Challenges of AACSB international accreditation for business schools in the United States and Europe

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International) is committed to its role in setting worldwide standards to enhance the quality of management education. The organization is expanding its brand presence in Europe, where business schools are beginning to seek AACSB International accreditation. In the United States, an increase in the number of business schools seeking AACSB International accreditation is also occurring. Business school leaders not only see the transcendent importance of AACSB International accreditation; they also realize the challenges that are involved in the accreditation process. The focus of our discussion is on the challenges confronted by business schools in both the United States and Europe. We compare and contrast the challenges on both continents. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

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ABSTRACT

The paper examines Africa's progress towards AACSB accreditation, especially to satisfy the 5 strategic management standards. Sadly, although there are 515 accredited business schools (as of January 2006) in 28 countries, Africa-with 54 nations-does not have a single AACSB accredited school. Many African business schools (ABSs) have the capacity to meet Standard 1 (mission statement), Standard 3 (student mission), and Standard 4 (continuous improvement objectives). But they have limited capacity to meet Standard 2 (mission appropriateness) and Standard 5 (financial strategies). Therefore, if AACSB-International wishes to truly become the accrediting agency for business schools worldwide, the agency and its members will need to play a more proactive, facilitative and enabling role in assisting business schools in Africa tackle these significant obstacles to accreditation.     

A retrospective of international business education in the United States over the past fifty years

International business relationships are almost as old as mankind, but the idea that people needed to be educated to manage global business enterprises is less than 50 years old. The American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird), established in 1946 was the first school to provide languages, international studies, and business management as a basic education in international management. Business schools in America have been slow to realize and to promulgate courses and curriculums in the field. It has only been in the last ten years that the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business, composed of over 700 colleges and universities in the country, has become an advocate through a revision in its standards. After the words “and worldwide” were inserted in the AACSB standards of accreditation, international business education began to permeate the offerings of American business schools.     

The impact of AACSB accreditation: A multiple case study of Canadian university business schools

Over the last two decades there has been a significant increase in the number of university business schools seeking accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). Despite this remarkable growth there has been limited empirical research on this phenomenon. Using a qualitative multiple case study approach, this research explores the impact of accreditation on four Canadian university business schools. Participants reported seven main effects, with the most important being enhanced reputation, leverage for change, increased management efficiencies, and focus on research. These impacts were influenced by the context in which accreditation took place. Environmental uncertainty as a contextual dimension is discussed. Copyright © 2013 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The perfect match: Factors that characterize the AACSB International initial accreditation host school and mentor relationship

Initial Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International accreditation involves a process of pairing mentor and host schools to provide guidance and feedback on the congruence of the host school with the accreditation standards. The mentor serves as the primary resource for assisting the host school in identifying gaps with the standards, and the development and implementation of an initial self-evaluation report to detail steps to meet the standards. Matching mentors and host schools to encourage an effective relationship over a 5-year period would seem to be critical to achieving initial accreditation. In the present study, eight factors related to matching the mentors and host schools were identified. Results revealed only two significant differences between host business schools and mentors, indicating that the process is working well. Based on the results, ways to sustain and enhance the mentor–host school relationship are discussed.     

关于中外合作双语教学的思考——以南昌大学中外合作旅游管理专业为例

中外合作办学是高等教育国际化的重要体现,双语教学是培养国际化人才的实施路径。以南昌大学科技学院中外合作旅游管理专业双语教学为例,探讨在合作教学项目中双语教学在课程设置、教材选择、师资队伍建设、学生学习状态、考评机制等方面存在的问题,并总结经验,提出优化课程设置,合理选择教材,考核方式多样化,加强双语教学质量监控等对策,以期促进中外合作办学双语教学的改革与发展。     

The Role and Value of Global Business Research: Perspective of a Business School Dean

The scope of this article is two-fold. First, it looks at business research in general, in various countries, as a task that the dean wants to have faculty members pursue, to attain goals such as accreditation and ranking with organizations such as the AACSB, Equis, the Financial Times, and US News & World Report. And second, it looks at international business research as part of what business schools produce and what a dean can encourage. As more academics realize the importance of international competition, and also of dealing with people from other cultures and countries, IB research is becoming more acceptable in mainstream publications as well as in specialized international business ones. Key questions discussed here include encouraging, measuring, promoting, and financing international business research.     

