20 February 2008 (Dubai, UAE): *Manchester Business School (MBS), one of the world's leading business schools, is offering an information session and one-to-one meetings in Dubai for experienced business practitioners for the School's Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme, which is now available in the region through the MBS Worldwide Middle East regional centre in Dubai. In January 2008, MBS was ranked 22nd in the world by the Financial Times, which also ranked the School's doctoral programme number one in the world.

The DBA programme is the logical extension of the MBA programme, through which business practitioners can undertake a substantial piece of research work, whilst remaining in a real business environment and with minimal disruption to their lives. Apart from the greater emphasis on the practical business application of the research, all the elements of the DBA are the same as for a PhD. The MBS DBA programme combines self-study with face-to-face residential workshops in the UK.

Ms Randa Bessiso, Middle East Director for MBS Worldwide, comments: "The DBA programme is highly specialised and intended for very experienced and senior business people, who are looking to undertake an original piece of serious research. We already have two senior businessmen from the region following the DBA programme, compared to almost 300 students in the region following our MBA programmes."

The DBA information session will be held at 7.00pm on Tuesday, 26 February 2008, hosted by Professor Chris Easingwood (DBA programme leader at MBS) at the MBS Worldwide office F05, block 6, at Dubai Knowledge Village, followed by one on one sessions on Wednesday, 27 February 2008.

www.mbs-worldwide.ac.uk/middleeast.

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Notes to Editor
About Prof Christopher Easingwood BSc PhD AIWS Position Professor of Marketing Academic Director, DBA, MBS Worldwide Subject Area Group Marketing

Biography
Chris is a leading expert in the marketing of technology and the marketing of services. He has authored more than 100 papers in leading international journals and conference proceedings. In 2007, with Dr Steve Moxey, founded the High Technology Marketing Innovation research centre, funded by Microsoft, IBM, Vodafone and Nortel

In addition to Manchester Business School, Chris has held appointments at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Michigan. Chris received his doctorate from the Wharton Business School, subject "The Diffusion of Innovations". He joined MBS in 1981 and has been the Director of the Executive MBA and Head of the Marketing and Strategy Group.

His 1986 article "New Product Development for Service Companies" was declared (in 2007) one of the 10 most influential articles in the history of services marketing. His 2000 article with A Koustelos "Marketing High Technology: Preparation, Targeting, Positioning and Execution" was declared one of the 10 most influential marketing articles for 2000-03.

Prior to his academic career, Chris was a consultant in both London and Australia.

He is also an expert on the wine industry, claiming someone has to be.

Teaching and Research interests

He teaches Marketing, Marketing Management in Technology-Led Environments and Research Methods.

Chris's marketing of technology research interests include product launch, product re-launch, channel competitiveness, high-tech partner relationships, channel renewal and regeneration, disruptive technology as well as the adoption and diffusion of major new high-tech products.

In services marketing, his research interests include services competitiveness, multi-channels, drivers of new product success, service augmentation, product success factors, and he is a specialist in financial services marketing.

About MBS
Manchester Business School is the UK's largest campus-based business and management school. It provides a comprehensive range of undergraduate, postgraduate and custom-made executive programmes, for organisations from both the private and public sectors. Manchester Business School holds triple MBA accreditation - AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB.

Issued on behalf of Manchester Business School Worldwide by WPR.

Media enquiries:
Jonathan Walsh
WPR
Dubai
Tel 050 4588610
Email: jon@wprme.com

© Press Release 2008