Globalisation at the MBA
I have been challenged by a friend of mine, and INSEAD admit, that London Business School is not really that internationally diverse compared to the programme he has been admitted into.
Well, I would expect him to make that statement only after having actually startied the programme next january... But of course, looking at the 'cold numbers', he might seem right. From the Fontainebleau's Institution website, we can read that there are 73 countries (nationalities?) represented at their programme. At London Business School, if I'm not wrong, there were 58 last year (MBA Class of 2007) and a few less this year (MBA Class of 2008). And in all their marketing materials it's clearly stated that no nationality makes up more than 12% of the student body. At London Business School, the most numerous group is that of North Americans, who in total (USA + Canada) make some 22% of the total class.
I can contend those numbers by stating that, on the other hand, there are more female students at London Business School, which might not add to the internationalism but does increase diversity a great bit. Or that even though there are less nationalities, being a smaller programme the class feels probably as diverse at London Business School as anywhere else. And yes, I can mention that most people (I think one third of the students) do take advantage of the opportunity of going on the International Exchange Programme and study abroad (priority given for people who want to go somewhere else rather than their home country).
However, my acquaintances know that I try to see things from an international perspective... I have lived in 7 different countries, visited other 30, and love to learn about other cultures, languages (myself I speak a few), traditions, gastronomies...and, in those terms, I cannot really compare one school to another, because all the data I have is my own experience here. But I have met many, many people in this School who are in the same situation. A lot of international work experience, a lot of travelling experience, a lot of different languages...the world is flat, and my classmates have experienced it first-hand!!
So, in that respect, and without any intention of offending admits / students / faculty / staff / alumni from any other Business Schools aroung the globe, I think that London Business School is probably the most international one.
PS: will have to go to Singapore and check how's the atmosphere there myself...
posted by karlitos @ 7:03 p. m.
5 comments
5 Comments:
You have valid points, LBS is more diversified. Now make him eat his words. hehe...
well, i didn't want to make him eat his words, after all he's my friend. But London Business School IS so far one of the most international, diverse and global places I've ever been to. It's all within the people!!
what's up? only few days there and you're already involved in these never ending "inter-school" comparison wars? This is really fast integration.
Kind Regards from BCN.
Charles, I was just wondering if you used up some of your critical reasoning powers in the GMAT test... ;)
Talking about eating words... I might say that I am with Carlos in sharing the gastronomy enjoyment; so please allow me to start with the “entrée”. In your last post we can find as opening statistical evidence that: [From the Fontainebleau's Institution website, we can read that there are 73 countries (nationalities?) represented at their programme. At London Business School, if I'm not wrong, there were 58 last year (MBA Class of 2007) and a few less this year (MBA Class of 2008)] Nothing to add here.
You continue with a main course based on gender... a tangential claim to support one of internationalism's consequences: diversity. I will not argue about the consistency of your “plat de résistance”. I will just say that “mysteriously” in this paragraph figures are not of the party anymore…
In case somebody with extra time on his/her hands brings in the statistics please let me mention that reportedly an IT flaw has been found on the female/male ratio calculations of INSEAD and that we have a WG actively pursuing the balance here. (Granted this doesn’t go in INSEAD’s favour, but it is internationalism, not IT –or gender- that we are dealing with in this post)
Desserts, usually my favourite… so high expectations, and to say the least some more supporting evidence should be present for me to savour this dessert.
[...But I have met many, many people in this School who are in the same situation. A lot of international work experience, a lot of travelling experience, a lot of different languages...the world is flat, and my classmates have experienced it first-hand!!
So, in that respect, and without any intention of offending admits / students / faculty / staff / alumni from any other Business Schools aroung the globe, I think that London Business School is probably the most international one.]
No offence here, I was just disappointed by the weakness of the reasoning, at least coming from an LBS admit. :)
To end on a positive note –with a digestive- let me elaborate on your comment to the post: [But London Business School IS so far one of the most international, diverse and global places I've ever been to.]
To describe LBS as “one of the most international places” is already a step in the right direction, and of course you are invited to Singapore, not to prove you wrong, or to eat words, just to provide you with some more field research that might help you build up the reasoning.
Feliz Cumpleanyos!
Nice posting but I don't understand the logic either. You say that INSEAD wins in being more international based on cold, hard statistics and numbers. Then you proceed to say that in your personal experience LBS is very international also, proceed to concede that you can't really compare the two since you've only seen one, and then somehow come to the surprise conclusion that LBS is therefore more international. Huh?
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