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The Tomorrow’s MBA study was first run in 2009/2010 to try and understand if the economic recession, and the criticism that the MBA received following the collapse of several banks, had an impact on prospective MBA students. If anything the study suggested a strengthening of interest in the qualification, especially in Asia.

In addition to a global report and executive summary, individual business schools receive data across all questions broken down by preferred delivery mode – full-time, part-time or distance learning, by nationality of respondents and by those respondents interested in studying at their school, providing powerful information for marketing and operations. Schools also received a desk-based review of the marketing of their MBA programme.

Research for the second year of the study took place in November/December 2010. Potential respondents were contacted through social media, online advertising and banner adverts on a number of business school websites. Responses were received from 476 prospective MBA students in 79 countries.

Vicky Robinson, Head of Marketing and Communications for the ABS says:

“In these times of austerity, prospective MBA students are going to be increasingly choosy about the content of their MBA and what employment opportunities they can garner once they have graduated. Entrepreneurship continues to be the lifeblood of the economy and as the study shows there is a trend for MBA’s to set up on their own – this is something the government is keen to support and a key factor in a successful global economy.”

Andrew Crisp, one of the authors of the report, commented:

“There’s evidence in the rankings that salary increase post-graduation is becoming less of a distinguishing issue between schools.  Students are reacting to this and the downturn in financial hiring in recent years and looking at other career options.  Whether they want control of their own careers in their own business or feel the need to manage change and a variety of projects in a large business to move up in their careers, entrepreneurship skills are increasingly valuable”.
Other trends highlighted in this year’s study include:

Most valuable course content among prospective MBAs is Strategic Management, Leadership and Managing People and Organisations.

Less than 10% of the sample have become more negative about the MBA qualification.

Only in North America do more than 50% of the sample indicate that they want a traditional 2 year MBA programme.  Across the sample, more respondents want blended learning rather than traditional academic terms and office hours.

When asked what had the greatest impact on their perception of the MBA, the answer was most likely to be people, either when visiting business schools, meeting MBA alumni or working with MBA graduates.  Information gathering may be

dominated by electronic media, but decision making still tends to only take place after a conversation with an alumnus or school staff member.
 

A continued focus on embedding ethics and CSR rather than teaching as standalone components of a MBA

To obtain a copy of the Executive Summary please *click here for the zipped version*

Full copies of the report can be purchased for £150 by  *clicking here*

Please note that your hard copy will be despatched once payment has been received (credit card and invoice option available).

Further details are available from:

Andrew Crisp, CarringtonCrisp
 or by telephone on 07802 875260

Victoria Robinson, The Association of Business Schools
 or by telephone on +44 20 7388 0007

Matthew Wood, EFMD
or by telephone on + 32 2 626 9542