Why Berne?

While doing some Berne surfing I found a gentleman with outstanding credentials -- bachelors - Duke, masters - Harvard, but he capped off a DBA from Berne and is on the faculty of an RA institution. On his home page bio you get the impression that he did his defense including orals at Duke University (I was surprised that, if true, Berne even does an oral defense).

http://www.business.gardner-webb.edu/Faculty.html

His home page bio: http://www.business.gardner-webb.edu/ctichenor/bio.htm

What get's me is why did he decide to do a Berne doctorate? Did he rope in some Duke faculty to be on his committee? Unless maybe we are talking about the Berne in Switzerland?

John

 

Although he lists it as if it were a graduate degree, the AMP (Advanced Management Program) from Harvard is nothing more than an expensive ($51,000.00) nine-week executive training program, which might help explain why the Berne doctorate instead of a legitimate one.

 

Re: Re: Why Berne?

Gus, good catch!

When I looked at the AMP I was reading it as a graduate degree such as a "Masters in Public Admin" with a wierd use of the initials -- such as the Harvard designation of AM and AB for master of arts and bachelor of arts respectively. He does spell out the Advanced Management Program in his bio.

I am surprised that Gardner-Webb did not check out his doctorate.

John

 

AMP at Harvard?

The designation must be worth something if that allow him to list it. I attended a similar AMP at the Wharton school but I have never listed it as any particular designation.

Interesting.

 

Re: AMP at Harvard?

As Jack mentioned, a lot of people probably assumed that "AMP" was some weird Harvard designation for a graduate degree. I remember one of my elementary school teachers had his "A.B. Harvard College" listed in the yearbook, and I thought it strange that he could get a teaching license with an Associate's degree.

It appears that the only legitimately accredited degree that this "Distinguished Executive in Residence & Professor of Business Administration" has earned is a B.S. from Duke University.

 

Re: AMP at Harvard?

I look upon the AMP more as professional continuing education. The credentials as presented are very misleading for the "Dr."
Nonetheless, I am curious as to the inside scope regarding his "Duke" defense of the dissertation.

John

 

Re: Re: Why Berne?

I wouldn’t necessarily write it off as “nothing more than an expensive nine week executive training program” as you state. Admissions to the program are competitive and those who have graduated from it receive alumni status, with all of the rights and privileges. This is from the HBS web site: “Alumni Status; After completing the Advanced Management Program, participants become alumni of Harvard Business School.”
Even though the program I attended at the JFK School of Government does not carry this distinction, when I was there this topic was discussed and acknowledged by the faculty.
However listing Berne is just plain silly, IMHO. The gentleman in question dilutes the respect he has garnished from his HBS education by having this Berne credential on his resume.

Veritas,
Michael

 

Re: Re: Re: Why Berne?

That’s nice.

How much would you be willing to wager that every session there are slots available for those meeting the stringent admission standards of being able to afford the $51,000.00 fee?

After spending more than a grand a day, I would expect nothing less. What did you think the 50 grand was for anyway? It’s all ego, my friend, bragging rights and ego.

What topic, the exorbitant tuition and bragging rights or the ego factor?

Silly? Sleazy may be a more apt term.

Dilutes? More like throwing the baby out with the bath water. Moreover, contrary to his deceptive, albeit amateurish attempts, his HBS experience clearly falls into the category of executive training, not academic qualifications; for him to list them they way he does makes it clear that his intent is to deceive.

 

AMP

Gus,

One question.

Why are your responses always so pompous?

 

Re: AMP

That is an interesting question, Rafael. The simple answer is that I do not agree with your assumption, although I am perfectly willing to concede the fact that it may appear so to those with a paucity of logic or intellect.

 

Thanks

I thank you for another pompous reply. I will give it to you though, you ARE witty.

 

There's little doubt in my mind that he was attempting to deceive people into believing that he was a Harvard Business School graduate. The icing on the cake is his deception using the Berne degree.

P.S. Please help me improve the pompousity of my post. Perhaps I should have used the tongue smilie or the eek smilie instead?

 

I don't know the gentleman and can only speculate.

The most relevant parts of his bio seem to be these:

He was Chairman of the Board (recently retired) of the Champale Sparkling Beverage Company, a Fortune 1000, international, multi-plant corporation.

He's a retired executive.

He was a U. S naval officer serving in the Pacific Theater and China in WWII.

This tells me that he's a product of a generation in which advanced degrees, in fact college degrees in general, were less ubiquitous than they are today.

He's also probably getting along in years. If he was 18 in 1945, that would make him 77 in 2004. (We are losing the WW-II generation, folks. It's sad.) If the guy was an officer in the war he was probably older than 18, so he's probably in his 80's now.

He is currently Distinguished Corporation Chief Executive Officer-Professor of Business at_Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina.

He seems to have been hired so that he can give a younger generation the benefit of his experiences.

So, why the doctorate?

Perhaps earning a doctorate is something that this guy always wanted to do. It's kind of a lifetime dream for him. That would be my guess.

Perhaps the university told him that they would hire him if he only had a doctorate. (I doubt it, but the accreditors can be anal about faculty qualifications.)

