Post-pandemic responsible management education: an invitation for a conceptual and practice renewal and for a narrative change

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lovasoa Ramboarisata
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Climate ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Moral Imagination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Studies ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
Employer Responsibility

Purpose This essay makes the point that the corona crisis should motivate business schools and scholars to reflect on their interpretation of responsible management education (RME). It suggests both a conceptual and a practice renewal of RME, by respectively highlighting the relevance of the constructs organizational climate (OC) and professorial roles (PR) and calling for an enactment of business schools’ employer responsibility. It also argues that beyond mere techno-pedagogical and strategic developments, business schools’ post-pandemic challenges should encompass a narrative change. Design/methodology/approach Review of recent studies on the neo-liberalization of business schools and the implications of the latter on management educators and management education. Findings The corona crisis carries the risk of putting center stage and amplifying the entrepreneurial narrative in business schools. Such a narrative is deeply rooted in neoliberal assumptions. However, the corona crisis is also an opportunity to renew RME and to favour critical studies, encourage moral imagination and embark collectively on systemic activism. Originality/value Like other recent work, this paper reflects on what RME should mean and how business schools should set and fulfill their RME agenda in the aftermath of the corona crisis. To complement those former work, this paper proposes that the constructs of OC and PR be invited into the conceptualization of RME and insists that business schools acknowledge their employer responsibility.

COVID-19 and responsible management education (RME) among others: why should public business schools feel threatened?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Mousa
Keyword(s):  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Challenges ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
The Future ◽  
Multiple Case

PurposeThrough a multiple case study design, this article elaborates the chances of initiating and/or implementing responsible management education (RME) in Egyptian public business schools after the identification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In other words, this paper identifies the effect of COVID-19 on internalizing RME in the previously mentioned context.Design/methodology/approachThrough addressing four business schools in Egypt, this article explores the future of public business schools that did not previously implement responsible management education (RME) principles, after the identification of COVID-19. In other words, this paper identifies the main threats facing public business schools in Egypt post the spread of COVID-19.FindingsAlthough the previous study done by Mousa et al. (2019a) showed that academics in public business schools in Egypt were not ready to implement responsible management education, and furthermore, that they thought that addressing socio-cultural aspects is the mission of professors in sociology and humanities, the results of this study show that the spread of COVID-19 has positively changed the situation. The interviewed academics assert that socio-cultural challenges shape the minds of business students, academics and trainers, and these accordingly, have to be tackled. Furthermore, the author explores some socio-political, academic and labour market threats facing business schools in Egypt today. Managing those threats may ensure the continuity of the addressed business schools and their counterparts.Originality/valueThis paper contributes by filling a gap in the literature on responsible management education and leadership in the higher education sector, in which empirical studies on the future of business schools, particularly those that did not implement responsible management education earlier, after the identification and spread of COVID-19 have been limited until now.

The business case and barriers for responsible management education in business schools

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bob Doherty ◽  
John Meehan ◽  
Adam Richards
Keyword(s):  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
Depth Study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to gain a greater depth of understanding of both the pressures and barriers for embedding responsible management education (RME) within business and management schools. Design/methodology/approach – This paper utilises a longitudinal case study design of six business/management schools. Findings – This research identifies a set of institutional pressures and barriers for RME in the business schools selected. First, the pressures appear to come from a number of external business school sources and the barriers from a series of organisational resource and individual factors. Research limitations/implications – RME cannot be seen as just a bolt on. The orientation needs to change to view RME as requiring a shift in culture/purpose/identity. Due to the barriers this will require systemic organisational change at all levels and an organisational change process to bring about implementation. Practical implications – The results clearly show these market pressures are no passing fad. Failure to respond in a systemic way will mean business schools will run into serious problems with legitimacy. Originality/value – This paper fulfils a need for an in depth study of a number of business schools to identify the barriers to RME. This is now a critical issue for schools and this research has provided a number of practical recommendations which will help business schools overcome the identified barriers.

Responsible management education for a sustainable world

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Dyllick
Keyword(s):  
Business School ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
The World ◽  
Diverse Area

Purpose – The reforms in business schools based on the Ford and Carnegie Foundation reports (Pierson, 1959; Gordon and Howell, 1959) have been very successful in embedding management in a research-based body of knowledge, thereby elevating the academic status of business administration. These reforms, however, did nothing toward making management more socially trustworthy or management education more responsible. In the light of the pressing economic, social and environmental crises the world is facing, the feeling is spreading that not only business and economics but business schools also need to change fundamentally, if they want to be a provider of solutions to these crises and thereby keep and regain their legitimacy. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of the fundamental challenges facing the role of business schools and their contributions in the areas of education, research, managing faculty, and role of the business school. It presents suggestions what responsible management education for a sustainable world could and should look like. Design/methodology/approach – The paper builds on the existing literature on the needed changes in business schools and has been written as part of a large international project, the 50+20 initiative (www.50plus20.org), which was developed by a broad coalition of organizations with the World Business School Council for Sustainable Business (WBSCSB), the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI) and the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) at its core and 16 business schools and organizations from all around the world as supporters (Muff et al., 2013). Findings – Business schools need to transform themselves fundamentally, if they want to be a provider of solutions to the crises of responsibility and sustainability and thereby keep and regain their legitimacy. Originality/value – The paper pulls together insights from a diverse area of literature and develops practical conclusions.

scholarly journals COVID-19: accelerator or demolisher of the RME agenda?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias Falkenstein ◽  
Ulrich Hommel ◽  
Annie Snelson-Powell
Keyword(s):  
Opportunity Cost ◽  
Business School ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Strategic Choices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The One

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to enrich the discussion at the intersection of responsible management education (RME) and the pandemic with new views that explore together the inhibitors of and drivers for a strengthening of RME in the emerging context. On the one hand, the pandemic crisis fosters the social role business schools play by supporting the enhancement of the RME rationale as an idealist foundational pillar of responsible business schools. On the other hand, it invites negative pragmatic responses in the light of financial and competitive disturbances that seem to enlarge the opportunity cost of moving RME forward. Design/methodology/approach The essay puts forward arguments that help dissect the inherent contradictions and synergies between idealistic and pragmatic business school strategies, as they are impacted by the dynamics of COVID-19. The analysis serves to frame a discourse over the extent to which the pandemic crisis is acting as an accelerator of the RME agenda or instead brings the risk of demolishing what has been achieved so far. Findings The authors form an opinion of the emerging factors that promote and inhibit RME in business schools as they grapple with the challenges of the pandemic whilst recognizing the inherent contradictions faced in their strategic choices and resourcing. Originality/value In light of the growing emphasis on RME in the literature, this study challenges the degree to which the agenda has already become firmly rooted as a core organizational and educational theme in business schools. By doing so, it delivers an assessment of RME progress as a relevant strategic lever for business schools, whilst nonetheless being at risk of back-sliding.

An integrated framework of UN and AACSB principles for responsible management education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Uma G. Gupta ◽  
Sam Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Business Community ◽  
Societal Impact ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Human Welfare ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integrated Framework ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
Key Terms

