Illinois MBA
2005 Study Tour

January 12, 2005

Cruser: We arrive at Dwory, one of the top 100 companies of value to the Polish economy (Newsweek). We meet several executives who walk us through the company's history - a player since 1945. What is remarkable about this company is their commitment to excellence. In 1997 they undertook an arduous restructuring process that has truly opened them up as soon-to-be global competitors in their industry, synthetic rubber and synthetic latex. Most recently, in fact on 20-Dec, they made an initial public offering on the Polish Stock Exchange. In light of our foray in international business in emerging Eastern European countries, this trip proved an exceptionally value-added, hands-on supplement to the skills learned in the classroom.

Han: Professor Obloj is very interesting in class, and I admire his ability to turn the whole-day class into valuable learning experience instead of sleeping sessions. And he warned us about the inhumane hour we had to wake up today, in order to take a train down to Oswiencim to visit a company, Dwory SA.

After the trip to Dwory's various plants, the next on the list is Auschwitz. We are again and again provided the choice to skip it, because apparently it can be a traumatizing experience. But no body chickens out.

I wasn't ready to see the hair of women murdered in the gas chamber, in such a quantity. I certainly wasn't ready to see the shoes of clothes of children who were murdered, either, in such a quantity. … I take pictures of their belongings, so the image stays with me. I don't want to forget this experience.

Bencic: Auschwitz is not just a place for Jews and Poles to visit. Every human being should see the horrors that Nazi ideology and the Nazis, themselves, eagerly performed there. Those who do not know the past are deemed to repeat it. The atrocities in Bosnia, Somalia and elsewhere are a stark reminder what the human race is still capable of doing, despite the lessons from the past.

Jan 9   |   Jan 10   |   Jan 11   |   Jan 12   |   Jan 13   |   Jan 14   |   Jan 15   |   Home