Business student insight: Taking part in group work

In this month’s postgraduate insight blog, our Business Masters students discuss their thoughts on group work, from gaining global perspectives to developing communication skills.

Silvia De Andres Plaza 

Group work is something you will find in almost every module at the Business School and for good reason. Though it is not always the most popular choice amongst students, it is something that prepares you very well for the future.

1. You work with a variety of people – this reflects what occurs in most jobs, no matter what sector you are in. The groups are allocated randomly which again reflects the corporate world. Though you’re not always in groups with people who see eye to eye with you, it builds character and as such builds many essential skills that recruiters look for.
2. Different views – though this is not always seen as a good thing because of the conflict it may create, having more than one view around you is a big opportunity. One usually thinks a certain way and coming up with ideas to challenge your own is difficult, so having people around who think differently can develop ideas much further than one could alone. 

Elias Kokalias
MSc International Business

"Group projects in Warwick Business School were both challenging and enjoyable. I was given the unique opportunity to witness how academic and cultural diversity can leverage the group’s performance and develop soft skills that are necessary for my future career. Group projects were a great learning experience and one of the most essential elements of my master’s in International Business." 

Athanasios Karavergos
MSc Business (Marketing)

"In business nowadays, you must be a “team player” and follow the “team” rules. It is hard to cooperate and trust others, but you have to understand that as a team you can achieve more than you can as an individual. This is something WBS values a lot. Team projects and group presentations are methods that WBS uses in order to teach its students how to be a part of a team and how to contribute the most. In many cases I’ve found group work to be the only solution to my problem. Dividing tasks according to everyone’s capabilities shows promising results and higher marks on every project. Therefore, there is no reason to be against group work.

Group work has helped me a lot during my course. I have learned to be patient and listen to all opinions, because that is the only way to find a creative and promising idea. I have learned to follow the team’s lead and sometimes even lead the team. There are many more examples to give, but you get the big picture! Group work is a great opportunity to test yourself and see what you are really made of. So give it a try and see for yourself!"