Business schools prepare EMBA and DBA students for greater connectivity, competition and disruption in Asia
Hong Kong’s business schools have prepared EMBA and DBA programmes for more competitive, disruptive times
Business schools offering advanced courses in Hong Kong for senior executives from around the region know they are dealing with high expectations and a very demanding constituency.
Therefore, when teaching executive master of business administration (EMBA) and doctor of business administration (DBA) programmes, they have to find a formula that combines coverage of all the essentials with cutting-edge topics and far-reaching insights in order to provide that distinctive something extra.
In some cases, the latter aspect comes via seminars led by notable academics or entrepreneurs, from the extensive choice of electives, and the chance for on-site visits and international study tours.
In others, it results more from the chance to conduct detailed research, leading to a thesis, on a subject that addresses questions of direct relevance to a major industry and, ideally, the broader business world too.
For faculty staff, though, finding the right balance is a constant challenge and a skill in itself. And that’s especially so at a time when economic power is clearly tilting towards Asia; competition on all fronts is intensifying; and new technologies are accelerating the pace of change and causing a major rethink of corporate strategies, practices and procedures.
“Our philosophy of education teaches the fundamental disciplines in statistics, accounting and economics, as well as psychology and sociology,” says Richard Johnson, associate dean for the executive MBA programme – Europe and Asia, offered in Hong Kong by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. “Students are taught to draw on these, using a set of frameworks, in order to think about business problems from a structured, data-driven perspective. As a result, they are well-prepared to make better decisions and face any challenge they are presented with.”
Indeed, Chicago Booth created the world’s first EMBA programme back in 1943, and is planning suitable celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary next year. A key to meeting the needs of students in Hong Kong, Johnson says, is to fly in teachers from Chicago, thereby giving each class the chance to interact with the top researchers and thought leaders in their fields.
