Business schools’ fundamental purpose of offering MBA should be to enhance the quality of leadership capacity in society. This managerial leadership requires a different delivery approach, which relies on more face-to-face interaction, collaboration and discussion. The case method is “magnificent” for most things, but there are a few things that you can only learn by doing.
The International Masters in Practicing Management (IMPM) programme, an initiative of Henry Mintzberg, follows some practical principles in their management schooling. According to him, management education should be restricted to practicing managers; the classroom should leverage the managers’ experience in their education. Insightful theories help managers make sense of their experience. “Sharing” their competencies raises the managers’ consciousness about their practice. Beyond reflection in the classroom comes learning from impact on the organisation. All of the above should be blended into a process of “experienced reflection.”