- UVA Darden announced last week the launch of its new Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) program. The 20-month part-time program is designed for executives who are seeking to sharpen their skills in a global framework. "The program will enhance the skills of high-potential executives who need to be ready on day one to do business in any market around the globe," said Darden's Dean Robert F. Bruner. "Participants will acquire essential knowledge and master the disciplines of business. They will learn to be effective in diverse cultures and contexts and will analyze their current business challenges with some of the brightest minds in the business world." The program will start in fall 2011 with approximately 40 executives.
- According to INSEAD's "Admissions Criteria," the top b-school now accepts the GRE in addition to or in place of the GMAT. How high should you aim to score? Well, as high as possible; but the INSEAD website specifies that "candidates [should] aim for a score at or above the 70-75th percentile for both the quantitative and verbal sections of the GMAT and a percentile of 75-80th or above for the quantitative and verbal sections of the GRE."
- A Businessweek article explores the topic of whether or not MBAs make the best CEOs. A new study shows that "hiring new CEOs with MBA degrees leads to short-term improvements in operating performance…[and that there is not] a significant systematic relationships between CEO education and long-term firm performance. CEO education does not seem to be an appropriate proxy for CEO ability." CEO performance was measured by several metrics, including stock returns and return on assets. The study also found that while a CEO's MBA had little to no impact on a firm's long-term performance, it was highly significant when it came to CEO hiring. In other words, a CEO is more likely to be hired if he or she holds an MBA, even if that candidate is filling the spot of a just-fired MBA.
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