Understanding the Basics and Value of EMBA

The topic has two fundamental needs: “Understanding” and “Values”. Before any journey is started, it is preferred to be understood and valued. Then the magic starts with “After”: what changes will happen after this degree in EMBA.

I have been associated with EMBA for the past 20+ years, and in these years had a chance to interview executives personally and shared many discussions in the past on their “understanding” and “values” of EMBA. Sometimes the purpose of studying EMBA is to bring visibility about themselves to people (Higher management) in their organization. A higher generalist degree can help bring them back on the professional track since other colleagues respect this academic level.

Let’s break EMBA from two perspectives:

1. Providers
2. Candidates

Providers 

First, relevance is the key. The curriculum must be aligned to the present trends in business and empirical at the same time.

 Adaptability is another key area. As they are working executives, if the blend is not seamless, they will hesitate to take this step.

Furthermore, time management is very crucial since the students need to keep shuttling between jobs or other commitments to studying.

In addition, diversification needs to be taken into consideration. It is essential to have more diverse profiles as more than 52.3% of them plan to get into decision making, policy designing and operational stage of higher management. Therefore, a well-mixed environment will allow them to connect with other professionals who have utilized EMBA for their personal growth and professional development. The provider can widen their network and share stories loaded with facets in a wide range of industries.

Last but not the least is the combination of the core subjects and the electives choices and its overall impact on the individuals’ careers.

Candidates 

There are many reasons for them to see value in EMBA.

EMBA was always in the back of their mind:

First, the prospective EMBAs were too eager to join the workforce when young after college and get involved in their role. The reason to join immediately after graduation or diploma could be mainly due to economic reasons whether motivated or constrained. However, as they started, the preference of getting stable in their specific roles was more important and that made them continue doing the job. Consequently, most of them settle in specialist roles like IT, Operation, Finance, Marketing… Typical EMBA candidates are in the age group of 30s, 40s, and few in their 50s.  Later they feel the master’s degree was always in mind but just couldn’t find the time.

EMBA provides a solid base :

I recently had a Japanese candidate in his late 50s who was eager to have his EMBA because he wanted to get into sustainability. He also wanted to sustain himself in the corporate world for another 15 years with a relevant degree which provides a combination of knowledge which can be used and further applied. EMBA was his favourite choice because it has a curriculum which fulfils his dream to continue in the workforce. He also did a deep dive into every core subject and the electives. He wanted to move up the corporate ladder with an understanding of new trends in the business ecosystem, and EMBA was a great base to achieve that goal.

EMBA is now affordable as they are self-sustained:

It is also noted that many already had a desire to further study from a young age, but affordability was the issue. And now they can fulfill their dreams as they reach a certain extent of financial stability.  Meanwhile, some are very focused that EMBA will bring them to the higher management role. Hence, they time it well enough and get the most out of it.

They are ready for the new journey:

Not to forget, some who can only commit time for themselves now and for few others, it is a calling. There are several candidates who do double masters as they see merits in the qualification and recognition too.

EMBA brings a better lifestyle but it is not talked about often enough:

In addition, there is the other side of the story when EMBAs see better lifestyles for themselves. It is heart-warming, for example I have seen them spending time for better holidays, better life choices for their spouse and children. I can see their content smiles on their faces after EMBA. It does not get centered in the degree or the promotion, but these are the positive currents of the afterlife of EMBA.

EMBA is versatile:

The core subject itself opens perspectives and puts the jigsaw puzzles into a visualized connected scenario. The accounting subject brings the profit and loss into perception. Operation subjects get the process and strategies into place. Marketing opens a different world for many who are not from that domain. Their eyes are wide open in calculating the digital side of branding which is the age we are living in. Moreover, they also understand the fact that every product needs marketing. Entrepreneurship is the talk of every city and country in the post covid days and they get to see this side too. The age of startups now has no age limit. Many EMBA graduates after their degrees plan to start their own ventures. With the supply chain playing a role of a lifeline across the world, it brings the whole business into the well-connected knitted structure.

To name a few subjects:

1.  Project Management
2.  Portfolio Management
3.  Mergers and Acquisition
4.  Blue Ocean Strategy
5. Strategic HRM
6. Corporate Turnaround

With COVID in our lives, and the Ukraine-Russian War going on, candidates are very sensible to adapt well with the aim of ROI (Return on investment). They hold the responsibility with themselves, trusting EMBA, to bring back the fruit of the investment in their professional life.

I have also witnessed trends in the multidisciplinary trajectory of the EMBA. Operation experts further build more on supply chain and data analysis. While others switch roles and domains, all and all they test the market and at the time test themselves to fulfill that role.

For that, they need to build credibility in their own eyes, mind, and soul, and project trust in their employability for the future growth of all the new employees. Whichever way it pays them well, that’s why I call the “E” in EMBA as “Extraordinary” MBA. EMBA forms a robust foundation and we have testified with many success stories which were shared by EMBAs after they graduated. I further did some data analysis: 2% of the EMBAs are having their own businesses, startups. That means the knowledge can be transferred in building a great business which can be further transferred to families and children, which is commendable as they could do so with the body of knowledge, they invested their time and energy in EMBA.

In short, running your own business or growing in the corporate ladder, EMBA brings that value. My conclusions are not intuitive but based on fact and data which support my arguments. 

About the author

Dr Bhanu Ranjan is Assistant Dean–Executive MBA in Singapore &  Associate Professor–Communications and Negotiations at SP Jain School of Global Management.

 

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely author’s own and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha