Skills needed to succeed in business: An analysis of student perceptions of attribute and skill development in graduate degree programs

Employers and experts are complaining that Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs do not adequately prepare graduates for entry with the attributes and skills needed to succeed in business. They describe MBA graduates as number-crunchers who are great at analyzing framed problems in stable environments, but do not have the necessary communication and people skills that are needed to function in today's business environment.; This study examined the perceptions of MBA and MSOL students to determine which program of study, the MBA and MSOL students perceived as best developing the attributes and skills employers and experts have determined as important to succeed in business. The study focused on three populations: MBA students, MSOL students, and employers. The MSOL and MBA students participating in the present study are from business schools in the Atlantic-Northeast region of United States that have completed at least two-thirds of their degree program requirements. Human Resource Managers from businesses across the United States were used as the employer population.; The study found that MSOL degree programs were significantly better at developing the attributes; flexibility/open-minded and vision, and the skills; written communications, interpersonal skills, and leadership. The study also found that MBA programs do not develop any of the attributes and skills measured in this study significantly better than MSOL degree programs.