Information Guide. You want to work in a leadership role

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1 35 39_executive_education.qxp 8/24/2012 1:23 PM Page 35 August 27, 2012 An Advertising Supplement to the Los Angeles Business Journal MBA Information Guide What Type of Person Should Pursue an MBA? By EDWARD CARLISLE WHILE the MBA is one of the most popular graduate degrees, it s not for everyone. Since an MBA requires a significant investment of your time and money, you need to be sure that an MBA is the right choice. An MBA may be right for you if you meet the following criteria: You have clear post-mba goals You need to go into business school knowing how you will use your degree after graduation. That means that you need to know what job functions and industries you want to work in, and how your degree will help you achieve your post MBA goals. Once you are in an MBA program, you will be too busy with coursework to focus on making career decisions. In addition, lack of focus will make it harder for your professors, and advisors to provide you with the help you need. Lack of career direction or focus may also prevent you from getting into business school to begin with. Business school admissions officers look for candidates who have a clear idea of how an MBA will fit into their careers. That s why applicants are asked to state your career plans in your essay and during the job interview. While your plans do not have to be set in stone, you should at least have a few possible career goals and an idea of how an MBA would help you achieve them. You have the right amount of work experience for MBA programs While there are a few schools that admit people with little or no career experience, most MBA students are in their late 20s or early 30s. Business schools are looking for candidates with real-world business experience, because they feel that this experience gives students a better idea of how the business world works. Admissions officers evaluate candidates not just on how they fit, but also on what they can contribute to their MBA program. Most MBA coursework is highly interactive, and involves in-depth class discussions and team projects. The interactivity means that you learn from your peers as well as your professors. Your work experience will make you a better contributor to those interactions, because you ll have more knowledge and skills to share with your classmates. While an MBA is not a requirement for business leadership roles, it can put you on the path toward a leadership-oriented career... The knowledge you acquire from this process will help you make more informed business decisions. You plan to use your MBA to change careers Business school is a chance to reinvent yourself, since you get to look at a wide range of business problems facing a variety of industries. An MBA degree also gives you the skills to perform several different job functions. Lastly, MBAs attract employers from several different industries, regardless of what you were doing before you got your MBA. You want to work in a leadership role While an MBA is not a requirement for business leadership roles, it can put you on the path toward a leadership-oriented career. Business school requires you to spend lots of time reading, talking, and thinking about different types of businesses. The knowledge you acquire from this process will help you make more informed business decisions. MBA curriculum usually emphasizes soft skills, and will help you manage people. You work in an industry that requires an MBA for career advancement If you work in certain industries, such as banking and consulting, getting your MBA is an essential step for achieving career advancement. While an MBA may not be a requirement for those industries, you may have fewer options without it. Edward Carlisle is a freelance writer. This special advertising supplement did not involve the reporting or editing staff of the Los Angeles Business Journal.

2 35 39_executive_education.qxp 8/24/2012 1:23 PM Page AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL AUGUST 27, 2012 The Top Four Things Chief Executives Should Expect from the Cloud WHEN deciding what education topics are best for your company s workforce, few subjects are hotter than having them become proficient in cloud computing. In the information technology world, no topic is receiving more attention than cloud computing. Unlike in the past where cloud computing was perceived as a costeffective, flexible option for small to midsized companies, in 2012 cloud computing will proliferate deeper into the enterprise as more chief executives embrace and move to a cloud services model. Even though cloud computing relies heavily on high-quality computing resources, stringent IT protocols and the latest technology advancements, the real value lies in the capability that the cloud can deliver to a project, a solution lifecycle and most importantly, an enterprise. There are very few companies that cannot achieve significant time, cost and efficiency benefits from entering the cloud; however, the key is understanding the real value that cloud services can bring to your business and how to go about getting the answers you need to make the best decision for your organization. The cloud services model is shifting from just the delivery of capacity to the delivery of improved business results or capability, said Joe King, senior vice president of cloud services, JDA Software. This shift is due to the cloud customer s demands for more than just technology to solve business challenges, but rather a desire to improve their business results all delivered via the cloud. King further stated, In cloud computing terms, the ability to impact capacity storage, data and connectivity, or ping, power and pipe is often positioned as a significant driver in determining success in the cloud. In reality, it is the business solutions the capability that utilizes this capacity and has the most profound impact on business results. Capacity, while important, is not enough to power real results. To ensure that technology solutions enabled by cloud services become strategic drivers of real business