International management: challenges of a fast-changing job market

The pandemic, the disruption of working conditions and increased globalisation have transformed corporate business models. To re-think their growth strategies effectively, organisations need to make flexibility and adaptability their watchwords.

The managers they now call on are obliged to develop skills suited to these new issues and to be immediately operational on a fast-changing international job market.

Loick Menvielle, Professor of Marketing, recently took over as academic director of EDHEC’s Master of Science (MSc) in International Business Management. This 100%-online management training programme, firmly rooted in practice, is designed to train young professionals to assume international management responsibilities.

In this interview, he shares some insights on the latest developments and challenges on the international job market and several ideas for preparing for them.

How do you see the state of student mobility at the moment, particularly internationally? 

The pandemic has disrupted mobility for individuals and especially for students. It’s now the task of schools and campuses to go to where students are.

The online format is now rooted in our practices. It has become a pivotal element of students’ education, regardless of their programme, field of study or geographic location. E-learning has been taken on board by all teaching institutions, to the extent that they now need to use the “online” format even as part of their in-person programmes.

The latest geopolitical changes also prompt us to re-think the concept of mobility. Following the pandemic, certain countries and geographic regions have remained reluctant to re-open to the rest of the world and to encourage mobility among their students. This persistent fear shows that the pandemic has marked a turning point for digital use, thereby obliging us to take a fresh look at ways of making education accessible to all.

How can young professionals train themselves in international management and best understand the current issues linked to digital and globalisation?

The pandemic and recent geopolitical changes have taught us that nothing is set in stone. During the MSc in International Business Management Online, students learn to develop their critical thinking and ability to question themselves, as well as a broader perspective on business issues.

Through the diploma’s academic excellence – a pre-requisite for large corporations – and the operational approach and adaptability inculcated in students during the programme, the MSc responds to the current needs of businesses.

How does the MSc in International Business Management train students for international careers?

The MSc adds the crowning touch to the academic careers of students looking to gain access to high-level positions and companies on the international market.

EDHEC belongs to the elite circle of 1% of business schools that have obtained triple accreditation (EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB). This is a genuine hallmark and a guarantee of the academic excellence of the school’s programmes and the quality of its teaching faculty.

The MSc provides greater visibility on the job market. Students’ participation in international competitions like L’Oréal Brandstorm or certificates like LVMH Inside enables them to familiarise themselves with different industries. In addition, the external value provided by collaboration with prestigious brands accelerates professional recognition of the programme.

How do the teaching format and learning methods of EDHEC online programmes respond to the current needs of managers targeting international management positions? 

The MSc’s digital format provides great flexibility to young managers looking to combine a professional career with an outstanding academic programme.

Studying online doesn’t mean participants are by themselves in front of their screen. We offer them specific support from qualified and dedicated teams that are geared to responding to their requests, both promptly and in a personalised manner. Within the programme we have also developed a system of career support for students, underpinned by teams of coaches.

Our classes are taught by permanent members of EDHEC faculty, as well as by prestigious international higher education institutions that belong to the FOME Alliance. Within the MSc, professors from ESMT Berlin, Imperial College of London and Melbourne University tackle different cutting-edge subjects. Through the lens of international academics and professionals, students develop another vision of the world and build critical thinking skills tuned to the challenges of a globalised business world. Our role is to transmit this high-level knowledge to students directly, wherever they are, thanks to digital.

In practice, our students are based all over the world, whether in the USA, Asia or the Middle East. This global virtual campus allows our participants to join our programmes without the constraints of time or space, but also to train themselves in the challenges currently encountered by businesses, such as different working methods or cultures, or remote collaboration. Plunged into the reality of business, they learn to manage problems and thereby prepare themselves to be immediately operational in their current or future positions and be ready to free themselves of the geographic limits that come with the traditional in-person model.