Four major trends that will affect future management education are identified, and data from a study of MBAs is used to develop a perspective on how management education needs to change to address these concerns. Critical future skills include written and oral communication, people skills, analytic skills, a broad perspective on management, and technical knowledge. The findings of this study support the need for greater integration of specific types of skills into the MBA or undergraduate management curriculum. Implications of these findings for management education are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Astley, W. G.
, & Fombrun, C. J. (1983). Collective strategy: Social ecology of organizational environments. Academy of Management Review, 8, 576-587.
2.
Austrom, D. R.
, & Lad, L. J. (1989). Collaborative approaches to turbulence in the socio-political environment: The emergence of issues management alliances. In J. E. Post (Ed.), Research in corporate performance and policy (Vol. 11). Greenwich, CT: JAI.
3.
Bell, D.
(1976). The coming of the post-industrial society: A venture in social forecasting. New York: Basic Books.
4.
Brannen, T. R.
(1985-86). New directions for business education. Organizational Behavior Teaching Review, 10(2), 1-10.
5.
Cheit, E. F.
(1985). Business schools and their critics. California Management Review, 27(3), 43-62.
6.
Davis, S.
(1987). Future perfect. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
7.
Emery, F. E.
, & Trist, E. L. (1965). The causal texture of organizational environments. Human Relations, 18, 21-32.
8.
Gray, B.
(1985). Conditions facilitating interorganizational collaboration. Human Relations, 38, 911-936.
9.
Hayes, R. H.
, & Abernathy, W. (1980, July-August). Managing our way to economic decline. Harvard Business Review, pp. 66-77.
10.
Kanter, R. M.
(1989). When giants learn to dance. New York: Simon & Schuster.
11.
Katz, R. L.
(1974, September-October). Skills of an effective administrator. Harvard Business Review, pp. 90-102.
12.
Leavitt, H. J.
(1989). What we haven't taught our MBAs. California Management Review, 31(3), 38-50.
13.
Main, J.
(1989, July 17). B-schools get a global vision. Fortune, pp. 78-85.
14.
Miles, R. E.
, & Snow, C. C. (1986). Network organizations: New concepts for new forms. California Management Review, 28(3), 62-73.
15.
Mitchell, M. D.
, & McKenna, J. F. (1986-87). Third wave management: Are we ready?Organizational Behavior Teaching Review, 11(2), 1-18.
16.
Mitroff, I. I.
, & Kilman, R. H. (1984). Corporate tragedies: Product tampering, sabotage and other catastrophes. New York: Praeger.
17.
Naisbitt, J.
(1982). Megatrends: Ten new directions transforming our lives. New York: Warner.
18.
Peters, T.
, & Austin, N. (1985). A passion for excellence: The leadership difference. New York: Random House.
19.
Peters, T.
, & Waterman, R. H., Jr. (1982). In search of excellence: Lessons from America's best-run companies. New York: Harper & Row.
20.
Porter, L. W.
, & McKibbin, L. E. (1988). Management education and development: Drift or thrust into the 21st century?New York: McGraw-Hill.
21.
Thompson, J. D.
(1974). Social interdependence, the polity and public administration. Administration & Society, 6(1), 3-20.
22.
Torbert, W. R.
(1987). Management education for the twenty-first century. Selections, 3(3), 3 1-36.
23.
Waddock, S. A.
(1989). Understanding social partnerships: An evolutionary model of partnership organizations. Administration & Society, 21, 78-100.
