B-school trends come and go, but one that seems to have legs is the creation of specialized MBA programs, particularly by second-tier schools. The schools find them useful for attracting students and cementing their brand identities at a time when competition among schools for the best students is intense. In recent years, they’ve becoming increasingly common (BusinessWeek.com, 7/19/07) even at high-profile schools. Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management, and the Wharton School now offer specialized MBAs, majors, or dual degree programs in areas like real estate, sports management, biosciences, electronic commerce, and health care.

But is a specialized program always a good choice for an MBA student?

Not necessarily. While established programs have placement records on par with those of their general MBAs, many newer programs have not yet established the kind of recruiting relationships that guarantee students high-paying jobs at graduation. And graduates always run the risk of getting hamstrung by their specialties later in their careers, when an industry downturn forces them to look outside their specialties for opportunities.
Chart Your Own Path

Some who have gone through the specialized programs say they are best for those with a firm idea of their future goals, and who are keen to chart their own path. “I knew what I wanted to do,” said Carrie Stern Rathod, who received her MBA from Wisconsin’s Brand ‐ Product Management Center in 2005 and now works for Procter & Gamble (PG), which recruits regularly from the program. “There’s a range of people for whom this program is ideal. If you have an entrepreneurial bent but are not sure you’re ready to take the leap yet, the program might be right.” But, she added, “I think it would be tough if you wanted to go into consulting or something like that.”

For students who aren’t comfortable breaking away from the pack or seeking out professional contacts in unconventional ways, a specialized MBA might not be the best choice. This is especially true at less well-known schools, where big companies often don’t recruit. Students in these programs agree that making industry connections can require a lot of initiative from the student. “If you have a very specific company in mind, you might need to be a trailblazer in making relationships with those companies,” says Rathod.

More : businessweek.com

A Keokuk, Iowa USA firm announces the opening of a free online degree school search. The Free search is a milestone which owner Keith Londrie II wanted to accomplish in 2008. The search can be accessed at http://best-online-degree-schools.com and is available to any prospective online student.

The website has only been online approximately 2 weeks, and we are up to 201 searches per day and have increased capacity to handle hundreds of thousands of searches per day. Reaching the goal of 200 searches was completed in just 2 weeks. The secondary goal is to reach 100,000 searches by the end of 2008.

Keith Londrie says “With the amount of promotion we are doing for this free search service for online degrees, we should reach the goal of 100,000 searches by the end of 2008″.

The orange search box stands out vividly when you get to the site and look for where to do your search. The database of schools is the largest I have seen. You are virtually guaranteed to find a school that meets your expectations.

Keith Londrie said, “With the price of gasoline going up so much it is important to cut costs anywhere possible. The most logical place to start is with college transportation. Choose to learn online and save money while doing it”.

Source : webwire.com

A unique opportunity for higher education aiming to prepare future leaders of the community is coming to Pickaway County this fall.

Berger Hospital is teaming up with Ohio University in Athens to offer OU’s professional Master of Business Administration in Circleville.

“We’re constantly meeting to talk about what we might do to expand educational opportunities for the community,” Berger President Tim Colburn said. “Why an MBA program? Because health care is a business, and we need to make sure we’re building and developing future leaders.”

Berger already has a partnership with OU at its Chillicothe branch to train nurses in Circleville, and Colburn said the success of that program gave Berger an inroad for more educational offerings locally.

The program, which takes about 22 months to complete, consists of one evening a week of classroom activities held via video conference with instructors in Athens and a weekend course once every six weeks on the Athens campus.

OU has been offering the professional MBA through outreach programs for the last five years, according to Dr. Ed Yost, OU’s director of executive graduate education and development, and he said it’s been very successful preparing students for the business world.

“This program is aimed at working professionals to complete an MBA in a non-full time environment,” Yost said. “It’s designed for people that who maybe don’t have a business degree to give people a background to turn into a managerial career step.”

Yost said the course is delivered with more group projects rather than class work, and that was part of the appeal for Berger, according to Suzanne Welker, Berger’s human resources director.

“We’re excited about the synergy the group will have and think the teamwork will benefit the hospital and community,” Welker said. “Business management develops over time and we want to maximize skill development.”

Students in the program will learn about analytical decision making, which focuses on making good business decisions and professional development, including managing people and resources, teamwork and leadership, according to Yost.

He said the course also gives professionals the opportunity to meet people in other businesses and build on local networks.