Globalization of Management Education

A new study, sponsored by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, presented a comprehensive new perspective on the globalization of management education, (AACSB International, 2011). Its findings are sobering: with regard to emerging global trends in higher education and cross-border business, the report reveals a sizable gap between what the world needs and what management educators generally do. Key areas for attention include the expansion of mechanisms for quality improvement and assurance globally, strengthening the use of international partnerships, more intentional internationalization within the curriculum, and connecting various global activities to one another through a comprehensive globalization strategy.     

“一带一路”沿线国家认证认可国际竞争力评价

认证认可是国家质量基础设施的重要组成部分,被称为质量管理的"体检证"、市场经济的"信用证"、国际贸易的"通行证",在提升产品质量水平、推动产业结构升级、规避双边贸易壁垒、降低贸易通关成本和促进贸易合作与发展方面扮演日益重要的角色。选取"一带一路"沿线国家作为样本,从服务竞争力、区域竞争力、国际影响力、创新竞争力、基础竞争力等五个维度构建"一带一路"沿线国家认证认可国际竞争力指标体系,考察沿线各国比较优势,研判"一带一路"认证认可格局。结果显示:"一带一路"认证认可格局涵盖卓越型竞争力、潜力型竞争力、成长型竞争力和沉寂型竞争力四个阵营,我国位于卓越型竞争力阵营,在区域竞争力、国际影响力和基础竞争力方面占据比较优势。"一带一路"倡议提出以来,我国积极发展与沿线国家间的经贸合作与双边互认,与蒙古、新加坡、哈萨克斯坦等签署了标准化合作协议,推进产品标准双边互认建设。中国认证认可的影响逐步深入至经济、社会的各个领域,其服务能力、服务效果仍具备较大的提升空间。     

高职院校酒店管理专业人才培养过程中的问题及对策分析

随着酒店业竞争的日趋激烈，培养高素质的人才，促进员工素质和服务质量的提升势在必行。然而我国一些高职院校的酒店管理专业仍然与人才培养与市场需求、理论与实践相脱节。针对这些情况，分析了高职院校酒店管理专业人才培养过程中存在的一般性问题，结合我国一些高职院校如苏州卫生职业技术学校近年来的改革创新情况，提供了相应的对策。     

Consumer education: educational considerations and perspectives

This paper examines questions concerning consumer education in relation to consumption and household management. It is based partly on literature studies and partly on a current pilot study, also on studies carried out in the classroom and developmental work in schools and on teacher training courses. The pilot study on consumer education is being carried out in Denmark and is funded by the Danish Ministry of Business Affairs. Another part of the study concerns a qualitative investigation of pupils’ understandings of consumption and its meaning in their lives, but this is not reported here. The key research questions relate to the way in which the young consumer is educated, both formally and informally, and what the possibilities and perspectives are for consumer education. Introductory research is discussed, followed by a presentation and discussion of key issues for consumer education, such as household management, consumption, home economics and education. Finally, three examples are described and discussed which demonstrate how the advocated principles of consumer education and empowerment can be put into practice. These examples are based on developmental work carried out in lower secondary schools and teacher training courses.     

