Globalization of MBA studies and transnational educational institutions in the Caribbean

Abstract

The globalization of higher business education supported by the growth of transnational educational institutions is now a feature of the developing countries of the Caribbean region. This article examines the situation of Guyana, where the recent discovery of hydrocarbon resources has created expectations of an economic transformation that will generate a demand for trained personnel to manage the transition: Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduates are expected to contribute significantly in this regard. In the higher education system in Guyana, MBA graduates are produced mainly by the regional university and an Australian transnational institution. This study gathered information on the guiding factors in the choice of MBA through a survey of current students and recent graduates of the two institutions. A comparative analysis of the competing programmes was also undertaken to provide greater insights into their capacities for generating the human resource output necessary for the contemplated transformation.