Enriching Work Experience and Bringing New Opportunity(1)

Enriching Work Experience and Bringing New Opportunity(1)

After coming back to work on February, I have been noticing what I wrote at the first Fujitsu scholarship assignment is being realized step by step. Summary of my first assignment goes like this: First of all, thanks to EWKLP program, my global horizon was amazingly broadened. Course works, group discussion and presentation, field studies, outdoor activities and travelling combined together, really worked to widen my global sights on various issues. 

From Switzerland, England to Chinese, Japanese and South American backgrounds, faculty diversity gave the entire class a big hand to share different values and gain global perspectives. Just like the instructor profile, course work profile was also colorful. The fact that not all instructors are full-time professors rings a big bell to me.

Secondly, I'd like to make special comments on friendship. In the individual page of the yearbook, I wrote down, “Let's keep our thicker-than-blood friendship for good!” Truly speaking, it is exactly what I felt from the 19 dear classmates. 

From the day one, we were just like long-time friends. And as time went by, this friendship grew more and more strengthened. Thanks to precious friends, I carved enormous valuable memories deep in my heart. In some way, more than EWKLP curriculum itself, I appreciate spending 3 months with 19 wonderful friends.

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(5)

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(5)

Looking back on, there are things which I hope to be improved or fixed in the near future. For example, I still can't fully understand why students have to submit a key learning report per each class. Some class lasted only 2 or 3 hours and contents were not clear as well. Under this circumstance, requiring a key learning report is asking too much. Students may have strong temptation of cooking up stories.

Additionally, a couple of outdoor activities such as visits to Swap Meet and Honolulu Zoo were way from expectation. Putting the title of a filed study in the shade, energy and vitality was rarely noticed on the sport as if reflecting gloomy economic situation in Hawaii.

Last not but least, comparing other corporate scholarship programs, Fujitsu scholarship assignments seems much. I understand each company has different point of views on their scholarship policies as part of its CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) activities. However, even requiring an additional assignment after students go back to their home country sounds not a reasonable idea. Once given, it could be better to leave the scholarship entirely in the hands of students.

In spite of some shortfalls, in general, EWKLP and Fujitsu scholarship is well-organized enough to realize my goals which I dreamed back in Korea last year. Once again, I truly appreciate all JAIMS staff and Fujitsu personnel for letting me broaden global horizon and build up rich friendship. And I hope JAIMS and EWKLP will make more distinct presence in the international community soon.

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(4)

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(4)

Secondly, I'd like to make special comments on friendship. In the individual page of the yearbook, I wrote down, "Let's keep our thicker-than-blood friendship for good!" Truly speaking, it is exactly what I felt from the 19 dear classmates. 

Each single student has different background. Some are from East Asia, some from Southeast Asia, one even from Europe. And their gender, age, types of work and interests are not identical.

However, from the day one, we were just like long-time friends. And as time went by, this friendship grew more and more strengthened. What we shared most was class. We talked, discussed and presented almost all topics. However, at the same time, we played hard and enjoyed plentiful outdoor activities such as travelling, marathon, table tennis, surfing and swimming. 

In short, we were none other than a family. Thanks to precious friends, I carved enormous valuable memories deep in my heart. In some way, more than EWKLP curriculum itself, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate spending 3 months with 19 wonderful and splendid friends.

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(3)

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(3)

Most of all, I want to give big applauds to diversity of instructors and subjects. Of course, it is true that majority instructors come from University of Hawaii. Taking the geographical characteristic of Hawaii into consideration, it is not something disappointing. In fact, class enjoyed quite a few instructors from different regions all over the world. From Switzerland, England, mainland America to Chinese, Japanese and South American backgrounds, faculty diversity gave the entire class a big hand to share different values and gain global perspectives. 

Just like the instructor profile, course work profile was also colorful. As a management institution, to some extent, business related subjects are mostly stressed over the whole curriculum inevitably. However, time to time, non-business subjects, to name a few, philosophy, anthropology, Buddhism and Confucianism, decently covered as well. 

In this time of economic downturns when CEOs (Chief Executive Officer) seek more business opportunities from liberal arts, non-business curriculums made EWKLP classes richer and richer. Moreover, the fact that not all instructors are full-time professors rings a big bell to me. Some instructors are involved in real business practices such as consulting, leadership and legal industries. Also, some of the guests run their own business globally.

In that even full-time MBA education pays more and more attention on real work experience these days, through non-academic instructors, delivering the hot issues of the outside world is remarkable merits of EWKLP. In doing so, not only EWKLP succeeded in differentiating itself from similar scholarship programs, but also students could balance between the 'Gemba' and textbook theories and models as a professor Ikujiro Nonaka pointed out during his class. These lessons approached me as something more global, timely and practical.

