Business administration scholarships in Central America : the need for a program

graduate scholarship program for Central America, this study assesses the demand for and supply of Master"s of Business Administration programs in five of the region"s democracies: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama. The study found that the MBA degree is valued highly among private enterprises in these countries. The largest market is for individuals who are already employed as mid-level managers and would attend evening and weekend classes. The study also shows evidence of a large pool of individuals with undergraduate degrees who are qualified and interested in entering MBA programs but lack the resources to do so. The Central American Institute of Business Administration (INCAE) in Costa Rica loses about 50 students a year who have passed the rigorous entrance requirements but cannot afford the program. Eleven Central American institutions - at least two in each of the countries studied - currently offer MBA degrees or their equivalent. However, only two of these are highly regarded - INCAE and the Francisco Marroquin University in Guatemala - while most of the other programs are new and not yet established. Due to the inadequate quality of established MBA programs, the report recommends that funds be used to provide scholarships for business teachers rather than students. Selected teachers would be sent to INCAE, Francisco Marroquin University, or to the United States to obtain recognized MBA degrees.