Business School Future

The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at

www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister

JMD

24,9

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at

www.emeraldinsight.com/0262-1711.htm

The future of business schools

Gabriel Hawawini

The Henry Grunfeld Chaired Professor of Investment Banking and Dean,

INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France

770

Abstract

Purpose – Aims to explore the future challenges and opportunities for business schools.

Design/methodology/approach – Reviews the existing situation for business schools, and draws

inferences for the future.

Findings – In rapidly developing markets the traditional business school model will most likely

survive, assuming that it can be scaled up successfully to meet strong but standard demand for

management education. In mature countries it will have to evolve to satisfy a more complex

environment with peculiar demands from both students and their employers.

Originality/value – In mature markets, top business schools will either transform themselves to

meet those demands or cede some of the terrain to alternative providers of business education.

Keywords Business schools, Education, Emerging markets, Academic staff

Paper type Viewpoint

Since the mid-1990s, the demand for business education has surged worldwide, to the

obvious benefit of business schools. In response to that demand, and because of the

relatively low cost of entry into the business education sector, many business programs

– not to mention entire business schools – have been established around the world[1].

Whether this growth will continue, slow down or even reverse itself in the near

future is a question confronting business school administrators worldwide.

Irrespective of medium-term variability, however, the long-term trend in the demand

for business education around the world should remain on an upward path, assuming

the world economy continues to expand, driven by faster growing...