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(2)

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(2)

Against this background, it is not an easy thing at all to find out proper words or expressions which best describes my 3 months stay in Hawaii. After nights of twist and toast, I finally came up with two ideas; Broadening Global Horizon & Building Up Rich Friendship.

Needless to say, life at JAIMS and further in Hawaii was ‘Golden Period of My Lifetime’ mainly because I learned global perspective and met 19 gorgeous friends at the same time. And the expectation that I sincerely had deep in my heart back in Korea, dare to say, almost achieved during the past 3 months.

First of all, thanks to EWKLP program, my global horizon was amazingly broadened. Honestly specking, it was not my first time to go abroad. Since I joined the media industry, I have been to more than 20 countries on business trips even to South America and Scandinavian countries. However, it was the work which counted the most on business trips. 

In other words, I rarely had enough time to look around the place and taste the local atmosphere. As a result, most times, I made myself be just satisfied with only scratching the surface of the unfamiliar culture. But this time was a huge exception. Course works, group discussion and presentation, field studies, outdoor activities and travelling combined together, really worked to widen my global sights on various issues.

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(1)

Broadening Global Horizon and Building Up Rich Friendship(1)

Before coming to Hawaii, in my application forms to JAIMS(Japan-America Institute of Management Science), rough expectation on EWKLP(East-West Knowledge Leaders Program) went like this: EWKLP will be of great significance to me. By studying various subjects of business, I can not only deepen my knowledge but also harmonize my experience, as a journalist, with theory.

That could explain why lessons from EWKLP will lead me to make more profound articles on business practices. I have little doubt that 3 months in Hawaii will absolutely help me realize my lifetime goal, contributing myself to my country. In this time of financial crisis, insightful articles can make people happy. It can change the world, too. State-of-the-art business cases will also give new ideas to business leaders in Korea with whom I have had firm relationship. Interviews with CEOs and corporate management convinced me that they are dying for new and practical business principles.

In addition, EWKLP will serve a good chance to promote Korea to foreign friends. In spite of strong economic size and potentials, Korea is one of the undervalued countries in the global stage. Some business sectors such as semi-conductor, shipping and automobile industry, Korean companies are leading the world. By actively introducing Korean companies and their success stories to classes, I want to let EWKLP participants know more about Korea.

At the same time, I will do my best to be more aware of neighboring countries. These may create new business opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region after EWKLP students go back to their home. Amongst the participant countries, it is also anticipated that improved image on Korea will enhance nation-level relationship.

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(6)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(6) - Integrating East & West

If ideas suggested above come true, enormous synergy effects can be anticipated. Shown as a spiral in the SECI model, stakeholders of MBA education, students, schools and companies will be surely satisfied with the brand-new MBA education model. By exchanging human talent, financial support and further developing co-project and consulting, model for innovation will pave the new way for the future of MBA education in Korea, Japan and China.

Against this background, it will not be a wishful thinking anymore for Asian MBA schools to list their names on the top of the global MBA rankings. For that, we will not just sit idle. No matter how difficult it would be, we are going to try our best to realize our suggestions in all three countries.

Starting Korea, our first action plan is to underscore the importance of Eastern-Western value integrated MBA education in the academic and corporate sector by all means. Then, we will propose the new MBA education model to schools, companies, Ministry of Education of each country and contact companies to join the new MBA curriculum launch and support the schools at the same time.

Throughout all these efforts, if students will have more skills, expertise to increase productivity and will be more rounded globally and companies will also have greater competitive advantages, we can dare to say our model for innovation, the brand-new MBA education model, succeeds in adding values to the stakeholders of MBA education in Korea, Japan and China.

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(5)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(5) - Integrating East & West

In that Korea, Japan and China is located close to each other, MBA schools in three countries have great advantage to provide comprehensive curriculum.

In this sense, BESETO program, a North-East Asian university belt for strengthening relationship among Beijing (Peking) University, Seoul National University and Tokyo National University, is required to be more activated. Nobody will dispute that MBA schools primarily exist for practical education.

In this regard, MBA schools should listen to corporate voices and be ready to adapt to changes. Master of Business and Engineering Program of Steinbeis University in Germany can be a good role model for Asian MBA schools. At Steinbeis University, students are admitted to school upon the corporate requests and sponsoring companies pay the student’s tuition in return for comprehensive study on specific projects of importance to them.

