Dean Joe Thomas shares his thoughts on “The Relevant MBA” with the Huffington Post

Thomas says that modern MBA programs remain highly valuable if they are flexible but remain true to disseminating core business content

Excerpt from “The Relevant MBA” (Huffington Post, May 24) by Dean Joe Thomas of Johnson at Cornell University:

I believe that the MBA is more relevant today than ever before. But today’s MBA, both in product and in person, is not “your father’s MBA.”

Indeed, business schools and the MBAs they graduate still play a crucial role in creating and disseminating knowledge that can affect corporate policy and practice through robust research programs, and in providing the leadership that is required to move organizations and the world forward in positive ways.

MBA programs have sometimes been derided as “trade school for smart people.” Criticisms have ranged from the expense to the relevance of programs. Some people may feel that the time working would help their career more than getting an advanced business degree.

While there are substantial costs associated with having highly educated faculty and desirable facilities, MBA programs have reinvented themselves. From students to alumni, those connected with Johnson and other top MBA programs are well-rounded, global thinkers who feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for the systems, goods and services, and wealth they create. They want to know that their products or services are safe and sustainable and enhance consumers’ lives, and that their profitable business solutions are leveraged for long-term global benefit. MORE