellence Conference & Award Europe 2018
21st Industrial Excellence Conference & Award Europe 2017 
20th Industrial Excellence Conference & Award Europe and Live Event 2016
  • Industrial Excellence Conference & Award Europe 2016, WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management, Dusseldorf, October 27-28, 2016
  • Industrial Excellence Conference & Award Live 2016, Zalando, Mönchengladbach, October 28, 2016
12th WirtschaftsWoche Conference 2015
  • Industrial Excellence Award Conference, Nestor Hotel, Ludwigsburg,
    September 29-30, 2015
  • Industrial Excellence Award Conference Live, RECARO Aircraft Seating,
    Schwäbisch Hall, September 30, 2015
11th WirtschaftsWoche Conference 2014
  • Industrial Excellence Award Conference, Dorint am Goethepark, Weimar,
    October 22-23, 2014
  • Industrial Excellence Award Conference Live, MDC Power, Kölleda,
    October 23, 2014
10th WirtschaftsWoche Conference 2013
  • Industrial Excellence Award Conference, The Westin, Leipzig,
    September 23-24, 2013
  • Industrial Excellence Award Conference Live, BMW, Leipzig,
    September 24, 2013
9th WirtschaftsWoche Conference 2012
  • Industrial Excellence & Award Conference, Schlosshotel Neufahrn, Neufahrn, October 25-26, 2012
  • Industrial Excellence Award Conference Live, BMW, Landshut, October 26, 2012
8th WirtschaftsWoche Conference 2011
  • Industrial Excellence Award Conference, Hotel Burg Wernberg, Wernberg-Köblitz, November 23-24, 2011
  • Industrial Excellence Award Conference Live, Siemens, Amberg, November 24, 2011
7th WirtschaftsWoche Conference and Live Events 2010
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik Live, Roto Frank Bauelemente, Bad Mergentheim, December 1, 2010
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik Live, Demag Cranes & Components, Wetter/Ruhr, November 4, 2010
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik Live, ABB Switzerland, Zurich, October 5, 2010
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Hilton, Dusseldorf, September 9, 2010
6th WirtschaftsWoche Conference and Live Events 2009
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik Live, Technology Center of Grohe, Hemer, December 3, 2009
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, Munich, September 9-10, 2009
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik Live, BMW, Dingolfing, January 26, 2009
5th WirtschaftsWoche Conference and Live Events 2008
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik Live, Siemens, Chemnitz, November 24, 2008
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Pullmann, Cologne, September 16-17, 2008
4th WirtschaftsWoche Conference and Live Events 2007
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik Live, Daimler, Bad Cannstadt, November 20, 2007
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik Live, Siemens, Amberg, October 23, 2007
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Dorint Hotel An der Messe, Cologne, September 24-25, 2007
3rd WirtschaftsWoche Conference 2006
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Hyatt Regency, Mainz, October 10-11, 2006
2nd WirtschaftsWoche Conference and Just in Sequence Conference 2005
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Arvena Kongress Hotel, Bayreuth, September 27- 28, 2005
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Just in Sequence, Lindner Hotel Kaiserhof, Landshut, February 15-16, 2005
1st WirtschaftsWoche Conference 2004
  • WirtschaftsWoche Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Maritim Hotel, Nürnberg, October 25-26, 2004
7th The Best Factory Conference 2003
  • INSEAD-WHU Management Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Dorint Hotel, Augsburg, June 23-24, 2003
  • INSEAD-WHU Management Konferenz: Die Beste Fabrik Live, Fujitsu Siemens, Augsburg, June 24, 2003
6th The Best Factory Conference 2002
  • INSEAD-WHU Management Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Radisson SAS Hotel, Erfurt, June 24-25, 2002
  • INSEAD-WHU Management Konferenz: Die Beste Fabrik Live, Deckel Maho, Seebach, June 25, 2002
5th The Best Factory Conference 2001
  • INSEAD-WHU Management Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, Hotel Holiday Inn Berlin Esplanade, Berlin, May 22, 2001
  • INSEAD-WHU Management Konferenz: Die Beste Fabrik Live, Siemens, Berlin, May 22, 2001
4th The Best Factory Conference 2000
  • INSEAD-WHU Management Conference: Die Beste Fabrik, WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vallendar, May 26, 2000
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