Mariano Vargas, COO of the family company Beneficiadora Santa Eduviges, visited INCAE on June 28 to participate with Executive MBA students in a class of the Creating Value with Values course. Mariano was the protagonist of the "live case" of this Costa Rican company, which produces, processes and sells specialty coffees in Costa Rica and abroad. The case was organized by the Strachan Chair of Philanthropy and Social Investment and led by its director, Professor Andrea Prado.
Each year, Costa Rica exports more than one million bags to different destinations around the world, always standing out for its flavor, smell, texture and body, as unique features within the world supply. For Mariano Vargas, member of the fourth generation of the Vargas family, being part of the legacy of coffee growers of the Santa Eduviges Coffee Mill has motivated him to stay in the business, and has driven him to take the name of Costa Rica higher and higher in the world coffee industry.
In order to share his experience with the Executive MBA students of INCAE, Mariano visited the campus last June 28, to conduct a "live case" where he shared three challenges faced by Beneficiadora Santa Eduviges during 2019. At the time, Mariano and his team were looking for ways to increase soil productivity, optimize operations during the harvest period, and diversify the markets served by the company.
The overall challenge of the case was to define strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of the business. The students discussed as a group possible recommendations, which they then shared with Mariano in a plenary session facilitated by Professor Prado. Afterwards, Mariano shared with the students the decisions he made to address these challenges; thus giving real-time feedback to the students about his recommendations.
After analyzing the three initial challenges of the case, the students faced a fourth challenge related to the search for personal purpose within the business world. Mariano revealed to the students his ongoing desire to continue to be an agent of change in the coffee industry and to maximize the impact of his journey through his work and lessons learned.
The challenge presented by the protagonist revolved around whether he should continue to impact the coffee industry from the family business, or if he could generate a greater impact through a multinational organization outside of Costa Rica. This challenge invited students to reflect on the importance of individual purpose in their careers and how to align their personal aspirations with their professional roles.
Mariano concluded the session with a reflection on the importance of pursuing a career that not only benefits oneself, but also contributes positively to society and the environment.
In the words of Professor Prado, director of the Strachan Chair:
"Bringing a young entrepreneur like Mariano Vargas allows students to learn innovative practices with high social and environmental impact that leaders in the region promote in their companies. The live case allows them to identify with someone who a few years ago was in their same position. We hope they remember this experience from the positions they assume when they leave INCAE, and are inspired to exercise responsible leadership with a clear purpose."
The "live case" methodology promotes a discussion around a challenge faced by a company or organization. The objective is that students can propose solutions to meet the challenge. After listening to the recommendations made by the group, the protagonist of the case reveals what was done, what worked and what did not. This allows to create a dynamic learning space with concrete and real examples, as well as to receive real time feedback on the recommendations given.
The Strachan Chair was founded by entrepreneur, philanthropist and former Chancellor of INCAE, Harry W. Strachan. It is funded by the Strachan Foundation and friends of Bain Capital, with the objective of promoting social investment strategies. Periodically, the Chair organizes live cases with entrepreneurs from the region who are generating social and environmental impact, so that they can share their experiences and lessons learned with the students of INCAE .
