ABLE

Global Participants Gain Skills in Leadership

ilseu — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 00:45:57 +0000

Global Participants Gain Skills in Leadership ilseu Wed, 04/14/2021 - 17:45 More Blog Posts April 15, 2021

Representing 40 universities locally and globally, 83 participants learned about business leadership and fine-tuned their future plans during UCR’s two-week Accelerated Business Leaders Education program.

The UCR School of Business wrapped up its two-week Accelerated Business Leaders Education (ABLE) winter session in February, presenting it in a virtual format for the first time due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The program included 83 participants representing 40 universities from more than seven countries and territories, and the online program expanded ABLE’s reach to students both locally and globally.

“ABLE is a good starting point for those who, like me, are planning their graduate studies,” says participant Mark Andrew de la Cruz, a working professional in the Philippines. “I am very impressed with the innovative way UCR Business executed this program to ensure education is accessible no matter how challenging the situation, especially in these uncertain times.”

Guest speakers included Michelle Mao, president, and Chris Larson, vice president, of TCL, a multi-national electronics company and the fastest-growing television brand in North America. Mao was recognized as one of the “Most Powerful Women in Technology” in 2016, and she and Larson spoke about the leadership, strategic vision, and market insights that helped the company grow so rapidly.

“I tell my employees all the time that if you’re not making mistakes, it’s because you are either moving too slow or are too far within your comfort zone,” said Larson. Mao also discussed cultural differences involved in managing employees in varying locations and responded to student questions about navigating a top leadership position as a woman.

UCR School of Business management professors utilized case study methodology, role-playing activities, survey polls, and other interactive methods to teach the pillars of the program curriculum—leadership, teamwork, innovation, and strategy. Assistant Professor Kyle Ingram focused on the Leader-Member Exchange theory, helping participants understand leader-follower dynamics to increase job satisfaction and overall performance. Associate Professor Elaine Wong guided participants through the decision-making process with strategies to help leaders recognize and reduce biases, which often lead to ineffective decisions. Associate Professor Marlo Raveendran provided an in-depth overview of possible organizational design structures, their advantages, and situations where each would be appropriate, and she emphasized “structure follows strategy.”

Other learning opportunities included a CliftonStrengths workshop led by Lela Dennis, human resources director of employee and organizational development at UCR, underscoring the importance of leaders balancing the needs of people, productivity, and profit. Sabine Freij, director of Graduate Advising and Student Services at UCR’s A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management, facilitated a conflict resolution workshop providing tools for handling different types of conflict.

ABLE Strategy and Business Innovation Competition

Grouped in teams, ABLE participants conducted an innovation and strategic audit for an assigned company in the program’s Strategy and Business Innovation Competition. In preparation for the contest, Sean Jasso, professor of practice in management, led “winning” and “strategy” seminars. Teams worked together over the course of the program to overcome a variety of challenges, including cross-cultural communication and group dynamics. On the last day of the ABLE program, each team presented an analysis with recommendations for the company moving forward.

ABLE Strategy and Business Innovation Competition winner February 2021: Team BEST BUY

The top competitor was Team Best Buy. “They delivered a polished, well-organized and rigorous presentation highlighted by a strong command of the company’s complex strategic issues,” says Jasso, the competition coordinator and one of three judges. “They were well-rehearsed and relaxed, adhered to time and format requirements, produced high-level executive slides, and most, importantly, provided effective strategic alternatives for their client.”

In addition to hands-on strategic audit experience, each member of Team Best Buy received a $5,000 scholarship toward their business master’s education at UCR.

“The ABLE program has given me the opportunity to accelerate my learning and prepare myself for success as a strategic leader in the business sector,” says Jinatul Raihan Mumu, an undergraduate student in Bangladesh. “By providing ample opportunities to learn more about the graduate business school at UCR and the freedom to contact anyone—student ambassadors, administrators, and faculty—to ask for help, I am more confident and prepared to pursue a graduate degree.”

The ABLE program summer session (June/July) is enrolling now. ABLE is open to domestic and international students, undergraduate students interested in business or leadership, and anyone who is looking to “try out” a graduate management program. Interested individuals may apply for the 2021 summer program or request a brochure for information on program pricing.

