MBA programs in this country date back to the 1880s. They have grown steadily in popularity since then, with much of that growth occurring in the latter part of the 20th century. There is no doubt that they have had a tremendous impact on business today, providing valuable tools and perspectives. There are those who believe that they are not as valuable as they claim to be: for the candidates themselves, for the companies they go to work for, and for society in general.
Back in 1989, Management Psychologist Harold Leavitt, in describing business schools, claimed that “we have built a weird, almost unimaginable design for MBA-level education that distorts those subjected to it into critters with lopsided brains, icy hearts, and shrunken souls.”Indeed, it’s hard to argue that these programs have not, to some extent, become a funnel for the most ambitious and aggressive individuals to find their way to the top, while inculcating a bottom-line, results-oriented culture that focuses on finding the shortest path to maximum salaries and company profits, with little consideration for anything else.
Clearly with the advent of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) these programs are now broadening their perspective, and softening their tone in response to market demand. Indeed, there are any number of admirable, well-designed CSR and Sustainable Management programs available today that you can read about regularly on these pages.
But few, if any, have taken their commitment to broadening perspective, increasing empathy and battling arrogance, to the level of India’s SP Jain Institute of Management and Research in Mumbai.
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