Sandy Richtermeyer

Associate Dean and Professor of Accountancy
Xavier University

Project Title:

A Framework for Part-Time Professional MBA Programs

Overview:

This project presents an MBA immersion model that includes a framework suitable for part-time professional MBA programs. An increasing number of MBA students enrolled in Xavier’s part-time professional MBA program are taking elective courses organized as global study trips. The trips often last seven to ten days and they include visits and learning experiences with leading corporations in a particular country. The trips place an emphasis on “doing business” in a particular country and students often analyze industries or specific corporations with a focus on common MBA areas of study such as accounting, economics, entrepreneurism, ethics, finance, leadership, management, marketing, operations, and technology. As the students focus on these areas, they often overlook learning about the following four areas: 1) marginalized communities, 2) living conditions for the poor, 3) peace and justice and 4) other social issues that vary by country. I believe that by integrating these four areas into the learning objectives and requirements for the trip, we can provide an experience that more fully integrates Jesuit education into the MBA program. During their graduate program, MBA students are learning to look at organizations through an “MBA lens”, or an enterprise wide focus. This project allows them to extend their learning and the way in which they analyze global business opportunities by including the four areas above into their analysis and examine how these issues can impact overall business models, the value chain, performance, and the supply chain. The approach suggested in this project can be implemented in the following phases of the trip: 1) pre-work completed prior to departure, 2) daily reflections and conversations during the trip, 2) post-trip reflections, 3) pre-trip and post-trip presentations and/or papers.

Rational:

I believe there are very few existing opportunities for MBA students to gain an understanding of Jesuit education compared to our traditional undergraduate education. Global student trips are being encouraged for all MBA students and they offer unique opportunities for creating an immersion experience that links to our Jesuit mission.

Project Details:

1. A framework for the Director of our Center for International Education (CIE) to apply as an aid in making trip decisions and in educating the Center’s advisory board.
2. A presentation for faculty who will be leading global study trips to help them understand how Jesuit education can be specifically integrated into the learning objectives of the trip.
3. A presentation for MBA students to learn more about the Jesuit mission
4. A conversation guide for instructors to use pre-trip, during the trip and post-trip
5. A suggested model for integrating the outcomes of this project with graduate program assessment.

Indications of Success:

1) Significant interest by the Director of the CIE.
2) Significant interest by the board ofthe CIE.
3) Willingness of faculty to embrace the key project themes.

Challenges:

1) Business faculty may lack an understanding of how MBA education can be differentiated through our Jesuit mission.
2) Some faculty who regularly lead trips are not interested in changing the learning objectives for their course trip.