Online MBA Forum

Since writing the last three pieces on MBAs for the emerging market economies, I've pondered a little on the subject. I can understand that people from these economies see MBAs as being a shorthand way of learning about the capitalist system - and in some ways that can be true. However, applying the lessons is the really hard part.

Actually one of the advantages of studying for an MBA is that you do get to apply learning during the program, and so get feedback during the process - always a really helpful way of learning. Using these projects for real situations, as you are able to do with an online MBA is one of the most helpful parts of studying such a program in a new environment.

India is a country with a different background than either China or Russia, as mentioned yesterday. Both China and Russia have had a long period of communism, with regimes that effectively banned capitalism and any education in the principles of business.

However India has a long history of capitalism, both under it's own government and in the days of the Raj. It's higher education systems are largely based on the British systems, and it is open to the ideas of capitalism. Many of it's entrepreneurs have a background of business education. India is buying business education from other countries, and the market for online MBAs is healthy. In many ways for some years this was an easier market for MBAs, as the need for business education was absolutely understood.

Now, MBAs from America are highly valued in India, and with the rise of the economy and the high tech sector in particular, this valuation is likely to continue.

Following yesterday's theme about the use of MBA programs in emerging market countries such as Russia, China, and India, I took a little time to see if I could find out about how MBAs were regarded in China. According to the Economist, MBAs are regarded as a major must for the emerging middle and senior level management of many of the new enterprises. There are several business schools set up in the country to deliver their own and other universities MBAs, they are sending their people to Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the US to study on MBA programs, and they are really hot on online MBAs.

China is generating the kind of commercial activity that is making it a major player in the global economy, and education is a major priority for the country. Studying for an MBA is seen as one of the most effective ways of preparing the next generation of managers for China's pre-eminant role in the world.

James made a posting at the end of last week about new research on salaries and bonuses for 2005 - I'll take a look and find the latest reports. But he also made the point that MBAs were big for India, China and Russia. I happen to have some real knowledge of the Russian market, as I lived and worked there for a number of years, and in fact many of my Russian colleagues studied MBAs while I was there.

For the emerging markets MBAs are very important, both for the knowledge they can teach people who have not been working in a capitalist economy, and for the credibility that holding such a qualification will bring. Many people find it difficult to find enough money for the fees for an MBA, and impossible to finance the loss of income, so online MBAs are very popular. In particular, MBAs from American institutions, the home of the MBA and the largest and most successful capitalist economy. This trend is likely to expand over the next few years, as these economies expand and can afford to educate more people in business.