When I consider the dilemma faced by today's MBAs the phrase that comes to mind is "It only takes a few bad apples to spoil the bunch". Corporations such as Enron and WorldCom can be assigned a portion of the blame for perpetuating this stigma. Blame can also been placed on educational institutions for not adequately preparing students for the challenges they will undoubtedly face once they are finished with school and are exposed to the "real world" of business. Podolny (2009) wrote "First, business schools have largely
ignored the teaching of values and ethics because those aren’t subjects of
inquiry for traditional business school academic disciplines. The consequences
have been disastrous" (p. 64). Future managers and business leaders are always going to be faced with the task of decision making. So why is it that these individuals are not exposed to the ethical training that would prevent them from making the types of mistakes that occurred at Enron? For example, when Navy SEALs are trained, are they not taught to utilize more than one type of weapon? Is it not important to train their minds as well as their bodies for any conceivable type of mission or circumstance? To be a SEAL member you have to endure underwater demolition training, parachute training, communications training, and sniper training, just to name a few ("Navy SEAL," 2015). There is no reason that future Fortune 500 leaders should not be prepared in the same strategic manner in order to be prepared for any and all circumstances.
Business schools should proactively examine their programs to include not only quantitative methodologies, but qualitative methods as well. "Academics capable of teaching soft skills such as
leadership, values, and ethics are in a distinct minority at most business
schools. Without more faculty members in those areas, schools can’t weave such
disciplines effectively into the fabric of MBA education" (Podolny, 2009, p. 66). There are three actions business schools can take to improve ethics training in education:
- Place an emphasis on doing rather than telling. Have students perform role-playing scenarios to provide them to the type of ethical scenarios they may encounter.
- Create joint classes with students from B-schools. This experience can create a greater appreciation of the challenges other countries are faced with.
- Establish programs with global organizations to expose students to the real life scenarios they can expect, how they might face those challenges, and what outcomes can be expected based on their decisions. Work or study abroad program can also be beneficial. (Himsel, 2014).
Himsel, D. (2014). Business Schools Don't Teach Ethics
Effectively. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-08-06/business-schools-dont-teach-ethics-effectively
Navy SEAL Training. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.military.com/special-operations/training-to-be-a-navy-seal.html
Podolny, J. M. (2009). The Buck Stops (and Starts) at
Business School. Harvard Business Review, 87(6), 62-67.