Wednesday, September 30, 2009

An MBA in Hustling

Given the amoral utilitarianism of Russia's oligarchs it's not surprising that they would be willing and able craft what may very well become one of the only business schools that's more than a circle jerk rest stop for burned-out bankers and bored corporate types seeking to switch careers.
Learning how to deal with the prevalent issues of politics, bureaucracy and corruption is applicable not just to emerging markets, but to the developed world as well. Wherever there are puppet politicians there are puppeteers pulling the strings.
Furthermore, anyone who has worked for a large corporation understands the importance of successfully navigating office politics and greasing bureaucracy's palm to free oneself from its suffocating grasp.
A handful of top Russian business figures have created an MBA program that tackles the issues they faced themselves: bribery, relentless bureaucracy, imperfect laws.
Skolkovo includes classroom courses in management theory, but invites dozens of guest speakers [and] might even invite an organized crime boss to talk about the challenges of management.

Skolkovo faculty members say they avoid moral judgments, and offer no ready-made strategies for handling corruption and predatory practices.

Among the patrons are some of the Russian business world's biggest names: Abramovich, the billionaire investor and owner of the Chelsea football team, donated 26 hectares (64 acres) of choice land outside Moscow for the construction of the gleaming $250 million campus, which has its own helipad.
Skolkovo's training doesn't come cheap. Fees for a full-time MBA including accommodation, flights to India, China and the U.S. come to euro50,000 ($74,000).

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