Transformation and feminisation: The masculinity of the MBA and the “un-development” of men

Purpose-This paper sets out to explore the gendered nature of the MBA and the benefits men and women gain from the course. In so doing it highlights a relationship between the masculinity of the MBA and the ‘un-development’ of men. Design/methodology/approach- The paper draws on secondary data and critiques the masculinity of the MBA pedagogy. Findings- Examining outcomes from the MBA, evidence suggests that while men may achieve greater progress in terms of career development and pay, it is women who are more likely to undergo ‘transformational’ change. Originality and value- Drawing on work from critical management education (CME) and on models of learning, this paper argues for the need to ‘feminize’ the MBA, where feminization is used in a critical context to include a challenge to rather than rejection of dominant discourses. This goes some way to address the charge that, while CME has highlighted some of the programme’s moral and political foundations, it has failed to recognise the gendered implications of the MBA

Forms of capital and career benefits of the MBA in china and the UK

This paper sets out the results of a research project which compares benefits from the MBA in China and the UK. Drawing on and modifying Bourdieu’s forms of capital theory, it highlights areas of commonality and difference. In particular it demonstrates that some forms of capital (e.g. institutional, social) transcend national boundaries and are equally valued in both contexts. Significant differences emerge within categories of cultural capital with Chinese respondents placing a higher value on more technical and UK respondents placing a higher value on personal and interpersonal skill components. Implications for the transferability of Western based management education to China are evaluated and discussed