The Hindu Business Line : Tuck-Citibank's global distance learning initiative

The series focussed on two questions: "How can you develop a strategic mindset? How can you think differently about your company, your industry and yourself as a leader?"

Chennai June 23 The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, US recently conducted a virtual learning series with three groups of Citibank India managers at Chennai, New Delhi and Mumbai. The session marked the start of a new global distance learning initiative launched by the Ivy League business school to its executive education clients.

On how the initiative adds value to executives in India, Prof Anant K. Sundaram, Faculty Director of Executive Education, said: "The purpose of this set of seminars - called the `Tuck-Citibank series on Strategic Thinking' - is to bring thought leadership on these issues from a top US business school directly to high-potential executives in India."

Speaking to Business Line, Prof Sundaram, who is the faculty leader for the distance learning series and helped design and create it, said that the series kicked off with management guru Mr Vijay Govindarajan, addressing how managers can think about implementing breakthrough strategies in established businesses and what their role is in shaping the future of their company.

According to Prof Sundaram, many Indian companies, as well as Indian divisions of global companies, are assuming strategically significant roles that are becoming worldwide in scope.

"As this trend matures, Indian executives will naturally be expected to take on a stronger leadership role, as well as develop the ability to think and execute strategically."

He informed that the series is fundamentally focused on furthering their ability to answer two questions: "How can you develop a strategic mindset? How can you think differently about your company, your industry and yourself as a leader?"

How did the decision to work with Citibank come by? "Citibank India offered us the opportunity and we jumped at it. Moreover, leveraging technology to deliver this interactive learning experience from halfway across the world is quite consistent with the high level of technological sophistication that India is now known for."

hands-on role

Prof Sundaram believes that the days of cookie-cutter, template-driven executive education are over.

"Our clients play a tremendously significant, and hands-on role in shaping custom learning solutions. Companies have become quite sophisticated in assessing learning needs and in demanding learning solutions to meet those needs."

He added that Tuck prides itself in its ability and willingness to do precisely that. "Our small scale, flexibility and the high emphasis we place on the personal touch in everything that we do is quite consistent with this approach."

Modules

On how Tuck customises modules for many companies, he said that the process starts with a broad learning needs assessment, "if the company has not already done so internally.

"Often, one can start with a question such as `what are the two or three critical issues that keep your top management awake at night' or `where do you see your company and your industry 10 years from now, and what are the gaps you see in your ability to get there'."

What follows is an iterative process that zeroes in on other details, which are collated, synthesised and prioritised.

"We then develop, if needed, industry- or even company-specific learning tools, including cases, discussion sessions, `360' feedback instruments and action learning projects."

He added that the time taken from engagement to delivery can vary widely. "It depends on how much the company has already done internally before coming to us. It could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months."

According to Prof Sundaram, the true potential and efficiencies that `virtual learning' can achieve across vast distances and time zones have not been fully harnessed yet, "despite the fact that it is a medium of learning that has been around for almost a decade. And this is especially true of the leading business schools, including Tuck and its competitors."

He added: "We think that it is wide open territory with a terrific future, and one that we are truly excited to be able to take on."

In India, Tuck is exploring a number of initiatives in this area, but Prof Sundaram did not divulge any details.

The school is planning another session this month, by Prof Richard D'Aveni, a Tuck strategy professor and author of Hypercompetition, who will address the imperatives of how businesses can successfully sense and respond in this new era of global hypercompetition.

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