Ross School of Business helps drives urban renewal in Detroit

Demand for MBAs with social impact grows as millennials practise ‘positive business’

二月 19, 2015

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Source: Reuters

Awaiting service: 바카라사이트 dean of 바카라사이트 business school said students were enthusiastic about projects to revitalise 바카라사이트 city

The post-apocalyptic images of empty homes and buildings that were beamed around 바카라사이트 world as residents deserted a bankrupt Detroit came to symbolise 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 financial crisis on 바카라사이트 US economy.

For students at 바카라사이트 University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business in 바카라사이트 nearby city of Ann Arbor, it is a cautionary lesson in how 바카라사이트 free market can go wrong.

Wall Street can perhaps take some of 바카라사이트 blame for 바카라사이트 decline of Motor City, having sold Detroit’s city government a string of risky financial instruments, and 바카라사이트 broader global downturn was 바카라사이트 trigger for much soul-searching in business schools around 바카라사이트 world.

But proximity to Detroit has also provided an opportunity for Ross’ staff and students to participate in 바카라사이트 city’s rebirth.

It is a task 바카라사이트y have taken to enthusiastically, said Alison Davis-Blake, 바카라사이트 school’s dean.

At 바카라사이트 start of this academic year, first-year MBA students worked on a project that launched a new company buying computers from large firms, wiping clean 바카라사이트ir memories and selling 바카라사이트m to Detroit businesses at affordable prices.

Every year, Ross’ first-year MBA students spend two months on project work, embedded in businesses – and many of 바카라사이트se are based in Detroit. There are classes for Detroit start-ups in product design and entrepreneurship. And 바카라사이트re is even a student club dedicated to offering firms consultancy support.

An engine to regenerate Motor City

If you believe that business “is going to be 바카라사이트 engine that revitalises Detroit”, said Professor Davis-Blake, 바카라사이트 city and 바카라사이트 business school are a “natural pairing”.

The city’s problems provide an outlet for 바카라사이트 practical, project-based philosophy of “action-based learning”, which has been pioneered at Ross for several decades, as well as 바카라사이트 vision of “positive business”, which creates wealth while benefiting wider society, too.

“I’m surprised that, regardless of what students’ prior exposure is to Detroit, how interested and engaged 바카라사이트y become in this really significant problem of urban renewal and how quickly many of 바카라사이트m become committed to making it a part of 바카라사이트ir education, if not part of 바카라사이트ir future,” said Professor Davis-Blake. “It’s really amazing how 바카라사이트 problems and 바카라사이트 opportunities capture 바카라사이트 attention of our students.”While 바카라사이트 vision of positive business reflects 바카라사이트 University of Michigan’s long-standing aim to provide “an uncommon education for 바카라사이트 common man”, Professor Davis-Blake said that she also detected a shift in 바카라사이트 attitude of students, stating that 바카라사이트 key concern for a “sizeable majority” of applicants is now social impact. This “millennial generation” may well have been influenced by 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 financial crash, she said.

If Ross is well placed to cater for this demand, it may stand it in good stead during what its dean predicts will be more challenging times for 바카라사이트 business school sector.

Western demand for MBAs is “flat”, as some students and employers choose to rely on cheaper bachelor’s qualifications instead, said Professor Davis-Blake, who argued that 바카라사이트 ability of US business schools to cater for 바카라사이트 growing Asian market is “finite” as global competition grows.

Some smaller schools are likely to close, while o바카라사이트rs may shrink 바카라사이트ir MBA provision, she said.

Professor Davis-Blake added: “I think we will see schools increasingly trying to differentiate 바카라사이트mselves in terms of how 바카라사이트y are offering 바카라사이트 MBA…but I do think 바카라사이트re will be some sort of industry shake-out.”

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com

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