It's generally recognized that the market value of MBA programs has shrunk as more people have taken the degree. So the new growth market for b-schools has become executive education, a catch-all phrase for non-degree coursework aimed at sharpening managers' skills without distracting them from the actual job.
The definition is broad on purpose: Classes vary from single-day blasts to multi-month programs that technically culminate in an MBA if completed (known as an "executive" MBA, or EMBA). Some are mobile and global and even take place inside corporate corridors; some in more traditional classroom offerings. Even non-schools are bandying around the phrase in the drive to build their businesses.
Choosing an exec ed program can be tricky. It need not be: If the topic is central to your work and the academic is respected, it's likely well worth a few days out of the office.
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Start with the media rankings
Business schools take issue with rankings, for many good reasons. And exec ed is such an apples and oranges product that actual rankings are rare. But there are several reasonably good lists out there to begin your search.
I recommend: Business Week has an executive ed program page (way down on the right hand column of links), as do the
Financial Times, the
Economist, and the
Wall Street Journal (subscription required). Professional magazines, too, like
CFO, have their own recommendations for, say, finance executives. You'll find a convenient
state-by-state breakdown at About.com
Check to make sure the program is quality
Just about the toughest accreditation for business schools to complete is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, AACSB. See if your target program is tracked by them before signing the check.
I recommend: AACSB has a Knowledge Services division (aka the research department) which offers a schools
seach page with detailed information on what each program provides. Accreditation matters: Intel recently decided to stop funding non-accredited business programs for its people.
If you have a school selected, find the class
Courses that last a day or two go by quickly. It helps to settle on where you will realistically be taking the class and then find your subject matter.
I recommend: The database Web site
Management Courses seems to be chock full but searching is tricky. Best is to type in the school name ("Wharton" or "Harvard") and then submit.
Your best choice may not be a business school
Increasingly, large trade groups with extensive and talented membership bases are offering what amounts to ad-hoc, non-academic executive training. It's worth a look.
I recommend: The
Society for Human Resource Management, for instance, has an exec ed program.
HSM, a kind of über networking organization, has top executives and business authors offering master classes.
FranklinCovey (yes, the "7 habits" guys) has onsite classes for managers. Even
Disney is trying to peddle its brand as an educational opportunity.
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