Back to school

Developing your talent at executive level is a key weapon in the drive for competitive advantage. A great way to do this is to send high-achievers on an MBA program. HRM had the pleasure of speaking with Hugh O’Neill, Associate Dean at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, who outlined what his school offers, and how an MBA can help develop better thinking in the enterprise.

HRM. The University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School offers a range of MBA programs for working professionals. Can you start by outlining the different kinds of options you offer?
HON. Today, the world is a global marketplace. UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School has three MBA for Executives Programs that are designed to accelerate career success for professionals who are competing, or want to compete, in the global economy.

OneMBA is a global executive MBA program with partner universities on four continents. It’s designed to bring together executives living and working around the world, and enable them to create a network of global business leaders.

Today, the OneMBA program is helping its fifth class of executives learn to lead globally. It is offered in partnership with four leading business schools 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

Our MBA for Executives 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 these 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, the school’s top 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 elective courses. In 2006, executive MBA students travelled to South America, South Africa, China and Hong Kong, India and Southeast Asia.

HRM. It seems like many executive MBA programs today claim to have a global component. What makes the UNC Kenan-Flagler OneMBA Program unique?
HON. BusinessWeek called it a ‘new model’ in executive MBA education in 2001. The OneMBA Program’s unique format is comprised of three key components: globally coordinated courses, global residencies and local courses. This allows participants to exchange experiences and build powerful relationships as they complete international projects and meet face to face during the global residencies.

The OneMBA network, characterized by a rich diversity of cultures, gives participants first-hand knowledge of how businesses operate all over the world and creates a unique environment for developing a global mindset.

Executives maintain that the network of international contacts they develop through the program is one of its most valuable benefits. This network provides a growing resource for OneMBA executives and their companies as they manage, source, sell and compete around the globe.

The OneMBA class of 2008 is a diverse group of 107 executives of 17 different nationalities and with various backgrounds and expectations. This diversity creates an ideal environment for the development of the future global executive.

HRM. Classroom teaching is all well and good, but how do you help ensure that lessons are taken back to the real-life business situation, and applied as an ongoing process?
HON. The skills students develop and strengthen through the Weekend, Evening or OneMBA Program ultimately create value for their companies. Some 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 also 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. We shape people with senior management potential into leaders who excel in a collaborative, team-based environment.

HRM. All firms are looking for ROI on training programs. How can you prove the ROI case for something like more education?
HON. The return on investment for companies sponsoring executive MBA students is more than short-term economics. It’s also the knowledge and professional network that gives executives – and their companies – a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

UNC’s Kenan-Flagler MBA for Executives Programs are known for our strategy-focused curriculum. In fact, BusinessWeek ranked us number four in strategy. Our curriculum is built on the key management skills professionals need: analyzing environments, building strategies, and shaping leaders.

How does this translate into dollars and cents for corporate sponsors? The confidence and knowledge students gain during the program often leads them to volunteer for new assignments. They look for ways to apply their knowledge back on the job, adding immediate value to their company.

In the end, though, the real ROI for an MBA and his or her company is better thinking. Professionals learn to think through complex problems in a more disciplined way. And, they learn to drive results based on strategic thinking. These are the skills that accelerate business.

Hugh O’Neill is the Edward M O’Herron, Jr Distinguished Scholar; Associate Dean, MBA for Executives Programs; and Professor of Strategy at UNC Kenan-Flagler. He is the recipient of the Weekend and OneMBA Teaching Excellence Awards.

His research interests include turnaround strategies, corporate governance, mergers, entrepreneurship in emerging and recovering economies and managerial decision-making.

He teaches courses and programs in quality management, corporate transformation and strategic management. He also has delivered executive programs for companies such as Wachovia Corporation, WC Bradley, Quintiles Transnational Corporation, the US Postal Service, US Navy and U. Marine Corps.

Prior to joining UNC Kenan-Flagler, he served as founding director of the Wolff Family Program in Entrepreneurship at the University of Connecticut. He was the founding director of the regional office of the Connecticut Small Business Development Center.

He received his PhD from the University of Massachusetts, his MS from Polytechnic Institute of New York and his BA from Syracuse University.