What is the future of business schools?

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to suggest that research can become the main change agent at business schools. Research can foremost take place within undergraduate programs, using philosophical approaches. Graduate programs can to a greater extent use applied approaches, suited for the needs of the business community.Design/methodology/approachThough an analysis of history of universities and a literature search on knowledge creation and innovation, the author believe that business schools can benefit from using radical approaches in marketing and organizational design when focusing on research.FindingsUndergraduate programs can be more research focused, using insights from the history of universities and recent findings in marketing and organizational design as illustrations. Graduate programs can benefit from being more practically oriented.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research can benefit from using conceptual foundations to a greater extent, and use concrete business schools as empirical settings.Practical implicationsResearch can be the main focus of undergraduate programs. Graduate schools can make more use of applied approaches, suited for the needs of the business community. The author also suggest how the administration at business schools can stimulate research, and meet the needs of the business community.Originality/valueUsing a historical analysis of universities, combined with a literature search on how to combine innovation with knowledge creation, as the author's reference the opinion that research can be regarded as a change agent at business schools. Such an approach can make it possible organize the relationship between the faculty and the administration in new ways.