Global Executive MBA (GEMBA)
at Duke University, Durham, NC,
USA
An example of a high-level Virtual University
program
Bruno M. Schmid
Corporate IT / Global Head of Consulting &
Education Services
+41 1 625-2394
Zurich Financial Services
Email: bruno.schmid@zurich.com
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GEMBA: The Difference
™
BusinessWeek, October 20, 1997
“The Hottest Campus on the Internet:
While most schools have incorporated the
Internet and other technology into their
educational offerings, few come close to
matching the arsenal of cutting-edge applications
Duke provides.”
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DUKE: The Market Position
Duke is one of the world’s leading research universities,
ranked number 3 in North America according to ‘U.S. News
and World Report’
(March 1998).
• Duke’s Fuqua School of Business is rated number 3 in
Executive MBA programs (U.S. News and World Report)
• Fuqua is ranked No. 7 worldwide for its MBA programs by
‘Business Week’
• More information at ‘www.fuqua.duke.edu’
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GEMBA: The Innovation
GEMBA is an Executive MBA program, enabled by new
computing & communication technologies that:
• Allows participation by executives from around the globe
while they continue to contribute to their companies;
• Emphasizes a strong, (global virtual) team-focused,
discussion-oriented learning model;
• Provides daily, working experience with cutting-edge
technologies for managing global enterprises.
• GEMBA represents an entirely new paradigm of
graduate business education.
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GEMBA: The Student Body
(GEMBA98)
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~500 Applications
45 Students selected; 38 graduated
Participants from all continents
Large & small companies & entrepreneurs
Average age was 39
Average work experience was 14 years
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GEMBA: The Program Structure
• 20 months, 5 Terms, 15 Courses
• Each of the 5 terms consists of:
– Three weeks of pre-class study (Pre-Reading)
– Two-weeks of intense on-site instruction
•Duke University (3 weeks)
•Europe
•Asia
•South America
•Duke University
– Twelve Weeks of “Internet-Mediated Learning”
•Individual Work and Team Projects (~25 hours/week)
•Assignments (50% team based; 50% individual;
weighting factors: 70% individual; 30% team based)
•Exams (100% individual)
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GEMBA Curriculum
Managerial Effectiveness for the Global Executive
International Financial Statement Analysis
Decision Models; Complex Management Problems
 Global Managerial Economies
Interpersonal and Group Relationships in the
Global Organization
Statistical Models and Forecasting
Marketing in a Global Environment
Global Economic Environment of the Firm
Financial Management in a Global Economy
Cost Management and Control in Global Organizations
Global Operations Management
Technology, Globalization and Competition
Strategy Design and Implementation
Global Restructuring of the Firm
Global Business Simulation
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GEMBA: Internet-Mediated Learning
Technology
• Instructional Delivery, Communication & Collaboration via:
• A highly-customized, integrated WWW environment
• A suite of focused bulletin boards for discussion
• Fuqua-produced, CD-ROM-based video material
• Real Audio and Video synchronized media
presentations
• Text and voice-based real-time “Chat”
• Team and course file submission/retrieval via FTP
• Leading Information Services (DowJones, OneSource,
Knight-Ridder, UMI Proquest, EIU Country Reports...)
• ICQ Online Checker
• E-mail as back-up
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GEMBA: Internet-Mediated Learning
Technology
• Virtual classroom: Download of files and lectures that
include sound, video, and graphics at any time
• Calendar: Course details and assignments
• Discussion: An electronic bulletin board for frequent,
topic-related asynchronous exchange of information
• Library: contains reference material and links
• Contact: Get in touch with other students and school staff
• Survey: includes databases
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GEMBA: Internet-Mediated Learning
Technology
• IBM ThinkPad and GEMBA Software provided
• Everybody needs a global Internet Access Service
• Software-upgrades each residential module
(every 4 months)
• The GEMBA program offers the unique
ability to study, learn, understand, and
translate academic concepts into the
workplace in a relevant way while
continuing working 100% on the job.
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GEMBA model used for IT Knowledge
Exchange
• Zurich developed a five-step process to introducing and
setting up technology-empowered global virtual teams
grouped around disciplines:
Selection
Pre-Reading
Evaluation
Workshop
(Preparation)
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Distance
Teaming
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GEMBA experiences included in IT KE
Solution
• The Zurich solution combines the three important aspects
for Global Knowledge Exchange:
– Technical Enabling Platform;
– an Organizational & Process Framework;
– and Cultural / Behavioral Characteristics.
Cultural / Behavioral Characteristics
Organizational & Process Framework
Technical Enabling Platform
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Virtual University programs
• There would be much more information about GEMBA
…
• Time is too short today …
… but much more important:
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Virtual University programs
• Time is very critical in keeping and sustaining the only
real resource we have in Switzerland (and in other
countries):
– people’s KNOWLEDGE
– people’s CAPABILITIES
While the “old” university model
is not obsolete (yet) …
What is done (resp. needs to be done)
to sustain our countries’ competitiveness
in the “knowledge age” and in the
fast changing global economy?
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Virtual University programs
QUESTIONS?
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Virtual University programs
THANK YOU
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GEMBA: Additional slides
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Internet based learning (Costs)
• Relatively high cost for initial development and for ongoing
adaptations
• Gain: when multiple delivery of "static" subjects
• Independent of place: no travel, no hotel, no other
expenses
• Server infrastructure: initial investments required
• Network transfer costs: low
• Access infrastructure: exists already; easy to use
• Low administration costs; individual charging
• High potential for ReUse of trainings components
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Internet based learning (Time)
• When needed; what required
• Independent of time: no classroom/infrastructure schedule,
no instructor assignment, employees not away for extended
periods
• Self paced
• Most learners complete faster (than in classroom)
• Ongoing progress testing and tracking
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Internet based learning (Quality)
• Consistent delivery
• Centralized updating
• Critical Success Factor are the additional support offerings
that are required:
- Knowledge subject (Coaching)
- IT infrastructure (Help-line)
• Password protection; access restrictions
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The Pre-Reading Phase
• Prepare for (next) residential session
• Books, Texts, Examples, Cases
• Individual or Team Assignments
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The Residential Sessions (“Workshop”)
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Important at beginning of learning program
Get to know the other people
Build global virtual teams
Absolute prerequisite for subsequent interactive distance
learning
Important also at the end of learning program: final
cases/examples/simulations (and celebration)
Base for ongoing, strong people network relationships
Individual and team assignments
Individual exams
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Highly Interactive Distance Learning
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Use of information technology for collaborative work
Team-oriented learning
Cross Cultural
Global Virtual Teams
Global orientation (management, leadership, regional and
cultural issues)
• Individual and team assignments
• Individual exams
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