delegation of us students visit dubai world
• Study Tour aimed at Understanding “the contribution of BEC to outstanding Business Practices”
A group of students from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, based in Glendale, Arizona, recently visited the Business Excellence Centre of Dubai World to understand the dynamics of Dubai’s developmental experience, and how Dubai World as an entity was supporting this development and managing its own phenomenal growth.
The trip to Dubai World premises, led by John J. O’Connell, Professor of Risk Management at the School, was part of the Global Management course for MBA students that aims to facilitate greater knowledge exchange between top management executives of select global companies and the students, and understanding international business practices.
Professor O’Connell reiterated the significant position that Dubai occupies on today’s global business platform:
“Our visit was designed to understand the dynamics of Dubai’s growth experience, its business ethos and best practices. The city holds great opportunities for businesses of all sizes to flourish in a multicultural environment and it was our purpose to understand these intricacies through direct interaction. Needless to say, we are quite impressed by the generosity and openness with which the city has welcomed us.”
Anand Nicodemus, Manager, Business Excellence Centre, who gave the visitors an overview of how the Business Excellence Center supported the growth with the development and implementation of “cutting edge” management practices said:
“Even as we grow rapidly through global expansion and investments in diverse sectors, we pursue Business Excellence through well designed management practices. Through cutting edge practices in the areas of Business Process Management, Performance Management, Continuous Improvement, Learning and Innovation and Employee Involvement we are endeavouring to standardise, optimise cost and enhance productivity continuously. The Business Excellence Center is unique in its combination of expertise, “Continuous Engagement” philosophy, use of models and frameworks, and its synergy with Group Internal Audit. This provides the stabilising influence and imparts the capability to manage future growth”
The Students largely in their last year of the Masters in Business Administration programme and majoring in International Management were presented with BEC’s Organisation and specific approaches to BPM, Employee Involvement through a Suggestion and Reward Scheme, and key elements of the Continuous Improvement Framework.
The likelihood of further collaboration between the School of Management and the Business Excellence Center was discussed and it was agreed that specific opportunities would be explored.