Purpose Given the increasing relevance of Responsible Management Education (RME) to social and human welfare around the world, this paper aims to present an integrated framework that captures the essence of the principles of RME as defined by the United Nations (UN) and further set forth and embedded in the core principles of the accrediting body of business schools, namely, the American Association of Colleges and Schools of Business (AACSB). Such a framework serves as a rigorous platform for business schools and key stakeholders to integrate and implement core RME principles to deliver long-term sustainable benefits to the communities in which they operate Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper. The authors first define key terms of RME used in the UN and AACSB guidelines to provide a universal language for business schools to communicate with their stakeholders and to monitor RME initiatives. Next, the authors identify and map RME Principles and Standards common to both organizations that business schools can apply and integrate into their educational practices to create societal impact. Finally, they categorize the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN into four core purposes and articulate the benefits of clear and consistent messaging that aligns with the vision and mission of the institution Findings The integrated framework presented here makes a unique contribution to business schools that are in the early stages of RME implementation in the following ways: It simplifies the complexity and challenges of integrating the complex RME principles outlined by the UN and the spirit of the RME principles embedded in the accreditation guidelines of AACSB; the four unique themes that emerged from our research provide business schools with a clear pathway to assess their RME progress; and the framework addresses how RME can deliver exceptional value to various stakeholders of business schools. Research limitations/implications There are many opportunities for future researchers to expand on our work particularly, in the areas of RME-driven curriculum development and experiential learning, embedding ethics within high-impact RME practices and developing rigorous metrics to define and measure societal impact. Future researchers may also wish to expand and refine the definitions of key terms and explore the role of societal interaction as an indicator of meaningful institutional engagement with the business community. Practical implications Business educators can use this framework that maps AACBS core RME themes to the RME guidelines of the UN to assess, establish and enhance their strategies to implement and improve RME-driven business education. Originality/value This integrated framework makes a unique contribution to business schools by simplifying the complexity and challenges of implementing RME principles outlined by the UN and that of AACSB. By integrating the principles outlined by both the accrediting body of business schools with the ideals of the U.N in a simple and elegant framework, business schools can embrace and embark on implementing one or more of the four core RME themes identified in this paper. Implementation of these principles within a core RME theme has the potential to create a strong and unique global leadership position for a business school and its graduates.

Transition to a hybrid teaching model as a step forward toward responsible management education?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Pucciarelli ◽  
Andreas Kaplan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Teaching Model ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
Hybrid Teaching

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how the COVID-19 health crisis could help business schools move towards more responsible management education (RME). Business schools have been extensively blamed in previous crises for not educating their students in a responsible way. The COVID-19 pandemic could be the pivotal opportunity for business schools to regain legitimacy and a wake-up call to accelerate their journey towards RME. The authors aim to outline an illustration of the transition to a hybrid teaching model and how such educational reconfiguration might lead to more sustainable and RME, also beyond COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach is proposed to analyse and decrypt the challenges and opportunities of a hybrid approach, its implications for the transformation of business schools and RME. This study also includes a state-of-the-art literature review, a specific investigation of the case of ESCP, the European cross-border multi-campus business school, and in-depth interviews with stakeholders impacted by the crisis. Findings The health crisis demonstrated the unprecedented capability of higher education to embrace rapid and profound change. Furthermore, the pandemic served as a wake-up call in that it may even have caused the progress of business schools, previously somewhat reluctant, towards more socially responsible and sustainable thinking. Thus, the schools have used the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to regain legitimacy and be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Practical implications The paper pulls together a multitude of suggestions for higher education in general and business schools in particular. Originality/value Combining two of higher education’s main challenges, namely, digitalisation and sustainability and applying the principles for responsible management education framework to map and analyse the pandemic’s implications, this paper provides a new, compelling and inspiring resource for business schools on their path to a more responsible management approach and education.

Responsible management education (RME) post COVID-19: what must change in public business schools?

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-120
Author(s):  
Mohamed Mousa
Keyword(s):  
Study Design ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Study Design ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
Multiple Case

PurposeThrough a multiple case study design, this article elaborates the chances of initiating and/or implementing responsible management education (RME) in Egyptian public business schools after the identification of COVID-19. In other words, this paper identifies the effect of COVID-19 on internalizing RME in the previously mentioned context.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative study. The author focused on academics who work in four out of the 25 business schools in Egypt and employed a multiple-case study design (to collect his data.FindingsThe results showed that COVID-19 has not had any effect on the adoption of sustainable business education in the sample institutions. Moreover, some respondents went further and indicated that the identification of coronavirus slows down any attempt to implement RME in Egyptian public business schools. Accordingly, the author thinks that the sample business schools can implement RME post-COVID-19 if they overcome the following three types of obstacles: self-determination, contextual and national obstacles.Originality/valueThis paper contributes by filling a gap in RME, leadership and literature in the higher education sector, in which empirical studies on the effect of COVID-19 on the performance of business school have been limited until now.

Management education: obsolete by default?

