Purita Worapornchai and Nun Arunanondchai are both pursuing the IMBA at Antai College of Economics and Management at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Discover how the program prepares them for leadership roles in their respective family businesses. Learn more about the school’s Shanghai location, its engaging curriculum, and its distinguished reputation.
Family businesses are a testament to tradition, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit. However, the stewardship of family businesses across generations poses distinct challenges. These challenges include establishing effective governance, planning for succession, and staying agile amidst fast-paced market changes. Many family business successors decide to pursue an MBA degree to learn about business management.
Purita Worapornchai and Nun Arunanondchai are both students from Thailand who are completing the Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM) International MBA (IMBA). They are both pursuing the IMBA to prepare for leadership roles within their respective family businesses. Why did they choose the IMBA at ACEM specifically?
Antai College of Economics and Management is the business school of Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China. It is the first business school in China to receive triple accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA.
Antai College’s International MBA (IMBA) program is taught entirely in English. It is a two-year, full-time program. It is designed to offer a global perspective with a Chinese focus. The program is unique in that it offers business insights from both a Western and Eastern perspective. In an increasingly globalized world, China’s growing importance in the business sector is a significant advantage of the program.
ACEM boasts strong connections with other universities worldwide, and the program attracts many local and international exchange students. The program offers opportunities for exchange programs abroad, internships, and an interactive, international classroom setting. These combined factors ensure a broad and enriching international education.
Both students were drawn to Antai College for its strategic Chinese location, engaging curriculum, and high rankings. Nun, who diligently researched business schools in Shanghai, found Antai among the top contenders. (02:29)
Let’s further explore what made ACEM such an appealing choice for international students such as Purita and Nun.
Shanghai is a finance, tech, and culture hub. It has the world’s busiest port and is a top Chinese city for business. In recent years, the rankings for Chinese universities have continued to rise due to the Chinese government’s concentrated effort to fund and improve Chinese education and research. This reflects a growing trend of universities outside the UK, US and Europe rising in global education rankings. Universities in Asia, in particular, continue to grow in popularity and rise in global rankings.
Both Purita and Nun emphasize the benefits of being an international student in Shanghai.
Purita describes Shanghai as ‘a very creative city.’ She elaborates, “Shanghai has a lot of creative artists, who are also mixed in a very perfect way with innovation and technologies. China, and especially Shanghai, is a very good place for foreigners like me to explore and learn more about original Chinese culture and to enjoy the new technologies and innovations that China has to offer.” (11:00)
Purita treasures the opportunity to explore Shanghai, which is made possible by the flexibility and identity that come with being a student.
“I am really grateful that I’m able to come to China with a ‘student identity’ because it opens opportunities to explore Shanghai more… if I came to Shanghai with a work visa, I might not be able to focus on living my life or enjoy the environment of Shanghai, but because I’m a student I can use every opportunity I have as an excuse for me to explore Shanghai, learn about new culture, eat new food, and make new friends.” (04:57)
Nun points out the fascinating architectural landscape of Shanghai. She describes it as a city where history and tradition meet modernity and innovation. “Shanghai has a very old town that you can explore or a very futuristic [area] in the city center. That is what I really like about China.” (12:03)
This varied setting serves as a testament to China’s rich historical heritage and its ambitious leap towards forward-thinking advancement.
Purita is pursuing an MBA degree with a clear goal – she wants to equip herself with the necessary skills to successfully inherit and manage her family’s business. Purita previously worked as an Investigation Specialist at Amazon Japan before deciding to dedicate herself to her family’s company.
Her family business focuses on traditional Chinese medicine. Studying in China was a strategic decision for Purita. After extensive research online about top MBA programs and business schools, she felt that Antai College was the right choice. This decision allowed her to immerse herself in Chinese culture while also gaining the in-depth business management acumen that she required. (00:45)
Prior to her MBA studies, Nun worked as a merchandiser for a company managing 7-Eleven stores across Thailand. Like Purita, she pursued an MBA to prepare for a leadership role in her family’s business.
Her family has a firm in the snack industry. Her family’s firm operates in the snack industry and exports food to China, making studying in Shanghai valuable for Nun.
In China, Nun would enhance her business management skills and also gain invaluable insights into the Chinese culture and market. (01:19)
Purita appreciates the unique, in-depth class schedule, “I really like how they managed our class schedule. It’s a block course where we can focus on each course individually… we pursue Class B after we finish Class A. For me, as a slow learner, it provides me the opportunity to focus more on one course and then move on to another course.” (03:59)
Additionally, the career mentorship program at Antai offers direct access to seasoned business leaders, enabling students to gain insights and advice tailored to their career ambitions. Nun says, “We can select career mentors; most of the mentors are in high management level positions, like CEO or Vice-President. We get to match with them and talk about the business plan or the career plan that we want to do. They give us advice. That is a really good thing about Antai.” (09:09)
Such mentorship is crucial for effectively applying the insights gained from the IMBA to real-world challenges. Gaining first-hand business insights from industry professionals and business leaders can be vital for running a family business. This allows students to gain professional guidance and industry know-how in addition to the theory they learn in class.
The ACEM IMBA program’s robust curriculum and career mentorship ensure that graduates of the program are well-prepared to tackle real-world business challenges after graduation.
For Nun and Purita, the real value of their MBA at Antai College lies in the practical application of their learning. Both students are dedicated to leveraging the business strategies, insights, and comprehensive skill sets gained through their studies to drive their family businesses forward.
Purita emphasizes the importance of the comprehensive skill set they are developing. “I believe that after we graduate, after we go back to the office, we will be able to use all of the fundamental skills, knowledge, soft skills, hard skills, and everything that we collected here at Antai and implement those in our businesses in the future.” (10:14)
When these future family business leaders return to their enterprises, they carry with them not just an MBA degree, but a wealth of practical strategies, a global perspective, and a renewed vision for what a family business can achieve.
Learn more about Antai College of Economics and Management and discover the various MBA programs available.