results, JDA Software Group, Inc. reports that chief executives should expect the following: A Strong, Secure and Safe Off-Site Environment: Insist on a stable and secure environment that includes authentication, authorization and accountability and guided by principles to deliver solutions that drive performance improvements through standardization, repetition, specialization and automation. The cloud provider should be able to demonstrate an increased level of security, availability, performance, and problem and Even though cloud computing relies heavily on high-quality computing resources, stringent IT protocols and the latest technology advancements, the real value lies in the capability that the cloud can deliver to a project, a solution life-cycle and most importantly, an enterprise. change management. Adds Value to the Solution: Cloud services should continually evolve and include the ability to access point release upgrades quickly and easily to ensure ongoing performance improvement. The right cloud partner should be able to provide a solution change management schedule that includes your company s changes as well as the solutions improvements, allowing these changes to help evolve the solution to fit your changing business requirement, not theirs. Adds Value to the Lifecycle: A cohesive Master of Business Administration WEEKEND ONLY CLASSES DOWNTOWN LOCATION FOUR CONCENTRATIONS Entrepreneurship Organizational Leadership Non Profit Management Health Services Management TUITION INCLUDES FIELD STUDY IN CHINA FOR MORE INFORMATION call (213) or visit us at Tryone McLaine Business Analyst for Tesoro Class of 2010 I'm proud to say I EARNED MY MBA from Mount St. Mary s College Los Angeles. It was one of the most difficult yet rewarding experiences of my life.

3 35 39_executive_education.qxp 8/24/2012 1:23 PM Page 37 AUGUST 27, 2012 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 37 Survey Results Show Salary Increases for Executive MBA Graduates THE salary and bonus packages of recent Executive MBA (EMBA) program graduates who participated in the Executive MBA Council 2011 Student Exit Benchmarking Survey increased by 16.3 percent from program start to program end. The average salary and bonus package at program start for students in 2011 survey was $135,323. By the end of the program, the average salary and bonus package rose to $157,423. Both average starting and ending salaries increased from those reported in the 2010 survey $127,955 in average starting salary and bonuses and $142,534 in average ending salary and bonuses, an 11.4 percent increase. The Executive MBA Council conducts the Student Exit Benchmarking Survey to track the perceptions and opinions of EMBA program graduates and to help measure the return on investment of the degree. The survey included 3,212 students from 102 programs. In addition, 37 percent of students in the survey reported receiving promotions during their time in the program. Return on investment of the EMBA experience can be viewed in many ways, but survey data regarding salaries continues to show that the marketplace clearly values the contributions of EMBA graduates, said Michael Desiderio, executive director of the Executive MBA Council. EMBA graduates also report high levels of satisfaction with their EMBA experience, according to the survey s loyalty index, a combination of students rankings of program quality (8.4 on a 10- point scale), students willingness to recommend their program to a colleague or friend (8.7); and the likelihood of supporting the program as alumni (8.2). Graduates in the survey rated the overall value of the program highly (8.0) as well. These statistics reinforce what we often hear from EMBA students and graduates that they value their experience and they are interested in staying involved with EMBA programs as alumni, said Desiderio. For more information about the EMBA experience and to search for EMBA programs worldwide, visit collaboration between strategic consulting, support and product development is critical to ensuring that solutions always perform accurately and can be customized or updated as necessary to ensure the desired results are achieved. The best cloud providers can aggregate a company s complete expertise and resources to ensure that the expected solution benefits remain throughout the full lifecycle of the solution. Adds Value to the Enterprise: The most critical component of cloud solutions is the ability to drive improved results that will deliver value to the enterprise. The best providers have the ability to bring people, process, technology and expertise together in the cloud to address the business challenges you saw and the results you were seeking when the cloud solution evaluation process began. Bringing value to the solutions project and the solutions lifecycle is not enough. The real value occurs when a cloud provider can turn capacity value into capability value and show a demonstrated long term set of business benefits. When evaluating their next supply chain project, JDA recommends that chief executives ask themselves and the cloud provider the following key questions: Do I have the necessary people and skills to maintain and deliver the business results from the solution to my supply chain? Can the cloud provider enhance my own staff with people and skills that will deliver business results to my supply chain? These questions should not necessarily be about the cloud solution itself, but about the services that really add the value to your cloud solution, said King. What a chief executive should be looking for is people who have proven experience managing supply chains across their industry who can provide the capability to transform technology solutions into an even greater value-based component of the business. The key to remember is that the software makes it possible, but the people and the expertise and the experience make it happen. JDA Software Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: JDAS), The Supply Chain Company, is the leading provider of innovative supply chain management, merchandising and pricing excellence solutions worldwide. To learn more, visit jda.com.