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan F. Marques
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Graduate Level ◽  
Lifelong Learners ◽  
Content Type ◽  
To Come ◽  
Workforce Needs ◽  
Management Educator

Purpose – Business Schools have received much criticism up to, and definitely after, the most recent economic meltdown. Management education in particular, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level, has come under scrutiny, and the pressure is on to make management education more aligned with contemporary workforce needs. This paper aims to review the validity of this demand, and offer some options to prepare current students for the volatile work environment that awaits them. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on the author's experiences as a management educator, and her observations of the changed nature of management, hence, the changed needs to educate this phenomenon. Findings – Reflections are offered on what is perceived as possible ways for management educators to prepare future workforce members for management in a rapidly changing work environment. This is presented in a unifying, three-tier approach: 1. Connection: Establishing interaction with current workforce members and situations. 2. Completion: Ensuring a well-rounded approach by including interdisciplinary elements in our education. 3. Comprehension: Instilling the eagerness to become lifelong learners. In addition, the changed nature of work and the inability to optimally prepare future workforce members for jobs and careers that yet have to come into existence are underscored. Originality/value – The paper presents an overview of alternative facilitative approaches and insights based on in-depth review of-, and extensive engagement in management education.

scholarly journals Responsible management education in Egyptian public business schools

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 681-696
Author(s):  
Mohamed Mousa ◽  
Hala A. Abdelgaffar ◽  
Rami M. Ayoubi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Business Ethics ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Content Type ◽  
General Acceptance ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
Global Responsibility

Purpose Out of 24 public business schools in Egypt, the purpose of this paper is to focus on three in order to investigate how responsible management education is perceived and exercised by academics there. Design/methodology/approach A total of 168 academics were contacted and interviewed in 42 focus groups. The length of each focus group was about 45 min, and all of them were conducted in Arabic because the majority of respondents are not fluent in English. The authors used thematic analysis to determine the main ideas in the transcripts. Findings Based on data analysis of the perceptions of academics concerning business education, research and management process at the target business schools, the authors of this paper found that responsible management education is not considered a priority in the work agendas of the Egyptian public business schools. Furthermore, the authors believe that besides issues with the general acceptance of the need for responsible management education, there are functional, procedural and edu-academic barriers that these schools need to overcome first before proceeding with implementation and expecting positive outcomes. Research limitations/implications This research maybe subject to criticism because the authors address only the perspectives of academics in the chosen business schools while neglecting other academic partners, particularly those in managerial positions, such as rectors and heads of departments. Future researchers may use the same research questions to investigate a managerial level perspective to depict a more holistic picture of the situation. Moreover, including Egyptian private business schools may also enrich the findings. In fact, the authors suggest that scholars from different academic disciplines such as sustainability management, business ethics, higher education, sustainability and cultural diversity work together to produce more interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research on the global responsibility themes business schools have to manage. Originality/value This paper contributes by filling a gap in sustainability, HR management, business ethics and higher education literature in which empirical studies on responsible management education and the responsible practices of academics have been limited so far.

scholarly journals A posthumanist research agenda on sustainable and responsible management education after the pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Bruzzone
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
The World

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how posthumanism can contribute towards reframing responsible management education (RME) after the pandemic. Ethics has been a growing concern in management education for some time now, but the need to acknowledge the limitations and side effects of the global economy and the interdependences between biological and societal systems has come to the forefront in dramatic fashion during the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Posthumanism proposes moving beyond traditional dichotomies such as nature-culture and social-material to introduce a relational epistemology in which attention is focused on local sociomaterial entanglements. This also introduces a new moral posture that is not based on formal principles but on a strong commitment to assembling the world and a capacity to cultivate response-abilities. As far as responsible management is concerned, it means moving the focus from managers to managing practices. Findings The contribution casts an original and critical eye on the reframing of RME and encourages a movement towards a “decolonisation” of educational methodologies. Posthumanist research acknowledges that pedagogical practices are the loci power relations and inclusion or exclusion come into play and are inscribed in the materiality of education, in the sense of objects as well as human bodies. Then, by applying on the author's experience as teacher, the paper provides inputs for developing a posthumanist research agenda for RME after the pandemic. Originality/value The contribution uses posthuman lens to explore RME and develops an original research agenda starting from the author’s teaching practices.

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