News
Wednesday 11 May 2005
Programme masters quality results
‘Priceless.’ That was the verdict given by alumnus Paul Johnston, when asked to describe Nottingham Business School’s MBA programme – and it turns out he wasn’t alone. In-depth research into the value of the MBA has shown it to be highly valuable as a means for both management practice and furthering careers.
Carried out by Nottingham Trent University researcher Amanda Hay, the study explored what individuals had taken from the MBA programme and how this related to their jobs and careers. It involved in-depth interviews with MBA alumni from backgrounds spanning the private, public and voluntary sector, in positions ranging from middle managers to board directors.
The research comes at a time when the contribution of business and management education, and MBA programmes in particular are being placed under the spotlight. One international scholar recently launched an attack on US MBA programmes arguing that they trained the wrong people in the wrong ways with the wrong consequences.
As a shareholding director at the age of 40, Paul Johnston wasn’t sure which way to turn when the tenure of his firm in the electronic amusement and gaming industry came to end. Worried that he couldn’t easily transfer his knowledge to another area of business but keen to develop his skills, he opted for Nottingham Business School’s flexible, part-time MBA programme.
The programme equipped him with the necessary expertise to pursue a completely different career route and for the last two years Paul has been working as a Senior Lecturer in Strategy in Sheffield Hallam University’s Department of Organisation and Management.
He said: “The MBA provided me with a strong set of sense-making tools, a more analytical background and exposure to areas of management I was not familiar with. The learning and changing module was particularly beneficial. The validity of MBAs in general has received some negative publicity in the past but this research goes to show just how vital an asset they can be.”
Pratibha Hindocha who graduated in 1999 and is now Director of Community Relations at Derby College has a similar success story. She has moved through various managerial positions since completing the MBA and believes the course provided her with the tools to be able to achieve this.
She said: “The MBA provided me with the underpinning knowledge needed to succeed in management, as well as a great deal of confidence to go along with it. The course both empowered me and enriched my credibility among my peers. I now use skills gained from the MBA to develop ideas at work into highly valued projects. I can also manage so many different projects at the same time, which I may not have otherwise been able to do.”
Researcher Amanda Hay said: “Paul and Pratibha’s experience coincide with other interviewees. The research demonstrates the overall value of the Business School’s MBA to management practice and careers. Generally the findings indicated that the MBA was seen to involve a transformative learning experience rather than an acquisition of technical expertise.”
She added: “The three main outcomes identified were that the MBA broadened perspectives, gave an enhanced sense of self and provided tools, techniques and theories. It proved to be a vital avenue for those alumni keen on career climbing, career confidence and career choice. The research findings have important implications for curriculum development and will be used to further enhance the MBA programme.”
ENDS
Notes for editors: The Nottingham Business School MBA programme aims to provide underpinning knowledge and analytical skills necessary to function at a strategic level and develop the ability to respond to and manage change effectively. The programme places an important emphasis on linking theory and practice and to this end a distinctive feature is an international consultancy project which involves a week spent at an overseas organisation tackling an international business issue. MBA students have undertaken projects at numerous locations worldwide including Vietnam, USA, Malaysia, Malawi, New Zealand and Poland.
For more information please contact:
Dave Rogers, Press Officer, on Tel: 0115 848 2650 or via email: dave.rogers@ntu.ac.uk
Or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, on Tel: 0115 848 6589 or via email: therese.easom@ntu.ac.uk
