EMPLOYERS understand the major benefits they receive from the improved managerial and leadership skills of their employees.
Add to that, the reinforced loyalty, and a possible in-company project or report that looks at an issue within the organisation and has the expert input of the business-school faculty.
In fact, more often than not the course gives students the opportunity to put into practice the theory learned in class, directly from the classroom into the boardroom.
The company not only benefits from a direct return on investment from the rich course content, but also sees the increased confidence and the broader communication skills the employee brings back after each module. This prepares the ground for new responsibilities.
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Win-win with an EMBA
For Marianne Vandenbosch, Executive MBA Programme Manager - IMD, the EMBA programme should be regarded as a win-win proposal for sponsoring companies. "You can develop your high-potential people into internationally experienced, globally-oriented managers through a series of job rotations and projects over a number of years," she says.
"But with the EMBA, future stars can get there faster, and take on broader responsibilities. With our company-related assignments, the manager keeps working on the company's behalf even while he or she is doing an EMBA," she adds.
Maureen Williams at Cranfield University sees the benefits of a three-way partnership for the Executive MBA. "Our experience shows that learning is greatly enhanced when the sponsoring organisation becomes a part of a three-way partnership with the student and the school, throughout the programme," she says.
"This encourages sponsoring organisations to view the MBA programme as an integral part of their own management and career development, integrating the requirement for personal development with the company's objectives and future plans.The MBA is a proven and very cost-effective method of general management development."
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Study. Then get promoted
A further option for company support is the idea of ensuring higher positions upon completion of the programme. Hubert Faucher at Essec explains, "The two-year programme is a long period for our participants. Yet, over that time their understanding of their direct environment, behaviour, and objectives will evolve very quickly."
"The time comes where new positions must be secured for the newly regenerated leaders that come out of the programme. In recent years, 75 per cent of our graduates have moved to positions of greater responsibility within 15 months of graduating."
To help you with your project, we have laid out some of the key strategies to try and secure company support for your Executive MBA.
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Photograph: Vipurva Parikh
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