Enhancing the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(7)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China - 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.

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

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

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.

SKKU proud of Asia's oldest university(1)

SKKU boasts of Asia's oldest university with over 600-year-long history

Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) was founded in 1398 as the highest national educational institute in the early years of the Chosun Dynasty in South Korea. 

As the oldest university in Asia, it has fostered leaders of the Korean society for more than 600 years. '修己治人,' pronounced as 'Su-Gi-Chi-In,' SKKU's main ideology, teaches that SKKU students sincerely strive to perfect themselves to contribute to the society. 

Old Sungkyunkwan was established over 600 years ago by royal decree to promote the scholarship in Confucianism. As a nation's highest educational institution, old Sungkyunkwan went through vicissitudes with the country it had served. 

Though a long history alone cannot guarantee the excellence of an institution, the rich culture, which exudes from a profound tradition, is surely a unique and valuable asset of the school.

Broadening global horizon and building up rich friendship(6)

Broadening global horizon and building up rich friendship

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. 

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.

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.

SKKU boasts of Asia's oldest university

SKKU boasts of Asia's oldest university with over 600-year-long history

Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) was founded in 1398 as the highest national educational institute in the early years of the Chosun Dynasty in South Korea. As the oldest university in Asia, it has fostered leaders of the Korean society for more than 600 years. '修己治人,' pronounced as 'Su-Gi-Chi-In,' SKKU's main ideology, teaches that SKKU students sincerely strive to perfect themselves to contribute to the society.

Old Sungkyunkwan was established over 600 years ago by royal decree to promote the scholarship in Confucianism. As a nation's highest educational institution, old Sungkyunkwan went through vicissitudes with the country it had served. Though a long history alone cannot guarantee the excellence of an institution, the rich culture, which exudes from a profound tradition, is surely a unique and valuable asset of the school.

It would be misleading, however, to view the school merely in the context of its pre-modern history. SKKU also takes pride in the school's innovative spirit. As a result of the never-ending efforts to place natural sciences on an equal footing with its strong foundation in humanities, SKKU now operates two campuses: the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus and the Natural Sciences Campus. 

Relying upon a highly successful partnership with Samsung, a Korea-based leading global IT giant, which has generously funded several core initiatives, the school has been alleged to be rapidly developing and prospering since 1996. Mr. Kim Junyoung, President of SKKU stressed: "Under the catch-phrase 'Unique Origin Unique Future,' SKKU continuously pursues to integrate its foundation philosophy with the modern technology with a vision of cultivating global talents who will lead the 21st century."