Many believe that management education has
contributed to the systemic failure of today's leaders. After reading the
Podolny (2009) article, in your reflection blog share your thoughts on how
business schools can best prepare future leaders to adopt a holistic approach
to business problems and ethical dilemmas. Be sure to share benchmarks and
examples of how some of the B-Schools are accomplishing this.
In order for business schools to assist with the
development of holistic views towards ethical dilemmas and business problems,
they should consider concentrating on the study of arts and culture as well as
history, literature, philosophy and religion. Doing this will help with the
continued sharpening of an individuals critical thinking skills and moral
reasoning leading them to make better informed decisions instead of short
sighted decisions that could possible result in crisis.
Business schools should also gear their teachings
toward ethics and corporate responsibility and focus their students learnings
on the actual occurrences that are happening in todays business world. While
theoretical models may be useful in some instances it is important that real
world knowledge and experiences are used in order not to obscure the inner
workings of todays organizational structures. Today’s business schools teach
traditional academic disciplines emphasizing on quantitative methods such as
economics, statistics and operational research, however the importance of the
study of qualitative research and management practices somehow becomes
fragmented and pushed to the side
It was found that businesses have strayed away from valued
academic disciplines which include studies in ethics and values because they
were never considered “subjects of inquiry for traditional business school
academic disciplines” (Podolny 2009).Due to the ignored teachings of values and
ethics in business schools, leadership has been viewed as not needing necessary
investigation and attention to detail is missed.
In order to better the teachings in leadership and management
and better prepare our future leaders, business schools are improving curricula
and teaching methods. They have in turn geared their “curricula toward students
who want to work in sectors such as consulting and financial services” (Podolny
2009). Business schools are currently also working toward building trust for
their students. To do this they are showing their students that they have the same
values as society and are teaching principles, ethics and attention to detail
that leadership needs. They are fostering greater integration by “defining what
they teach and emphasizing integration of several disciplines.” (Podolny 2009).
Business schools are also appointing teaching teams and encouraging qualitative
research, this allows for more advanced and experienced mangers rather than just
academic teaching the information.
While making these changes business schools are now
able to develop a more “eclectic taste for research than currently exists in
most schools.” (Podolny 2009). Managers can now learn the necessary knowledge
and skill it will take to teach the students of business schools the knowledge
they will need to lead in their future organizations and become leaders
themselves. Doing this allows them to reinvent themselves and promote behavior,
understanding and awareness consistent with society’s values.
Cassandra
R.