Watch a recap:

ABLE Program Impresses Yet Again

kmcnally — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 17:28:15 +0000

ABLE Program Impresses Yet Again kmcnally Tue, 08/20/2019 - 10:28 More News August 20, 2019

The UCR School of Business completed its third Accelerated Business Leaders Education (ABLE) program this August, 2019. The three programs were attended

by over 200 participants from over 30 universities around the world, including some of the top partner universities of the School of Business, such as Harbin Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, Xiamen University, University of Lima, and I-Shou University.

Structured as a two-week intensive camp, the ABLE program consists of graduate-level classes and a strong career-focused component for participants to experience the impact that a UCR business degree will have in their professional career. Workshop topics included Communication, Leadership, Teamwork and Ethics, and Career Development. Students also engaged in co-curricular and cultural activities to experience life on the UCR campus and in Southern California.

ABLE students were awestruck when they discovered that the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood was on the destination itinerary. TCL, most notably known for its success with televisions, welcomed students with a presentation by Michelle Mao, president of TCL North America, and Chris Larson, senior vice president, who shared their insights about building a brand and forming high-performance teams in a competitive industry.

Highlights of the ABLE program included a seminar co-hosted by Lucasfilm and SolarMax. Will Chu, from Star Wars International Marketing at LucasFilm, shared the strategies and tactics employed by LucasFilm to accelerate their position and brand within the advertising industry. The program also toured an Amazon Fulfillment center to observe the modern first-class logistics industry facilities and advanced management methods.

The ABLE program not only provides an opportunity for the participants to experience life at UCR, but it also offers the benefit of an easy transition to apply for the School of Business Master of Business Preparation Program (MBPP) and to apply to graduate business programs.

From the survey results, 72.7% of the cohort wants to apply for an academic program at UCR in the upcoming years. 95.5% of the cohort would recommend the ABLE program to others, and among them, 65.2% of the participants ranked their experience at UCR as exceptional.

The ABLE program is rapidly becoming one of the elite destinations for emerging business leaders. The School of Business is broaden the program and will recruit students from other regions around the world.

TCL Offers Red Carpet Treatment to ABLE Program

kmcnally — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 23:08:22 +0000

TCL Offers Red Carpet Treatment to ABLE Program kmcnally Thu, 08/15/2019 - 16:08 More Blog Posts August 15, 2019

On August 2nd, the UCR School of Business Accelerated Business Leaders Education (ABLE) program had the unique invitation to tour the symbolic site of the Hollywood-TCL Chinese Theatre.

TCL is a Chinese multinational electronics company with products such as television sets, mobile phones, household appliances, and more. They are America’s fastest-growing TV brand the third largest TV manufacturer in the world.

As the students of the ABLE program entered through the main doors of the theatre, Mr Levi Tinker, theatre operations manager & directors of tours, led them on an exclusive tour covering the history and significance of the TCL Chinese Theatre, including the handprints of Hollywood’s most famous celebrities.

Levi directed the group further into the breathtaking IMAX theatre that has debuted some of the most successful films in history. Deeper into the theatre, there is a sense for the scale of the venue. The Hollywood guide direct the students to the restored theatre while playing a short film describing the history of the most famous theatre in the world. The screen of the theatre is one of the biggest in the world and its seating capacity can seat almost 1,000 people. Although coping with jet lag, the ABLE students shifted their attention to the keynote speakers.

Michelle Mao, President of TCL North America, shared how the company in the North American region evolved from only a two-person team to a behemoth in the electronics industry in less than a decade. She believes the quality of a TCL television is good enough to be accepted by the American people, the only barrier being the cultural differences. She introduced the brand to the mainstream market of television by recruiting a seasoned veteran of the industry that understood the differences and how to overcome those barriers. Hunching forward to the edge of their seats, he students were motivated by her leadership and the success TCL made in this short period.

Chris Larson, TCL Senior Vice President, shared the strategies and tactics employed by TCL to accelerate their position and brand within the television industry. They created gaming labs filled with their products and partnered with NBA team Minnesota Timberwolves. Another successful partnership was with Ellen from the Ellen show. Chris emphasized that TV’s are considered purchases and their ultimate goal was to have the TCL brand as the top of mind for customers.

In the Q&A section, many students asked meaningful questions about the future direction of R&D and how Michelle was able to recruit and develop such a highly specialized team in a short amount of time.

UCR School of Business and students of the ABLE program thank Michelle Mao, Chris Larson, Levi Tinker, and the entire staff at the TCL Chinese Theater for hosting the group in VIP fashion. After the TCL visit, ABLE students were enthusiastic to discover that a brand could be successful internationally by focusing their efforts on the needs of the local population.