FGV News spoke to two students on the Professional Master’s in Administration Program at Fundação Getulio Vargas’ Sao Paulo School of Business Administration (FGV EAESP), Paulo Rezende and Guilherme Rossi, to find out how their academic research as part of the program has directly impacted their careers and brought about practical improvements for their employers. They stress that the professional master’s program goes beyond theory, helping them apply scientific knowledge to the business world.

Paulo Rezende: Transforming strategies and communicating results

Over the course of more than 30 years, Paulo Rezende has built a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry, holding senior leadership positions, including CEO in Mexico and Latin America. However, he has noted a recurring problem throughout his long career: difficulty in properly communicating sales strategies to teams.

“I realized that at all the companies I worked for, there were failures in communicating the strategy and sending clear messages to the sales teams,” says Paulo. “I started to create processes to ensure that the messages were passed on correctly and understood, and it had a direct impact on results.”

The master’s program at FGV allowed Paulo to turn his experience into in-depth research. His work analyzed bottlenecks in communication between marketing and sales teams, revealing internal conflicts and contradictions in the messages transmitted. “Measuring the sales teams’ knowledge of the products, combined with specific interventions, showed the need to create a formal process to guarantee the consistency of the message,” he explains.

Paulo also highlights the importance of combining theory and practice. “On the master’s program, we balance these two elements, which enriches learning and brings real results to the market,” he says. He presented his thesis at an international congress, and he is now preparing it to be published in scientific journals.

Guilherme Rossi: Research boosts career and create value for company

Guilherme Rossi, an electrical engineer and strategic account manager, also found the FGV Professional Master’s program to be an opportunity to align his professional career with academic development. “I came to the master’s at a time when my career was changing from executing strategies to developing them,” he says.

The action research that Guilherme carried out during his master’s degree has been fundamental to his work at the company. “I was involved in this research, not just as a researcher, but as an agent of change. That made all the difference,” he says. The impact was such that, during his master’s degree, he received two promotions, largely due to the improvements implemented at the company based on the results of his thesis.

“I chose a topic that would really have an impact on my organization, and I was noticed for it. My thesis made academic contributions, and it also generated practical changes that were perceived as positive by everyone involved,” says Guilherme. He also highlights the value of academic theory. “Now I know where to look for reliable information that is applicable to my reality. The concept of manager-scientist works 100%,” he says.

International experiences and expanding horizons

Both Paulo and Guilherme had the opportunity to take part in immersion weeks at globally renowned institutions such as Yale and Berkeley in the United States and EGADE in Mexico, which are part of the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM), of which FGV is a member. These international experiences gave the students a new perspective. “The diversity of thoughts and approaches to problems, whether in the academic or business environment, was extremely enriching,” says Paulo.

Guilherme, initially resistant to the idea of having more experiences in the United States because he had already worked there, ended up surrendering to the quality of the programs. “I couldn’t resist the opportunity to study at Yale and Berkeley, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” he recalls enthusiastically.

Practical impact on the market

Paulo and Guilherme’s experiences underscore the essence of FGV EAESP’s Professional Master’s in Business Administration Program: training that combines theory and practice, directly impacting companies and students’ careers. For those who wish to advance in their professional careers, this master’s degree offers not only academic knowledge, but the opportunity to apply this knowledge in a tangible and transformative way.

To find out more about FGV EAESP’s Professional Master’s in Administration Program, click here.

To read Paulo Rezende’s thesis, “The impact of training and communication on strategy execution by a sales team: A case study at a pharmaceutical company,” click here.

To read Guilherme Rossi’s thesis, “Improving a customer engagement program: Action research in strategy implementation,” click here.