Reengineering the MBA for Small and Mid-Size Firms: A Business-Driven Approach

Most universities have MBA programs designed to train functionally specialized managers for large Fortune 1000 type firms. The graduate management education needs of small and mid-size firms have been largely ignored. Many innovative MBA programs have themes that emphasize entrepreneurship, management of technology, or international business, but none have integrated all three themes in a redesigned MBA program that meets the needs of small and mid-size firms. This paper describes a successful business-driven approach to reengineering the form and content of an MBA program to create a higher value-added program for smaller and rapidly growing enterprises. This curriculum development process was funded by a grant from the Cleveland FoundationÕs Statewide Program for Business and Management Education. Guided by a businessdriven process, The University of Toledo successfully initiated a new Executive MBA for Small and Mid-size firms in the fall of 1995.