In business education change is a given to keep MBAs at the cutting edge.
This is why, each year, the academic planning committee of the University of Stellenbosch business school (USB) takes a fresh look at its MBA, as well as other leading MBAs in the world, to ensure alignment.
“We are always looking at what the market is expecting from MBA graduates and at what we are delivering to our students,” says Professor Wim Gevers, the USB’s associate director: academic. “We do this despite the fact that our MBA is accredited by the European Foundation for Management Development and the Association of MBAs.”
He says even though the content of USB’s MBA is in line with the MBAs of top schools around the world, the school has decided to make changes in its 2009 MBA.
“Content-wise, leadership development will remain a central theme of our MBA next year. In addition, the MBA will continue to equip participants with theory as well as real-world management and leadership competencies that can be applied in any industry and in any country.
“However, in the new MBA we’ll focus more strongly on integrated thinking, instead of on a silo approach to business problems.
Business decisions are highly complex; that is why we need to get away from thinking in isolated units of knowledge.
“The new MBA will also use off-campus learning for the mastering of theory, while on-campus time will be used for facilitation and the application of theory in practice. And we plan to place more emphasis on the written and verbal communication abilities of students throughout the MBA,” says Gevers.
Martin Butler, senior lecturer in information systems at the USB and a member of the MBA restructuring committee, says the aim of the MBA is to develop a core of functional knowledge and skills based on an integrated approach, in order to apply knowledge across subject boundaries.
“In the real world, managers often have to find a solution to a problem which involves, say, IT, human resources as well as the marketing department of a company. To assist our MBA students to think more holistically, we will make extensive use of case studies presented by a team of lecturers, all present in the same class,” says Butler.
From 2009 the USB will also increasingly use the e-learning platform, Blackboard, to help students become proficient in theory. Blackboard will also be used for interactive assessments off campus. This will free up on-campus time so that contact sessions can focus on facilitation and application.
The MBA now also follows a generalist approach with management enhancement options at the end of the class programme.
“In the past, specialisation opportunities were provided mainly through electives and a research report. These specialisation opportunities — now called management enhancements — have been expanded to include fieldwork, internships and other programmes and projects. International exchange opportunities and the annual MBA international study tour will be promoted as part of management enhancement on the new MBA,” says Butler.
Dr Babita Mathur-Helm, senior lecturer in diversity management and a member of the sustainable leadership development group that drives leadership development on the MBA programme, says the USB has to go beyond current expectations and develop MBA graduates who are a better resource for the business environment of tomorrow.
The leadership development module in particular will prepare students for their roles as change agents, says Mathur-Helm. The module focuses on personal, group and organisational leadership, and covers areas like ethical decision-making, multi-cultural sensitivity, valuing and leading diversity, leadership and teaming, organisational change, corporate governance, people management, employment relations and negotiation.
Electives on applied change leadership, environmental finance, spiritual leadership, facilitation and coaching will also help students to grow as leaders, she says.
This is an edited version of an article published in the latest Agenda, a magazine of the USB