A critical commentary on the business education debate in South Africa: The Master of Business Administration Degree (MBA) versus the Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy (MA)

Abstract

This opinion is written in narrative style and does not follow the classical research approach. The opinion attempts to comment on the Philosophy of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree, with special reference to MBA degrees offered by universities and business schools in Africa and South Africa and, similar management institutions on the continent, and makes certain salient comments on the MBA versus a classical M.A. degree in Philosophy because, of the criticisms advanced by some quarters and philosophy academics against the MBA degree. This debate is also essential from the aspects of understanding that, this debate emanates in South Africa from a completely Eurocentric viewpoint in terms of maintaining the historic exclusion of Black students from pursuing studies towards an MBA qualification and is steeped in the historic divide of apartheid education in South Africa, and nearly twenty years after democracy, this state of affairs is still pursued by a number of South Africa’s leading historically White advantaged universities offering MBA programmes. This exclusion is exemplified in many cases by unreasonably high entry requirements and exorbitant fees charged to enter their MBA programmes [Read more]