Delivering MBA Programs in Emerging Markets : The Challenge of National Culture
The Challenge of National Culture

<p>Increasingly, Western-style MBA programs are being delivered in emerging markets, as the developed countries become more and more saturated with MBAs and related offerings. This article, based on the global experience of the author in teaching and assessing MBA modules including thesis and dissertation research and writing, suggests approaches to coping with the special challenges faced in new markets for MBA delivery worldwide. The differences with typical experiences in the West are cultural, linguistic, behavioral and relate to learning styles, economic backgrounds, use of technology, and relationships with administrators, teachers and fellow-students. This article is based on the author’s experiences of MBA course delivery in China, the Arab World, Africa, Iran, Malaysia and Indonesia, Vietnam, Eastern Europe, former Russian states such as Kazakhstan, and South America, such as Peru and Suriname. Examples of specific MBA teaching and assessment challenges are provided, with possible solutions and approaches for coping.</p>