In this series, we bring you views and commentary from EMBA professors at the University of Geneva. Their knowledge and research inform both current trends and future developments, offering valuable guidance for businesses and professionals alike.
Diego Kuonen is Professor of Data Science at the Geneva School of Economics and Management, University of Geneva, co-teaches in the Geneva EMBA the second-year module Business Analytics on the Managing Transformation track, where students learn to use data and analytics to inform strategic decision making and to create enduring business value. Here, he shares his thoughts on whether the EMBA curriculum should—and can—adapt to rapidly evolving global business contexts. How do we resolve the paradox of transmitting foundational knowledge while responding to the shifting realities of our time?
Value creation in today’s data- and AI-driven era requires EMBA programmes to develop strong competencies in data and analytics—specifically, the ability to “learn from data”. Embedding these capabilities directly addresses the educational paradox of balancing “stabilized” knowledge with the need to remain responsive to rapidly evolving real-world contexts.
By integrating data and analytics into the curriculum, EMBA programmes can effectively bridge the gap between enduring theoretical foundations and the dynamic demands of contemporary business. This empowers students to understand how digital capabilities, data and analytical fluency, and digital transformation enhance strategic, data-inspired decision-making and drive long-term organizational value.
Aligned with the comprehensive “data-centric management paradigm” co-presented in the Harvard Business Review, EMBA education should adopt a holistic, data-driven approach that prioritizes value creation and inclusivity. This paradigm advocates building a shared organizational language around data and analytics to ensure clarity and consistency in strategic communication across all levels. It also emphasizes the development of practical frameworks that demonstrate how data-driven insights can solve large, complex, unstructured and data-rich problems and also uncover new opportunities. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities for data stewardship, analytics expertise, and digital leadership is essential to empower individuals across the organization to contribute to data and analytics initiatives and to leverage the power of data and analytics.
In addition, fostering collaboration and cultural readiness through real-world scenarios, rich case studies, and immersive digital environments ensures that the curriculum remains relevant and responsive to ongoing societal, ethical, and technological change.
Ultimately, a well-balanced EMBA curriculum must integrate enduring theoretical principles— such as strategic management and leadership—with continuously updated, practice-based insights arising from data and analytics. By embracing this integrated, data-centric management paradigm, EMBA programmes can prepare leaders to navigate today’s complex business landscape with agility and vision, achieving sustainable and lasting value creation.
