Why Western B-Schools Are Leaving

Businessweek, May 26, 2008 ABSTRACT: Cass Business School in London was one of several dozen MBA programs tempted by a seemingly massive and untapped market for management education in China. It started a joint executive education program with the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics in 2004 and has had about 80 students graduate from its two-year program. But the British administrators Cass sent to China grew weary of the lengthy government approval process required for each new class of students.

Cass Business was one of several grams tempted by a School in London dozen MBA proseemingly massive and untapped market for management education in China. It started a joint executive education program with the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics in 2004 and has had about 80 students graduate from its two-year program. But the British administrators Cass sent to China grew weary of the lengthy government approval process required for cach new class of students. And they were frustrated by the effort it took to bring home the money they were making. ＂I think we did anticipate some problems, but not as severe as the ones that emerged,＂ says Steve Haberman, deputy dean of the school. He shut down operations in February.