As part of its international program offering, the Wits
Business School (WBS) has partnered with both
Harvard Business School and INSEAD University
this year to offer two international business
programs. The Managing Young Global Enterprises course
conducted in conjunction with INSEAD, the number one business
school in France and one of the world’s leading business
schools, offers a unique executive education program that will
focus upon leading an organisation in the global arena. Similarly,
the Making Markets Work program in partnership with Harvard
Business School incorporates various international case studies
focusing upon the factors required in the creation of successful
economies; the workings of a thriving company and those
characteristics needed for effective leadership.
The first half of the Managing Young Global Enterprises
program held at the Wits Business School in early July was
lectured by both WBS and INSEAD faculty and
was aimed at
helping participants to develop a comprehensive understanding
of international business and the particular challenges of internationalising
from the perspective of a South African enterprise.
To this end topics covered in the program related to key issues
of marketing, finance, strategy, operations, international trade
and the local regulatory environment.
The second module of the course was held from 23rd – 27th
August on the Europe Campus of INSEAD and was presented
by INSEAD faculty. This section of the course will focuses upon
important issues facing new entrants into the multinational
scene such as structuring multinational enterprises, raising capital on international markets, developing global brands, managing
dispersed teams etc. The teaching approach employed during
both segments of the program is problem-focused and highly
interactive with participants learning through case studies based
upon the pioneering international business
research initiated by
INSEAD.
Lee-Anne Bosman, Marketing and Export Manager at Morgenhof
Wine Estate, participated in the program. “The program
is a fascinating course that really opened my eyes to a far larger
scope of business than the local South African market and I
have found it to be very applicable to the industry in which I
work. Of particular value was the case study method of teaching
as it allowed for a great deal of interaction and discussion
amongst the course members.”
Abdullah Kajee, Senior Manager at Telkom, also found the
case studies to be of value,” The case studies were very informative
and it was fascinating for me to be able to apply the case to
the particular theory and vice versa. I thoroughly enjoyed the
International Economic aspects of the course which covered
exchange rates, interest rates and other international economic
fundamentals. I think My Globe is incredibly relevant to South
African organisations operating in an
African context and looking
to increase future trade in Africa.”
Geoff Bick, Project Director at Wits Business School, says the
program is perfectly suited to senior managers who are leading
their firms in addressing the challenge of how to become a
globally competitive enterprise. “This includes CEOs and other
senior managers from all functional areas, who will take on
ever-increasing responsibilities as their organisation’s geographic
scope expands.”
Adds Professor Adele Thomas, Director of the Wits Business
School, Executives who complete this world-class program will
be able to take advantage of a deep understanding of the local
South African market and broader emerging market context as
well as global best practice as offered by INSEAD.
INSEAD University is one of the world’s leading business
schools internationally recognised as a leader in Global Business
programs. With over 30 years’ experience amongst the world’s
leading international
enterprises from all corners of the globe,
INSEAD has developed concepts and insights that have not
only influenced the world’s top multinationals, but also formed
the basis for global business courses in some of the worlds top
schools. Each year they offer executive programs to over 6400
executives working in more than 90 countries. The university
has an additional campus in Singapore and several partnership
alliances in countries as far afield as Pakistan, India, Brazil and
the Philippines.
The Making Markets Work course, which took place in conjunction
with Harvard in May, is based upon relevant case studies
all of which provide an insight into the intricacies and workings
behind a successful market. The majority of these studies is
international and stem from Harvard but, with the collaboration
of WITS Business School, some local South African studies
were also incorporated together with cases from Mozambique,
Uganda and Rwanda. Topics covered
by the program includes
The State and the Market; Democracy and Development; Trading
across Borders; Entrepreneurship in the Developing World;
Leading in Turbulent Times and Managing Corruption.
Wits Business School Director, Partnership in African Development,
Jonathan Cook, says WBS has had a very positive
response from participants, both from the private and public
sector. The class included a strong contingent from elsewhere in
the African continent with executives from as far afield as Nigeria
and Cameroon in the program. “These kinds of cross-border
interactions make a valuable contribution towards constructing
effective economies across the continent as the participants enter
into dialogues about their home-country experiences. Similarly
the interaction between public and private sector, even in
a setting as small as our classrooms, is invaluable as it is known
that countries with successful economies have a strong working
relationship between the
two sectors.”
Course delegate Nazmi Adams from Afrox found the presence
of government delegates in the Making Markets Work
course extremely positive, as it showed a desire to better
understand how markets can be made to work. “Current South
African government institutions are rich in vision, but leaner
on implementation skills whilst the private sector is richer in
implementation skills. Government institutions need to tap into
private sector experiences by creating “talk shops” and encouraging
managers and leaders to network to a greater extent. The
Making Markets Work course is one such interaction that offers
this valuable exchange of information.”
We are obviously extremely proud of our association with
both INSEAD and Harvard Business School, as such relationships
are imperative in the maintenance of our standards of
academic and research excellence says Prof Thomas. Similarly
it is important for us to extend these initiatives to market
them
into Africa and the high number of executives from the African
continent who participated in the both courses is hopefully an
indication of our ability to cater for that market.
Parties interested in participating in next year’s international
programs may contact Wits Business School on (011) 717
3500.
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