Editorial
Careers
The Obama effect:
the impact of the
US election on
the MBA world.
By Susan Peppercorn
he election of Barack Obama as the demand for the H-1B visas is forcing the US hopefully result in business schools taking a
T
forty fourth president of the United citizenship and immigration service to allocate more multilateral approach to business
States signalled a radical change in visas via a lottery in 2009. education, using business cases from around the
the nation’s history and politics and However, according to Phillip Phan of world, not only from North American schools,”
has drawn strong interest around the world. For the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School: states Bill Bigoness, managing director of Duke
MBAs this could have a profound effect too. “Immigration reform will likely focus on Corporate Education.
What effect will Obama’s election have on the illegal rather than legal immigration. The Dean Thomas Moore, Northeastern
MBA programs in the US? What are the major number of employment visas is unlikely to University School of Business believes that
hopes or concerns of the deans of top MBA increase under Obama. In the extreme case, Obama’s stance will benefit American MBA
schools, and what do they hope will change they may even decrease as a response to job programs by strong leadership in sustainability
under the new administration? protection sentiments.” and environmental issues. “US business
programs need to
Changes in US educate students to
Immigration
Policy
“Current immigration policies make it challenging
develop sustainable
business models that
From an obvious
for foreign students to obtain visas to enter the US
don’t drain financial
desire for change and environmental
in US visa policies
to attend school, and even more challenging to
resources. Europe has
to hopes for a more been ahead of the US
internationally-
remain in the US for employment.”
in this area for some
aware presidency, time, and MBA
the hopes and programs in the US
expectations of need to respond to this
senior US business school administrators are Jim Olver, assistant dean at William & ever-increasing need.”
wide-ranging. Mary’s Mason School of Business, sees things President Obama has said that he would
Current immigration policies make it somewhat differently: “Based on his voting like to spend $150 billion over the next 10 years
challenging for foreign students to obtain visas record and platforms, I think President Obama developing alternative energy. “Now is the time
to enter the US to attend school, and even more understands that yielding to protectionist urges to declare our energy independence once and
challenging to remain in the US for employment. damages the long-term competitiveness of the for all,” he said in October 2008. Universities
Restrictions in the numbers of work visas United States. I would expect him to favour with specializations that align with the president’s
available have caused many US employers to shy expanding visa opportunities for highly skilled priorities hope that this synergy will enable them
away from hiring foreign nationals. For the past internationals.” to move their initiatives ahead further and faster.
five years, the US government has capped the According to Debbie Berechman, executive
number of work visas at 65,000, with significantly Rethinking traditional MBA programs director of the MBA program, Sloan School of
more than that number requested. Forecast “Obama’s global upbringing and world view will Management at the Massachusetts Institute of
30 TopMBA CAreer Guide
www.topmba.com
TopMBA CAreer Guide
www.topmba.com 31
MBA_SPR09_pp_001-051.indd 30 17/2/09 15:40:34
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