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I would argue that the mba program is basically irrelevant. The problem is that the incentive structures for management in these companies is overwhelmingly to

I would argue that the mba program is basically irrelevant. The problem is that the incentive structures for management in these companies is overwhelmingly to produce short term gains in order to secure promotion and bonuses, since the metric of success is to not stay in your role very long. The ideal situation for a manager is to be promoted through/across the company every few years. Long enough to deliver some large project (that was certainly already in the pipeline) but short enough not to be responsible for the long term impact of that project. You don't fix that by giving the management lectures on morality, you fix it by reducing their ability to hide the issues that happens in their organisation so that when lines are crossed the manager can't be confident they can sweep it under the rug.

windexh8er 7y ago
> You don't fix that by giving the management lectures on morality, you fix it by reducing their ability to hide the issues that happens in their organisation so that when lines are crossed the manager can't be confident they can sweep it under the rug. You also don't fix this by overlooking the fact that all publicly traded organizations are performing for the street, not the customer. How much can we sell them is the mantra now, more so, than ever. Instead of being the best we've decided that lobbying and paying the board/shareholders is the best for everyone. Those people just happen to be the 0.1% as well.
remarkEon 7y ago
>I would argue that the mba program is basically irrelevant. It is definitely relevant. The programs will pump students full of notions of "corporate social responsibility", right before they send them off to consulting gigs for the summer where short-termism is how you get the offer. It's a self reinforcing system. It would maybe be different if MBA programs weren't a cash cow for universities (especially universities that cater to international students), and instead were essentially apprenticeships at the companies themselves. I agree with the general sentiment of your comment, but I'm not ready to forgive the MBA programs' part in this.
cryptonector 7y ago
You measure what you can, and in management that's often short term things. Intangibles can't get measured, thus intangibles don't get measured -- not even estimated. The result is a distorted view of everything.

windexh8er 7y ago

> You don't fix that by giving the management lectures on morality, you fix it by reducing their ability to hide the issues that happens in their organisation so that when lines are crossed the manager can't be confident they can sweep it under the rug. You also don't fix this by overlooking the fact that all publicly traded organizations are performing for the street, not the customer. How much can we sell them is the mantra now, more so, than ever. Instead of being the best we've decided that lobbying and paying the board/shareholders is the best for everyone. Those people just happen to be the 0.1% as well.

remarkEon 7y ago

>I would argue that the mba program is basically irrelevant. It is definitely relevant. The programs will pump students full of notions of "corporate social responsibility", right before they send them off to consulting gigs for the summer where short-termism is how you get the offer. It's a self reinforcing system. It would maybe be different if MBA programs weren't a cash cow for universities (especially universities that cater to international students), and instead were essentially apprenticeships at the companies themselves. I agree with the general sentiment of your comment, but I'm not ready to forgive the MBA programs' part in this.

cryptonector 7y ago

You measure what you can, and in management that's often short term things. Intangibles can't get measured, thus intangibles don't get measured -- not even estimated. The result is a distorted view of everything.