Degrees of concern

摘要

THE mba is both revered and reviled. To boosters it has advanced the science of management and helped firms, and countries, to grow. Detractors say it offers little of practical value and instils in students a sense of infallibility that can sink companies, and knock economies sideways. The critics are currently the louder of the two, claiming that particularly the full-time, campus-based mbas have reached saturation point, with too many mediocre courses chasing too few candidates. The Financial Times recently likened them to "the Grand Tour of business education in an age of Airbnb".