The Value of an MBA: Jackson Library: Stanford GSB

Hot Topics: The Value of an MBA

A controversial article by GSB Prof Jeff Pfeffer, Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior, and Christina Fong has questioned the value of an MBA degree. The article is found in September 2002 issue of Academy of Management Learning & Education.

Selected articles

Due to contractual arrangements, access to some articles may be restricted to the Stanford community, and subscribers of the "Library Databases" offered through the GSB Alumni's Lifelong Learning Program. Inclusion below does not imply University endorsement of the ideas expressed.

How business schools lost their way. Warren Bennis. Harvard Business Review, May 2005
This article looks at business schools and the failures in their curriculum that contributes to a lack of management skills among graduates. Business schools are on the wrong track. For many years, MBA programs enjoyed rising respectability in academia and growing prestige in the business world.
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But can you teach it? Economist, May 22, 2004
This article discusses whether business schools are teaching the right things. Applications to business schools are down this year--at least in America, where management education was born and where business schools still award about 85% of the world's business degrees.
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Pfeffer / Fong article [ PDF KB]

The end of the MBA as we know It? Michael Connolly. Academy of Management Learning & Education, December 2003
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Assessing Business Schools: Reply to Connolly. Jeffrey Pfeffer / Christina Fong. Academy of Management Learning & Education, December 2003
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David Kreps responds to the Pfeffer / Fong article. August 2002
A response by David Kreps, Senior Associate Dean, Stanford Graduate School of Business
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An Interview with Jeffrey Pfeffer Audio File, 3:15 minutes (RealPlayer® format) 8/02
In this interview with GSB faculty member Jeffrey Pfeffer he describes his newly-published research as essentially a review of challenges and issues facing business schools, or how well business schools have been doing their jobs; it is not just about MBAs and how much money they do or do not earn. From the August 28 broadcast of NPR's "Morning Edition."

Selected news articles

What's an MBA really worth. Jennifer Merritt. Business Week, September 22, 2003
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Weighing the cost of a Canadian MBA: What's it really worth?. Kate MacNamara. Financial Post, Sept. 20, 2002
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A split sense of purpose: professors disagree on the role of business schools. But students have no doubts. Michael Skapinker. Financial Times, Sept. 18, 2002
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The decline of the MBA. Justin Pope. Marketing News, Sept. 16, 2002
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The top business schools (A special report) -- Do M.B.A. degrees pay off? Ronald Alsop. Wall Street Journal, Sept. 9, 2002
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The $100,000 question. The Economist, July 27, 2002
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Controversial study questions the value of an M.B.A. The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 19, 2002
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For these related articles in the September issue of Academy of Management Learning & Education, a copy is available at the Reserve Desk in Jackson Library:

Detrick, G. 2002. Russell L. Ackoff. (an interview). Academy of Management Learning & Education, 1(1): 56-63.

Mintzberg, H., & Gosling, J. 2002. Educating managers beyond borders. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 1(1): 64-76.

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Page updated by: Nora Richardson