Any Other Business

News, events and support for Southampton Business School
 
Any Other Business

Any Other Business

News, information and support for Southampton Business School

Welcome to AOB!

Welcome to the Southampton Business School’s information HUB for students. Any other business is an online community dedicated to providing students and staff of the Southampton Business School with all the latest news, exciting events and exclusive support available here at the University of Southampton.

The AOB community is designed to help enhance the learning opportunities and enrich the experiences of all Business School students, both undergraduate and postgraduate alike. Here at the Business School, we recognise that every student is different, with variations in interests and different aims and objectives for their University life. With that in mind, we have designed this website to cater to all aspects of life within the Business School, looking to get some blogging experience? Want to discover new societies? Need some academic or peer support? Then AOB is the place for you.

Meet some of the students who we work closely with in the video below

Southampton’s global links allowed me to develop both personally and academically; I spent a year in Hong Kong for my third year of study. The opportunities to broaden your horizons are endless.”

Francesca Chambers – BSc International Marketing (now BSc Marketing with Study Abroad)

Empathy, Observing & BIG Ideas By Simon Troup

Empathy, Observing & BIG Ideas By Simon Troup Whether it’s writing an entry for the SBS BIG writing competition, or for the amazing 100 BIG...
Read More "Empathy, Observing & BIG Ideas By Simon Troup"

Alt Data Ethics By Simon Troup

Alt Data Ethics By Simon Troup In 2020 the SEC (the US Securities and Exchange Commission) announced its examination priorities for the year ahead. It...
Read More "Alt Data Ethics By Simon Troup"

The Fintech Unbundling Playbook By Simon Troup

The Fintech Unbundling Playbook By Simon Troup The unbundling of financial services is happening everywhere, we may not notice it but there are clues all...
Read More "The Fintech Unbundling Playbook By Simon Troup"

“Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup

“Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG - Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs1OuGhpvd0 In ESG part one I framed concepts necessary to...
Read More "“Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup"

Contact Us

Have you got a question, blog post idea or just want to speak to us?

Simply fill out this form and we will get back to you in the next 48 hours.

    Empathy, Observing & BIG Ideas By Simon Troup

    Empathy, Observing & BIG Ideas By Simon Troup Whether it’s writing an entry for the SBS BIG writing competition, or for the amazing 100 BIG...
    Read More "Empathy, Observing & BIG Ideas By Simon Troup"

    Alt Data Ethics By Simon Troup

    Alt Data Ethics By Simon Troup In 2020 the SEC (the US Securities and Exchange Commission) announced its examination priorities for the year ahead. It...
    Read More "Alt Data Ethics By Simon Troup"

    The Fintech Unbundling Playbook By Simon Troup

    The Fintech Unbundling Playbook By Simon Troup The unbundling of financial services is happening everywhere, we may not notice it but there are clues all...
    Read More "The Fintech Unbundling Playbook By Simon Troup"

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG - Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs1OuGhpvd0 In ESG part one I framed concepts necessary to...
    Read More "“Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup"

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG - Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs1OuGhpvd0 In ESG part one I framed concepts necessary to...
    Read More "“Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup"

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 1 – The ESG Ecosystem By Simon Troup

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG - Part 1 – The ESG Ecosystem By Simon Troup Note: Part one and two of this post go into the...
    Read More "“Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 1 – The ESG Ecosystem By Simon Troup"

    A message from us to you…

    Find links from the video here:- Student Advisors - https://www.sbsaob.soton.ac.uk/key-information/sbs-student-advisors/- Assessment and Feedback Resources - https://www.sbsaob.soton.ac.uk/study-resources/assessment-and-feedback-support-resources/- CEPAR + Talent Development Programme - https://www.sbsaob.soton.ac.uk/peer-support/student-academic-representation-2/employability
    Read More "A message from us to you…"

    Placement blog: Samsung, Danny Kent

    My name is Danny Kent, I’m a 4th year BSc Marketing student who completed a placement year in European PR & Communications at Samsung Electronics.

    My placement year was a rich and diverse insight into the operations of a multinational brand. Having completed a lengthy application process including steps such as online tests, digital interviews and assessment centres, I began with an induction week where I learned everything about Samsung; its products, history, culture and systems. With the extensive help of the placements office, I had done plenty of prior research for both my application and also to get placement-ready, but this added another layer of useful knowledge for me to begin working with.

    Samsung’s fast-paced culture was emphasised strongly by everyone I spoke to before starting, and it was just so from start to finish on placement year. Within my first month, I was already heavily involved in the launch and reporting of a major flagship mobile: Galaxy Note10. Almost immediately after, we had major tradeshows and campaigns to complete before the end of the year, including a major tech tradeshow, IFA, in Berlin in September as well as an anniversary campaign, SpaceSelfie in October. This busy schedule is indicative of Samsung’s leading role in global business, and of the technology industry itself in its constantly evolving landscape.

    In terms of direct experience, I was so fortunate in that Samsung’s interns are an integral part of their team structures and so are treated as genuine employees. This meant I had more responsibility than I ever imagined before starting and was provided with so many opportunities. Highlights for me include leading the organisation of over 300 journalists and media representatives in exclusive pre-briefings of the Galaxy S20 in Munich, Germany; arranging and conducting interviews with leading fashion media outlets such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair for Cara Delevigne (an amazing day in London at the Renaissance Hotel, St Pancras) and also working directly with film crews on independent campaigns such as Galaxy Note10 sustain, where we worked with an artist called Hey Reilly to deliver a project called ‘Mobile Masterpieces’.

