Overview
At the William Davidson Institute, our work is driven by a vision of education: to create and disperse knowledge as part of a global conversation. This is why we pioneer educative innovations. Why we affiliate with some of the world’s finest faculty. Why we forge powerful partnerships. And why we share our research and outcomes.
WDI’s Education Initiative partners with universities and organizations in emerging markets and advances their capacity to deliver world-class management education programs. We harness the latest thinking in education innovation and business models at the University of Michigan and apply it to management education in emerging markets through training and consulting projects.
Education Innovation: Because the Education industry is rapidly evolving due to advances in educational technology, WDI’s Education initiative partners with units from across the University of Michigan that are exploring different models, tools, and technologies for delivering education. We test these new models in emerging markets through management education programs and consulting projects. We also introduce new educational technologies and programming into emerging markets.
World-Class Faculty: Our faculty affiliates are professors from leading business schools, including the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. All have global executive teaching experience.
Powerful Partnerships: We proudly work with a rich network of schools and partners, including the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, Latvia, Al Akhawayn University in Morocco, the College of Business and Economics in Rwanda, and the Zagreb School of Economics & Management in Croatia.
Extensive Experience: We’ve been delivering management education programs for clients in emerging markets since 1992, training more than 16,000 managers from over 8,000 organizations around the world.
Clients
For a list of our clients, click on the Collaborators button at left.
Consulting services
We help schools in emerging markets build their capacity to offer management education programs through improved curricula, faculty development, and the introduction of new pedagogical tools and techniques. For a menu of our educational consulting services, please click here.
Programs
We provide management education programs for clients in emerging markets: from custom and open-enrollment programs for local and multinational companies, to management training for government officials, to workshops for entrepreneurs.
Open Executive Education Programs: View our Open Enrollment Course Catalog to learn more about our executive education programs in strategy, sales management, marketing, finance, operations, entrepreneurship, leadership, HR, general management, social media, and more.
View Open Enrollment Course Catalog.
Custom & Grant Funded Programs: Click on the appropriate link below to learn more.
For more information about our Education Initiative, please send an email message.
We partner with you to create a program that addresses your organization’s unique strategic needs. After gaining an in-depth understanding of your organization, we craft a program that enhances your capacity to deliver bottom-line results.
Over the past 15 years, we’ve crafted custom training programs for diverse multinational companies in emerging markets. Our clients have included Oracle, Whirlpool, US Steel, ABB, Vietnam National Coal & Mineral Industries, and many more.
General Management:
To hone managers’ cross-functional business skills, we offer a multi-part, company-tailored program in the areas of finance, accounting, marketing, strategy, HR and organizational behavior (with sub-specialties in leadership and change management). As part of the program, we can incorporate an internal consulting project. Professors will consult with your managers to identify areas for improvement within your company, then supervise teams as they create a strategic plan to address these issues.
focused skillbuilding:
To upgrade managers’ skills, we can design a program for you based on specific areas. Training sessions vary in depth of study and duration, depending on your needs. They include: finance, accounting, strategy, marketing, leadership development, change management, supply chain management, human resource management, and operations & logistics.
We provide business training through grants and in partnership with governments. Clients include Goldman Sachs’ initiative to advance women-owned businesses in emerging markets, 10,000 Women, and the President’s Office of Rwanda.
Training areas include:
ENTREPRENEURSHIP – This cross-functional training program gives entrepreneurs and SMEs in emerging markets new tools for growing their businesses and expanding into new export markets. The program gives participants information they can apply immediately to their organizations. Program content includes: marketing, accounting, finance/risk analysis; human resource management, and negotiations
LEADERSHIP – This program can be conducted for either government officials or managers in private organizations. Participants in the program will: Understand the core competencies of leadership; gain an increased understanding of how to lead; develop a strategic plan for success as a leader; set personal leadership goals and a strategic plan for achieving them; Learn to function as a team and work cooperatively to help one another achieve their individual and organizational goals
STRATEGY & MARKETING FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS – This four-day course focuses on teaching the philosophies, principles and practices of strategic management. Program content includes: Strategy formulation and implementation; Marketing (positioning, branding, and country marketing); Managing the country like a business; Five Forces- value chain & exploration of why companies go abroad.
