The Oxford Executive MBA (EMBA) programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford has delivered its first module in Bangalore. Taking place during the first year of study on the 21-month part-time modular programme, the new week-long Operations Management module is taught through a series of 'live' case studies and will include collaborative sessions with a range of companies, including software services provider Wipro, specialist manufacturer Moog and an Indian NGO involved in food production.
The programme with 70 students aims to help students get an understanding of how competitive advantage is shaped in India, the implication this competition has for global business, and develop the tools needed to do business in this challenging environment.
Kathy Harvey, EMBA Programme Director said, "The rise of India as a global power is well documented but this poses critical challenges for global business. Companies of every size, from start ups to large corporates are working with Indian firms already. It's vital that managers from across the world gain a greater understanding of the corporate landscape and the insights Indian businesses can bring to a global marketplace. Participants will have the opportunity to experience a new business environment and culture first-hand while still benefiting from Oxford’s education."
The new module complements an existing overseas module that takes place in China during the second year of study which together exposes students to the challenges of global business and some of the key ideas shaping globalisation.
Both modules are led by senior faculty who regularly conduct core research in these economies. In India the programme is taught by Professor David Upton, American Standard Companies Professor of Operations Management and his research partner Bradley Staats, Assistant Professor of Operations at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
The programme not only covers operations strategy as taught across the MBA and Executive MBA programmes but draws upon various strands of research that Professor Upton and Bradley Staats have conducted in India particularly in the application of 'lean' principles to knowledge work, and also on impact operations.
The EMBA is a programme that combines all the elements of the MBA programme in 17 week-long modules. Participants are drawn from across the world, with 75 per cent coming from outside the UK, and from a range of sectors and organisations.
