Universities Tailor Management Degrees to Science

Dilbert reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate Inc. Are you a bench scientist looking for promotion or a change of pace? Highly coveted upper-management positions don't always fall into the laps of the most technically competent people in the company. Unfortunately, everything that scientists learn about the natural world doesn't necessarily prepare them for the ins and outs of business. Often, the only lesson that scientists carry into business from science is the Darwinian principle of "survival of the fittest." Photo: G. Steve Jordan PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: At the William Simon School at University of Rochester, where Clifford W. Smith Jr. is shown teaching a class here, the coursework is custom tailored to suit students' career goals. To meet the needs of the growing biotechnology industry, a new breed of management programs designed for scientists has emerged. It's not enough to be an executive with good management skills, or a scientist with superb experimental technique. In today's competitive market the successful businessperson is both. But it hasn't always been that way. At the turn of the century, the idea of combining a science curriculum with a program in business studies would have been anathema. Today, however, many great captains of industry trace their success to the instruction they received from four-year colleges, and, in turn, the funds of alumni organizations have swelled accordingly. Yet, there remains an artificial separation between business and science that seems inappropriate to the demands of an advanced industrialized nation. Echoing the schism that exists between business and the sciences is the stereotype perpetuated by such popular characters as Scott Adams's "Dilbert," which portrays a scientifically illiterate manager running a department of his technical superiors. In response to the credibility gap that is perceived to exist between traditional generalist-managers and the professional scientists who function under their supervision, some schools provide business programs that integrate technical expertise with management skills (See also P. Gwynne, "Programs Prepare Scientists for the Business World," The Scientist, 12[7]:4, March 30, 1998). For bench scientists who are considering handing in their lab coats in exchange for a power tie, achieving an MBA with a concentration in science and technology might propel them to the next level. Colleges that offer MBA degrees with a technology concentration point to the significant starting salaries commanded by graduates, citing numbers from $60,000 to $85,000, often with starting bonuses. What do people who are actually doing the hiring have to say about these programs? Mike Salisbury, human resources manager at a biotech firm, indicated that the Ph.D./MBA was a very attractive combination for someone in marketing or a leadership position. And as for the salary? "Definitely in the six figures," says Salisbury. Kenneth Weiss, director of human resources at another biotech company, was less enthusiastic about the Ph.D./MBA. He suggests that business experience is the most important factor in determining someone's salary. "Most Ph.D.s don't need MBAs, although it would be a possible future avenue." Weiss's company was pursuing Ph.D./MBAs for franchise work at one time, but the question always comes down to one factor: "What specific training has the person had?" However, starting salaries don't accurately reflect the value of having a business education. Where the MBA really pays off is in the long run. A number of companies find enough merit in MBA degrees that they cover the entire cost of sending their executives to graduate school. For the Ph.D. who has already earned the MBA, the most important advantage of the degree might be in terms of future pay raises and senior promotions. Any way you look at it, taking on an MBA degree course is a major commitment. Financing a lengthy graduate program can be a serious burden for someone who is already on a career path, and whose employer will not pay for the program. Some employers might not even welcome or allow for time off for studying. None of these courses is cheap. It is important to ask how affordable it is. Is financial aid available? Will your current employer provide some financial support? One of the first things to do before applying for admission to a program is to investigate what kinds of financial aid and scholarships are available. Many people simply overlook this part of the process because they believe that such funding is set aside for prodigies or hardship cases and feel undeserving of receiving help. Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from the U.S. Department of Education is the first step in pursuing Stafford and Perkins Loans and a host of privately financed educational loans. One of the major psychological barriers to entering graduate school is the admissions test. The prospect of taking a standardized test is a gruesome thought for most reentry students who have been out of the game for a while. On the whole, the exams haven't changed much over the years. If, however, you've already gone through graduate training in the sciences, your admissions test for that, along with proof of an M.S. degree, may be sufficient. Admissions officers are looking for a record of consistent performance in your previous studies. More and more these days the personal interview is assuming greater importance in the selection process. Many graduate business schools strongly encourage setting an appointment for an interview with an admissions officer. Any time graduate schools strongly encourage some kind of behavior it usually means something. For many, the opportunity to connect with a living human being will make all the difference in the world. There's no substitute for direct communication when it comes to conveying your personality one on one. For an equal number of people, the personal interview will seem slightly less arbitrary than the standardized test. The bottom line is, when it comes to making the decision as to who gets in and who doesn't, if the administrator can put a face with an application it usually makes all the difference. Of course, not all graduate business schools offer programs of concentration in the areas of science and biotechnology. Following are some of the major programs on the master's level that apply to science and technology. University of Pennsylvania's Executive Master's in Technology Management (EMTM), sponsored by both the engineering school and by the prestigious business school, the Wharton School, offers an attractive alternative to an MBA. Graduates receive a Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) in the Management of Technology. EMTM teaches students how to integrate multiple technologies, direct multidisciplinary technical teams, and turn technological innovations into commercial success. Courses are offered on alternate weekends (full-time Fridays and Saturdays; part-time, Fridays or Saturdays only) so students can earn a degree while maintaining their full-time positions. Typically, students are seasoned professionals. Other Penn programs that combine science and business include an interdisciplinary Master of Biotechnology and a Professional Master's in Biomedical Engineering. Biotechnology prepares students, both full- and part-time, for leadership in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Biomedical Engineering trains full-time students for achievement in bioengineering enterprise--the development and sale of advanced biomedical technologies. COMBINED DISCIPLINES: At the University of Florida, masters and doctorate degrees are offered. They provide joint science and business training, says Donna Duckworth, director of the Warrington School. Rice University, a crown jewel of Texas education, has begun an intensive curriculum that focuses on biotechnology and health care management. The Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University, in conjunction with the Baylor College of Medicine, allows students to receive an MBA while they are working toward their MD/Ph.D. "This is something that both schools have wanted for a long time," said Arthur Garson, who is the chair of the executive committee that created the pioneering curriculum. After qualifying for Ph.D. candidacy, and before enrolling in the Jones school, it is expected that the student will work for at least one year in the laboratory, acquiring the techniques and the mentality of a researcher. The five-year program alternates with intensive overviews of health care management, financial and strategic planning, and clinical rotations. The combination of practical experience and theoretical knowledge is an important aspect of the university's commitment to training professionals for the business world. The Warrington School at the University of Florida graduated its first pilot student last December from a joint degree program that confers a master's degree in medical science. After a five- to six-year program, the student has both a Ph.D. and an MBA, or after three years an M.S./MBA. The emphasis of the program is on business in the scientific arena. According to Donna Duckworth, Warrington's director, students may have to make their own niche in the business world, but with the explosive growth of biotechnology, "there is simply no end of possibilities for these students." The biotechnology joint-degree program includes formal seminars in such fields as molecular genetics and infectious disease as well as a 10-hour sequence in fundamental research. The business component of the program evaluates current methods in managing, accounting, and finance with a particular emphasis on oral and written communication. The University of California at Irvine has a unique Health Care Executive MBA program that meets once a month for three consecutive half days. Some of the largest health care providers in California make their headquarters in and around Irvine, which makes the UCI campus an ideal proving ground for budding health care professionals. However, this program does not cater exclusively to provincial locals. Karla Larsson, director of UCI's student services, states that between five and 10 of the 60 students fly in from around the country to participate in weekend classes. Students also have the opportunity of spending a week in Washington, where, according to Larsson, they learn about "policy and issues, legislation, regulations, and a broad overview of the political arena and how health care professionals do their job in a national health care system." The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Management of Technology Program