MARKETING BASICS – Often small businesses in emerging markets need a better understanding of their target market to succeed. This course gives a survey of the marketing process. It covers various topics related to marketing activities designed to provide products and services to customers. Program content includes: Consumer buying habits; market research; segmentation and targeting; pricing; advertising and promotion; preparing products for export markets.
FINANCE & ACCOUNTING – This course covers both financial accounting and management accounting and can be taught to either government officials or managers from private organizations. Program content includes: Financial accounting (Balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement, cost of capital, corporations/partnerships, debt, bonds); Management accounting (cost-volume-profit analysis; cost behavior; capital budgeting; product costing)
Grant-funded project success stories include:
Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are the growth engines for emerging markets. Equipping the leaders of these enterprises with the right knowledge, skills, and attitudes is key to their future growth. Since 1992, WDI has been helping entrepreneurs in emerging markets successfully grow their businesses through a variety of programs and services.
For more information about our Entrepreneurship offerings, please visit our Entrepreneurship Development Center.
Testimonials
“My business is banana wine and fruit production. Since graduating from WDI’s entrepreneurship training, I have exported to Tanzania, Kenya, DRC, Burundi, Uganda and Congo; and expanded our production to include banana juice, banana fibers, banana perfume and banana pads.” –Christine Murebwayire, Rwanda
“Before taking this program my main goal was to deepen my knowledge…in many business areas which might improve my executive skills as well as strengthen my leadership skills and help in the future with managerial work. [The program] exceeded my expectations.” — Dovilė Pranckevičiene, Lithuania
Case Study #1:
Client: Oracle
Group: Twenty sales directors from Central & Eastern Europe and Russia. Line managers in their first management positions.
Goal: Equip the participants with practical skills in key management areas to help them in their new roles as managers. Give them the practical tools needed to make strategic decisions to grow their businesses and meet or exceed their sales quotas.
Training Solution: Two, one-week sessions covering finance, marketing, strategy, HR and organizational behavior. Team projects were conducted during the four-month break between the two sessions. Participants worked in teams of five on projects for new go-to-market strategies and new sales management processes.
Case Study #2:
Client: The Vietnam National Coal & Mineral Industries (Vinacomin)
Group: Fifteen vice directors from various operating units within Vinacomin.
Goal: Equip the participants with the latest global management thinking to help them achieve greater growth and increase their export business. Enhance participants’ cross-cultural business skills.
Training Solution: The five-week training took place at the University of Michigan. The program began with a four-day immersion in business English, followed by sessions on sales management, leadership, marketing, management accounting and finance. Participants visited several factories in Michigan and had the opportunity to talk about best practices with senior managers. Dinners and other social events gave participants time to interact with the professors.
Testimonial #1:
“We work with many partners to deliver learning programs across the globe, and the content, expertise and level of service WDI provides is truly unparalleled. WDI is a fantastic partner in every sense of the word. The sessions they deliver are our top rated courses, and they have been extremely receptive to tailoring the content to meet our evolving needs. We highly recommend them!” – Shannon Goodwin, Talent and Capabilities Consultant, Dell
Testimonial #2:
“Our executive education training program with the William Davidson Institute was very fruitful. The program provided us with systematic and practical knowledge and the latest information on corporate management. It also pushed Vinacoal executives to think how to make their businesses become winners in a dramatically globalized marketplace. In addition to interesting and useful class hours, we enjoyed on-site trips to various industrial plants and amusement sites. Through such trips, we learned more about American business culture, American society, and got to know many friendly Americans. Thank you to the highly effective faculty and staff at WDI for making this program such a success!” – Dihn Quang Trung, Vice Director, The Vietnam National Coal & Mineral Industries (Vinacomin)
