The Idea in Brief
The big idea: Although managers can be formally trained and qualified, and their social status is similar to that of doctors and lawyers, management is not a profession.
The argument: We rely on professional bodies to define what their members should know and to certify them as fit for practice. But the abilities and learning required to be a good manager don’t lend themselves to such oversight—and business education is more about acquiring the skill of integration than about mastering a set body of knowledge.
A better approach: The key is to recognize that integration is learned rather than taught: It takes place in the minds of MBA students, who link the various elements of the program. Business education is not one-size-fits-all, and, most important, it should be collaborative rather than competitive.
It is natural to view management as a profession. Managers’ status is similar to that of doctors or lawyers, as is their obligation to contribute to the well-being of society. Managers can also be formally trained and qualified, notably by earning an MBA. If management is a profession, the business school is a professional school.
