How an MBA contributes to the unfolding of careers: a comparative analysis

Abstract

Is the MBA a vehicle for the promotion of global managers, serving to reduce the impact of diversity and ‘localness’, or do regional differences still prevail? Using a survey of over 700 alumni drawn from over 20 countries across five regions, the authors explore the influence of regional location upon career outcomes post-MBA. They find some support for the view that a business degree serves to produce a global mindset, for example in terms of attribution for career success, where only alumni from the Caribbean reported different responses. However, taken overall their findings do not suggest final convergence of management career development and the differences they find are in line with existing literature on comparative capitalisms. Thus, they conclude that regional characteristics still endure in terms of career development post-MBA.