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Macau Periodical Index (澳門期刊論文索引)

Author
lao, In-Mei; Kong, Siew- Huat
Title
MBA in Macau: revolutionize or perish
Journal Name
Euro Asia Journal of Management
Pub. Info
Dec. 2004, Vol.14, No.2, pp. 135-151
Abstract
Abstract : Many organizations hire MBA graduates on the assumption that this special class of human resource will bring some specialized knowledge and skills to the organizations. In the perceptions of the graduates, the degree also implies improved competencies and better career prospects. This study is an attempt to analyze, from the perspectives of both the recruiters and MBA graduates, the key suppositions just-mentioned. Survey on the MBA graduates shows that their decision to enter the programme is based far more on personal needs than social trends, while the perceived value of an MBA is found mainly in advancing the graduates' career prospects and increasing their competitive advantages rather than immediate huge salary increases. The MBA respondents suggest that the conceptual skills are the important result they obtained from the programme, which the recruiters do not perceive as very important in their selection process. The recruiters, on the other hand, are more concerned about getting from the MBA graduates technical work skills, interpersonal skills, and communication skills but they are unfortunately short in supply. It is hoped that this finding will be able to contribute towards the discourse on the purpose and content of management education. Paragraph Headings: 1. Introduction 1.1. A brief introduction of MBA education 1.2. Reasons for undertaking MBA programmes 1.3. Some positive evaluations on the MBA degree 1.4. Some criticisms of world-wide MBA programmes 1.5. MBA in Macau 1.6. What do employers seek from MBAs? 2. Methodology 2.1. Profie of the sample 2.2. Research instrument 3. Findings 3.1. Views of employers 3.2. Views of MBA graduates 3.3. Skills acquired through MBA programmes vis-a-vis recruiters' needs 4. Conclusion 4.1. Summary 4.2. Implication for employers 4.3. Implication for providers of MBA education 4.4. Implication for prospective MBA students and graduates 4.5. Limitations and suggestions for future studies Tables: 1. T-test analysis for importance of thesix attributes in the selection of MBAs 2. One-way ANOVA analysis for equal importance of the six attributes 3. Attribute rankings between recruiters with & without MBAs 4. Attribute rankings by MBA graduates and recruiters