EMBA is for executive seekers

When it comes to Executive MBA or EMBA, many Koreans believe the programs are for executives in their 40s and 50s, who want to merely build networks with other high-ranking businessmen. However, it is different story for the MBA School at Sungkyunkwan University or SKK Graduate School of Business (SKK GSB).

Dan Smith, dean of Kelley School of Business at Indiana University says EMBA program, run together with SKK GSB, was extremely successful in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

By Kang Shin-who

When it comes to Executive MBA or EMBA, many Koreans believe the programs are for executives in their 40s and 50s, who want to merely build networks with other high-ranking businessmen. However, it is different story for the MBA School at Sungkyunkwan University or SKK Graduate School of Business (SKK GSB).

The school’s EMBA program, run together with the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, is not for executives rather for those who want to get high-ranking positions.

In an interview with The Korea Times, Dan Smith, dean of Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, stressed that the joint program was very practical and efficient with a strong foundation, and provided skills to build a successful and lasting business career. Some 20 faculty members from both schools co-teach students.

SKK GSB will produce its first-ever graduate of the EMBA, early next year and the dean visited Seoul to deliver a special lecture to graduates, who will receive EMBA degrees from both schools.

The dean with a career in the field for more than 20 years said the program has been extremely successful; students have learned a lot and faculty members have also gained a lot while they teach here.

Question: It is a trend in Korea for lots of schools to have partnerships with foreign business schools. How do you think SKK GSB MBA programs are different from others?

Answer: First of all, our teaching approach is very different. We focus on experiential learning, which means we use lots of social studies and actual applications where students are expected to go back and use what they learned in the school. So, the first thing is experiential learning. Secondly, we are deliberately trying to maintain a relatively small program with 40 to 45 students. Our faculty can provide a lot of “one-on-one” time for each student. We think this is another important teaching approach.

What I am really proud of is this program combines what I call analytical business methods regarding finance, accounting and marketing, with leadership skills development. So, we deal with issues such as cross cultural communication and negotiation strategies; how to negotiate in a different world; and how to resolve conflicts with employees and vendors. I think these are three things that distinguish our program from others.

Q: What kind of students apply for EMBA programs in the U.S.? How are their profiles different compared to students in Korea? Most Korean EMBA students are in their 50s.

A: Those in the U.S. are trying to improve their career and they are working while studying. They have usually a minimum of 10 to 12 years work experience and their age is about 30 to 35. The next levels are executive programs, which may or may not be credited. These are not necessarily degree related. They could last one week or be a short term intense course talking about globalization and marketing. Executives in their 40s and 50s are usually dealing with a larger set of issues.

The difference and uniqueness about Korean students is that their way of thinking is more global. They have already have worked internationally, and many of them have lived abroad. I am not saying students in the U.S. are less globally developed. Students in this EMBA program are more sophisticated than other students.

Q: What are the MBA trends in the U.S. and what are the similarities and differences with Korean MBAs?

A: In the States, people spend lots of time to develop technical business skills such as those required for financing, marketing and accounting. We have talked about enhancing leadership broadly but actual education has not been based on that so far. Therefore, now the major trend is shifting to focus on developing business leadership skills, fundamental business skills and social responsibility. What is good about Korean programs is their global orientation. They are focusing much more on global fields and perspectives.

In this economy, a lot of students are afraid of traditional MBA programs. They are afraid of quitting their job and going to school again. Many good MBA programs are based on international students. When you see the separate picture of international and American students, the latter are applying to traditional MBA schools less and less. But executive MBAs and other special MBA programs that are taught on weekends are becoming more popular. I think over the next couple of years the number of international students in the States will shrink and the market will soften. There are good MBA programs around the world, particularly in Australia, Korea, India, China and Latin America. These are all major markets for US graduate schools. So, international and global degrees will be the trend in the future.

Q: How do you see the future of the Juris Doctor (JD)/ MBA program and any advice for SKK GSB, which plans to launch the program?

A: Other than criminal law, most of the discipline is involved with business in various fields. Lots of lawyers work at business law, but don’t know much about business. They are smart people but they do not understand business like business professionals. It is a very popular degree in the US. Lawyers need to understand and know about business models regarding electronics property rights. Electronic property rights will become a larger issue in the future. JD/MBA programs need to help prepare for this. The second important thing involves the financial market and financial instruments. For instance, financial instruments are becoming so complicated that without any basic background, lawyers might not be able to work in firms dealing with these. So, for the future, these are the two most important things in the JD/MBA course.