4 35 39_executive_education.qxp 8/24/2012 1:23 PM Page AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL AUGUST 27, 2012 MBA Spotlight: Six Decades of Preparing Students THE Mount St. Mary s College, Los Angeles MBA Program offers concentrations in Entrepreneurship, Organizational Leadership and Project Management. For over 60 years, the school s faculty has been preparing business students for professional careers in Accounting, Marketing, Management and International Business. Many of the school s successful alumni have come back to experience once again the Mount s tradition of caring and academic excellence as they return for an MBA. The Mount St. Mary s, Los Angeles MBA is offered in a weekend format to individuals holding a Bachelor s Degree in any field. Those without undergraduate business preparation are offered Business Foundations courses as they enter the weekend MBA program. Those with undergraduate business degrees enter directly into their first semester of cohort study. Mount St. Mary s College graduate programs are offered at the school s downtown Los Angeles campus located on the beautiful, historic Doheny estate. The Mount St. Mary s College, Los Angeles MBA program has been designed as affordable, accessible, and carries the name of one of LA s highly respected private colleges. Established in 1925, Mount St. Mary s College is accredited by WASC and is a member of AACSB. It s an ideal route to the next step in a career as a manager, entrepreneur, or organizational leader. Program Length The Mount St. Mary s College, Los Angeles MBA program includes one Mount St. Mary s College. semester of Foundations courses which may be waived if the applicant documents successful completion of equivalent courses in his or her undergraduate studies. The program spans eighteen months and is designed to meet the global need for effective leaders who can guide change by using value-based decision-making. Curriculum Design The Mount s outstanding faculty prepares students to meet the challenges of today s business environment by offering an innovative, collaborative and globally oriented curriculum. The program is designed with the understanding that managers face global and cross-disciplinary challenges on a daily basis. These global challenges are not merely studied at the theoretical level. Every Mount St. Mary s, Los Angeles MBA student participates in a minimum of one international study trip to gain hands-on experience with international companies outside the U.S. and as part of this requirement, learns to prepare a country and industry analysis. A unique feature of the masters in business administration program is that it replaces the traditional course-by-course masters curriculum with theme-based modules. By blending business disciplines that are traditionally kept separate (like marketing, finance, and business law), students develop the big picture view of how disciplines come together in a real business environment. Students also have an opportunity in their final semester to choose a concentration in Entrepreneurship, Organizational Leadership, Project Management. The program will culminate in a real world final project in either the student s own organization or a choice of another one. One of the distinct advantages of earning an MBA in Los Angeles at Mount St. Mary s College is that each student s final project can be done in one of the world s truly international cities Los Angeles! The Master in business administration at Mount St. Mary s College is to come to understand that today s international, global business environment is dynamic, fluid, and complex, requiring successful business leaders to be able to understand and respond to patterns and market conditions in constant flux. Career Coaching The Mount St. Mary s MBA program places a strong emphasis on career coaching. Students not only receive individualized career coaching from experienced business professionals but also learn the skills of being a career coach to others. During the first semester each student will go through an assessment process to identify interests, areas of strength and areas needing improvement. In the sec- It s easier than ever to find The Community of Business. TM labusinessjournal.com

5 35 39_executive_education.qxp 8/24/2012 1:23 PM Page 39 AUGUST 27, 2012 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 39 ond semester participants will start working directly with a coach to improve their professional skills and learn the techniques and art of coaching others. In the third semester you will be a coach-intraining. In the last semester you will be receiving coaching directly in conjunction with your final project in a work environment so that upon graduation you will be prepared to attain greater professional advancement by bringing your own coaching skills to the workplace. The unique feature of the Mount St. Mary s MBA is that every MBA graduate will have the professional training and ability to coach others. This coaching skill and its application in the work environment can be used at any career level and is transferable to any professional setting. Weekend Format Although there are other MBA programs in Los