Abstract:

Academic and professional researchers have identified major challenges in progressing from business strategy to operational execution. A key capability to close this gap is business design. Often this gap is addressed by consulting companies, particularly when combined with digital innovation. In order to avoid a reliance on third parties, it is desirable to build this capability in organisations which results in a need for management education that is both rigorous and relevant. The requirement is particularly important and complex in international multinationals. This research provides a longitudinal perspective on a European programme jointly developed by three educational institutions in Germany, Netherlands and the UK, sponsored by a European corporate membership group.

According to researchers, business schools face significant strategic pitfalls in delivering management education. The pedagogical design principles with programs for experienced professionals and managers are different to those of pre-experience students. There is a need for demand-driven offerings, particularly in custom education yet academic integrity must be safeguarded to retain credibility. While academic theories are a key component they need to be combined with practical leadership insights to deliver capability enhancement.

To-date, there are few published examples of international business design education programs. This paper provides a framework and a longitudinal review of one such program run over more than 5 years, covering multiple cohorts of participants from large international organisations. The case study explores the initiation, recruitment, design, delivery and results of the program from the perspectives of the customers, the sponsoring organisation and the educational institutions. It highlights the potential pitfalls and resolutions of an international collaboration.

The programme initiation was time-consuming due to the need to build a common understanding of the goals, benefits and structure of the curriculum to be delivered in three institutions across three European locations. Recruitment depended heavily but not exclusively on the membership sponsor, particularly for large corporates. Key staff from the corporates were engaged in the collaborative professional and academic design to specify and validate the learning outcomes and content. A particular concern was how to ensure a cohesive programme when modules were being delivered by institutions with different cultures and styles. Ultimately, while individual ratings were not uniform, the overall customer satisfaction and perception of effectiveness from the sponsor was high.

This results were predicated on a close partnership between the sponsor and the three educational institutions reinforced with strong engagement with customers and achieved through a collaborative design. Insights and recommendations were generated that cover the leadership, design and execution of the program - which the authors believe have wider transferability, both for research and education purposes. The programme was put forward by the European Commission as an example of good practice for digital leadership education.

Keywords:

International education, Business design education, Case study.