基于ISO9000族标准的供应链质量管理实施框架

供应链质量管理具有极其重要性,需要借鉴ISO9000中质量管理的定义来建立供应链质量管理实施框架,并且分别从供应链质量策划、供应链质量控制、供应链质量改进和供应链质量保证四个方面来系统地了解供应链中的核心企业在实施供应链质量管理时应采取的措施以及可以借助的质量管理工具。     

Ethics as excellence: A strategic management perspective

Confidence in Australian business was severely shaken by the corporate scandals and collapses of the 1980s. Many commentators called for more emphasis on ethics education. This paper surveys the initiatives of Australian business schools and professional bodies and finds them superficial and ineffective. It then presents a case study in Quality Improvement which highlights the need to take a strategic and integrated approach to the development of core values such as quality, trust, ethics and social responsibility. In exploring the process of cultural change, the paper identifies a number of key leadership roles, responsibilities and competencies which are distinguished from the more traditional management functions.John Milton-Smith has been Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Curtin Business School, since 1990. He is currently conducting the Australian Business Ethics Project, part of which is reported in this paper. His other research interests include The Strategic Management of Corporate Culture, Global Business Strategy and International Trade Diplomacy.     

会计准则的国际趋同与会计信息质量

会计信息质量的影响因素包括法律制度、会计准则以及机会和激励等,结合中国的制度环境分析各因素对会计信息质量的影响,研究发现,虽然内外部环境为公司管理层进行盈余管理提供了各种利益机会和激励,但随着投资者保护法律的不断完善,中国会计准则的国际趋同应该能够提高会计信息质量。     

WTO体制下的海峡两岸高等教育服务贸易若干法律问题

两岸关系的缓和与经贸的快速发展,为海峡两岸的高等教育服务贸易发展奠定了基础。两岸应当向对方开放自己的高等教育服务贸易市场,同时在发展高等教育服务贸易中应注意解决学历、学位的互相认可、学生权益的保护、教育投资和教育投资者的保护及知识产权保护的立法与法律实施问题。     

Introducing Practical Wisdom in Business Schools

This article echoes those voices that demand new approaches and ‹senses’ for management education and business programs. Much of the article is focused on showing that the polemic about the educative model of business schools has moral and epistemological foundations and opens up the debate over the type of knowledge that practitioners need to possess in order to manage organizations, and how this knowledge can be taught in management programs. The article attempts to highlight the moral dimension of management through a reinterpretation of the Aristotelian concept of practical wisdom. I defend the ideas that management is never morally neutral and that Aristotelian practical wisdom allows the recovery of moral considerations in management practice. I analyze the impact and implications that the introduction of practical wisdom in business schools entails for the conception and objectives of management education. This view reconfigures management education in terms of attention to values, virtues and context. Therefore, management programmes should prepare students to critically evaluate what they hear and to make decisions coherent with their values and virtues. In the final section, I reflect on the pedagogical implications of this approach. I point out that an integrated model of ethics and practical wisdom promotes education of cognition and education of affect as well. I provide an example to illustrate my perspective and to support my conclusions.     

Key institutions in business and management education research

The authors investigate institutional productivity in business and management education (BME) research based on the analysis of 4,464 articles published by 7,210 authors across 17 BME journals over a 10-year period, involving approximately 1,900 schools worldwide. Departing from traditional disciplinary silos, they examine the BME research field as a whole by including all traditional business disciplinary areas and producing two top 100 rankings, one based on raw number of author publications and the other based on weighted scores reflecting journal quality and coauthorship.     

Comparing managerial careers,management development and management education in the UK and the USA: some theoretical and practical considerations

This article explores some of the issues surrounding changing patterns of managerial careers, management development and management education in the UK and the USA. It addresses three lines of questioning: the new rhetoric of careers in the new economy, the evidence on changing organisational forms and the implications for careers and management development and education, and the future of management education and the role of business schools. The article is intended as a ‘think piece’ and acts as a backdrop for a comparative study of management development in Scotland and California currently being undertaken by the authors.     

商业经济管理人才的素质培养

知识经济作为一种以知识和信息为基础的经济 ,将对整个社会的经济生活产生重大而深远的影响。作为协调经济活动过程的管理 ,也必将发生相应的变化。跨世纪的商业经济管理人才必须具备一定的素质、能力和知识结构 ,为此高等院校要进行相应的教学改革 ,从而培养出适应未来社会经济管理的人才