The Business School Media Rankings Dilemma

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The Business SchoolMedia Rankings Dilemma
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About Media Rankings

• Started in late 1980s
• Numerous rankings now exist
• BusinessWeek
• Economist Intelligence Unit
• Financial Times
• Forbes
• U.S. News World Report
• Wall Street Journal
• More

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About Media Rankings

• Focus on MBA programs
• Limit the number of programs included
• Use different methodologies
• Student and alumni surveys
• Recruiter surveys
• Deans and directors surveys
• Data provided by schools
• Collapse data into a ordinal ranking

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Benefits of Media Rankings

• Increases visibility of business education
• Provides channels to advertise programs
• Offers stakeholder feedback

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Methodology Challenges

• Media rankings
• Dont measure quality
• Assume homogeneity
• Programs
• Students
• Recruiters
• Exaggerate differences and changes

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Unintended Impacts

• Media rankings
• Foster misperceptions about b-schools
• Favor surface-level changes over substantive
  improvements
• Stifle innovation and diversity
• Require extensive resources to participate

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Role of AACSB

• Communicate, engage, and influence
• Enhance the quality of information
• Promote the value of accreditation
• Conduct continuing research

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Our Position

• Media rankings
• Are important and must be managed
• Should not drive our strategy
• Are not the only measure of our success
• Do not substitute for AACSB accreditation

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What can you do?
Advisory Council

• Help to communicate our position
• Assist us to focus on long-term success
• Look beyond rankings to assess quality
• Provide constructive feedback

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What can you do?
Students and Alumni

• Know your goals and objectives
• Dont be seduced by media rankings
• Look beyond rankings to assess quality
• Provide constructive feedback

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What can you do?
Faculty

• Focus on providing high quality education
• Help to communicate our position
• Focus on long-term success
• Solicit feedback from our constituents

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What can you do?
Recruiters

• Consider your goals and objectives
• Look beyond rankings to assess quality
• Provide constructive feedback

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About AACSB International

• An elite group representing over 500 of the
  worlds best business schools in 28 nations
• A leader in advocacy for management education
  issues
• A symbol of excellence and commitment to
  continuous improvement