Understanding Emerging Markets the EMBA Way
The Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA program provides students the unique opportunity to identify global business practices all around the world. Director of Project Portfolio Management at Manulife Financial and current EMBA student Jonathan Ng had the opportunity to learn about emerging markets at The Guanghua School of Management in Beijing China.
“I was interested in gaining an international perspective and a more in-depth understanding of business in the Asian market,” Ng said. “There is a different perception of the emerging markets in North America. When we were in China we were able to dive deeper into the topics we were learning.”
One of the reasons Ng chose to pursue the EMBA was the global reputation. Working at an international company, one of his goals was to gain cutting-edge critical thinking concepts that would enable him to effectively tackle issues on a larger scale.
“It was a great development opportunity to understand the local culture and the way you operate business internationally,” Ng said while adding the class experience provided him varying perspectives on the same issue. “Because it was such a diverse group of people from all over the world, it elevated the level of the class and the discussions.”
However, the experience was not all academic as Ng was also able to step outside the classroom and enjoy some of the attractions in Beijing including: The Great Wall, the local street food, and the vibrant nightlife.
“It was an eye-opening experience showing how small the world is, yet from a cultural point of view, how big and different it also is,” Ng said.