Testimonial #3:
“I am very satisfied with the general management training program delivered by the William Davidson Institute. The program was organized very professionally and the quality of teaching was consistently high. Our top managers acquired many new skills which they can apply to their jobs and have received excellent course materials to refer to in the future as they incorporate learnings from the USS Leadership Development Program into their work. They found the training useful and fun.” – Milan Polca, HR Director, US Steel
News
- Blog: Why the Next Steve Jobs Could Be From Pakistan
Blog: Why the Next Steve Jobs Could Be From Pakistan
Friday, February 16, 2018
- Speaker Series Welcomes Entrepreneurship Expert Bayrasli
Speaker Series Welcomes Entrepreneurship Expert Bayrasli
Thursday, January 25, 2018
- WDI Launches First M2GATE Group, EMU, WSU Students Invited to Apply
WDI Launches First M2GATE Group, EMU, WSU Students Invited to Apply
Friday, January 19, 2018
- PNG Schools, WDI Partner to Advance Business Degrees
PNG Schools, WDI Partner to Advance Business Degrees
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
- WDI to Co-Host ‘Extreme by Design’ Film Screening, Discussion
WDI to Co-Host ‘Extreme by Design’ Film Screening, Discussion
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
- Stevens Initiative Selects WDI to Launch New Virtual Exchange Program
Stevens Initiative Selects WDI to Launch New Virtual Exchange Program
Monday, November 6, 2017
- Cambodian Educators Team With WDI to Build a Stronger B-School
Cambodian Educators Team With WDI to Build a Stronger B-School
Friday, October 27, 2017
- Program Connects U-M, MENA Students on Enterprise
Program Connects U-M, MENA Students on Enterprise
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
- WDI Partnering to Lift Refugees Through Food Entrepreneurship
WDI Partnering to Lift Refugees Through Food Entrepreneurship
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
- Deaton Says Private Sector Vital to Reducing Global Poverty
Deaton Says Private Sector Vital to Reducing Global Poverty
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
- A New Lecture Series Honors Gerson
A New Lecture Series Honors Gerson
Monday, October 9, 2017
- Two Videos Celebrate WDI History, Namesake
Two Videos Celebrate WDI History, Namesake
Thursday, October 5, 2017
- A New E-Book Chronicles WDI’s Past, Present, Future
A New E-Book Chronicles WDI’s Past, Present, Future
Thursday, October 5, 2017
- WDI Publishing Launches Case Writing Competition for 25th
WDI Publishing Launches Case Writing Competition for 25th
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
- ‘Entrepreneurship is the Answer’
‘Entrepreneurship is the Answer’
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
- Video: Strengthening Entrepreneurship for Stable Societies
Video: Strengthening Entrepreneurship for Stable Societies
Friday, May 5, 2017
- In the Philippines, Bridging Career Centers and Employers
In the Philippines, Bridging Career Centers and Employers
Thursday, April 13, 2017
- Executive Learning Program Expanded to Kazan, Russia
Executive Learning Program Expanded to Kazan, Russia
Monday, April 10, 2017
- Next WDI Speaker: More Tourism Leads to More Tolerance
Next WDI Speaker: More Tourism Leads to More Tolerance
Thursday, April 6, 2017
- WDI Releases the First of Several Impact Reports
WDI Releases the First of Several Impact Reports
Thursday, March 16, 2017
- WDI Launches Entrepreneurship Development Center
WDI Launches Entrepreneurship Development Center
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
- Measuring Entrepreneurship, Impact in Bahrain
Measuring Entrepreneurship, Impact in Bahrain
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
- NGOs in Emerging Democracies Learn Skills To Advance Mission
NGOs in Emerging Democracies Learn Skills To Advance Mission
Thursday, December 15, 2016
- From the President: Profit-maximizing Firms Generate Social Impact Too
From the President: Profit-maximizing Firms Generate Social Impact Too
Monday, November 28, 2016
- Partnering To Bring Impact To Organizations and Students
Partnering To Bring Impact To Organizations and Students
Monday, November 21, 2016
- Helping Students Become ‘Employers, Not Employees’
Helping Students Become ‘Employers, Not Employees’
Thursday, October 20, 2016
- With Demand Growing, WDI Expands Case Writing Workshops in Philippines
With Demand Growing, WDI Expands Case Writing Workshops in Philippines
