BillGatesthebillionaireMicrosoftchairmanwithoutasingleearneduniversitydegreeisbyhissuccessraisingnewdoubtsabouttheworthofthebusinessworld’sfavoriteacademictitle:theMBA(MasterofBusinessAdministration).
TheMBAa20thcenturyproductalwayshasbornethemarkoflowlycommerceandgreedonthetree-linedcampusesruledbypurerdisciplinessuchasphilosophyandliterature.
Butevenwiththerecession(经济萎缩)apparentlycuttingdownthehiringofbusinessschoolgraduatesabout79000peopleareexpectedtoreceiveMBAsin1993.Thisisnearly16timesthenumberofbusinessgraduatesin1960.
“Ifyouaregoingintothecorporateworlditisstilladisadvantagenottohaveone”saidDonaldMorrisonprofessorofmarketingandmanagementscience.“Butinthelastfiveyearsorsowhensomeonesays‘ShouldIattempttogetanMBA?’theansweralotmoreis:Itdepends.”
ThesuccessofBillGatesandothernon-MBAssuchasthelateSamWaltonofWal-MartStoresInc.hashelpedinspireself-consciousdebatesonbusinessschoolcampusesovertheworthofabusinessdegreeandwhethermanagementskillscanbetaught.
TheHarvardBusinessReviewprintedalivelyfictionalexchangeofletterstodramatizecomplaintsaboutbusinessdegreeholders.ThearticlecalledMBAhires“extremelydisappointing”andsaid“MBAswanttomoveuptoofasttheydon’tunderstandpoliticsandpeopleandtheyaren’tabletofunctionaspartofateamuntiltheirthirdyear.Butbythenthey’reoutlookingforotherjobs.”
TheproblemmostparticipantsinthedebateacknowledgeisthattheMBAhasacquiredanaura(光环)offuturerichesandpowerfarbeyonditsactualimportanceandusefulness.
BusinesspeoplewhohavehiredorworkedwithMBAssaythosewiththedegreesoftenknowhowtoanalyzesystemsbutarenotsoskillfulatmotivatingpeople.“Theydon’tgetalotofgroundinginthepeoplesideofthebusiness”saidJamesShaffervice-presidentandprincipaloftheTowersPerrinmanagementconsultingfirm
1.Accordingtoparagraph2whatisthegeneralattitudetowardsbusinessoncampusesruledbypurerdisciplines?
A.Envious(嫉妒的)
B.Realistic
C.Scornful(蔑视的)
D.Appreciative
2.Itseem