More : circlevilleherald.1upmonitor.com

You don’t have to have an MBA to know the value of basic business skills. Just ask Greg Shaw, 22, and the 54 other recent graduates of the Carolina Business Institute at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

These new biologists, psychologists and arts majors added the business course to their resumes before stepping out into the real world. Many think it will give them a competitive edge in the workplace. Some think such skills are necessary if they want to one day run their own businesses. And others want the confidence of knowing how to manage personal finances.

UNC’s Friday Center has offered a 4-week business boot camp to non-business students for 16 years. The intense course covers basic business practices including marketing, accounting, finance and operations management.

Its latest class graduated in June.

Among them was Shaw, who received a bachelor’s degree in biology at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Shaw said that in addition to helping with his personal budget, the class gave him the skills to one day manage his own medical practice. “Running a clinic is a business,” he said. “You have to know what to pay people and how to buy equipment and machines.”

Other schools across the nation offer similar programs, including the Tuck Business Bridge program at Dartmouth College and the Summer Institute for General Management at Stanford University.

At North Carolina State University, nonbusiness students are offered four business minors, in accounting, business administration, economics and entrepreneurship, said Steve Barr, a professor who heads the department of management, innovation and entrepreneurship.

In the past, students took such classes mainly to bolster their resumes. But the curriculums have been enhanced to help with a variety of business practices, and students are gleaning practical use from such programs.

Will Aldridge, 28, a UNC psychology graduate who completed the institute in 2006, said the courses give him a competitive advantage in the workplace.

Aldridge was working as an intern at a workplace consulting firm in Atlanta when a client needed advice about the benefits of Six Sigma. It’s a management program that identifies and replaces the causes of defects and errors in manufacturing and business processes.

“I told them, ‘Hey, I just had a class on that,’ ” Aldridge said. His boss was not familiar with Six Sigma, so Aldridge used what he had learned to help the client.

More : courant.com

Samford University’s Brock School of Business is changing the schedule of its evening MBA program.

The graduate program - taken often by working professionals - is being revamped into two semesters that are nine weeks each with a 10-week summer semester, the school reported Thursday.

The program used to have five, nine-week terms in a year.

Under the new schedule, each course will meet for a two-hour class each week, giving students more time to study and learn the material, school officials said.

“We have retained the flexibility and convenience for working professionals through the option of attending one evening a week,” said Larry Harper, director of Graduate and Executive Education Programs at the Brock School of Business in a news release. “In addition, students can complete the degree in as little as 12 months by attending full-time or 22 months by attending part-time.”

The new curriculum covers all business functions and is designed to offer a more complete general management experience. Students also learn to exercise ethical business practices.

“Managers need comprehensive skills and sound values in order to achieve the disparate goals of their investors, customers, employees and the public at large,” said Beck A. Taylor, dean of the Brock School of Business. “At the Brock School, our charge is to help current and aspiring managers to discover solutions that meet these goals.”

The evening MBA program is the oldest in the state of Alabama and takes applications year round. Students can enter the program in January, June and August.

More : bizjournals.com

Paul Wellings, the vice chancellor of the Lancaster University, United Kingdom was recently in the Capital on a brief visit. During his visit a memorandum-of-understanding was signed between the Lancaster University and Jawaharlal Nehru University for conducting joint research in social sciences, says a press release.

Apart from this, Lancaster University has recently entered into partnerships to offer joint-degree programmes with Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and collaborative degrees and joint research agreement in life sciences with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). In addition, an agreement has been formulated for research cooperation with Lancaster INFOLAB21 and Computer and Communications Research, Institute of Technology, Mumbai.

Management conclave

The GLA Institute of Technology and Management, Mathura recently organised a management conclave `Managing change and transformation in India Inc in global perspective,’ says a press note. The conclave was inaugurated by A Kalanidhi, former vice chancellor, Anna University and advisor, Sterling Infocom Ltd; Alok Aggarwal, executive director, Polar Industries and Ganeshi Lal Aggarwal. The event began with a `Saraswati vandana’, which was followed by the presentation of the conclave theme by Alok Aggarwal, in which he stressed on the need to be fully abreast with the corporate sector and the importance of affordability, acceptability and availability in the same. In a highly motivating lecture, Kalanidhi expressed his simple yet profound ideas, on the occasion. Mementos were presented to distinguished speakers and a cash reward of Rs 10,000 was announced for the MBA topper of the institute.

Accolades for Aptech

Adding yet another feather to its cap, Aptech has been named among `India’s Biggest Newsmakers’ in the second annual Business Today - Cirrus Review of CEOs and Companies that got the best press coverage in 2004, as per a press release.

