New survey challenges some accepted truths

Personal development for example is seen by far as the most important reason for taking an MBA at a rating of 77 per cent. Salary increase, the criterion most often cited as a measure of success, scores only 55 per cent. Professor Emmanuel Dion, of Audencia Business School explains: “The MBA is about creating leaders. Professional experience plus personality is what forms you as a leader and enables you to deliver results for your company.”

International intake is ranked as only the fourth most important factor when choosing a programme, behind faculty quality, company relations and facilities. In addition, less than a third of programme chiefs interviewed believe international students should make up at least 61 per cent of an MBA intake. This would suggest that the international aspect of an MBA is not as central to schools’ mindsets as widely perceived.

There could be several explanations for this, reckons “The Independent”. In the middle of a recession full-time students might look at studying closer to home. Part-time and executive MBAs tend to recruit locally among senior managers looking to fit study around demanding careers. Also the UK, France and Germany have decided to restrict student visas and to reduce the numbers of postgraduate work permits. That might deter overseas students.

While nearly half of the respondents consider 12 months as the ideal length for an MBA, a significant 35 per cent believe 18 months would be better. As 67 per cent of those answering are based in Europe where the norm is an MBA of 12 months, this points to a potential disparity between what business schools ideally want and what they can actually offer.

Despite an apparent aging of the full-time MBA population, half of the programme directors believe the ideal age for an MBA student is between just 27 and 29. This suggests that the opinion of the business schools does not necessarily match the reality of MBA students’ career paths.

Just 16 per cent of those answering offer specialised MBAs. This statistic contradicts what is seen as a growing trend in the MBA market towards sector specific programmes (such as luxury goods, aeronautics, global responsibility etc). “In reality, it appears that a few schools have taken the specialisation path,” states the press release from Audencia Nantes.

The participating schools cover a range of MBA courses, from those with small cohorts of fewer than 30 students to those with intakes of 100 or more. It includes university business schools and private schools.

Sources:
Independent
Audencia