Seeking new viewpoints on issues currently affecting investment management, Kei Yamamoto was delighted to discover everything she was looking for in the Investment Management Workshop (IMW). She found that the HBS case method allowed her to even further focus on how to overcome these issues while gaining perspectives from other leading seniors executives in the industry.
I am very fortunate to work for an organization that fully supports continuing education. I was most excited about the views that other participants would have about current issues in investment management.
I got so much out of this program. The professors were excellent facilitators, ensuring the case discussions progressed at a good pace and pursuing side issues if it seemed to be warranted, all while keeping the class organized throughout the sessions. Additionally, the caliber of the attendees was excellent. The evening small-group sessions were particularly helpful as I think we all felt more comfortable discussing the cases in that setting. We were very fortunate to have an extremely organized "group leader" who made sure that everyone's views were expressed.
I have an MBA, but my classes were not centered on the case method of learning as is the Harvard Business School curriculum. If you’re not experienced with that method of teaching, it is incredibly valuable. The professors were masterful at facilitating a broad discussion that revolved around the case, as well as making sure that the group stayed on track—a skill that has been very useful in other group discussion situations back home. I also loved hearing my classmates' observations—it was a very good reminder that investments are opinion driven and there are many varying views.
I wouldn't say it was a surprise, but this course was an excellent reminder that better preparation equates to more productive meeting/group discussions. I made sure that I had a view going into our discussions, which was really useful in enabling me to concentrate on what others were saying and fully consider their views compared with my own initial reactions. I also appreciated the on-campus experience—it was nice to be able to concentrate on the program without outside distractions.
