How does a highly ranked MBA program approach leadership development: A single instrument case study

Today\u27s business, organizational, and societal environments continue to increase in complexity. Solving today\u27s challenges or identifying the next big opportunity will take capabilities that go beyond technical knowledge. Leaders will also need to be visionary, strategic, have problem solving and problem finding skills, and be emotionally self-aware. The purpose of this study is to understand how MBA programs develop leadership capabilities which organizations and leaders need to compete in an increasingly complex environment. While leadership theorists have unique perspectives and conceptual frameworks for the subject, there are common threads in their foundational ideas—that leadership is an intangible, dynamic process; that it is refined through personal experience and self-reflection; and that it can permeate all levels of an organization. This qualitative study examined the following primary research question: How Does a Highly Ranked MBA Program Approach Leadership Development? This study examined a highly ranked business school\u27s MBA program in an effort to determine: (a) its purposefulness and intent in developing leadership capabilities in its students, and (b) its approach of leadership development. Unit analysis in this research was a single case study involving one highly ranked business school. Data collection included 15-20 interviews with current and former deans, associate deans, professors and staff. The data collection also included a review of marketing materials, the school website, faculty and administrative documents, and other published materials. The data revealed this school\u27s leadership framework centers around experiential learning, curriculum, and feedback and reflection. The case study found that the school approaches leadership as an individual journey for each student and treats the development of leadership capabilities from a holistic perspective with various initiatives weaved throughout the program