Why Berne?

Maybe this guy is at a point in life where accreditation doesn't mean a whole lot. I don't think that an accredited DBA is why Gardner-Webb hired him. They hired him because he's a distinguished former executive and probably somebody's friend.

Does this guy doing a Berne degree indicate that he thought Berne was academically credible? Maybe. Was it just a matter of a relatively quick and low-hassle degree compared to what other North Carolina universities were demanding (assuming that they would even admit a guy of his age)? Maybe.

Does his rounding up a committee at Duke tell us anything? Maybe it means that they found Berne credible. Maybe it means that they were just trying to do something to help an elderly friend with a love of education.

My totally non-expert opinion is that this new information leaves all of our familiar questions about Berne still unanswered.

It does suggest that low-hassle non-accredited degrees, even if they don't meet all of the expected formal criteria, might have some value (if only psychological) for people of a certain age.

The increasing numbers of senior citizens in coming years (including me) might become a viable market for a certain kind of non-accredited DL program offering doctoral programs that might be willing to accept older students in the first place, might offer them some "life experience credit" and don't require the better part of ten on-campus years to complete.

I'm not gonna crucify this guy. I think that it's admirable that he's still working.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Why Berne?

At least I have had the opportunity to dicuss it. Have you? When was the last time you were in Mass. Hall?

Summa Veritas

Michael

 

Re: AMP

Probably to hide the fact that he uses only half truths and muscle tactics hoping that no one will catch him and call his bluff, and then he will whine that there has been a violation of TOS hoping that a few here will come to his aide. Maybe it is a lack of knowledge or understanding, maybe it is a lack of maturity. Who knows......

Michael

 

Re: Re: AMP

Summa Veritas? Oh, please. What a joke. Anyone can search the archives of this forum and uncover the posts where I proved that your claim of having been awarded a Chilean Associates degree was patently false. I am also aware that I upset those who champion California Coast University when I exposed the fact that it did not do its due diligence when it granted you academic credit for your certificate. I guess you are still bitter about it.

What I never have fully comprehended is how some individuals accuse me of utilizing, as they put it, half-truths, muscle tactics, and bluffs, yet they are wholly incapable of refuting my arguments. It seems to me that they do not like what I say (understandably, especially when I expose them as frauds), but cannot prove me wrong, hence the accusations. Such is life.

Moreover, for the record, I point out violations of TOS when appropriate, but I yet to see any of the moderators intervene on my behalf. I guess they figure I can hold my own and the truth really is the best defense.

Now, did you have a point to make or was your post nothing more than a (not so) thinly veiled ad hominem attack?

 

All talk, not substance.

Gus,
When was the last time you went to Chile? When was the last time you attended any sort of educational program in Chile. When was the last time you attended Harvard? I was just there in November. Come to think of it, when was the last time you attended any type of educational program? I have no problem with the folks here looking at the old threads, Ill let them be the judge of things when they read all of the posts.
Like I say, lack of knowledge or understanding or just plain lack of maturity. Maybe there are some self esteem issues going on?

Kisses,


Michael

 

Re: All talk, not substance.

How or why is this relevant? I’ve already demonstrated a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of their educational system than you.

How or why is this relevant? I’ve already demonstrated a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of their educational system than you.

How or why is this relevant? Are you disputing the fact that the AMP is not an academic credential? You don't refute my arguments; you simply indulge in ad hominem attacks.

Where? Chile or Harvard? Never mind; neither is relevant.

Have I mentioned any program with which I may currently be involved? How or why is this relevant?

I noticed you did not refute what I said; you are simply counting on people not taking the time to look up the old threads. If they did, they would conclude that my summation is accurate. You misrepresented your degree to CCU and to the members of this forum. You then proceeded to back up your assertions with information that was patently false.

Spare us the dime store psychoanalysis. As I said, still no refutation of anything of my comments; all you offer is misdirection, subterfuge, and false accusations.

 

Re: Re: All talk, not substance.

Not true, you have only proven how ignorant on the subject matter you are. Go there and experience it and then we can talk.

Because I have and you haven't.

Harvard, and it is relevant, look at the thread.

Funny, you never mention any of your credentials. Probably because they are second rate, like your web site.

Read the past threads, and talk about something you do know about. I know who I am, what I have done, and the credentials I earned in Chile, what about you? What have you done?

Once again your feelings of personal insignificance and shortcomings are showing through. You are easily baited and your responces are predictable. If your father didn’t give you the love you craved, or that (boy) or girl you liked rejected your advances, I'm sorry about that, honest, but that doesn't mean you have to project your feelings of inadequacy on us and the board."

Toodles,

Michael

 

Unless you are a second-semester college freshman, your inane psychobabble is without excuse. If you are, then perhaps your trouble with Gus is resentment of someone who knows what he is doing. I'd rather disagree with Gus than agree with you.
The notion that only common experience entitles to an opinion is the foundation of bigotry, not of learning. "It's a Harvard thang--you wouldn't understand"; go get your t-shirt and be happy. Rat own, rat own.