Preparing the Next Generation of Global Leaders

The University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School has three MBA for Executives programs that are designed to accelerate career success for executives who are competing, or want to compete, in the global economy.

The OneMBA® Program Trains Global Leaders

BusinessWeek called it a “new model” in executive MBA education in 2001. Today, UNC Kenan-Flagler’s OneMBA® program is helping its fifth class of executives learn to lead globally.

UNC Kenan-Flagler offers OneMBA in partnership with four universities around the world:

• The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Faculty of Business Administration, Hong Kong SAR, China
• Fundação Getulio Vargas, Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo (FGV-EAESP), Brazil
• The Monterrey Tech Graduate School of Business Administration and Leadership (EGADE_ITESM), Mexico
• Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), The Netherlands

Students from UNC and its partner universities study the core curriculum at their “home” university and participate in weeklong residencies in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

OneMBA residencies are integral to the program. “You’ve got to experience what it’s really like in other cultures,” says David Ravenscraft, associate dean of OneMBA.

Students are split into global teams to work on joint projects during the 21-month program. They meet each other several times during the period and are expected to communicate virtually the rest of the time. It’s an experience many of the executives repeat immediately on the job. “Virtual teams are how multinational corporations do business all the time,” Ravenscraft says.

The program also forges global networks. “One of the greatest benefits is that they develop friends and colleagues all around the world,” Ravenscraft says. “When they want to do business somewhere in the world, they have someone to help them.”

“Multinational companies need multicultural leaders,” says Mike Hall, program director of OneMBA at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. “That is the raison d’etre of this program.”

Taking the Next Step with the MBA for Executives Programs

UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Weekend and Evening programs are designed to teach students to analyze problems, think strategically and build strong organizations. These programs begin with 16 core courses that build a common foundation for students. During the final year of the program, students select a minimum of 10 electives from more than 40 course offerings. Few, if any, executive MBA programs offer as many choices in elective courses as UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Weekend and Evening programs.

Strong teamwork and networking skills accelerate the success of graduates of UNC’s MBA for Executives programs. During the core courses, students are organized into teams of five or six peers with diverse backgrounds so they can draw on each other’s strengths. These teams are a valuable resource as students complete projects and prepare for future career success.

In today’s global marketplace, UNC Kenan-Flagler’s priority is to weave the study of global management throughout the core curriculum. In addition to class study, UNC offers students the opportunity to participate in one of several global immersion courses. In 2006, executive MBA students traveled to South America, South Africa, China and Hong Kong, India and Southeast Asia.

Return on Investment

The return on investment for Executive MBA students is more than raises or promotions. It’s also the knowledge and professional network that gives executives – and their companies a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

For Sameer and T.J. Singla, UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA for Executives programs armed them with the business skills and cultural education they needed to be successful in China.

Married life got easier for Sameer (UNC MBA for Executives '00) and T.J. (UNC OneMBA '04) Singla once they started working in the same time zone. Sameer's transfer from Ashland Inc.'s Ohio office to Shanghai as managing director of Valvoline cut 19 hours off his commute. T.J., who had commuted from Singapore to Washington, D.C. to earn her OneMBA degree, relocated to Shanghai, where she is doing freelance supply-chain training.

As the pace of globalization has accelerated, so has the need for companies to place managers and officers who possess a head for business and feet for travel, along with a subtle touch for all things multinational. Such a combination may be found in the globetrotting Singlas.

For about three years, Sameer and T.J. helped lead their employers' Asia Pacific operations from Singapore (T.J.) and Shanghai (Sameer).

Now that the self-described "challenge seekers" are finally based in the same city, they continue to thrive in a market that has growth so intense it needs to be handled with care 24/7.

The Singlas refer to the "hard and soft" skills they need to negotiate life as global business leaders and expatriates, which is not all glitz and glamour. Widely differing political and cultural mores can be vexing at times. They contend with transportation issues and language barriers. Both what they consider only "taxicab fluent" in Chinese, they rely on translators for meetings.

Sure, their vise-like grasp of accounting, marketing and operations is critical to advancing business interests. However, says 31-year-old T.J., the move from the West's more homogenous environment also requires willingness to "constantly evaluate how other people perceive you.

Experiential learning residencies on four continents during the OneMBA Program helped T.J. learn about many such cultural differences, as did global teaming projects.

Another important lesson the Singlas learned, no matter the location: Good help is hard to find and keep. "It comes down to inspiring people more than managing them," T.J. says. Sameer concurs, adding, "Instilling passion is important if you want people to move in the same direction as you."

Value to Companies

The skills students develop and strengthen through the Weekend, Evening or OneMBA programs ultimately create value for their companies. Benefits companies realize include the ability of graduates to:

• Use personal networks to gather information
• Discern the requirements for success in competitive environments
• Think cross-functionally and challenge the current business model
• Negotiate deals that are favorable for all parties involved
• Effectively communicate across organizations and business partners

“Managers who come to UNC to strengthen their analytical skills soon realize the value of the strategic and relationship skills needed to be a true leader. Our curriculum allows them to master quantitative methods while building leadership skills,” says Penny Oslund, executive director of the UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA for Executive programs. “We shape people with senior management potential into leaders who excel in a collaborative, team-based environment.”