The future of management education: why I decided to create my own management school

Abstract

Purpose

In this paper the author gives reasons for his discontent with current management education, particularly its over‐bureaucratization and its concentration on the professional careers of academics instead of its usefulness in the field. It offers a coherent but historically based view of management learning that tends to be overlooked as institutions race to compete in international rankings.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a case study based on the work in progress of creating a new management school.

Findings

Ways of learning about management and the dynamics of business and business organizations are not all the same, and some are valid but contradictory. The essential and common quality is that learning the skills of management must be through experience and reflection. But governments like procedures that are measurable and quantifiable, which personal learning can never be. In fact, the urge to measure is the most destructive influence of governments and bureaucrats on education at all levels.

Practical implications

Others interested in alternative, person‐centered modes of education will be able to copy this model of learning.

Originality/value

Describes the creation of an innovative management school in the UK where students will learn the skills of management through experience and reflection rather than in a classroom. Will be of use to anyone involved as a supplier/buyer of management education.

Citation

Gray, H. (2011), "The future of management education: why I decided to create my own management school", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 7-9. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777281111108209