Explaining influences on career ‘choice’: the case of MBA students in comparative perspective

This study explores the micro-individual, meso-institutional and relational and macro-structural level influences on career choices of MBA students from three countries, questioning the apparent dominance of ‘free choice’ in the context of persistent forms of structural constraints in career markets. The paper takes a critical perspective on career ‘choice’, acknowledging the contested nature of ‘choice’ and identifying career as a socially and historically situated phenomenon. The central hypothesis of the study is that ‘it is more likely for the MBA students to report micro-agentic or meso-instutional and relational rather than macro-structural conditions as key influences on their career choices’. The study draws on the findings of a cross-national survey on careers involving Britain, Israel and Turkey. Findings show that MBA students consider the impact of structural conditions as less significant on their career choices than their own human capital and capacity to make free choices. The study provides an understanding of the main cross-national similarities and differences in reporting of influences on career ‘choice’, and brings to bare interesting theoretical and methodological insights.     

MBA Teaching Challenges in a Changing Political and Economic Environment: A Case Study of MBA Teachers and Students in Poland

Master of Business Administration (MBA) education was introduced to Poland in the early 1990s with the purpose of preparing business practitioners for effective management and leadership in a market economy and increasingly globalizing marketplace. Due to individual, institutional, and national factors; adjusting teaching to address the complex needs of business professionals has proved to be challenging and often problematic for Polish faculty. The purpose of this paper is to examine these challenges in the context of Poland's nondegree MBA programs and to explore potential solutions. The main conclusion of this paper is that adjusting teaching is a slow and complex process that cannot occur without substantial changes in values as well as proactive leadership and collaboration at the individual, institutional, and national levels.     

A Reply to “Business Marketing in Master's Programs: A Part of the Fabric”, But What If the Suit Differs?

ABSTRACT

In this reply to James Narus, James Anderson and Earl Honeycutt (NAH) we elaborate on the journey, a 25-year process, in teaching Business Marketing at Ivey. We further discuss the goal to elevate Business Marketing knowledge in the core of the program, rather than to build a strong specialization in the area. Inspired by NAH's reply, we then comment on the root causes of lack of progress at some schools in bringing more Business Marketing into master's programs, and we address the question, “What about those schools where the characteristics are different from Ivey, i.e., how far can our ideas be generalized?”     

工商管理专业学生人才培养面临的机遇和挑战

社会变化的来势会汹涌澎湃,个人及团体的抱负和愿望将会继续加强,当考虑未来的管理活动以及怎样通过教育加强管理活动时,我们必须认清等待我们的是怎样的未来。只从当前形势着眼来谈工商管理专业人才培养在教学内容和课程设置、教学方法等方面存在很多问题,集中体现为学生能力的欠缺和能力发不均衡,培养人才教育要考虑未来的管理活动以及怎样通过教育加强管理活动,我们需要预测以后的就业形式,必须密切关注市场人才需求,以能力培养为突破口,按照知识经济发展趋势和工商管理教育的发展规律进行改革的机遇和挑战。     

A Global MBA for Tomorrow's Global Business Leaders

Abstract

Traditional IB programs have received mixed reviews from the corporate world. With this in mind, the Suffolk GMBA was benchmarked against the leading international business programs. The Suffolk GMBA was designed to be different and to ascertain the global environment in which business operates. A unique feature of the GMBA curriculum detailed in this article is the combination of Boston's international business locational advantage with functional integration of the many disciplines that make international business unique. Borrowing components from the fields of economics, government and politics, finance, marketing, ethics, and law, a curriculum matrix was developed identifying and sequencing the key topics to be taught. The authors also explain potential pitfalls and outline a model which can be successfully implemented in other graduate international business programs. This program is shaping the thoughts and actions of tomorrow's global business leaders through its integrative decision-making framework of global perspectives and competencies.     

中国情境下的哈佛案例教学法：多案例比较研究

本文从价值链模型和资源基础观出发,分析了哈佛案例教学法的价值活动结构与特征、作用机制及该模式的系统性和难模仿性。通过四个案例的比较研究,揭示了中国情境下的MBA管理教育中,有经验的教师如何根据中国的环境和学员情况,在学习哈佛模式的基础上,在案例来源与选择、组织方式、课堂讨论、教师总结等方面进行一系列替代和创新性活动,以取得较好的教学效果。研究表明,中国MBA管理教育中运用哈佛案例教学法必须在坚持、替代和创新中达到平衡。论文提出了国内教师在MBA教育中运用案例教学法的一个假说性的综合框架,并提出了相应的管理政策建议和进一步的研究展望。     

MBA课程案例教学适用性和有效性研究

案例教学适用性是指课程适合使用案例教学的程度。本文首先从知识层面分析影响课程案例教学适用性的因素;接着使用问卷调查的方法,筛选出MBA核心课程,并采用SPSS软件对MBA核心课程的案例教学适用性进行聚类分析,将课程按照案例教学适用性分成三类,并选取三所院校的MBA案例库对聚类分析的结果进行证明;最后以市场营销为例说明MBA课程采用案例教学存在的问题及改进措施。研究结论对MBA课程教学具有重要的参考价值和指导意义。     

案例教学对于MBA学员管理能力提升的实证研究

本文采用实证研究的方法,对大连、山东、北京等地的216名MBA学员进行了案例教学有效性认知的问卷调查,并选择了一个31人的MBA班进行了案例教学与传统讲授的教学效果比较研究。研究结果表明：案例教学在”学习分析问题的思路”、“提高解决问题能力”、“改善思考方式”和“锻炼沟通能力”等方面的效果大大优于传统讲授;而且在本研究的八项管理能力中,除了“创新能力”外,案例教学对于其他七项管理能力提升的有效性都得到了MBA学员的高度认可。     

MBA会计学课程教学相关问题研究

高质量的会计学课程教学,对提升MBA教育的内在质量、提高MBA教育的社会声誉至关重要。本文对MBA会计学的课程设置、教学内容、教学方法以及教材与案例的选择等相关问题进行了研究,强调教师对MBA差异化教育规律、教学内容以及教学方法的不断探索与恰当运用是提升教学质量的关键所在。