In a time when uncertainty has heightened, not only in terms of health, but also the economy, employment and finances, working professionals find themselves trying their best to stay afloat despite the circumstances.
Dr Perbaharen V Balasubramaniam, Head of Programme for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) in collaboration with Coventry University, UK, at INTI International College Subang’s Centre of Postgraduate Studies, believes that being able to lead is key to surviving the current volatile economy.
To do this, many have begun their quest to seek knowledge as an effort to steer through the pandemic and the challenges that have arisen from it. Interestingly, the knowledge being sought are not those that are job-specific, but rather soft skills such as leadership and career enablement.
Tigerhall, a mobile app-based learning platform, found that of the content it offers its users, the greatest demand is currently seen in the consumption of content on leadership. In order to gain insights on embracing change and disruption, communicating effectively as leaders, as well as making hiring and firing decisions, as well as managing a team that is working remotely, leadership as a whole has become a top skill for professionals at all levels to master 1.
Dr Perbaharen V Balasubramaniam, Head of Programme for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) in collaboration with Coventry University, UK programme, at INTI International College Subang’s Centre of Postgraduate Studies, said that because of the current volatile and unpredictable economy, the ability to lead sustainable strategic change is key.
“The prevailing economic crisis in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic has tremendously affected the job market, causing many to lose their jobs. However, opportunities await those outstanding leaders who can demonstrate the ability to change, adapt and think out of the box amidst adversity,” he said.
According to Dr Perbaharen, INTI’s MBA programmes consist of general core modules and industry-specific specialist modules. While specialist modules train students in their chosen industry, it is the core modules that help students deepen their knowledge and skills, especially in areas such as leadership.
The Leading in a Changing World module, which takes about 10 weeks to complete, examines the knowledge, skills, behaviours and techniques of leadership and explores the role of leadership in relation to other business themes such as globalisation, strategy, ethics, culture, change, innovation and organisational development.
“Leadership is one of the most pervasive social phenomenas, yet it is also a controversial one. This module provides students with an opportunity to consider and develop some key leadership skills to support them in building their international business careers.
“Students will be expected to prepare themselves to address contemporary leadership issues such as globalisation, virtual teams, cultural diversity, change management, and corporate social responsibility. This will be achieved by acquiring a critical understanding of the impact of such issues in practice,” he said.
Besides leadership, students also learn essential concepts of strategic management, marketing, and financial management. Varied and wholesome assessments in the form of debate, video production, evaluating the impact of Global Human Resource Management (GHRM) strategies, and engaging in creativity are just some of the ways knowledge learnt from these modules are put to the test.
Meanwhile, INTI International University MBA LS (Learning Simplified) Head of Programme Dr Syarifah Mastura Syed Abu Bakar said working professionals should always take the initiative to upskill and not wait until the circumstances demand. However, that seems to be the case as the pandemic has presented new challenges that need to be dealt with.
To be more effective in today’s changing organisations, MBA students at INTI are exposed to the Managing Organisations module which gives students an insight into an organisation by introducing them to key principles, concepts and functions of management.
INTI International University MBA LS (Learning Simplified) Head of Programme Dr Syarifah Mastura Syed Abu Bakar said working professionals should always take the initiative to upskill and not wait until the circumstances demand it.
“This module introduces students to the principles which underpin organising and organisations. Students will gain knowledge related to modern management practices. By examining the structure of business organisations from the time they were created to more current structures, the module considers the ways in which organisational design constitutes a means of management control,” she said.
Dr Syarifah Mastura added that the module also explores the concept of organisational development and how, through the process of change, this can be seen as both a strategic and an operational intervention.
“All this is then further explored in management issues. Students are given opportunities to analyse issues in management including managerial issues, leadership, and teamwork,” she said.
Another core module available in the MBA LS programme is Organisational Development and Change Management, which focuses on planned changes in a total system. Starting with an initial historical perspective of the field, students will explore the core organisational model.
“From this core model, students will examine the range of Organisational Development interventions used in the past and present. Students learn how to be a more effective manager in a changing organisation. They will also learn how to initiate and guide organisational changes, and, most importantly, how to influence people’s behaviour,” added Dr Syarifah Mastura.
When asked about her views regarding other soft skills that would be advantageous to working professionals, she said the ability to communicate and listen well, resolve conflict, and collaborate are important to have.
While Covid-19 was certainly unexpected, it has opened up interest and encouraged professionals to equip themselves for challenges that have and will arise in the future. It is efforts such as these that will allow our communities to emerge stronger from this global pandemic.