Business

Locations

Business

title In many parts of the world, the most formidable development obstacle we face today is the poor performance of the private sector and the need for greater focus on growth-oriented interventions. Weak capacity across the board is consistently cited as a major stumbling block and a large portion of the private sector continues to face numerous obstacles due to poor management and technical capacity, and a shortage of skilled managerial candidates. Business schools are the primary suppliers of management and leadership talent. With improved business education, graduates are better suited to develop and grow local businesses, leading to a more vibrant private sector and improved economic performance.

Establishment of the Association of African Business Schools (AABS)

Past

GBSN facilitated the creation of AABS, the purpose of which is to promote excellence in business and management education in Africa by supporting graduate business schools through capacity building, collaboration and quality improvement. AABS programs focus on developing the institutional capacity to teach leadership and other managerial skills to improve management of African organizations. The association strives to enhance the relevance and contribution of business schools to policy discussions on African development, including contributing to research and policy development.

ISM Management Case Study Project

Past

GBSN worked with the Institut Supérieur de Management (ISM) in Senegal to produce business case studies of Francophone African companies. The project was funded by GRAVITAS Capital Advisors, an independent investment advisory firm, ISM, as well as a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

Karachi Education Initiative

Current

GBSN is working with the Karachi Education Initiative, a consortium of Pakistani business leaders, to advise on the establishment of a new premier business school in Karachi, Pakistan.

MBA Module Development and Quality Standardization

Past

To develop a world-class program for training current managers, GBSN worked with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration to develop key MBA course modules as well as a strategic plan for quality improvement. The project also convened African and other emerging market business school directors and international accreditation groups to formulate quality standards that can be applied systematically in the African context.

Tanzania Private Sector Competitiveness Project

Current

GBSN has been contracted by the Government of Tanzania to work on the Tanzania Private Sector Competitiveness Project, a World Bank funded initiative. GBSN offers supervision and guidance to the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation and the Business School Linkage Program, which seeks to significantly enhance the capacity of business and management education institutions in Tanzania to ensure a permanently increased supply of quality managers in Tanzania.

Teaching the Practice of Management

Past

To disseminate best practices in business teaching throughout Africa, GBSN worked with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), in partnership with Lagos Business School (LBS) and other network schools, to develop a case method teaching workshop in South Africa for faculty across the continent. The program promoted the development of a peer support network for African business faculty who use discussion-based, practice-oriented teaching methods.

Food for Thought

“Before the financial crisis, a lot of business schools talked the talk on ethics and their contribution to society, but did not make it a core part of their program. Now they are seeing it as a key part of their curriculum. It is important that the values of excellence, leadership, integrity and social awareness are imprinted on students by business schools – this needs to be just as important as the imparting of business skills.”

– Mthuli Ncube, President of the South African Association of Business Schools and Director of Wits Business School