Fast-track MBAs in first-class comfort

Australian Financial Review, 2 October 2003, p. 4

At the same time, the course content of MBAs is changing, according to Andrew Horsley, of executive search consultant Horsley & Company. "The courses have more practical content and deal with quite specific industry issues. Nevertheless, there is still a big gulf between the way the world is and the way business schools think it is. "It is difficult for business schools to be across all the current issues. But the better business schools have good relevant business and industry research experience. That is what you pay for," he says. He adds that course content with IT and the ability to be on top of electronic commerce is here to stay. "But it is important not to diminish a person's emotional intelligence, and how they can make a contribution to the organisation.". Does he look for an MBA when he is recruiting executives? "Not necessarily. An MBA is a bonus. I look at where the MBA is done, and how it has translated into the executive's career". He says that employers do look for tertiary qualifications of some description, but very few will insist that the employee must have an MBA. But if two people have equal skills, the one with the MBA will have an edge.