Key issues facing management education
For more than 50 years now, the notion of a newly minted MBA as a "ready-to-go" manager has been accepted across the world. Two (or in some cases, one) years of induction in the arts and science of management is supposed to prepare the young manager for leading change, conquering new markets, introduce new technologies, manage financial complexity and plot grand strategy for the enterprise.
This concept is now coming under attack. Led by vocal critics of the traditional MBA, like Henry Mintzberg, a section of academics have raised several pertinent questions about the differences between managers and MBAs. Some of them are as follows:
a) MBAs without relevant experience are not fit to assume higher responsibility straightaway
This argument holds that only relevant experience in an industry prepares one for a leadership role. An academic degree such as an MBA should just be a way of entering the industry. They should then spend a considerable time mastering the specific issues in an industry before assuming managerial positions.
b) The faculty in MBA programs is unable to bring real-world managerial issues to the classroom
This is a serious criticism related to the fact that, due to increased academic specialization, many management professors today have not set foot within a commercial enterprise in their careers. Also the intense focus on research in many (primarily, American) business schools means that professors concentrate on narrow subjects which may have limited managerial relevance; but these have very positive implications for their careers in terms of publications, obtaining tenure, etc. Hence, the faculty cannot bring to life issues which are very relevant to a practicing manager, but of which the faculty, without own managerial experience, knows little.
c) The issues which MBA students grapple within the classroom are not relevant in the initial stages of their careers
This criticism stems from the fact that many problems or issues framed in the MBA classroom are framed from the perspective of the CEO, Board of Directors or senior management. One of the reasons for this is that many faculty writing management cases, prefer "higher-level" issues and interact with, and write about, problems facing very senior management. However, these issues in many cases arise at such a high level of responsibility that management students would reach it after many years of experience. As an example, how many of us, studying in business school, have taken a company public in the first class (corporate finance course), then in the second class launched a new product in a new category (marketing management course), then in the third session developed a career path for fast-track managers (human resource course), all in the course of one morning! In reality, managers would spend decades developing their careers before they get to make decisions on IPO/Capital structures, New Product Development, and Talent Development, respectively. Simulating these high-level decision making situations in the MBA classroom develops a false sense of accomplishment and capability amongst budding managers, whereas they are not equipped with the skills or capabilities to make decisions involving such large stakes, or many variables.
For more than 50 years now, the notion of a newly minted MBA as a "ready-to-go" manager has been accepted across the world. Two (or in some cases, one) years of induction in the arts and science of management is supposed to prepare the young manager for leading change, conquering new markets, introduce new technologies, manage financial complexity and plot grand strategy for the enterprise.
This concept is now coming under attack. Led by vocal critics of the traditional MBA, like Henry Mintzberg, a section of academics have raised several pertinent questions about the differences between managers and MBAs. Some of them are as follows:
a) MBAs without relevant experience are not fit to assume higher responsibility straightaway
This argument holds that only relevant experience in an industry prepares one for a leadership role. An academic degree such as an MBA should just be a way of entering the industry. They should then spend a considerable time mastering the specific issues in an industry before assuming managerial positions.
b) The faculty in MBA programs is unable to bring real-world managerial issues to the classroom
This is a serious criticism related to the fact that, due to increased academic specialization, many management professors today have not set foot within a commercial enterprise in their careers. Also the intense focus on research in many (primarily, American) business schools means that professors concentrate on narrow subjects which may have limited managerial relevance; but these have very positive implications for their careers in terms of publications, obtaining tenure, etc. Hence, the faculty cannot bring to life issues which are very relevant to a practicing manager, but of which the faculty, without own managerial experience, knows little.
c) The issues which MBA students grapple within the classroom are not relevant in the initial stages of their careers
This criticism stems from the fact that many problems or issues framed in the MBA classroom are framed from the perspective of the CEO, Board of Directors or senior management. One of the reasons for this is that many faculty writing management cases, prefer "higher-level" issues and interact with, and write about, problems facing very senior management. However, these issues in many cases arise at such a high level of responsibility that management students would reach it after many years of experience. As an example, how many of us, studying in business school, have taken a company public in the first class (corporate finance course), then in the second class launched a new product in a new category (marketing management course), then in the third session developed a career path for fast-track managers (human resource course), all in the course of one morning! In reality, managers would spend decades developing their careers before they get to make decisions on IPO/Capital structures, New Product Development, and Talent Development, respectively. Simulating these high-level decision making situations in the MBA classroom develops a false sense of accomplishment and capability amongst budding managers, whereas they are not equipped with the skills or capabilities to make decisions involving such large stakes, or many variables.
