Business

Michael Jones, a senior vice-president of human resource with Scotiabank Jamaica, says training under a Master of Business Administration programme generally raises the conceptual and analytical elements of people's skill sets.

But there is no solid evidence, he adds, that it improves integrity.

"MBAs do not demonstrate any greater appreciation for ethical issues than anyone else," Jones said.

"The effect on performance is a function of how well individuals apply knowledge."

The bank, he said, has observed that MBAs help individuals perform or contribute a sounder level of analysis, and equips them with broader thinking skills typically associated with more experienced individuals who may not have gone the MBA route. "However, more experienced people - with or without an MBA - have tended to exercise better judgement because of experience in dealing with business problems, crafting related solutions, and implementing initiatives," Jones said.

Profound impact

Pastors who have chosen to pursue MBAs at religious institutions believe that the impact can be even more profound.

Ingrid Butterfield, elder at the Church of the Open Bible on Washington Boulevard in Kingston, and CEO of Active Solutions, which provides distribution, market survey, and customer-service training, said that she deliberately chose to do her MBA with the Caribbean Graduate School of Theology (CGST) because of the biblical focus.

She graduated in 2007.

"It was not that other programmes did not discuss integrity, but I wanted to find out what the Bible had to say about business," said Butterfield.

"Since graduating, I have been able to apply new principles in cash management and how best to deal with cash flow. I have also learnt other new principles to implement in my business. Proverbs is full of business advice, including that which says you should build your business before you build your house."

The pastor notes that the Bible instructs that to save money it is best to have your business where you live.

She cites the Chinese as an example of people who practise this creed.

The Chinese are largely Buddhists, which suggests that the concept transcends Biblical teachings.

Long hours the key to success

"I have established my office at home where I do all my accounting and administration, even though I have a warehouse off-site where I store products distributed for Facey Commodity, Seprod, and others," said Butterfield.

"Proverbs 31 discusses a businesswoman who arises early to work. If you want your business to succeed, you must put long hours into it."

Butterfield states that when she lectures on business at church, her audience always fills the pews as it is a favourite topic for the local congregation.

Courtney Stewart, chief executive officer of the Bible Society of the West Indies, said that his reports to the society's board have improved markedly since 2008, when he graduated from the CGST, though he made no claim that the Christian teaching was more efficacious than the secular programmes in this regard.

"In a Christian environment, all that we do here is influenced by Christianity. I now have a greater appreciation for what goes on in the world of business," said Stewart.

He chose the CGST, he said, because he liked the idea of studying in a Christian environment with others with similar values "aspiring to the same standards of academic excellence".

- avia.collinder@gleanerjm.com