‘STEMB’ Is The New Strategy: Why Tech-Linked MBAs Are Shaping The Future Of Business

Alliance Manchester Business School

Established: 1965 (Alliance Manchester Business School), 1824 (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology)

Location: Manchester, UK

Graduate Courses In: Big Data Analytics, Managing Disruptive Technologies, Digital Economy: Platforms AI and the Firm

One of the UK’s oldest business schools, Alliance Manchester’s beginnings lay in the Department of Industrial Administration at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). The department later evolved into Manchester Business School in 1965, and finally became Alliance Manchester following the 2004 merger of UMIST and Victoria University of Manchester, absorbing departments from each.

As a result, the School’s programs and teaching draw on diverse influences, including a strong STEM component harkening back to its earliest years under the UMIST umbrella.

Business analytics degrees include electives on mathematical programming, applied statistics, Python programming for business intelligence, and data strategy.

Other programs are built on interdisciplinary collaborations, such as the MSc in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship. The program is taught by members of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, a world-leading center of excellence in the study of science, technology, and innovation policy.

The MBA similarly integrates STEM topics, with electives on the digital economy, fintech, and managing disruptive technologies.

“But it’s not just theory. In our MBA programs, professionally diverse teams of students apply STEM tools to real-world business challenges through live consulting projects, simulations, and role plays,” says Xavier Duran.

“Whether optimizing supply chains with machine learning, fine-tuning digital marketing strategies for well-established incumbents or creating go-to-market strategies for tech startups, our students learn to think critically and act decisively.”

In an era of global disruption for business and society, Alliance Manchester has developed a curriculum that aims to equip students with an in-depth understanding of emerging technologies, enabling them to explore new opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and solving complex challenges.

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