As a result, after a one year intense curriculum and additional focus on the above specific projects, the student would return to the company armed with practical knowledge especially on those targeted projects.

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(4)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(4) - Integrating East & West

Last but not least, inducing western applications to Korean, Japanese and Chinese MBA schools is of great significance. It is basically because Asian value needs be passed to Western students so that they can broaden or deepen their horizon in Asian context.

However, it is also true that we still need Western value in many ways. Thus, the ideal model of Asian MBA education can be achieved by balancing Western curriculum with newly-introduced Eastern curriculum. For example, existing subjects such as international strategy, management information system and new subjects such as Confucianism and Buddhism, both of them should make their presence.

Moreover, when it comes to class profile, apart from the Asian student dominant class, the number of non-Asian students is better to reach half. This is no exception to faculty profile. According to the 2009-2010 global MBA program of College of Business at Seoul National University, 48 out of 49 full-time professors are Western Ph.D. But to integrate East and West, around 30% should be Asian Ph.D. professors.

Of course, Eastern-Western value integration is not enough to fully improve the quality of MBA education in Korea, Japan and China. We also need additional initiatives, to name a few, active globalization, regional cooperation, practical and timely education. Going without saying, more English class and profile diversity is a must to most Asian MBA schools for real globalization.

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(3)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(3) - Integrating East & West

Thus, if timely and properly changed, Asian MBA schools can even suggest a new education model. Then, companies, one of the biggest stakeholders of MBA education, can place themselves in the high interest and high power square of Stakeholder analysis. In other words, corporate responses would be moved from the present 'Indifference' to the future 'Active Recruitment'. 

Contextual background of various countries by Geert Hofstede also implies that Korea, Japan and China, as the most high context nations which underline righteousness and strongly want their faces saved, desperately need different types of MBA education with remarkable emphasis on Asian value.

Under this circumstance, integrating Eastern & Western values into MBA education through active Asian-value reflection should be done in no time. First of all, Asia-specific classes such as Confucianism, Buddhism, Asian language and history need be opened. In doing so, Asian MBA schools can deliver values such as social responsibility, ethics and community spirit. 

In addition, more case studies, especially about new and joint ventures that are so prevalent as China develops, are powerfully required. Students can learn Korean IT industry, Japanese management style and Chinese manufacturing sector in depth. Furthermore, faculty members with Asian backgrounds should be recruited to some extent. Without Asian Ph.D. professors, active Asian value reflection will be a wishful thinking.

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(2)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(2) - Integrating East & West

In fact, deans of top Korean and Japanese business schools shared this idea when they discussed the future of Asian MBA schools last August. Taeshik Ahn, dean of the College of Business at Seoul National University of Korea said the desirable MBA education is to highlight both talent and co-existence. He added that a MBA school must be a place where students can learn not only knowledge but also life. Hirotaka Takeuchi, dean of the Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy at Hitotsubashi University of Japan, showed similar opinions as well. He stressed that leaders should be equipped with ethics and cultural diversity. He further developed his argument that the core competitiveness of Asian business schools lies in delivering these values to students. 

Against this background, it isn’t too much to say that this is the right time to improve the quality of MBA education especially in Korea, Japan and China. It is mainly because MBA schools in these countries have not met corporate expectation in spite of the countries' economic status in the global stage. Needless to say, integrating Eastern-Western value into MBA curriculums will be the most desirable and persuasive way to upgrade MBA education in three countries.

In fact, general analysis of 13 Korean, 29 Japanese, over 45 Chinese schools (defined as professional schools with full-time MBA programs) supports our idea. SWOT analysis indicates that western-oriented curriculum such as marketing, financial accounting, organizational behavior and insufficient globalization and lack of practical education constitutes the weakness of Asian MBA schools.

However, at the same time, Asian MBA schools also have a life-time chance. With the rapid growth of Eastern economy and subsequent highlights on Eastern value, they draw more and more attention from all over the world.

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(1)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(1) - Integrating East & West

It is little doubt that MBA (Master of Business Administration) education is important to business people. It is because MBA education can help students develop career, expand network, go through global experience, start new business and broaden horizon.

However, there is some criticism of MBAs from the corporate side, especially during economic downturns. Critics point out that most MBA education is not worthy of investing huge amount of money and time. They argue that MBA education fails to bring whatever value companies eagerly want to get although snowballing number of students fly to American or European MBA schools to study year by year.

Negative point of view is also found out even inside the academic field. For example, Ikujiro Nonaka, a professor at JAIMS and one of the most influential scholars in the management academy, claims that professors do not know the real business world. He went on saying that professors tend to focus on abstract theories and models without enough hands-on experiences.