    A few months into my placement experience, my line manager departed and the team was a manager short for quite some time. From then on, I reported into a new manager but I really feel that this moment was a big checkpoint in my year in industry because I needed to step up to help the team further in managing our busy schedule with a reduced team size. This increased involvement and responsibility was integral to the growth and development I feel so lucky to have had in my time at Samsung. The launch of S20 in Munich (February 2020) felt like the first big step in this process, being the first major flagship campaign I had taken a leading role in. Our calendar from then on was packed with events and work I was really excited for: media trips to HQ in Korea, Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Fuorisalone in Milan and IFA in Berlin. Unfortunately, the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic would curtail all of these trips and throw us into an unprecedented period for businesses, and see me working from home for virtually the entirety of my remaining months at the company.

    With hindsight, despite the frustrations and uncertainty at the time, the shift to entirely digital working through the pandemic gave me experience in how to adapt and overcome swiftly in times of hardship and uncertainty, as well as how to work remotely. We delivered our first ever virtual launch and pre-briefings of the Galaxy Note20, and also an augmented reality event called ‘Life Unstoppable’, where we worked with digital agencies to build a graphical smart-home space showcasing our integrated cross-category portfolio. Given that I started in the summer of 2019 and finished in September 2020, I suppose I can look back on my placement year as having given me the best of both worlds, and I feel prepared for both styles of working when I return to the workplace.

    Looking more into the actual skills I developed, my placement really helped me grow as an individual, providing a solid foundation for developing professional skills. The difference in my confidence between starting and finishing was enormous. I now feel comfortable speaking in front of large numbers of people, having done so on a weekly basis to our PR managers across Europe and also taking advantage of free presentation training days provided by Samsung. That increased confidence meant I threw myself into more opportunities such as briefing journalists/analysts on new devices, writing press releases and creative asset development with agencies. Such skills, I believe, directly translated into improved performance in my final year of study; I stuck to my established working routine and was able to apply experience from Samsung often as a valid case study in a few assignments. This undoubtedly helped me to achieve First Class Honours, something I was not on track for with my second-year grades.

    Most importantly, I have secured a graduate role back in the PR team at Samsung, starting in September 2021. This has been an immense weight off of my shoulders throughout my finals, making me feel much more relaxed in the knowledge that I have a clear next step in my life. The familiarity of returning to Samsung makes the prospect of transitioning full-time into the professional world much less daunting, and my existing experience in the PR role fills me with optimism that I can really kick on and achieve a lot over the next two years. My aspiration is to gain promotion to a Junior Manager role at the end of my graduate scheme, and I hope to stay at Samsung for a number of years.

    As my time at Southampton University draws to a close, I feel immensely grateful. I would never have had an opportunity to work at a company like this without the guidance and support from the placements office and my supervisor Rochelle. I truly believe they are the university’s strongest and most influential department in terms of advancing students’ skills and supporting them in building a platform for the chapters of their lives beyond university. These 4 years have been an adventure I’ll never forget, and now I look towards the future with a similar excitement to the one I had when I started my uni story in 2017.

    Welcome to Any Other Blog!

    Hey! Welcome to Any Other Blog.

    We’ll be posting here regularly to keep you informed about what Business School students and staff are up to! 

    So, if you’ve got some news to share, have attended an insightful event or you are working on something really cool, why not be a guest blogger?! 

    Head to the ‘Contact Us’ page and tell us all about your idea – we would love to hear from you! 

    Happy blogging! 

    Holly, Neil & Mary (The Education Development Office)  

    The Fintech Unbundling Playbook By Simon Troup

    The Fintech Unbundling Playbook By Simon Troup The unbundling of financial services is happening everywhere, we may not notice it but there are clues all around us. Here we’ll reveal an almost perfect play-by-play fintech unbundling by the team at Fundapps and Onfido. Some context on the startups. Fundapps is …

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs1OuGhpvd0 In ESG part one I framed concepts necessary to assess the current and future state of ESG, Impact and transition investing. In part two, by leveraging three important perspectives, we’ll bust some myths about …

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 2 – ESG or Transition Investing? By Simon Troup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs1OuGhpvd0 In ESG part one I framed concepts necessary to assess the current and future state of ESG, Impact and transition investing. In part two, by leveraging three important perspectives, we’ll bust some myths about …

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 1 – The ESG Ecosystem By Simon Troup

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog ESG – Part 1 – The ESG Ecosystem By Simon Troup Note: Part one and two of this post go into the weeds of the investing ecosystem with a focus on how ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing has evolved, and sometimes failed in recent times. Use …

    A message from us to you…

    Find links from the video here:– Student Advisors – https://www.sbsaob.soton.ac.uk/key-information/sbs-student-advisors/– Assessment and Feedback Resources – https://www.sbsaob.soton.ac.uk/study-resources/assessment-and-feedback-support-resources/– CEPAR + Talent Development Programme – https://www.sbsaob.soton.ac.uk/peer-support/student-academic-representation-2/employability

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog Part 2 – ‘Work the Plan’ to Land a Prime-Time Internship – By Simon Troup

    Today we’ll bust 6 myths that every student should account for when interviewing for internships, placements and graduate roles.  If you think that interviewing is complex and difficult you are correct, there’s a lot to think about. But like all problems, if we can simplify the problem in our mind …

    “Enterprise Matters” Blog – Part 1 – ‘Plan the Work’ to Land a Prime-Time Internship – By Simon Troup

    Respecting The Game If you read another of AOB post you’ll understand the power of experimentation, it’s hard to know what you should do with your life if you haven’t cracked the puzzle of motive and purpose. It’s also super important as student not to forget to enjoy yourself; I …

    Exploring Southampton’s Shopping Scene: Where Value Meets Variety

    Shopping in Southampton can be a delightful experience, particularly when you discover the best spots for excellent value for your money. In this article, we’ll guide you through a variety of shopping destinations in Southampton, from charity shops and fresh produce stalls to seafood markets, frozen food stores, and general …