Global pressure or national identity: strategic challenges for Russian business schools
Abstract
In the context of globalization of the business education market, Russian business schools face a complex managerial problem - how to preserve a business school's identity. The parameters of demand for managerial education in Russia have become significantly more complicated, new global competitive pressure forces have arisen, compelling business schools to adjust and revise their strategies and comply with international standards of the global business education market. Normative pressure is one of the key reasons that encourage business schools to adapt successful overseas education models. However, the impact of market logic often covers normative appeals to adaptation, as reflected in copying and adoption of the US MBA model. Our research aims to show what the priorities of Russian business school MBA students are today in choosing a business school, as well as which of the competencies of graduates are most on demand in the Russian labour market. The research was conducted over a period of three years (from 2014 to 2016), 358 Lomonosov Moscow State University MBA program graduates who study in Russia and Kazakhstan participated in our questionnaires. The structure of qualities stated by our graduates raises serious challenges to the content and standards of MBA programs in the global context, especially considering the cultural code of the nation, manifested in the practice of doing business. Globalized and marketable specialized managerial knowledge is clearly a priority among graduates today. Greater attention is being devoted to new innovative models in the field of managerial education (edtech platforms, on-demand platforms, subscription model, freemium model, etc.). The development of innovative models by traditional business schools may cause tension between efficiency and innovation as well as conflicting managerial tasks. Among strategic priorities for Russian business schools under the influence of globalization we highlight: diversification of educational products and services; learning of a complex nature, which increasingly represents the integration of three types of activity: research + learning + consulting; reengineering of educational, organizational, administrative, and marketing processes performed at business schools. The forms of these directions implementation and their effectiveness in the context of the global education market should be the subject of further study.
References
Battilana, J., & Dorado, S. (2010). Building sustainable hybrid organizations: The case of commercial microfinance organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 53 (6), 1419–1440.
Blass, E., & Hayward, P. (2015). Developing globally responsible leaders: What role for business schools in the future? Futures, 66, 35-44.
Brown, T. (2008). Design thinking. Harvard Business Review, June, 84–92.
Cantarello, S., Martini, A., & Nosella, A. (2012). A multi-level model for organizational ambidexterity in the search phase of the innovation process. Creativity & Innovation Management, 21 (1), 28–48.
Cavanaugh, M., Giapponi, C., & Golden, T. (2016). Digital Technology and Student Cognitive Development: The Neuroscience of the University Classroom. Journal of Management Education, 40 (4), 374–397.
Currie, G. (2007). Beyond our imagination: The voice of international students on the MBA. Management Learning, 38 (5), 539–556.
Currie, G., & Knights, D. (2003). Reflecting on a critical pedagogy in MBA education. Management Learning, 34 (1), 27–50.
David, E. (2016). Edtech platform Coursera targets enterprise with ‘Coursera for Business’. Available at: http://siliconangle.com/blog/2016/08/31/edtech-platform-coursera-targets-enterprise-with-coursera-for-business/
Dive Brief. (2016). Coursera embraces Netflix subscription model for course access. EducationDIVE. Available at: http://www.educationdive.com/news/coursera-embraces-netflix-subscription-model-for-course-access/430432/
Ed Tech Developer’s Guide. A primer for software developers, startups, and entrepreneurs. (2015). U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. Available at: http://tech.ed.gov/files/2015/04/Developer-Toolkit.pdf
Espinosa, R.A.P., & Torres, F.C. (2016). What managers really do and the skills required: knowledge provided by direct observation studies. Ponte Academic Journal, 72 (8), http://www.pontejournal.net/mainpanel/abstract.php?TOKEN=gRkgF5411G&PID=PJ-FOP6J (accessed date: 13.07.2016).
Gerasimenko, V., Razumova, T., & Echenique, V. (2015a). Rethinking further professional education: search for multidisciplinary and new technological approaches. Proceedings of 9th International Technology, Education and Development Conference (INTED2015), IATED Academy Madrid, Spain, 3270-3276.
Gerasimenko, V., Razumova, T., & Echenique, V. (2015b). Discussing “MBA crisis”: current challenges and trends in business as evidenced by the educational experience. ICERI2015 Proceedings: 8th International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation Seville, Spain, IATED Academy Seville, Spain, 8174-8181.
Kodeih, F., & Greenwood, R. (2014). Responding to Institutional Complexity: The Role of Identity. Organization Studies, 35 (1), 7–39.
Lamb, P., & Currie, G. (2011). Eclipsing adaptation: The translation of the US MBA model in China. Management Learning, 43 (2), 217–230.
Lancione, M., & Clegg, S. (2015). The lightness of management learning. Management Learning, 46 (3), 280–298.
Liang, N., & Lin, L. (2008). Erroneous learning from the West? A narrative analysis of Chinese MBA cases published in 1992, 1999 and 2003. Management International Review, 5 (5), 603–636.
Moratis, L. (2016). Decoupling Management Education: Some Empirical Findings, Comments, and Speculation. Journal of Management Inquiry, 25 (3), 235–239.
On demand courses. (2015). Coursera Community Operations. Available at: https://learner.coursera.help/hc/en-us/community/posts/205780125-On-demand-courses
Papachroni, A., Heracleous, L., & Paroutis, S. (2016). In pursuit of ambidexterity: Managerial reactions to innovation–efficiency tensions. Human Relations, 69 (9), 1791–1822.
Reay, T., & Hinings, C.R. (2009). Managing the rivalry of competing institutional logics. Organization Studies, 30 (6), 629–652.
Rostasova, M., Corejova, T., & Chrenkova, A. (2013). Transfer of scientific research into lifelong learning at the University of Zilina. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 106, 3149-3158.
Sturdy, A., & Gabriel, Y. (2000). Missionaries, mercenaries or car salesmen? MBA teaching in Malaysia. Journal of Management Studies, 37 (7), 979–1002.
VCIOM. (2016). Press-vipusk №3151. 13.07.2016 https://wciom.ru/index.php?id=236&uid=115775
Web references:
The Author wishes to submit the Work to SJM for publication. To enable SJM to publish the Work and to give effect to the parties’ intention set forth herein, they have agreed to cede the first right to publication and republication in the SJM Journal.
Cession
The Author hereby cedes to SJM, who accepts the cession, to the copyright in and to the paper.
The purpose of the cession is to enable SJM to publish the Work, as first publisher world-wide, and for republication in the SJM Journal, and to grant the right to others to publish the Work world-wide, for so long as such copyright subsists;
SJM shall be entitled to edit the work before publication, as it deems fit, subject to the Authors approval
The Author warrants to SJM that:
- the Author is the owner of the copyright in the Work, whether as author or as reassigned from the Author’s employee and that the Author is entitled to cede the copyright to SJM;
- the paper (or any of its part) is not submitted or accepted for publication in any other Journal;
- the Work is an original work created by the Author;
- the Author has not transferred, ceded, or assigned the copyright, or any part thereof, to any third party; or granted any third party a licence or other right to the copyright, which may affect or detract from the rights granted to SJM in terms of this agreement.
The Author hereby indemnifies the SJM as a body and its individual members, to the fullest extent permitted in law, against all or any claims which may arise consequent to the warranties set forth.
No monetary consideration shall be payable by SJM to the Author for the cession, but SJM shall clearly identify the Author as having produced the Work and ensure that due recognition is given to the Author in any publication of the Work.
Should SJM, in its sole discretion, elect not to publish the Work within 1 year after the date of this agreement, the cession shall lapse and be of no further effect. In such event the copyright shall revert to the Author and SJM shall not publish the Work, or any part thereof, without the Author’s prior written consent.