However, we insist that an Eastern-Western value integrated MBA education would be a competitive advantage to companies, particularly in Asian context. And the integrated MBA education could raise their value within companies consequently.

Which Asian universities shine in QS world rankings for engineering and technology?

Which Asian universities shine in QS world rankings for engineering and technology?

Last year, the University of Tokyo (7th), Nanyang University of Singapore (9th), Tsinghua University (11th), Kyoto University (17th), Tokyo Institute of Technology (23rd), Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (24th) and Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (26th) were the Asian universities in the top 30 for engineering and IT in the QS World University Rankings.

Come April, find out if these Asian universities will rank higher this year and if more Asian institutions will join the top 30. In previous years, QS ranked universities in five broad subject areas: Arts and humanities; engineering and IT; natural sciences; life
sciences and medicine; and social sciences. From 2011, the rankings will cover over 30 individual subjects, thus offering the most wide-ranging comparison at the departmental level.

This year' results for engineering and technology, to be released on 2 April 2011, will rank universities in computer science and these engineering disciplines - chemical, electrical and electronic, civil and structural, mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing.

The new subject rankings will be based on established QS rankings methodology and on a combination of research citation and survey data from academics and graduate employers across the world.

Asia's oldest university celebrates 400th anniversary

Asia's oldest university celebrates 400th anniversary with fireworks display

Philippines: The University of Santo Tomas celebrated its 400th anniversary in January this year, starting with a formal Eucharistic celebration. This was preceded by a week of festivities and culminated with a dazzling fireworks display. 

The papal legate, nearly 200 cardinals, archbishops, bishops, more than 700 priests as well as dozens of government officials, university presidents, about 75,000 students and alumni from all over the world attended the celebrations.

The 400-year-old institution's Rector, Rev Fr Rolando V. de la Rosa, OP, became the youngest-ever rector of UST when he was elected in 1990 at the age of 37. 

As part of its celebration, UST formed probably the largest living rosary in the world with over 20,000 students, faculty members, administrators and employees participating. On Ash Wednesday in March this year, UST mobilised about 24,000 people to form a black-and-white Dominican cross in front of the UST chapel and grandstand (picture).

How Korean universities can internationalise their campuses to survive

How Korean universities can internationalise their campuses to survive

Korean higher education institutions are facing serious challenges, such as difficulty in filling government’s annual freshman quotas. There is also the great imbalance between the number of foreign students coming to study in Korea and the number of Korean students going overseas.

With the opening of the Korean education market, they now need to internationalise their campuses for future survival, according to Mr Insoo Cho, Director of Administration & Strategic Planning at Yonsei University.

In his book "Internationalisation of the Campus: The case of two major Korean private universities", he noted that internationalisation was a complex and comprehensive procedure involving many different stakeholders and offices, and huge financial resources. 

"Such complex characteristics can cause uncertainty and disintegration within an institution. Successful results require a wellwoven strategic plan, which can save time, capital and energy. It can also lead the institution's internationalisation efforts in the right direction," he added.

From his research on Yonsei and Korea Universities, he found that internationalisation at these two institutions was overly programme-focused and lacked proper organisational strategies. He also noted that programme-oriented internationalisation involved mainly students, with very limited participation by departments. "It is therefore important to include all constituencies and departments through a comprehensive institution-wide process," Mr Cho commented in his book.

City U students' business plans win top international awards

City U students' business plans to market fish technology win top international awards

Hong Kong: Three students from different faculties at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) have created an award winning business plan aimed at marketing transgenic fish technology developed by scientists at CityU. 

The technology detects estrogen disruptors in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and plastics in an efficient, cost-effective way. Estrogen disruptors are substances that interfere with the hormonal system in the body, a growing concern worldwide. The CityU researchers had found that their new testing mechanism was around 60% more efficient compared to existing chemical tests.

The three students - from the departments of marketing, manufacturing engineering and engineering management, and accountancy - formulated their business plan by drawing on their interdisciplinary knowledge, experience and learning to design a conceptual framework for manufacturers of food and healthcare products.

The CityU team beat more than 250 undergraduate teams to win the Hong Kong competition of the HSBC Young Entrepreneur Awards in April 2010, and a few months later secured the Best of the Best Award at the HSBC Young Entrepreneur Regional Awards in Malaysia, beating more than 1,000 teams from Bangladesh, Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. In addition, two of the team members came in third with a similar proposal in the 5th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition organised by Singapore Management University last July, competing with over 800 tertiary students from 40 countries.