Third edition of Family Businesses MOOC: Guidelines for success

In February 2019, the School of Management launched the first edition of its MOOC Family Businesses: guidelines for success. This first version had 925 people enrolled, in 36 different countries. A year later, registration opens for the third version.

José Vargas, professor at the School of Management and member of the design team of this MOOC, shared some reflections on his experience in planning and producing a course with these characteristics. For Professor Vargas, getting involved in this project meant a “very valuable opportunity to update knowledge on the subject.”

It is also a process that “requires one’s effort, a capacity for great synthesis, as one would like to share many more things, but cannot do it. It demands to make a deep reflection of what is really the most important thing to give the people who are going to see and listen to us in the MOOCs… Let us give them the basics, the fundamentals!” According to Professor Vargas, designing a MOOC also requires the teacher to use simple and understandable language for all types of viewers.

Creating a course with these characteristics, although requiring a commitment from the professor and his team, was a satisfactory experience for Professor Vargas: “I feel I discovered another way to reach a large audience, one we do not see, but that is there.”

Learn more about the third edition of this course:

Language: Spanish

Course starting date: March 2, 2020

Course duration: 4 weeks

Previous knowledge required: None

Description:

If thinking about forming a family business … This course is for you! In it, you will learn about the challenges for the sustainability of family businesses, as well as the recommendations that must be taken into account to surmount these challenges.

Based on some key questions, leading to reflection, whoever takes this course will be able to understand the complex dynamics inherent to managing a family business, as well as the

importance of recognizing the family business’ weaknesses and how the company can overcome the great barriers to its sustainability over time.