Companies Expect More of Today's MBA Graduates

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Corporations that once paid for their employees' MBA degrees as "a fringe benefit" now do so with the expectation of a direct return on the investment.

"Corporations now say, `You are a key person. You are part of our future and therefore we are going to invest in you,' " said Jeffrey Gandz, director of the MBA program at Western Business School, London, Ontario, Canada.

Employers want managers who know how to communicate, understand information systems, can adapt to new markets in the global economy and can institute change.

As a result, many programs that offer a Master of Business Administration are revamping their curriculums to meet …