was the first of its kind when it opened its doors in 1981. With the help of funding sources, including NASA, that sought to create a pipeline for technology managers, MIT has fulfilled its intended purpose as one of the premier resources for "technocentric organizations." The mid-career executive program, which focuses on business strategies, research and development, and analytical methods, is an intensive 12-month course that gives managers the training they need to bring their talents up to speed. MIT also has a venture incubation process that includes an entrepreneur lab for start-up companies and a contest that awards $50,000 for the best business idea. Only 55 applicants are admitted to the program every year from an international pool of candidates. When asked what criteria were most important in the selection process, David Weber, director of the executive program, responded that, "Ultimately, recommendations sway the decision." For example, when a company is willing to pay for someone's education for an entire year, most likely that is someone who is to be taken seriously. TEAMWORK: University of Pennsylvania EMTM students tackle class projects jointly in small teams. Here, from left, are students Wei Chen, Mike Dominik, Brian Schenck, Claire Bednar and Carl Gross. The Lally School of Management and Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers concentrations in entrepreneurship, environmental management, and R&D management for the technically sophisticated manager. The school also provides a joint degree program for science and engineering students interested in the MBA. Students in this program enjoy the benefits of a solid financial support system that provides MBA loans, graduate assistantships, and a variety of scholarships that are awarded to approximately 20 percent of all entering MBA students. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute www.mgmt.rpi.edu Jesse Jones School of Business Rice University www.ruf.rice.edu/~jgs/home.html The Oregon Graduate Institute Department of Management in Science and Technology www.ogi.edu Sloan School of Management Massachusetts Institute of Technology web.mit.edu/Sloan/www/ University of California, Irvine School of Management www.gsm.uci.edu The Wharton School University of Pennsylvania www.seas.upenn.edu/prosprog/ The Warrington School University of Florida www.floridamba.ufl.edu William Simon School University of Rochester www.ssb.rochester.edu Worcester Polytechnic Institute Graduate Management Program www.wpi.edu/Admin/GAO/programs.html#dept One of the most intriguing ventures the Lally School is currently involved in is a Sino-U.S. exchange program that trains visiting scholars from China in the techniques of American business. As Associate Dean Gene Simons explains, "Basic science is universal, management is unique to the country." The Rong-Hong Scholars are engineers and professors financed by United Technologies to learn American concepts and strategies for developing a free enterprise system. The Lally School is presently building programs to satisfy the immediate need for 50,000 MBAs in China's burgeoning coastal economy. The William Simon School at the University of Rochester is perhaps one of the most thoroughly investigated business schools in the country. As the subject of Ron Yeaple's book, The Success Principle (Indianapolis, Macmillan General Reference, 1997), which surveyed 500 of William Simon's graduates, the specific advantages of earning an MBA degree were reviewed in great detail. Yeaple's conclusion regarding engineers with MBAs was that for technical specialists choosing to continue working in much the same capacity, the time and expense of receiving the degree was not worth the trouble. However, 92 percent of the respondents said they would repeat their experience regardless of the economic benefits. Associate Dean Ronald Hansen, emphasizing the practical, real-world mission of the Simon School's teaching and research, explains that the program "is not about armchair dilettantes and waving fancy terms around. We teach principles and their applications." As the third-oldest technology school in the country, Worcester Polytechnic Institute has developed an MBA program that caters to business managers with a technical background. The core of the curriculum focuses on global competition, information systems, technological issues, and a relative newcomer to the business school, the course in law and ethics. This last addition to the program is part of a growing trend in business schools that are intended to instill at least a pragmatic sense of ethical behavior in students who will be commanding large salaries and considerable responsibilities. One of the most interesting courses that WPI has to offer is entitled Intellectual Property Asset Management. This subject has immediate applications for the biotech industry where the issue of patenting genetic material has raised a firestorm of controversy. The course teaches managers how to handle the implications of proprietary information with regard to patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyrights. It is owing to innovative courses such as this that Norm Wilkinson, director of WPI's school of business, can say, "We have employers beating our doors down."

Universities Tailor Management Degrees to Science

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