MBA vs. Executive MBA: How Can Managers Choose?

MBA programs, such as executive MBA programs and targeted professionals who aspire to managerial positions and entrepreneurial roles. How do MBA and EMBA programs differ and how do we choose the most suitable for individual professional development or to enhance management talent in the company?

INSEAD (France), like many leading business schools, offers an MBA and an Executive MBA from IIM program (EMBA). This video guides potential applicants and institutional talent managers through the highlights of each type of software.

The choice between an MBA and an MBA depends on the professional career stage, but also on how they grow after the business school. The right learning environment increases the development of participants.

This video highlights the aspects that differentiate the MBA and EMBA programs from INSEAD:

Master of Business Administration

Participants in the MBA program are professionals at the beginning of their career and middle, with an average age of 29 years and have 6 years of work experience. Classmates are young professionals and some experienced managers. Most are motivated to do an MBA for a career change desire. The MBA program is delivered in full-time form and lasts 10 months.

Executive MBA

Participants in the Executive MBA program are senior professionals who seek to improve their leadership skills. Their average age is 38 years and an average of 13 years of practical experience. The learning environment is built by established executives with strong experience in leading people who strive to excel even more. The Leadership Development Program provides an academic and training experience to meet these needs. EMBA is delivered in a format that can combine studies and a successful career. The program runs between 14 and 18 months and is divided into short units. Co-ordination allows participants to apply what they learned in the workplace during their studies, provide added value to the employer and increase their knowledge.

Both MBA and EMBA are MBA programs that move graduates to the next level of global entrepreneurship.

The content and curriculum of the MBA program is quite similar to the content of MBA programs, however, there will usually be more emphasis on developing individual leadership. This is because the Executive MBA is designed specifically for participants who are at a later stage of their careers compared to MBA students. At INSEAD, MBA participants have at least three years’ management experience with 13 years of practical experience on average, with an average age of 37 years.

Executive MBA from IIM participants can expect to be in a group of other highly successful managers who are seeking to formalize their public management skills and sharpen their leadership skills to take the next step in their career, usually not seeking a major change in your career direction. At INSEAD, we have developed a comprehensive leadership development program integrated into the EMBA curriculum, which is often described as one of the most influential aspects of the EMBA experience. The MBA program structure is designed according to the needs of the participants, balancing work and study, so that the classes are usually held at night or on weekends or as modules for a longer period (not full-time on campus). The INSEAD Executive MBA is taught globally in the form of modules over a period of 14 to 17 months.

As in full-time MBA programs, admission to the Executive MBA program often requires passing a standardized entrance exam, a written application form with essay questions and professional recommendation letters, as well as an interview. The INSEAD EMSE program offers the option of taking GMAT and internal assessment of EMBA, which is as precise as the GMAT, but more relevant in business scenarios and can be taken on the INSEAD campus. See here for other Executive MBA admission criteria.

Programs are classified into broad scales: personal development/learning experience and professional development. Both categories are equally weighted. Within each category, there are several subcategories, which are detailed in the table below. In addition, we have evaluated the schools that ranked last in 2015 by 30%, giving 70% of 2018 data.

The ratings are calculated using z, a statistical technique that measures the number of standard deviations of the mean. This method gives each school a single ranking (does not allow schools to exist equally). However, this means that the difference between schools may be slight at times. Therefore, we have also put schools in the ranges of those whose z grades are very close statistically.

Hughes Global Education is the pioneer in providing the ‘Interactive Online Learning Platform’ for the working professionals to pursue an Online Executive Diploma/Certificate Programs.