It’s a common question swirling around prospective MBA applicants: do MBA programs genuinely value research, or is it just an academic exercise with little practical relevance? Critics often argue that business school research is detached from the real world, producing obscure papers read by few and offering minimal benefit to students. However, the prominence of research criteria in influential rankings like the Financial Times suggests otherwise. So, what’s the real story?
Business schools are indeed facing scrutiny regarding their relevance, making it essential to clarify the role and impact of academic research. As a business school professor, my aim, like many colleagues, is to produce rigorous and relevant research that enriches teaching and informs business practices and policy. While the broader advantages of management research are evident, the crucial question remains: why should research matter to MBA students and those considering business degrees?
Filtering Management Fads: Research as a Quality Check
Ever been presented with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as the ultimate motivation theory? If your organizational behavior or leadership classes are taught by research-active faculty, you’re likely to learn about the framework’s lack of robust scientific and empirical backing.
As Professor Matthew Cronin aptly points out, the market for management ideas can be a “market for lemons.” Students and managers alike often struggle to distinguish between well-supported, evidence-based concepts and those with weak empirical foundations.
This is where research-engaged academics become invaluable. The process of conducting and publishing research cultivates a deep understanding of how to evaluate management ideas critically. Academics dedicate significant time to reviewing studies, staying at the forefront of knowledge, and discerning the most credible answers to specific research questions. This rigorous process of academic inquiry acts as a filter, ensuring that MBA curricula are built upon solid, evidence-based principles rather than fleeting management fads.
This expertise allows research-oriented faculty to deliver cutting-edge insights grounded in robust evidence. This, in turn, equips MBA students with a significant competitive edge, providing them with the frameworks and critical thinking skills necessary for effective decision-making in today’s complex and uncertain business environment.
Research Prowess: Signaling MBA Program Excellence
The Academy of Management Journal, a leading scholarly journal in management, publishes approximately 70 articles annually, typically authored by teams of two to four researchers. This means only a small fraction of the 18,000+ members of the Academy of Management publish in such top-tier outlets each year. The acceptance rates at these journals are notoriously low due to the demanding nature of the peer-review process. Publishing in these outlets requires years of meticulous data collection, rigorous analysis, and theoretical development, all subjected to intense scrutiny to validate research claims.
For MBA programs, faculty research productivity, particularly in highly selective journals, serves as a crucial signal of quality. It demonstrates the program’s commitment to attracting and retaining faculty who possess advanced training, strong empirical skills, and the ability to generate impactful knowledge. While research excellence doesn’t automatically equate to teaching brilliance, it’s a strong indicator of faculty expertise and intellectual rigor. Top business schools often prioritize research as a fundamental criterion in faculty recruitment, seeking individuals who can not only conduct impactful research but also effectively convey complex ideas in the classroom. In reality, strong research skills and effective teaching abilities are often more intertwined than commonly perceived.
Research Beyond the Ivory Tower: Direct Benefits for MBA Students
The notion that academics solely produce esoteric papers is increasingly outdated. There’s a growing emphasis on academics to disseminate their research to broader audiences. This involves translating complex findings into accessible summaries for practitioners and engaging with outlets directly read by business professionals, such as Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. These practitioner-focused publications frequently feature robust, research-backed insights. For instance, my own research on well-being and remote work, while not initially targeted for top-tier academic journals, was published in MIT Sloan Management Review due to its immediate practical implications. The findings have since informed the development of hybrid work policies in numerous organizations.
MBA students often directly benefit from the research conducted within their own institutions. They are exposed to cutting-edge ideas and research findings through course content and faculty expertise. This exposure provides them with a deeper understanding of current business challenges and evidence-based solutions.
While progress is being made, business schools and faculty must continue to enhance public engagement with their research to demonstrate its ongoing relevance in a rapidly evolving business landscape. Initiatives that reward and recognize the impact of research on communities, organizations, and policy, such as research impact assessments, are crucial steps in highlighting the real-world value of business school research and further strengthening the connection between academic inquiry and practical application for MBA students and the broader business world.