A global learning organisation, Aptech Ltd is playing a key role in helping individuals, organisations and nations adapt to the changing requirements of a knowledge-driven world. It has acted as a catalyst to change by encouraging the sharing of knowledge through intelligent training and education solutions. Aptech’s recent forays include learning services - e-learning and consultancy, ATTEST - testing and certification and Aptech Higher Education Services.

IMT courses

The Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad invites applications for courses through the distance-learning mode. The courses are affiliated to the Vidyasagar University, West Bengal. The courses are: Master’s in Business Administration (MBA); Master’s in Human Resource Management (MHRM); Master’s in Marketing Management (MMM) and Master’s in Supply Chain Management (MSCM). The eligibility is a graduation or appearing in the final year.

In addition, it invites applications for one-year specialised diplomas in business administration, marketing management, personnel management, financial management, export management and material management. The eligibility for these courses is a 10+2 with a five-year experience or graduation, or a three-year diploma in engineering from the board of technical education, after a 10+2.

The forms and prospectus are available on payment of Rs 700 in cash. Contact the Advanced Management Institute, 67 (Basement), Hargovind Enclave, Opposite Railway Reservation Centre, Karkardooma, Delhi-92. The deadline is March 6, 2005. E-mail:imtdelhi9@yahoo.com.

Paramedical courses

The Nice Academy of Paramedical Sciences affiliated to Ch Charan Singh University, Meerut, under IDE invites applications for programmes, namely, hospital management; radio imaging technology and medical laboratory technology, wherein, the duration of the degree courses is three years and diploma and certificate course is one-year. In addition, it offers a physiotherapy programme, where the duration for the degree course is four years and diploma and certificate course is a one-year.

The biggest carmaker, General Motors, India’s capital was head hunted silicon, which offers a lot of 2005 on the conclusion of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore - Shanghai China a detachment of its establishment.

It is a unique double for the institute, which since the existence of the last three decades. While the GM head hunting is probably fairly well, it is perhaps for the first time that the Middle Kingdom would be the best after a taste of India’s most prestigious B-schools.

Turning to the figures. Against five companies during the year 2004 for the location zero (the first day of qualifying period), the number this year is almost three times. The newcomer to this year are HSBC, British Petroleum, Barclays, General Motors and Bank of America.

The list of companies in 2005 to zero Slot Board consists of three companies - McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and AT Kearney.

Said Gauri Gupta of BCG: “The 2005 is well on track, particularly in analytical representation of a high degree of maturity.”

Other hirers contain a mixture of investment banks and industrial products.

Officials, which provides details have not yet been calculated, but seemed confident that these would be higher than those of 2004.

While Capital One has leased for New York, British Petroleum, it is anticipated that the supply of Singapore. HSBC is the attitude of New York, London and Hong Kong, while Deutsche Bank would recall staff to London.

One of the biggest banks in France, BNP recruitment, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

The second day of negotiations, it is the turn of the usual suspects-FMCG majors like HLL and P & G. In addition to these two Citibank is also the second day, which is also the National Kidney Foundation, Singapore.

Mr. and Mrs. James S. Wey of Needham, Mass., have announced the engagement of their daughter, Susan M. Wey, to William Colyer Crum, son of Prof. and Mrs. Colyer Crum of Weston, Mass., and Sunapee, N.H.

A September wedding is planned in Needham. Miss Wey, an engineer at Honeywell Electro-Optics Operations in Lexington, Mass., was graduated cum laude from Wellesley College and next month expects to receive an M.S. degree in electrical engineering from Northeastern University.

Her father is with the trust department of Hale & Dorr in Boston.

Mr. Crum, who is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College, is a third-year student in the joint J.D.-M.B.A. degree program at the Harvard Law School and the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. His father is James R. Williston Professor of Investment Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

The former ambassador to India and Australia, the Philippines and professor of management, CP Ravindranath, provide the address to the national conference on the theme “New growth cycle in the context of globalization: lessons for India Inc Shimoga to Friday.

SHIMOGA: Former ambassador to India and Australia, the Philippines and professor emeritus at the Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Bangalore, CP Ravindranath said Friday that prospects for India in the growth cycle arising of globalization are considerable.

“But to implement requires a mixture of politics, institution building and good governance from the government, strategic thinking and a high degree of competitiveness on the part of the economy and sustainable industry and the improving quality in that part of our education system, “he said.

It was the availability of Keynote of the national conference on “New growth cycle in the context of globalization: lessons for India Inc organized by the Department of Management studies on the Jawaharlal Nehru National College of Engineering (JNNCE).

