Building Right MBA Class Mix For Desirable Diversity

The CXOs are constantly examining managerial and leadership characteristics that can trace and define future business leaders in the era of disruption. Hence, while identifying the right skillset and promising potential, the hiring war for the right talent stays on.

New-age virtual learning has witnessed a boom in its demand that came with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Dibyendu Bose, Senior Director of Admissions, Indian School of Business (ISB) referred to multifaceted elements that are crucial for students’ development. “There is a huge demand in the market for analytical thinking. Corporates are looking for candidates who are not only good in analytics but also excels in business development and digital transformation.” ISB’s Bose further highlighted that the online mode of learning is hugely lacking in peer-to-peer learning and collaborative growth.

Beyond Cognitive Diversity 

Focusing on creating a diverse class mix, Matt Symonds, Co-Founder, Fortuna Admissions and CentreCourt MBA and Masters Festivals underlined the utmost importance of academic excellence but also highlighted the need to bring in students from across the world, he said, “It is imperative for business schools to globalize their learning design, understand cross-functional sensibility and focus on the importance of delivering up to the demands of their diverse class mix.” Symonds further complimented the quality of Indian academics and congratulated Twitter’s CEO and recently appointed CEO of Channel to inspire an upcoming set of students.

As the world has recently seen such uncertainty and ambiguity that finding the ‘perfect-fit’ seems the most difficult task. “Who is an ideal student in the new world classroom?” asks Ranjan Banerjee, Dean, BITSoM Mumbai. Talking on the lines of skills of the future, he said, “How can we expect a whole-brain thinking, when one is only examining and admitting left-brain thinking.” He believes that an institution must nurture both, job seekers and job creators along with focusing on the whole spectrum of diversity.  

Identifying Excellence Beyond GMAT Score

The dynamics of businesses are changing every second which requires a high degree of agility as to how to accept the change, process its implications and react in order to make it work successfully. Amit Khanna, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers while speaking from a corporate perspective mentioned the mindset change. PwC’s Khanna elaborated and said, “A person would be hired who can adapt and work in an environment where a man and machine co-exist and function together.” 

Sundaravaradhan Venkatesh, Professor, SME, Shiv Nadar University pointed out, “Teaching has changed globally and offered an opportunity to go back to the drawing board, relook and ponder that are our universities and curriculums fit for today’s dynamics?”

Artificial intelligence would not work in silos but digital literacy is critical and to be able to establish a sync between technology and apply the same to the business processes and work executions is required. To be able to find and admit ‘a perfect class mix is a science’.