“Once, EMBA programmes were composed of people sponsored by their organisation who were moving up in a big bank or consulting company,” says Lori Rosenkopf, vice-dean of entrepreneurship at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. “But more and more people are using the EMBA to really think about the future of their career.”
About 40 per cent of EMBA students at Wharton take courses that focus on entrepreneurship. In common with other schools, data on the rates of business creation and success is patchy. Rosenkopf points to research published in the American Economic Review last year that shows industry experience is a better predictor of entrepreneurial success than youthful exuberance, suggesting EMBA courses are an opportunity for seasoned executives.