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
- Adapting U.S. Business Curriculum for New Audiences
Adapting U.S. Business Curriculum for New Audiences
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
- WDI Perspective: Design Thinking for Entrepreneurs
WDI Perspective: Design Thinking for Entrepreneurs
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
- With Few Resources, Cuba’s Resourceful Entrepreneurs Find a Way
With Few Resources, Cuba’s Resourceful Entrepreneurs Find a Way
Friday, June 17, 2016
- WDI Explores Cuba For Potential Work
WDI Explores Cuba For Potential Work
Thursday, June 9, 2016
- From Peru to Rwanda, WDI Summer Interns Get to Work
From Peru to Rwanda, WDI Summer Interns Get to Work
Monday, June 6, 2016
- WDI Marks 10 Years of ‘Mini MBA’ Program
WDI Marks 10 Years of ‘Mini MBA’ Program
Monday, May 9, 2016
- No Longer an Island: How Cuba’s Economic Transition May Differ From Soviet Bloc
No Longer an Island: How Cuba’s Economic Transition May Differ From Soviet Bloc
Friday, April 22, 2016
- Bahrain Education Project Continues With Mentorship Training
Bahrain Education Project Continues With Mentorship Training
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
- Case Writing Workshop Returns To The Philippines For Third Cohort
Case Writing Workshop Returns To The Philippines For Third Cohort
Thursday, March 24, 2016
- Entrepreneurship Training Helps Women in Tanzania’s Agricultural Sector Flourish
Entrepreneurship Training Helps Women in Tanzania’s Agricultural Sector Flourish
Sunday, February 14, 2016
- WDI Perspective: Localizing the Case Study Method
WDI Perspective: Localizing the Case Study Method
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
- WDI Refocuses Research Initiatives
WDI Refocuses Research Initiatives
Friday, January 15, 2016
- Weekend MBA Student Teams Advance Education Mission
Weekend MBA Student Teams Advance Education Mission
Thursday, January 14, 2016
- MBA Teams New Tool For Education Initiative
MBA Teams New Tool For Education Initiative
Thursday, December 10, 2015
- WDI Completes Work To Improve U. of Liberia Curriculum
WDI Completes Work To Improve U. of Liberia Curriculum
Thursday, November 12, 2015
- Upcoming WDI Bootcamp Featured in U-M Newspaper
Upcoming WDI Bootcamp Featured in U-M Newspaper
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
- WDI Refocuses Research Initiatives
WDI Refocuses Research Initiatives
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
- WDI Will Follow, Blog About 5 Women During Entrepreneurship Training
WDI Will Follow, Blog About 5 Women During Entrepreneurship Training
Thursday, September 24, 2015
- WDI Program Helps Latvian Furniture Designer With Business
WDI Program Helps Latvian Furniture Designer With Business
Monday, August 24, 2015
- WDI, U-M’s Weiser Center Partner To Train NGO Leaders
WDI, U-M’s Weiser Center Partner To Train NGO Leaders
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
- Social Enterprise Mentoring Topic Of NextBIllion Blog
Social Enterprise Mentoring Topic Of NextBIllion Blog
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
- WDI Consultant Leads Workshops In The Philippines
WDI Consultant Leads Workshops In The Philippines
Monday, May 18, 2015
- Encouraging Words At Case Writing Workshop
Encouraging Words At Case Writing Workshop
Friday, April 24, 2015
- Case Components Topic Of Day Two At Workshop
Case Components Topic Of Day Two At Workshop
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
- Second STRIDE Case Writing Workshop Begins
Second STRIDE Case Writing Workshop Begins
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
- WDI Seminar In The Philippines Focuses On Career Services
WDI Seminar In The Philippines Focuses On Career Services
Monday, February 23, 2015
- Philippines Case Collection Debuts On GlobaLens
Philippines Case Collection Debuts On GlobaLens
Thursday, January 22, 2015
- WDI Entrepreneurship Program Helps Jordanian Student
WDI Entrepreneurship Program Helps Jordanian Student
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
- WDI’s Gillett Helps Ross International Students Network Better
WDI’s Gillett Helps Ross International Students Network Better
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
- Development Consulting Services’ Career Center Work Continues In The Philippines
Development Consulting Services’ Career Center Work Continues In The Philippines
Friday, September 5, 2014
Programs & Projects
Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (STRIDE)
ACLEDA Institute of Business – Capacity Building
The U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)
