MIT Sloan Offers Courses to Train Chinese Managers on Global Market
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--Dec. 2, 20042, 2004--| Considers Center on China |
The MIT Sloan School of Management is running two courses in Shanghai in January to train China-based managers in cutting edge management techniques for the global marketplace. These two courses, led by Dean Emeritus Lester Thurow and Tom Stallkamp, former president of DaimlerChrysler, are "Strategic Value Chain Design" (January 15-18) and "Operations Strategy and Lean Manufacturing" (January 18-22). They are MIT Sloan's first executive education programs offered in China. The courses are targeted to train the Chinese managers and executives of international firms, as well as the employees of Chinese companies who are competing in the international marketplace. They are part of a feasibility study to look at whether MIT Sloan will establish a broad initiative to help foreign businesses succeed in China and Chinese businesses succeed in the global economy.
"Most people in China worked under communism, where costs and time-of-delivery weren't important," said Lester Thurow. "Now China is a player in the world economy, and these people will be plant managers and assistants in an entirely new world."
"The courses establish a common understanding of some important industry techniques not prevalent today in China, helping to globalize Chinese industry," said Tom Stallkamp. "As Chinese managers assume more responsibility, this will help improve their understanding of export customers and help in joint ventures with Western firms."
With the impact of the World Trade Organization, Chinese companies face increased competition, and lower labor costs and favorable economic incentives are no longer sustainable competitive advantages. The "Operations Strategy and Lean Manufacturing" course will teach operations executives the critical components for building a successful operation and supply base.
"Strategic Value Chain Design" will provide a strategic framework to help executives integrate product development, technology strategy, project execution and human resource capability to achieve breakthrough performance.
Companies including Baxter International, General Motors, Delphi, Yazaki and Kodak are sending their executives to train in these programs. The course location in Shanghai, in a bilingual setting, allows for easy participation without the time and expense of travel to the U.S. or Europe. For more information on these courses, see http://mitsloan.mit.edu/execed/shanghai05 or contact Ning Zhou at ning@mit.edu.
The feasibility study for the potential center on China includes several research projects. MIT Sloan students and faculty, as well as students at MIT's Chinese partner schools are looking at China's currency valuation and potential policy options, violations of intellectual property rights, China's growing urban/rural income gap, and macro trends in the automobile industry. A conference planned for the spring will cover current Chinese business topics and the results of the research projects.
For over fifty years the MIT Sloan School of Management, based in Cambridge, Mass., has been one of the world's leading academic sources of innovation in management. The School's mission is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice.