University Business Schools 2 Business

Abstract

There is a substantial and growing body of evidence to suggest that organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of individual and group learning and knowledge management as ways of attaining competitive advantage (Thomson et al, 2001). A consequence of this phenomenon is the growing demand for management education and training, and this is increasingly linked with the imperative of integrating management development with other organizational systems and processes to ensure their effectiveness in delivering business goals. This paper analyses this trend from the perspective of a ‘new university’ business school (‘new universities’ are the post-1992 universities in the UK, created by the demise of the polytechnics and their subsequent transfer to university status). The authors suggest and identify potential market development opportunities and highlight the competencies required by business schools if they are to compete successfully in this potentially profitable, yet increasingly competitive market. The significance of the corporate education market should not be underestimated. The UK Association of Business Schools (1997) estimated that this kind of activity accounted for up to two-thirds of the programmes offered by its members in their provision.