Henley Management College Active MBA

The Henley Management College is the UK's only private post-graduate institution that is authorised by the Privy Council to issue its own degrees for taught MSc and MBA programmes. It was founded in 1945 by a group of businessmen, concerned about the need for quality senior management training in both the private and public sectors. To-day it has a reputation as one of the world's leading business schools, and with a network of international centres and electronic links to the College, is supporting over 5,000 students world-wide. Besides the various MBA programmes, there are Senior Management and Doctorate programmes and an active research base.

The College is based at Greenlands, Oxfordshire, the former family home of W.H. Smith. It is situated next to the River Thames, the site of the famous annual Henley Regatta boat races. To-day the old house holds the administrative centre, an excellent restaurant and the bar! Modern buildings and annexes are used for the courses and for accommodation, and after congenial eating or drinking, you can burn it off in the fitness centre!

Personal Overview

My own MBA was undertaken during 12 months from June 93 until April 94 followed by work on my dissertation which I submitted in January 1995. I then graduated in May that year. I was a self sponsored student, choosing the Active MBA as I found it matched my style of working:

High intensity - the college-based modules were spread over 16 weeks in 3 modules.
Team Work - 4 teams of about 7 students each undertook various in-course and between course assignments. The students had an average age of 30 and all had commercial experience. About a half were from overseas and the genders were about 1/3 female to 2/3 male.
Project Based - in between modules, the team based and individual consultancy projects gave an opportunity to put theory into practice.
International Assignment - with the International Management Institute St. Petersburg (IMISP) and their clients.

The Active MBA is also known as the Modular MBA. My dissertation on BPR and Organisational Culture is also on-line.

The College also has other MBA courses, such as the full time MBA, Distance Learning, 2 Year Modular and so on. See the College's web site.

When it's Over .....

Post graduation, there are opportunities to maintain links with the College. There is an active International Alumni of 10,000 members that has a number of special interest groups (SIGs). Myself and Ade Bamigboye have recently formed an Electronic Commerce SIG that is holding 4 or 5 meetings each year with speakers covering the various aspects of E-Commerce. The College invites Alumni members to free briefing sessions and to an annual garden party in the Summer to which family members are invited. This is held to co-inside with the Henley Regatta week and visitors can watch the races from the College lawns. There is also a magazine called the Henley NewsLink and the UK Alumni has its own newsletter named Acorns, after the College logo.

Subject	Topics	Case Study / Assignments
Business Finance	Financial principles, Financial reports & statements. Planning, budgeting & control, Costing (marginal, absorption), Investment appraisal: short & long term decision analysis, Ratio analysis, UK regulatory framework, Cash flow, Make or buy, Accepting or rejecting orders, Inflation & taxation, International finance, NPV, Cost of capital, Cash Flows, Sources of finance, Mgt. working capital, Portfolio theory, International risk mgt., Multinational capital budgeting, Currency exposure, Capital structure & gearing, Company valuation (Shareholder Value Analysis (SVA)) Mint Aluminium.	TBG Ltd Publishing Co. Sunlight Glazing Newop Ltd Memling Ltd Konglom Erricson Chevron Hallgarten Wines
Strategic Financial Management	BPR & SVA, Risk mgt., Management buyouts, Stock Exchange, Financial planning for the small business, Investment in Eastern Europe, Issues and responsibilities of directors	Rover: value of Rover following BMW take-over (using SVA). Trans World Corp. (TWC): Business unit valuation; TWC's shareholder value, Assess take-over bid. SAS: mission, core activities and maximisation of shareholder value.
Economics	Macro & micro economic environment, World Trade, Impact of technology	Mint Aluminium Tallent Engineering Econex simulation
Human Resource Management	Managing people, managing change, training, learning & development, Communications, Methodological approaches, Industrial relations, performance mgt., compensation & pay, motivation & rewards mgt., Appraising, Negotiating, Mgt. of conflict, Industrial relations, Strategy & structure, Managing diversity, managing delayering, Developing core competences, managing strategic change, Value chain analysis, Line mgt., Interviewing	Motivation exercise Energy International Steel Company
Marketing	Planning & strategy, Marketing environment, Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning, Buyer behaviour, Marketing information systems, Marketing research, Product, Promotion, Distribution, Pricing, Marketing plan, Implementation, Industrial marketing, Services marketing, Measuring & managing service quality, International marketing.	Club Med Swatch Cumberland Metals Skil Corp. Rubber Compounds ICL Sealed Air Benihana Microsoft
International Management	Workings of EEC, European economic convergence, Impact of technology, Competitive strategy, Asia & the Pacific Rim, Country opportunity / risk analysis, Competition in services industry, Comparative business cultures, Cross national mergers & acquisitions, scenarios.	Regional Aircraft Industry: British Aerospace / Fokker BV. Royal Insurance Car Emissions Control Irish Distillers take-over bids
Strategic Management	Business planning, Business cycles, Evaluating strategic options, Portfolio analysis, Business cultures, Stakeholder mgt., Strategic options, Strategic leadership.	Phillips British Aerospace / Fokker BV Nestle (Infant Formula) Rover: Strategic options - definition and choice.
Managing Resources	Managing information, Project management, Operations management (strategy & control), Quality mgt..	Carreras SL CTL Malcolm Seal Boeing Qormi Post Office
Personal Development	Group dynamics, 16 PF, Personality & Team Roles, Presentation skills, Stress management, Nominal group process, career planning, Belbin, German, Interviewing skills, Career management.	Team exercises CV development Policy project presentations

Assignments & Marks

Topic	Assignment	Mark (group mark)
Accounting	Mint Aluminium: project economic evaluation; treatment of uncertainty	A+
Managerial Economics	Mint Aluminium: macro & micro factors influencing demand; project assessment	C+
Operations Management	TWC: Assessment of new operating policy; changes to capacity and scheduling; impact on skills, quality procedures, performance measurement.	A+
Marketing	Assess TSB's marketing approach and application of marketing principles.	A
Business Finance	Financial Assessment of Petty Wood & Co. (Decision analysis & project appraisal; Management of working capital, Cost of capital)	B
Personal Development	Policy Project: Career Development Plan	B
International Management	"Marketing plan for the Goodwill Games" for Sovam Teleport "Marketing opportunities in St. Petersburg" for GST Software Products	A- (B)
Human Resource Management	Development of managerial competences at TSB	B+ (B)
Strategic Financial Management	Assessment of the value of the Rover acquisition by BMW	A- (B)
Business Strategy	Risks for Rover following take-over by BMW	A+ (B+)
In-service project (3 months)	"The Impact of Technology on Organisational Change" at the Kingsclere Health Centre	A
Exam	Integrated Case Study on "Euro Disney"	C+
Overall		B
Chartered Institute of Marketing Exam	Marketing Management / Decision Analysis Case Study "A national UK insurance broker"	C

Conclusions

A highly stimulating course with a good blend of theory and practical work. There was a good mix of UK and other European students with relevant experience and a mature outlook. Good lecturers, administrative back-up and an excellent environment. The international assignment and the international blend of students, highlights the challenge of cultural differences.

For self sponsored students, their biggest challenge will be finding clients to undertake the consultancy assignments.

Highly recommended.

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