Rethinking the MBA: Business Education at a Crossroads

The collaborative work of Srikant M. Datar, David A. Garvin, and Patrick G. Cullen, RETHINKING THE MBA: BUSINESS EDUCATION AT A CROSSROADS examines the current state of business education, which once guaranteed access to lucrative careers with the best firms. That has all changed - and the MBA degree is no longer a guarantee for success. RETHINKING THE MBA considers what has changed, why, and three broad trends shaping business education today. It's a 'must' for any serious business library.

I teach in the MBA in Sustainable Business program at the Bainbridge Graduate Institute (BGI). The timing of the publishing of this book is perfect because BGI is doing a curriculum review, and this book is an excellent resource to support this experience. The book is well organized. Chapter 1 explains the research methodology the authors used in gathering data and how this was all formulated for explanation in the remainder of the book. Data was collected pre and post economic crisis so it is relevant in today's environment. The next part of the book is about the unmet needs they identified in their research presented in a knowing-being-doing framework: gaining a global perspective; developing leadership skills; honing integration skills; recognizing organizational realities and implementing effectively; acting creatively and innovatively; thinking clearly and communicating clearly; understanding the roles, responsibilities, and purpose of business; and understanding the limits of models and markets. The next part of the book looks at six individual institutions that uniquely/powerfully address the unmet needs. The book then concludes with the authors key learnings and proposals based on their interpretations of the research they gathered. I value what I have learned from this book. The articulation of the unmet needs was clear and could have included more detail, but then it would make for a very long book. The details provided in the six individual institution cases gave me a sense of the complexity, successes and challenges these institutions face in providing their offering to the world. As the previous reviewer stated this book is well researched and well written. A definite must for those doing their part to help educate current and future change agents.

This book is well-researched, well-organized, well-written, and very timely. For all who help develop the future leaders of the world, this book is a wake-up call. It highlights the growing gap between what we teach MBA students and what the real world demands of them. Globalization and technology have changed the world, and MBA schools need to adapt by re-thinking the skills they impart to their graduates. Highly Recommended.