Strategic Management Program (Open Program)
10,000 Women Entrepreneurship Training Program & Scholarship Program
NGO Leadership Workshop
Social Media Marketing (Open Program)
Advanced Negotiations – (Open Program)
Successful Negotiation – Blended Delivery (Open Program)
Leading Change (Open Program)
Supply Chain and Logistics Management (Open Program)
Key Account Management (Open Program)
Career Development Center
Strategic Sales Management (Open Program)
Entrepreneurship Training Program for Community College Students
Broader Middle East and North Africa United States Community College Initiative
Rwanda School of Finance and Banking Capacity Building
Business Management Education in Ukraine
University Capacity Building: Strengthening Business Education to Promote Economic Development in Southern Africa
Negotiations (Open Program)
Sales Leadership (Open Program)
Corporate Governance (Open Program)
Managing Information Technology (Open Program)
Recruiting Employable Students at the University with Management Education
Office of Financial Management Training II
Advanced Leadership Training
Kazakhstan Economic University Strategic Advisory Services
Training, Management & Team Building Workshop
Educating Managers, Promoting Linkages and Opportunity Integration
University of Liberia Twinning Arrangement
Staff
Collaborators
- ABB
- Allied Signal
- Art Academy of Latvia
- AT&T
- AutoVAZ
- Banco Itau
- BancoVAZ
- Bank Austria
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Caritas Croatia
- Ceska Sporitelna
- CEZ
- Coca-Cola HBC
- Codelco-El Teniente
- Colgate-Palmolive
- CSOB
- Czech Telecom
- Dong Feng Motor
- Dow Chemical
- Dell
- Eli Lily
- Goldman Sachs Foundation
- Hewlett Packard
- Holcim
- IBM
- K&H Bank
- Kimberly Clark
- Kraft Foods
- Fabarge
- LET
- Lucent Technologies
- Molson Coors
- Medtronic
- Motorola
- Nestle
- Nokia
- On Semiconductor
- Oracle
- Pepsi
- Pilsa Plastik
- Raiffeisen Bank
- Sabanci Group
- SAP
- Skoda Holdings
- Tetra Pak
- T-Mobile
- Toyota
- Unisys
- US Steel
- Vietnam Airlines
- Vietnam National Coal Corporation
- VTR Globalcom
- VUB
- Whirlpool
- Wimm-Bill Dann
- Zentiva
- Art Academy of Latvia
- Belgrade Agro-Business Center for Development
- Caritas Croatia
- Counterpart International
- Eurasia Foundation
- Government of Rwanda
- Ibar Serbia Ecology Movement
- Institute of Non-Profit Management at Ukrainian Catholic University
- Integra Foundation
- Macedonian Artisan Trade Association
- Marta Resource Center for Women
- National Association of NGOs
- The Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation
- Serbia Center for Development Services
- Transparency International
- UNICEF Slovakia
- The Woman’s Entrepreneurship Academy of Serbia
- Yusaf Akbar (link opens in a new window)
- Rajeev Batra (link opens in a new window)
- Damian Beil (link opens in a new window)
- Peter Boumgarden (link opens in a new window)
- John Branch (link opens in a new window)
- Matthew Brown (link opens in a new window)
- Neil G. Cohen (link opens in a new window)
- Julie Felker
- Linda Gasser (link opens in a new window)
- Nancy J. Scannell (link opens in a new window)
- Neil G. Sendelbach (link opens in a new window)
- Jacqueline Stavros (link opens in a new window)
- Tracy Tuten (link opens in a new window)
- Abaarso Technical School (link opens in a new window)
- Al Akhawayn University (link opens in a new window)
- Bridge Knowle Events (link opens in a new window)
- Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) (link opens in a new window)
- Eurasia Foundation (link opens in a new window)
- Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative (link opens in a new window)
- Government of Rwanda (link opens in a new window)
- Higher Education for Development (HED) (link opens in a new window)
- Land O’Lakes International Development Division (link opens in a new window)
- Nahdet El Mahrousa in Cairo, Egypt (link opens in a new window)
- Pontis Foundation (link opens in a new window)
- RTI International (link opens in a new window)
- Seminarium International (link opens in a new window)
- Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSER) (link opens in a new window)
- United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (link opens in a new window)
- University of Liberia (link opens in a new window)
- University of Minnesota (link opens in a new window)
- Washtenaw Community College (link opens in a new window)
- Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies (link opens in a new window)
- World Bank (link opens in a new window)
- Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZSEM) (link opens in a new window)