Disappointing When the old guard retired from AMBA I had hopes that it would see sense and listen to many of its members who have staff that write for, teach at, Externally Examine the final exams of, and who use teaching faculty from, Edinburgh Business School. She might have wondered why a School spoken of so highly by so many is not in, and has not applied to join, AMBA. This article sets that hope back. AMBA is now run by a person who has never run a Business School and only been at one as a student just recently (2001). On this basis she tells us she plans to see that her members do not dilute the MBA standards which she has adopted apparently without question! She does not mention the numerous Distance learning MBAs, some provided by prestigious AMBA members (Warwick, Strathclyde, Henley, Cranfield, Birmingham, Aston, etc.,). She seems unaware of the history of AMBA, which for years resisted the appearance of part-time MBAs (I know because I taught during that time at the School that was the first to start a part-time MBA course). With a rosey view of AMBAs history as a barrier to innovation in MBA provision she is unlikely to mend its ways. It took a long time for AMBA to accept DL provision until it was overrun by its members who went ahead and started them. She has also bought the marketing message (unresearched opinions of those who see the AMBA "brand" as a meal ticket) that two thirds of UK Business Schools are not in AMBA because they do not meet its "standards", implying they are below some minimum quality standard that has been researched (it hasn't by AMBA)and is the only sound pedagogy. Without doubt many Schools do have low quality programmes, both academically and administratively. But some of these Schools are members of AMBA! Many Business Schools, including some members of AMBA and ALL low quality Schools, have suspect assessment systems, soft exam regimes, and so-called rigid (read irrelevant) entrance qualifications (which they relax when recruitment is tight) which are not advertisements for the quality they claim for them. Altogether a disappointment. I was half hoping we could talk with the new broom about our common interests. She seems like the recent student who has just had dinner with the Dean of her alma mater and been flattered to visit the inner sanctum. At present she seems out of her depth.
