Sotirios Paroutis, Warwick Business School
The growth of online learning could see a concentration of the number of top business schools operating globally, especially if schools follow the WBS route of not distinguishing between the Warwick MBA by distance learning and the Warwick MBA by full-time study on its certification. Even among a small number of top schools, there will be a distinct culture, values, approach and course offering that will be more or less attractive to some students.
At WBS, apart from offering a world-class, all-round business education, our MBA has distinct characteristics that will attract certain students. For example, the Warwick MBA programmes have behavioural science at their core as we have the strongest Behavioural Science Group in Europe.
We are also injecting more creativity into our MBA, both in how we teach it and in learning how to be creative. We will see ‘blended learning’ – involving both face-to-face and online teaching and learning – become the norm. It will just be a matter of the balance between the two. It will be increasingly important to learn these skills in an MBA as in the business world global organisations are using the internet and internal social media to hold virtual meetings and run projects.
An important part of the Warwick MBA by distance learning involves working on projects remotely with team members all over the world: leading, managing and shaping virtual teams is a key skill that’s becoming increasingly important. The digital workplace is something companies and organisations are evolving and investing in behind their firewall, having experience of these digital tools will be a real advantage in the future.
About Professor Sotirios Paroutis
Professor Sotirios Paroutis is Assistant Dean MBA at University of Warwick and teaches in the Masters, MBA, and Executive programmes at the Warwick Business School (WBS). He is recipient of multiple annual WBS Outstanding MBA Teacher Awards and has been involved in training for a number of organizations including IBM, E.On, UBS, CapGemini and Transport for London. Previously he worked as Junior Associate at McKinsey&Company (London), Financial Analyst at Procter&Gamble (Athens) and Credit Analyst at Eurobank EFG Bank (Athens).
He holds a Doctorate in Strategy and Organisation from the School of Management, University of Bath, a Masters degree (with Distinction) in Management Science and Operational Research from the Warwick Business School and a Bachelor (Hons) in Management from the Athens University ofm Economics and Business.