He said: “For the economy as a whole around to make sure the most of the growth cycle for the words of economist Dani Rodik, is the combination of opportunities offered by global markets, with a national investment and institution-building strategy and the Promotion of minds pets contractor. ”

Mr. Ravindranath said that in a historical perspective, globalization can be seen as the last phase in the evolution of the world by the industrial revolution.

The story was written by globalization, are now in two colors: a color by technological developments in transportation and communication and the other by State measures, nature and how governments are intervened to reduce barriers to the flow of trade and investment worldwide.

He asked: “Now, with all this in perspective, what are the tasks for India Inc see how we opportunities and the challenges of globalization?” He said: “Given that India Inc` “Includes the government, our political class and industry, including workers, answers to this question, represent a wide range of opinions. But it should be possible to consider some projects, like we should approach the globalization and respond as well on what it promises and what he claims. ”

Mr. Ravindranath said the GDP of India, which had stagnated at 3.5 per cent in the first three decades of planning and rose to 5.5 per cent in the years 1980, had an average of 6 percent from 1992 — 93 which could be allocated for economic reforms. “But the logic of globalization dictates other reform measures in various areas ranging factor markets for restructuring the public sector and financial sector and fiscal reform,” he said.

He said that radical economic reforms without increasing the annual growth rate of 9 per cent to 10 per cent for the eradication of poverty and to achieve developed country status by the year 2020 has not been possible.

“So it is a major challenge for India Inc” to a “globalization” of the world, our willingness and capacity to implement the rest of basic economic reforms, “he added.

The assertion that the removal of economic performance would depend on our ability, except for more economic reforms, improvement of infrastructure essential to attracting more foreign direct investment and a better governance, he said that an overview of the prospects in India and in knowledge sectors of manufacturing industry in a “globalization of the economy, namely that the country is the potential force scalability capabilities. ”

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kuvempu, K. Chidananda Gowda, opened the conference, India has spoken in detail the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks in the global economy. He said that India was amended by the third phase of globalization and said that during

India has also in the first phase of globalization, the first century AD, the establishment of its economic contacts with Rome with Kerala, a large shopping mall, but not much else to do in the second phase of globalization, between 1870 and 1914, when the British regime.

However, India must consider if the necessary political will, seize the opportunities thrown by the globalization of the world overcome its threats and vulnerabilities to achieve economic growth to strengthen, he said.

The head of the Department of Management Studies, N. Diwakar Rao, in his opening remarks, said that one of the objectives of the conference was to assess and understand the experiences of enterprises and their leaders in the new growth cycle in the context of globalization.

The president of the National Society of Education, DR Rathnakar the presidency of the Conference. The secretary of the municipality of the national education, SV Thimmaiah, published in the conference. Previously, the president of JNNCE, A.V. Subramanyam, welcomed the collection.

CHENNAI: India Institute of Technology (IITS) have long been recognized as one of the best of our education system and also have the worldwide recognition that the institutions comparable to the best in the world, the vice-president, planning the communication, Montek Singh Ahluwalia said here on Friday.

As graduates of the IITS were well in the USA, the U.S. Congress recently adopted a resolution on the estimation of these institutions, alongside the assessment of contributions by Indian Americans on the U.S. economy .

India is indeed the rate of private savings on a broad basis of the ability of business, commitment to an independent judiciary and respect for accepted standards of accounting had observers suggest that the country has able to achieve a growth rate of over 8 per cent per annum, however, support political measures were available, “said Ahluwalia also the convocation address in IIT.

M.S. Ananth, director of IIT Madras, has been awarded 1134 degrees. Among them, 82 Ph.Ds, 98 MS, 411 M Tech, 37 MBA, MSc 83, 80 and Dual Degree 343 B. Tech.

“These accounts cover a wide range of disciplines and specialties offered by the ten engineering departments, three divisions, the division of management studies and the Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences and Humanities”.

The Chairman, Board of Governors, AE Muthunayagam said the creation of technology park would be a reality, with the government allotting areas related to the IIT.

Among the winners was Arvind Thiagarajan, receive, the President of India and the price by the highest score among CGPA-tech students and pupils in two ways.

The governor, the prize went to Mahesh Krishnamurthi (B. Tech). Karthik Srivatsa (B. M. technology and dual-Tech Degree), Dr. bags Shankar Dayal Sharma, while the price-AVN Ravikanth, the Institute was awarded the Order of Merit.