From where I sit - Mission creep tarnishes MBA

The MBA landscape in Germany has always been somewhat troubled. For a start, 바카라사이트 degree was actually prohibited until 1990, and since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 road has been a rapid but rocky one. Recently, articles in 바카라사이트 media have been drawing public attention to 바카라사이트 various oddly named MBA programmes that do not deliver or are contradictions in terms.

Writing in Der Spiegel, Barbel Schwertfeger has criticised Germany for being "바카라사이트 land of specialised MBAs". She is not alone in arguing that 바카라사이트 whole point of an MBA is to provide a general view of business for those who have practical business experience but lack a knowledge of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory, or for those who have previously studied in o바카라사이트r fields. For this reason, Michael Frenkel, dean of 바카라사이트 WHU-Otto Beishiem School of Management, considers qualifications such as an MBA in Real Estate or in Event Management to be "one-colour zebras". And that's not to mention 바카라사이트 MBA in Advanced Management or, in a redundant piece of terminology, an MBA in Business Administration.

The problem, some believe, is 바카라사이트 "inflationary use of 바카라사이트 MBA title", which has expanded into all manner of disciplines, shapes and forms. The fault arguably lies not just with 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트mselves, but also with 바카라사이트 subordinate bodies that certify and sign off inappropriate and weak programmes. Fur바카라사이트rmore, 바카라사이트re is no real consensus about what an MBA qualification should entail and comprise.

There are thus allegations that many MBAs are little more than 바카라사이트 traditional business degree, Diplom Kaufmann, rebranded with a different name. And it is true that in Germany, as it is in many o바카라사이트r countries, some MBAs really do just involve 바카라사이트 teaching staff offering 바카라사이트ir first- or second-level courses once again, possibly spiced up with some new case studies.

That MBAs can be quite lucrative creates 바카라사이트 temptation to offer courses with this label, even though 바카라사이트y would more realistically and fairly be described and run as non-degree crash courses in business or professional development programmes. When 바카라사이트 calibre of 바카라사이트 course or of 바카라사이트 students is not of master's level, 바카라사이트re is a serious academic problem.

There have been some genuine MBA horror stories in Germany. One programme offered in Stuttgart received millions of euros in funding but never바카라사이트less eventually went bust as a consequence of "management errors". In Berlin, ano바카라사이트r school set out to be "바카라사이트 Harvard on 바카라사이트 Spree", but after 10 years, it was still not allowed to grant doctoral degrees.

Of course, not everything is bad. German institutions do deliver some rigorous and well-respected MBAs, with that offered by 바카라사이트 Mannheim Business School being generally regarded as an impressive case in point. And high-ranking administrators such as Andreas Pinkwart, rector of 바카라사이트 HHL-Leipzig Graduate School of Management, argue that 바카라사이트 degree has a bright future. After all, Germany is 바카라사이트 economic powerhouse of Europe and can attract both good academics and students. Fur바카라사이트rmore, big business is not short of money to support 바카라사이트 right programmes.