“Trainers” for managers
Ukraine is the first country in Eastern Europe that successfully mastered the state-of-the-art technology for business education
For a long time there has been a paradoxical situation on the Ukrainian labor market: along with high unemployment rate, there is an acute shortage of certain specialists. Managerial sphere is currently undergoing the deepest “crisis.” For example, lack of management personnel in information technology is about 3,000 professionals.
Recently, more than 60 representatives from 15 countries gathered in Kyiv to discuss the realities and perspectives of modern business education. Traditionally (the meeting of such type was held for the third time already), the forum “Executive Education: Managing Innovations” was dedicated to three issues: the main problems that arise in implementing creative and innovative approaches in business model and business practices; problems faced by leaders of organizations; the consequences of such changes for the development of managers and leaders. Innovations deal with various aspects of business and are determined by the size of an organization, its positioning in the market, and the stage of its life cycle.
President of the Central and East European Management Development Association (CEEMAN) Danica Purg at the opening of the forum said that innovation is an important component of modern business education. “Innovation has always been an important event in human history. This is especially obvious in modern time, when society and business are changing at frantic pace. We have nearly inexhaustible sources of information that influence creativity. It is not so important to have knowledge or experience – you can acquire both. Today, ideas are more important. They are, in fact, the main capital that you can have and there is no limit to what you can do with your business and your life,” stressed the head of the organization that brings together more than 500 business schools from 80 countries.
This opinion is shared by the President of Business School MIM-Kyiv Iryna Tykhomyrova. “When we speak about adult education – MBA, we can say that it depends not only on the teacher, but also on your fellow students, who study in the same group and with whom you exchange ideas and thoughts,” said Tykhomyrova. In fact, digital technology that until recently has been considered almost fantastic now made it possible to provide distant training. While in the Internet there is a trend of self-education, when users listen to or record lectures, business students need training in a conference mode, where there is two-way communication with a professor and the rest of the group. “In such mode they come up with new projects while learning. Some hire others to do work for them. Others start a joint project. Modern business requires inspiration, people management skills. This cannot be done through self-education without going deep into process,” Tykhomyrova shared her experience.
Moreover, thanks to the latest technology business education became more accessible. A businessman who could not leave the workflow to go for a few days to another city, thanks to new programs can now easily attend virtual classes. He only needs to come in a specially equipped room with cameras and monitors that would provide live broadcast of study courses hundred or maybe even thousands miles away. Two years ago MIM-Kyiv became one of the first schools in the world that has adopted this type of technology and is now actively developing it [you can read more in The Day’s article “This is a breakthrough in business education” from February 7, 2012. – Author].
The president of the business school, however, does not tell the cost of the equipment and the amount of time it will take MIM to pay it off. “We are constantly updating it, that’s why I cannot yet talk about the numbers. This technology is the basic and we can mount other technologies on it to improve the learning process. This technology will form the future of business education and managerial practices. Today, only innovations can ensure the survival,” emphasized Tykhomyrova.
By the way, for over seven years the Center for Innovative Technologies, responsible for four business simulations in various courses of MBA Programs and Executive Education, has been operating at the International Institute of Management MIM-Kyiv. After receiving such training modern managers, according to the forum participants, become more advanced and determined in their actions, which, in its turn, reflects positively on business growth and development. Besides, introduction of digital technology in courses, which used to be taught with the help of chalk board and notes taken by students in their notebooks, are also important. For example, simulation of company or bank management is a business simulation that is a sort of a “trainer” for mangers and works similar to a trainer for airplane pilots.
