Yale students head for India (MBA buzz/fad ping)

Rediff India ^ | 1/31/06 | SG Mazumdar

[voletti]

A group of 20 students along with a faculty member from the Yale University's School of Management is visiting India this month as part of the varsity's initiative to help students learn more about a country 'emerging as an economic force in the 21st century.'

During their on study programme in India, they will be attached to companies to learn business practices and environment in the country.

Yale's 'Business on the Indian Subcontinent Study Trip 2006,' is a new initiative combining a six-week course and a two-week trip to India. The business study trip to India is the centerpiece and primary component of the 'Emerging Market Study Trip, Destination India' course.

The students are expected to attend all classes and attend all company meetings during the trip. The visit is intended to familiarise students with India's general business environment, highlight the development of key industry sectors and offer insights into the management practices at individual companies.

In addition to five classes taught by Yale faculty, specialising in Indian politics, culture and business, the students have been carrying out research in preparation for the trip.

Teams of two or three students will be assigned to one of the companies that the class will be visiting and will prepare a comprehensive report on the firm.

Each report will include sector and company overview, history, financials, and competitive landscape.

The teams will also present a market analysis, an assessment of opportunities and threats faced by the firm and identify strategic decisions facing management. Company reports will also include background information on senior management. Grades for the course will be determined by quality of the presentations on company/industry and the final reports as well as participation in the course and meetings on the trip.

[voletti]

Going by the rapid birth and death cycles of past MBA fads, how will this one fare? Besides, the yale MBAs ought to size up potential future competition. Indian MBAs are below the radar today but 20 yrs hence, may become a formidable force, who knows?

[CarrotAndStick]

Indian MBA programmes from the chain of IIMs, and a couple of other private colleges are reputed world-over.

IIRC, Singapore wanted one of the IIMs to setup a college in that country.

[Sonny M]

I had to do one of these MBA class trips, we wound up going to Prague, and Budapest.

We got to meet the faculty of a university that George Soros founded and met some of his buddies, in addition, we had to explore and look into the changing eastern (new) european economy.

Not a bad learning experience.

[texassizednightcrawler]

I tried to apply for a job at Booz Allen Hamilton, but I was not a good candidate. The good old boy network there started in India.

[tanknetter]

Probably a good idea, since like it or not (and outsourcing trends/fads completely aside) the global economy is here and here to stay. And India, with a decently educated, LARGE population will be one of the powerhouses of the 21st century

I was lucky in my MBA program - we had a much larger % of international students then the norm, and it definitely added to the experience.

[vabeachrepub]

"I was lucky in my MBA program - we had a much larger % of international students then the norm, and it definitely added to the experience."

I'm glad you had a good experience with your foreign students. We had a large number of foreign students in my MBA program and it was definately a mixed bag. Some kids were there to learn but some were just in the program to come over to the states, party and get a degree and go back home. This could be really annoying when the Prof decided you had to do group projects.

[tanknetter]

Actually, what you just said could describe a lot of the younger American kids who entered my program just as I finished (during the last recession - with a full time job, wife, kids and mortgage it took me four years to complete the degree).

With expectations set WAY too high as a result of the 1990s bubble, they couldn't find employment commiserate with their egos. So they figured that going back to b-school was a great way to perpetuate their undergrad lifestyles. The last year was downright painful, with the emphasis on team projects. They figured it was ok to skate through the semester, pull all-nighters the last weekend before the project was due and then collect a B. *I* on the other hand, had a tuition reimbursement agreement with my employer where I only got full reimbursement for an A. I ended up carrying the projects in three or four of my classes.

The foreign students were MUCH more dedicated and harder working than the American kids. This was especially true of the students from mainland China, who were not only more diligent than many of their American peers but also had a greater appreciation for concepts like liberty and democracy. If only there were a way for the Chinese to skip over the next generation or two of their geriatric leadership, I wouldn't worry at ALL about that nation.

[vabeachrepub]

I went to b-school at night so all the Americans were relatively hard working trying to get ahead types. However, we took alot of classes in the last two years with some of the day students so maybe we should have known - what kind of day student takes a class at 7:00 at night? The partiers. And to be fair about half of the foreigners did put some effort in so the overall proportion of foreign students in the day program who were trying was probably much higher.