Angeles, one of the distinctive qualities of the Mount St. Mary s College MBA program is that it allows students to focus on their careers during the week while earning a high quality MBA on the weekend. Students attend classes on six non-consecutive weekends per semester. Classes are scheduled two to three weeks apart, with classes offered from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. A Global View Organizational leaders in the 21st century need to think globally. The Mount St. Mary s MBA immerses students in an international market as a complement to the study in the third semester. MBA students examine global competition in a 9- day guided exploration of China. With a rapidly evolving economy and growing geopolitical influence, China holds many of the world s most dynamic regions today. The complexities of its transitioning markets make it an ideal study for organizational leaders. Participants first visit Shanghai. With a long tradition of American, British, and French commercial presence, the city is quickly emerging as a leading commercial harbor, financial center, and manufacturing center in China. Next, the program travels to Guangzhou and Guangdong Province to gain an understanding of China s manufacturing powerhouse. Visits to factories and exchanges with Chinese executives and professors provide opportunities for a deeper appreciation of the Chinese business, cultural and management environment. The international field study ends in Hong Kong, one of Asia s Tigers and one of the world major transportation and financial centers. Cultural excursions and informal sessions also introduce students to China s many perspectives on the United States and other foreign countries. Information for this article was provided by Mount St. Mary s College, Los Angeles MBA Program. To learn more, visit or call (213) Executive MBA Council Reports Five-Year Trends From Annual Membership Program Survey THE quality of Executive MBA students remains high despite the tough economic conditions as students recognize the need to sharpen their competitive edge by gaining new skills and knowledge. Every metric that reflects the type of student attending EMBA programs was up, according to the Executive MBA Council s 2011 Membership Program Survey. Students want to increase their business acumen by pursuing an MBA in a rigorous, high-quality program, which is what our member programs offer, says Michael Desiderio, executive director of the EMBA Council. The council s annual Membership Program Survey offers a comprehensive overview of worldwide member programs. Nearly 290 member programs participated in the 2011 survey. High Caliber of Students The average years of managerial experience is up slightly 8.5 years in 2011, 8.3 in The average years of work experience is 13.3 in 2011, a slight uptick from 13 in The average GPA remains constant at 3.2. MBA STUDENT NUMBERS 8.5 Average years of managerial experience 3.2 Average GPA 20 Months average program length Tuition Reimbursement The percentage of students receiving full financial sponsorship from employers has declined from 34 percent in 2007 to 27 percent in Thirty-six (36) percent of students receive partial reimbursement, up from 34 percent in Thirty-seven (37) percent of students in 2011 are fully selfsponsored, up from 33 percent in Program Structure Average program length continues to be 20 months. The average class size is 42, up from 40 in In 2011, 66 percent of programs required an international trip, compared with 58 percent in China continues to be the most popular destination. The number of trips to Turkey and Chile quadrupled. While the percentage of program content delivered online has remained constant (7 percent in 2011), the method of delivery has changed. Programs providing online content are increasing their asynchronous delivery. We ve got a passion for your business. Oxnard Pallet survived the Great Recession by running lean and mean but owners Beatrice and Elias Vasquez were ready to fire up, so they headed to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). FREE advice from the SBDC s expert Business Advisors helped the couple assess their pallet company s financials, develop a business plan and boost profitability. Now with steady annual growth of 10 to 15 percent, Oxnard Pallet is hiring new employees, expanding into exporting, and exploring government certification and contracting opportunities all thanks to the SBDC. The SBDC rekindled our passion for business. When you talk to people who have so many great ideas, it really gets you going! BEATRICE AND ELIAS VASQUEZ OXNARD PALLET SBDC CLIENT SINCE 2011 You ve got questions. We ve got answers SBDC I The Lead Center for the Los Angeles Regional SBDC Network is operated by Long Beach Community College District. The Small Business Development Centers are funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, center host institutions, state and local funds, and corporate partners. Funding is not an endorsement of any product, opinion, or service. All Federal and State funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Special arrangements for individuals with disability will be made if requested in advance.