UCLA Anderson MBA students conduct Applied Management Research (AMR) projects in lieu of a thesis. The nation’s first business school field study program, AMR partners students with top organizations to solve a key strategic problem. The Center for Global Management sponsored UCLA Anderson Class of 2018 teams to collaborate with established NGOs seeking sustainable solutions for global economies, health delivery systems and environmentally sensitive parts of the world. UCLA Anderson Class of 2018 AMR students made their final presentations on March 9.
By Larry (Wen-Yan) Chang, Anita (Pei-Yu) Ho, Xiao Hu, Kornrawich Limpokaiyakul, Andrew Thai (Class of 2018)
Our field study team collaborated with UCLA Center for World Health (CWH), which coordinates the resources of UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and UCLA Health to explore international business development. The team and CWH evaluated opportunities for UCLA to establish a more deliberate presence in Thailand and Southeast Asia, in the form of a hub focusing on distance and on-site learning in various fields, including medicine.
During the first five weeks of the 2017 fall quarter, the team conducted more than 20 primary interviews with stakeholders in different areas, including the management of UCLA Health, UCLA professors in different research areas, researchers and students who have experience in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The purpose of the interviews was to understand the needs and explore potential benefits of UCLA’s presence in Thailand.
To gain insight into the health care and education systems in the regions and understand potential partners’ perspectives on UCLA’s presence, the team made a trip to Bangkok in November 2017. We visited major Thai university hospitals, government agencies, private companies and international high schools.
Focusing on opportunities to expand collaborations in medical research, clinical training and remote education, we consolidated our research and concluded that UCLA’s hub in Thailand could provide the following benefits:
- Support exchange programs and trainings for local health care providers in Southeast Asia
- Manage and expand research collaborations in specific research areas, such as infectious disease, neurology and the care of an aging population
- Coordinate with UCLA staff and partners in Thailand, as well as provide administrative support
- Design and promote a distinguished educational program in engineering, medicine and business
The team also helped CWH complete financial analysis, operations and fundraising plans. UCLA has a strong alumni network in Southeast Asia. The team brainstormed and proposed some ideas to leverage this network to benefit UCLA’s faculty, students and partners. Thanks to field study abroad, the team better understood the local context of the project and achieved a clearer picture of the health care and education environment in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Based on the team’s recommendations, CWH could build an international development plan and evaluate the possibility of establishing a physical hub, specific educational programs, coordination of research and an entity for fundraising and strengthening the international alumni network.
Really nice idea, keep it up.
Posted by: Barbra Williams | 06/04/2018 at 10:44 PM