Andrew C.F. Chan Associate Dean, Faculty of Business Administration Director, MBA Programmes The Chinese University of Hong Kong

In an ultra-competitive employment market, job candidates and promotion hopefuls are constantly looking for ways to gain an edge over the rest of the pack. Everyone recognizes the value of improved academic qualifications, but one postgraduate degree reigns supreme amid the plethora of options open to eager students with an eye on the career ladder: the MBA.

Yet why is the MBA considered to be ideal primer for ambitious executives? Professor Andrew Chan, Director of MBA Programmes at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) says that the general grounding in the full range of business disciplines (such as HR, training, MIS, logistics, marketing etc.) makes the course difficult to beat.

"To operate a business, a manager has to look after many functional concerns; an MBA gives him this orientation," he explains. "A Master's degree in, say, marketing, would be very specialised, focusing on topics such as advertising, salesmanship and market research.

"If you want to run your own business, whether from the perspective of an entrepreneur or a CEO, an MBA is the ideal route; whereas if you want to focus on a particular field a specialised postgraduate degree would be more suitable."

First among equals?

Although an MBA offers an insight into many subjects, Professor Chan insists that the degree does not compete with, but rather complements other postgraduate programs.

"In my experience, many MBA participants already have a Master's degree in their specialist subject, and from teaching the CUHK's MSc in E-Commerce I've noticed that the reverse is also true," he notes.

One concern of students might be that some MBA content might have already been covered in their previous studies, resulting in a waste of time and resources. This is easily sidestepped by exemptions in certain subjects if a candidate can prove previous study; taking other optional modules can make up for the shortfall in credits.

While an MBA course lasts for 18 months for fulltime students and between two to five years for part-time candidates, Professor Chan insists that the focus of the program is to set graduates up for long-term career progression.

"The overall training is aimed at grooming managers who can handle a wide variety of responsibilities, rather than just their specific areas," he says. "With an MBA, a manager can meet not only the immediate requirements of today's business environment, but is also well prepared for the future."

Lifelong learning

As an executive progresses up the career ladder, his responsibilities become less focused, and he will have to interact with colleagues and third parties from a hugely diverse array of backgrounds and interests. It is with this in mind that the MBA helps prepare the manager to quickly grasp new situations and concepts, according to Professor Chan.

Despite the excellent grounding offered by the MBA program, it is not, by any means, the definitive answer to every business and commercial problem an executive may face.

"The MBA's strength is that it gives graduates the key to a whole new world of knowledge," says Professor Chan. "Classroom study trains the students, and empowers them with the tools to progress, change and advance. Learning does not stop after earning an MBA; continuous development is essential."

Taken from Career Times 2002/05/31