Are business schools doing their job?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to further the debate on relevance in business education by sharing one business school's experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative survey was carried out, reviewed by two independent collaborators. Conclusions drawn from interviews with more than 30 CEOs and HR Directors, from across all industries, provide findings on how business leaders think about higher education in business.

Findings

The results highlight their perspective regarding: how academic programs can add real value in business; what business schools should teach more; and what they should teach less in their MBA programs.

Research limitations/implications

There was a limited sample size of 30 participants. Also. the research is used as a part of a case study being conducted about Business School Lausanne by Prof. Dr J.B.M. Kassarjian, Professor in Management at Babson College, Boston, USA.

Practical implications

A detailed account of an ambitious academic revision provides insights into how entrepreneurship can be applied and lived in the academic world.

Originality/value

This paper examines how a boutique business school in Switzerland has undertaken a profound program revision based on the input and perspectives of business leaders. It demonstrates how key learnings from personally‐conducted interviews were effectively translated into the school's MBA curriculum, thereby transforming not only the program but also the way the school interacts with program participants.

Citation

Muff, K. (2012), "Are business schools doing their job?", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 31 No. 7, pp. 648-662. https://doi.org/10.1108/02621711211243854