The trend of MBA programmes in developed countries expanding the provision to emergent economies continues unabated. Yet very little is acknowledged about the practical difficulties of consistency across quite diverse contexts. Based on participant-observation as a professor in an MBA programme, the author demonstrates how its global curriculum invariably had to be adapted in the dozen or so countries it is taught in. Hence global higher education programmes need to take into consideration the differences of context, both of students, institutions and nation. Paradoxically a sought-after global degree has to be multi-national or at best transnational in teaching approach to be relevant. The question remains what constitutes global management education and whether globality is an unrealistic ideal to pursue despite the compelling rhetoric.

1. AMOS OWEN THOMAS
British University of Egypt
Cairo, Egypt
IMPLAUSIBILITY OF GLOBALITY:
EXPORTING DEVELOPED-WORLD MBA DEGREES

2. © Amos Owen Thomas Presentation Slide:2
THE CONTEXT
Globalisation of management education
 Promotional buzzword versus demonstrable reality:
 Risk of being perceived as parochial otherwise
Under-funding of ‘developed world’ universities
 Funding cutbacks from the public purse:
 Imperative of entrepreneurial funding streams
IMPLAUSABILITY OF GLOBALITY / EXPORTING MBA

3. THE CONCEPT
Replication without fuss
 Same curriculum, different location:
 Similar students, comparable resources
High fees, marginal cost
 Prestige of a First-World degree:
 Targeting better developing and transitional economies
 Foreign professors on ‘over-time’:
 Plus qualified local / regional adjuncts
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4. European Institution
Over 30 years since foundation:
Early MBA provider in Europe; autonomous from universities
Residential one-year MBA:
Mostly students from developing world via scholarships
Founding director and international expansion:
About 15 locations in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Mid-East
Regional board and local management:
International academics, few full-time and locally based
Accreditation and ranking:
National, ANMBA, others; not EQUIS, AASCB or ‘top 20’

5. THE PARTNERS
Issues
 Academic credibility and administrative efficiency:
 Overseas public or private universities disinterest
 Commercial entities, professional institutes and equity
Resolution
 Selection criteria and selectivity:
Sunset clauses and ‘pre-nup’ agreements
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6. THE FACILITIES
Issues
Some partners are ‘more equal’ than others:
 Classroom layout and equipment
 Library, IT and other learning resources
Resolution
Ownership, alliances and control abroad:
 Standardisation stipulations as in franchising
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7. Latin American Programme
Established-university partner
Reputable, semi-autonomous school, accredited
Purpose-built campus
New, tiered classrooms, a-v equipment, IT, library
Core full-time faculty team
Regular visiting profs, from home & other developed countries
Self-funded industry middle-managers
Reasonable English, medium-size classes, some exposure
Paced two-week schedule
Every other evening plus one weekend day; Europe stint

8. East African Programme
Regional management institute:
Public-service related, national branches, unaccredited
Rented facilities and offices:
School-style classrooms, no IT, AV or library
Some travelling faculty members:
Visiting profs, from home institution & developing countries
Sponsored civil servants or quasi-govt executives:
Good English, small classes, out-of-towners, low exposure
Intensive 4-day, 8-hour day schedule:
Back-to-back courses, clashing deadlines; no Europe stint

9. THE LECTURERS
Issues
 Academic freedom versus consistent quality:
 Over-stretching of full-time home-institution staff
 Utilisation of other host- or third-country staff
Resolution
 Having a dedicated team for every course:
 Senior academic oversight over adjuncts
 Taught as standard workload, not overload/overtime
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10. THE PARTICIPANTS
Issues
 Attitudes to learning, motivations for education:
 Facility with language; mono-cultural contexts
 Size of class, interactions and distractions
Resolution
 Stringent entry requirements and exit options:
 Independent testing of language, plus interviewing
 Money-back to under-performers / failures
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11. THE MODES
Issues
 After-work fatigue; distraction from office and home:
 Intensive every-night, full days or extended weekends
Resolution
 Consistent schedules across all locations:
 Preferably alternate weeknights & one weekend day
 Stints at main campus, plus other campuses:
 Web-enhanced or web-based; local tutors
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12. East Asian Programme
Established-university partner:
Public-service related, national branches, unaccredited
Shared campus facilities:
School-style classroom; IT, AV and library
Seconded university lecturers:
Visiting profs, from home institution & developing countries
Self-funding industry executives:
Poor English, large classes, medium foreign exposure
Intensive 1-week plus 2 weekends schedule:
Coaching ‘assistance’ with assessments; no Europe stint

13. Middle East Programme
Joint-venture commercial school:
Solely to offer the European MBA programme
Dedicated facilities and offices:
School-style classrooms; reasonable IT, AV or library
Core local academic team:
Visiting profs, from home institution & developing countries
Sponsored civil servants and industry executives:
Good English, medium classes, some foreign exposure
Stretched 3-week schedule:
Every other evening, 3 nights per week; two groups alternate

14. FUTURE CHALLENGES
Problems to overcome
 Profitability agenda:
 Market saturation, recruitment pressure, partner returns
Intercultural competence:
 Admin staff & academics, in both home & host countries
 Dilution of equity through expansion & partners:
 Consequences for home- and partner-institutions
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15. FUTURE CHALLENGES
Possibilities to explore
Global learning through inter-location interactions:
 Input into/from local masters programmes & academics
Targeting the lesser developing markets:
 Programmes in not-for-profit / public administration
 Broader education, interdisciplinary insights:
 Critical perspectives vs. professional credentials
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16. FUTURE CHALLENGES
Points to ponder
 Can and should offshore MBA programmes replicate
their domestic versions?
 Does the profit motive of exported MBA programmes
undermine integrity and quality?
 What constitutes a truly global MBA programme for
managers in emergent economies?
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