Empirical investigation of predictors of success in an MBA programme

Abstract

Purpose – The twofold purpose of this study was to determine if selected variables were predictors of: student performance in the MBA programme; and student performance on the MBA MFT exam. Design/methodology/approach – This study focuses on MBA graduates at a US university who have successfully completed the entire programme requirements. Real student performance data, collected from 2007 to 2012, were analysed using multivariate regression techniques. Findings – Results suggest that academic performance in an MBA programme is positively related to undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and GMAT exam score, two of the most common admissions criteria in use today. Additionally, performance in an initial skills-building course exhibits a strong positive correlation with performance in subsequent MBA courses. With respect to performance on the Major Field Test (MFT-MBA), our results indicate that students who do well in the MBA programme tend to score at a higher level than those with lower overall GPAs. Research limitations/implications – The research study was limited to MBA graduates at a business school in central Virginia. Further studies can determine whether differences in predictors of success in the MBA programme from those found in this study might exist. Practical implications – Results of this study provide practical implication for MBA programme curriculum development and assist MBA admission committees in designing MBA programme admission criteria. Originality/value – An extensive literature exists about the variables that influence the performance on the MFT exam at the undergraduate level. This is the first study to explore these relationships at the graduate level.