Beat economic downturns with Global MBA program training

September 27, 2017

Here's how a global MBA program can help you beat economic downturns throughout your career

Economies ebb and flow, so it is almost a guarantee that, at some point in your career, you will be faced with the challenge of a recession or depression. This phenomenon could be regional, national, or global. It may last only a year or two, or stretch on for several years, like the economic decline of the late 2000s.

Whatever the situation, the reduced economic activity that is the hallmark of these events is likely to make it difficult for your place of work to succeed the way it did in better times. The skills taught in an MBA program can make the difference between your workplace struggling or shutting down and it actually surviving, possibly even thriving, in a difficult economic climate. Here's a look at some of the things you can learn that are particularly valuable.

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Financial management skills can help you make tough, necessary decisions

An economic downturn is often a time for tough decisions. In order to save some of the company's finances and live to fight another day, it may be necessary to abandon projects or let employees go. While nobody enjoys making these kinds of decisions, understanding when to make them, and having the confidence to make them decisively, can be instrumental to business success in a tough economy.

This situation can be delicate to get right, as you don't want to accidentally hinder the organization by cutting more than is necessary. Completing MBA courses, though, can provide you with the sound understanding of financial analysis and management necessary to make sensible choices in volatile financial markets. It's a great investment in an area of competence that is likely to be important multiple times throughout your career.

Use skills from your MBA courses to expand abroad if possible

When one market is down, it can be advantageous to look for business opportunities in new places. It's easier than ever to sell goods and services across borders, and with hard work and intelligent marketing, you might be able to find international opportunities to preserve your bottom line during times of economic turmoil.

Completing a global MBA program can prepare you to pursue these opportunities in two important ways. The first is by teaching you valuable skills for global business, such as how to evaluate international opportunities and create strategies for global expansion. At top schools like WU Executive Academy, these concepts are relayed by experts from both the private and academic sectors, and reinforced by educational residencies completed in China, India, Chile, Brazil, and the USA.

The second is by allowing you to build a strong network of peers drawn from all over the world. Together, these assets can help you find opportunities in new markets, pursue them sensibly, and perhaps even get an insider's perspective on how to find success.

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Executives can use training and connections from MBA school to find opportunities during recessions

MBA courses can help you use data to maintain profitability

In a recession or depression, maintaining profitability may seem like a tall order for your organization. Knowing where to concentrate your efforts, though, can help you prioritize your most valuable clients or projects and avoid the ones that aren't worth as much effort. By making a particular point of focusing on your most profitable opportunities, you may be able to come out of a downturn in relatively good shape.

For best results, don't just go with assumptions. A good, modern MBA curriculum will include instruction in data collection and analysis that can help you make objective observations and decisions about the best opportunities for your workplace. Track data about the time and resources that go into completing projects for every client, how much money the projects earn for you, and on any specific processes used for certain clients. You could gain valuable insight into how and where to invest your business resources when you really need to make them count.

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Data collection and analysis can help you choose the best opportunities to pursue in difficult economies

Are you ready to take your skills and career to the next level?

Contact WU Executive Academy to learn more about our executive MBA courses!

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