Interview with Dean Joss, Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB)(5)

2007-04-12 13:44:53 [ Big Normal Small ]  Xing Zong  　Comment

Xing Zong: When Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft decided to drop out of Stanford's MBA program in order to follow his friend into the computer business, his father didn't hold back. "You're an idiot, you're insane, this is nuts.” Dean Joss, since entrepreneur spirits permeate in Stanford, what would you say if a MBA student approaches you, tells you he will drop out MBA program and start his own business? Will you convince him to stay?

Joss: I would ask him or her to think carefully. It’s a high risk strategy to drop out. Everyone hears about Steve Ballmer, but no one hears about other drop outs. If you leave before graduation and your venture doesn’t pan out, what will you have to fall back on?

A graduate management education is a long-term investment in yourself. You will never know what you do not know. The returns to knowledge have never been higher. Knowledge has never been more valuable than it is today.

Xing Zong: When the business school industry discusses the exciting topics of the moment, developments in Asia – particularly China and India – are top of the list. What get you excited about China?

Joss: What gets me excited about China is its enormous size and growth potential combined with an incredibly short supply of experienced and capable managers. Without this management talent, China will not reach its full growth potential.

Xing Zong: The ranking of 2007 full time MBA programs by Financial Times has been released. Among the noteworthy risers is the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), which has climbed ten places to rank 11th. China’s booming economy aided its ascent. Dean Joss, do you foresee more competition or more collaboration between Stanford GSB and top Chinese Business schools?

Joss: Yes, I see more competition and more collaboration. We’re already collaborating with Tsinghua University in a popular MBA exchange program. We also host a faculty from Tsinghua each year.

Xing Zong: Last question, what is the percentage of international students in Stanford GSB? How many students does GSB admit each year from mainland China? What kind of Chinese applicants does GSB especially like?

Joss: Let me give you some numbers. 43% of our fall 2006 entering class was international. Of these 12% are from Asia. We don’t break down our country by country numbers per year. But I can tell you that we have a number of alumni (of all nationalities) currently living in China: Stanford University alumni in mainland China: 227. Of these, nearly half, 107, are graduates of the Graduate School of Business. Stanford University alumni in Hong Kong: 669. Of these, nearly one-third, 200, are graduates of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. If you add them up, the total alumni in China are 896. Of these, more than one-third, 307, are graduates of the business school.

Xing Zong: Dean Joss, thank you very much for your time. You are an excellent dean and I wish you and Stanford GSB all the success in the future!

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