The Association of Business Schools’ latest ‘Tomorrow’s MBA’ research into what prospective MBA students are looking for has found that there is an in...
The Association of Business Schools’ latest ‘Tomorrow’s MBA’ research into what prospective MBA students are looking for has found that there is an increased demand for entrepreneurial skills.
Entrepreneurship is not new to the MBA,
but for many years the focus for many MBA students, both full time, executive and Distance Learning MBA, has been banking, finance and consulting. The report argues that the era of entrepreneurship as a dominant feature of MBA education has arrived.
1. Why is there a growing interest in entrepreneurship education amongst MBA students?
The report suggests that this may be explained in part by the impact of the economic downturn on the job market, and the declining number of jobs in banking and finance. I believe that this is complemented by the growing importance employers are giving to the entrepreneurial potential of appointees in their recruitment processes – even in public sector organisations.
2. Can you teach someone to be an entrepreneur?
Can we ensure that a new Alan Sugar will emerge among MBA graduates of Bradford University School of Management? Many believe that entrepreneurship is an inherent personality type and not a teachable skill. Interestingly however you never hear the question: ‘can you teach someone to be artistic?’ ie. can Oxford University ensure that another Salvador Dali will emerge among graduates of its Fine Arts programme?
Entrepreneurship requires certain innate skills but they are skills that most people already have which just need to be nurtured.
3. What can Business Schools do to support entrepreneurial behaviour through their Full Time, Executive and Distance Learning MBAs and other programmes?
The question of whether you can teach entrepreneurship can be viewed as wrong. Increasingly people are convinced, as entrepreneurship education grows of age, that there are many things we can and are doing to support entrepreneurial behaviour. These include
• providing students with an understanding of creative thinking processes as well as the ability to use contemporary creative thinking techniques
• enhancing the ability of students to identify and map out opportunities, that will enable them to act entrepreneurially not only through business start-up but also within existing organisations
• developing skills in functional areas of business (such as finance, marketing, operations and technology management) that are essential for the realisation of entrepreneurial ideas
• advancing the leadership attributes of individuals, so that they can articulate their vision and secure the buy-in needed for the realisation of their entrepreneurial ventures
So, to go back to one of the earlier questions: can we ensure that a new Alan Sugar will emerge among MBA graduates of Bradford University School of Management? No we can’t. But can we guarantee that MBA graduates from our School are creative, enterprising, trying to identify opportunities, and possess the skills needed to exploit these opportunities.
Many MBA students and alumni will have stories about how they have used their entrepreneurial skills to further their careesr as a business owner or employee.
The Bradford Distance Learning MBA may well have particular appeal for entrepreneurial students as it is aimed at intelligent, highly motivated managers looking to gain the essential business and management skills required in the increasingly competitive, diverse and dynamic business environment.
Although studying largely independently, Distance Learning MBA students get all the benefits of being at a leading international business school and gaining a globally recognised qualification. You will also get access to all of our learning, careers and support services as well as our online library and academic expertise.
Bradford University School of Management is one of the oldest university-based business schools and our MBA programme, which is respected by leading employers worldwide, has been running for more than 30 years.
The School of Management and our MBA programmes are ranked amongst some of the top business schools in the world for graduate salary increases and value for money against the quality of teaching. We are accredited by EQUIS and AMBA and are working towards AACSB accreditation, which will put us in an elite group of business schools with the ‘triple crown’.
