Through their experience, the business community has formed four major objections to MBA programs. Do they pertain to the ZSEM programs?
From the aforementioned experiences, but also according to some research, business schools overlook certain problems in MBA programs. We know that ZSEM belongs to five percent of the best business schools in the world, and that it is the best business school in Croatia, but does that mean that certain objections pertain to ZSEM programs aswell?
What is taught at business schools is not fully aligned with what is happening in the business world.
Myth! One of the main missions of ZSEM is to transfer the values, knowledge and skills necessary for students to succeed in a globalized business world that is exposed to constant technological and market changes. This means that lecturers at ZSEM are aware of the constant market changes and therefore constantly introduce new elements to their teaching materials, and dispose of obsolete topics.
Professors at business schools don’t take into account the fact that business units do not act isolated from each other, but depend on each other.
Myth! Professors are aware of the dependence of one business unit on the other. Their teaching methods are oriented towards increasing the understanding of the complexity of al business units. Take for example the undergraduate program „Economics and Management“, and let’s assume you are interested in tourism or running your own hotel. This undergraduate study covers a loto f the areas that would be of interest to you: finance (How big is the loan that you will take out for the construction of the hotel?), management (You of course must gather people who will work in the hotel, and delegate tasks), marketing (Advertising and promoting the hotel are among the most important tasks), economics (You must know how to calculate and issue an invoice for services provided by the hotel), and accounting (You must record all financial transactions).
Business schools insufficiently teach ethics, corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Students should learn to make decisions about what is right and best for their own businesses and the environment.
Myth! ZSEM students attend a lot of courses that tackle topics such as ethics, social responsibility and sustainability. At the very beginning of the academic year, the SPOT mentoring program is implemented through which older students help the freshmen to find their place at ZSEM. No other faculty offers a program like it. Every freshman is glad about having a friendly mentor who is ready to explain and help in any situation. Many alumni (students who have completed ZSEM and professors work in various companies (ministries, banks, television companies, but also Apply, Microsoft, Unicef, Coca Cola,…) and are in constant contact with current students to share their experiences and give advice to help them become successful. ZSEM students also have to complete an internship, which prepares them for what comes after graduation.
The content of the program is theoretical, and is difficult to apply in a business world that requires creativity, flexibility and speed.
Myth! As mentioned above, ZSEM students must complete an internship which gives them an insight into the real business world and helps them develop necessary skills. Besides that, ZSEM students are often involved in various projects and tasks, which help them in their development. Also, they receive information anda dvice first-hand from alumni.
Author: Magdalena Bušić
