MBAs can benefit women - Makubetse

Milpark MBA graduate Lebogang Makubetse, who has started her own business and has been chosen to participate in an international fast-track leadership programme since completing her MBA at Milpark Business School, believes that it has given her the edge in business.

Makubetse is a natural entrepreneur and business woman and has already started a nightclub called Zen in The Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg with her brother. This potential has been recognised in her selection to be part of a prestigious two-year leadership fast-track programme with Novo Nordisk, a Danish global healthcare company with 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care.

This is an outstanding opportunity and Makubetse is one of only 48 candidates chosen for the programme out of 7000 applicants globally - an achievement that she attributes to the knowledge and experience gained through her MBA.

Lifelong learning

"In order to be a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur I have embraced lifelong learning. Doing an MBA with Milpark was a natural next step after graduating from UNISA. My MBA studies have equipped me with an in-depth knowledge of an organisation's core functions, something that I feel is essential in running any successful venture," says Makubetse.

During her two years with the Novo Nordisk programme Makubetse will be working in the International Business Operations unit, where she will be responsible for implementing strategies for the dissemination of information on diabetes in African markets.

"Technological advancements have made the world that much smaller and South African businesses need to operate on a global level if they want to survive. The global business environment is very volatile and is filled with change, competition and uncontrollable influences that require management and strategies - something that an MBA equips you to handle. An MBA provides the tools to survive the business landscape on a global scale," says Makubetse.

Makubetse says there is a new generation of young female entrepreneurs who focus on establishing a solid knowledge foundation through education that will enable them to survive and excel in business: "MBA programmes get you thinking like a CEO. You may be an expert in your field, however when you step out on your own, you need to understand how to run a business. An MBA provides an introduction, so you can at least ask the correct questions."

MBA benefits

According to a salary survey conducted by MBA.co.za, an online resource and guide to MBA qualifications in South Africa, an MBA could allow a graduate to achieve pay gains of around 32% upon graduation and up to 42% in subsequent employment.

Dr Cobus Oosthuizen, dean of the Faculty of Management and Leadership at Milpark Business School, says that an MBA can provide women with increased confidence, credibility, expertise and networking opportunities, especially in workplaces that are still male-dominated: "Studying for, and achieving your MBA, is an experience that reveals your strengths and prepares you for future challenges while allowing you to gain business, analytical, decision-making and leadership skills that will advance your career and help you realise your potential."

Oosthuizen also emphasises the need to raise awareness of the impact women can have on society, culture, the environment and the economy through their business careers, and points out that companies with more women in senior leadership have better bottom line performance, corporate governance and risk management.

"Not only that - but the fact that in a country that is so dependent on entrepreneurial businesses, the knowledge, experience and connections gained through an MBA can greatly assist with the ultimate survival and success of that business. Lebogang is an excellent example of this and I wish her all the best with her career," says Oosthuizen.

For more information, go to www.milpark.ac.za.