MBA&BUSINESSEDUCATIONGUIDEindingscapegoatsfortherecessionhasbeeneasy-likeshootingfishinabarrel.WithdiscreditedCEOssuchasDickFuldofLehmanBrothers,AndyHornbyofHBOSandRickWagonerofGeneralMotoraallsjKirt-ingMBAsfromtopbusinessschoolsontheirCV,crit-icshaveplentyofammunitiontocondemnMBAprogrammesaspartlytoblameforthefinancialcrisis.Intruth,weareprobablytooquicktogiveMBAspraiseandcreditinthegcKMltimesandtooeagertoslamthemforthehangoveroncethepartyhasended.Butwiththelustreoftheirmostprestigiousbusinessdegreetarnishing,businessschoolsneedtotakeaction.Somecontributingfactorsschoolsmaybepowerlesstochange.Whyisit,forexample,thatambitiousmanagerschoosetoenrolonanMBAprogmimnmeinthefirstplace?Yes,theymaybeseekingtobroadenanddeepentheirbusinessknowledge.Butnocandidateisblindtothefact-oftencitedbybusinessschools-thatafterjustoneortwoyearsofsweat,studyandgroup-work,gaininganMBAoffersanattractivepaybackontheirfive-figureinvestment.Somegoforthecheaper,lower-riskoptionofstudyingpart-time,perhapswitbthesupportoftheiremployer.Butothersquittheirjobaltogetherinfevourofthemoreexpensive,butpo-tentiallyhigher-return,ftill-timeMBAatatop-rankedschool.Sodon'tbesurprisedwhenwewatchthosesameMBAsseektosatisfyaninherentappetiteforriskandrewardonthehigherrungsofthecorpor-ateladder.;\nditwouldbenaivetobelievethatinvestmentbanksandhedgeftindshavehiredMBAsjustfortheknowledgetheygleanedatbusinessschool.ManyemployerswantMBAsontheirtopteamforthedrive,focusandwilling-nesstomakebigsacrificesinpursuitofsuccessthattheydemonstratedbygainingthequalification.Theremaynothemuchthatbusinessschoolscandotoalterthis,thoughthe)'mightstoptrumpetingthesalary-boostaspect.Buttheyshouldbeartheself-selectionbiasinmindwhendecidingwhattoteachthesestudents,particularlyonthematterofgoodleadersbip.'Intoomanycases,businessschoolssimplytumoutbetter-educatedbadleaders,'lamentsChrisRoehuck,formerglobalheadoftalentatSwissbankUBSandnowavi.>iitingprofessorofleadershipatCassBusinessSchool,London.'Therehasbeenanattempttoboosttheleadershi...
