San Diego State University Announces New MBA in Global Entrepreneurship

QUALCOMM, Invitrogen, Microsoft, Intel and KPMG partner with the College of Business Administration

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Dean Gail Naughton (at podium) asks questions of the panel of global business experts at the NYC Press Conference. From left to right are: Dr. Norman Gray, United Arab Emirates Higher Colleges of Technology; Dr. Belinda Hyde, VP of Global Learning at Invitrogen; Dr. George Najjar, dean of the Olayan School of Business at American University of Beirut; and Dr. Irwin Jacobs, Chairman of the Board and founder of QUALCOMM.

On Nov. 15, the CBA announced a first of its kind MBA program in Global Entrepreneurship at a press conference at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. At the event, corporate partners, representatives from international universities and industry experts participated in a panel discussion on global business, cultural learning and the need to educate managers who are conducting business internationally. Those at the event included: Dean Gail Naughton, QUALCOMM Chairman of the Board Irwin Jacobs, American University of Beirut Olayan School of Business Dean George Najjar, Invitrogen Vice President of Global Learning and Development Belinda Hyde, and United Arab Emirates Higher Colleges of Technology Director of Special Programs Norman Gray.

This innovative degree takes students around the world to four different countries as they study in a one-year, comprehensive program that shows them in a hands-on environment how international business is conducted. Corporate partners QUALCOMM, Invitrogen, Microsoft, Intel and KPMG have joined with SDSU CBA to give students real-world experiences of how companies operate in different countries, as well as expose them to current issues and trends within each corporate sector.

“This program is the wave of the MBA future,” said SDSU CBA Dean Gail Naughton, an entrepreneur and pioneer in the field of tissue engineering. “By bringing together key growth industries and universities located in emerging countries, along with industry leaders who will share “best practices” in globalization, we will give our students the knowledge and skills to effectively conduct business in the global arena.”

Students begin their study with six weeks in San Diego and then travel for 12-week blocks to each partner university in China, India and the Middle East, finishing their last six weeks in San Diego. SDSU has established partnerships with the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (NOIDA campus); University of Hyderabad; United Arab Emirates Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT); American University of Beirut and is currently negotiating partnerships with universities in China. For each MBA cohort, the partner university will be determined based on academic strengths, student interest and academic calendar.

“The Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIML) realizes that the 21st century belongs to entrepreneurs, not only in India, but across the globe,” said Dr. Devi Singh, Director of Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, and Professor of International Finance and Management. “Never in the history has the entrepreneurial spirit been more alive as most nation states have come to accept the importance of entrepreneurship in creating jobs and fueling economic growth. I think there could not have been a better time to start a Global Entrepreneurship MBA Program.”

At each campus, the students form relationships with their peers who are studying in the partner universities' MBA programs to develop a global network of business contacts. Corporate partner executives lecture on keys to success in cross-cultural business experiences, and students travel to their local operations centers to see how the strategies they are learning in the classroom are implemented in the workplace at locations such as manufacturing plants and research centers.

“We believe that it is important for leaders to have a global perspective and an understanding about how to operate in the global marketplace,” said Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs, chairman and founder of QUALCOMM. “SDSU CBA has created a program that will enable students to have a greater understanding of cultural and business differences around the world.”

QUALCOMM, Invitrogen, Microsoft, Intel and KPMG represent the wireless, biotech, high tech and financial advisory business sectors that are experiencing tremendous growth in the global market.

“One of the most significant challenges companies face today is building a team experienced in working with people from diverse cultures and with a sound understanding of global business practices,” said Corporate Vice President of the OEM Division of Microsoft Scott Di Valerio. “Such experience and knowledge is crucial for any company wanting to successfully compete in the worldwide marketplace. SDSU's GEMBA program, with its focus on student involvement in different cultures and international business practices, will help ensure companies have the quality of employees needed to be competitive in the global economy.”

Each partnering company has operations in the countries where SDSU students will travel to study. As the capstone project to the program, teams of students will work with executives from the industry of their choice to provide solutions to a current business problem.

Leonard Lavin, founder and chairman of Alberto-Culver Corporation, noted business author of Winners Make it Happen and SDSU's Entrepreneur-in-Residence said, "When my company began expanding into international markets, it became clear that what worked for our brands in the U.S. was not necessarily going to work everywhere. It quickly became important for our executives to understand how specific brands within our consumer products line crossed cultural boundaries. An entrepreneurial focus is one of the keys to success in our company and this is particularly true in international situations where the ability to spot market opportunities and respond to them quickly is key. The Global Entrepreneurship MBA program at SDSU is the type of program that can help corporations give their employees a global edge."

The first class is scheduled to begin in fall 2007. Further information and prospective student inquiries should be directed to http://gemba.sdsu.edu.

Celebration Event in Rancho Santa Fe
On Nov. 16, following the NYC press conference announcement of the new program, a celebratory event was held at the Rancho Santa Fe home of professor Mike Cunningham and his wife Ellie. Guests from the program's corporate partners, as well as many of our region's top business executives, were treated to a world marketplace featuring food and entertainment representing each of the partner countries. Distinguished speakers at the event included SDSU President Stephen Weber, Invitrogen CEO Greg Lucier and Microsoft GM for Emerging Markets James Pinckney. To view photos from the event, click here: http://gemba.sdsu.edu/novgallery.htm

email: business@sdsu.edu

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