Success factors of master of science curricula in business administration

Abstract

Departing from the work of Mintzberg (2004), and Pfeffer and Fong (2002) concerning the lack of fit between business education and labour market requirements, we investigated different business curricula in an occupational labour market to identify curriculum factors that make a productive contribution to graduates’ labour market success. A portfolio study, presenting a conventional, problem-based, or competence-based program, was carried out among twenty large companies in a variety of industries. Employers ranked authentic tasks as key-factors of business curricula, and associated such tasks with a configuration of flexible thinking skills, robust content knowledge, and social skills, which were the most desired competences in the eyes of employers. Other curriculum factors, such as internationalization and admission criteria, are discussed and related to their implications for business education programs and future research.