Public and private business schools in Russia: Problems and prospects

The recent dramatic changes in Russia have stimulated the growth and number of business schools attempting to meet the new demand for business education. Tatiana Kozlova and Sheila Puffer present the results of a survey of 24 state and private institutions throughout the country. Their current problems are considerable. Financing heads the list, most likely caused by inappropriately reacting to market demand. Lack of qualified faculty is also serious, and there is little exchange of faculty among business schools themselves. But the potential for success is there. Winning schools will be those which find specialized niches in business training, and can generate income from publishing educational materials and research results. Business schools would also be wise to link to the state system of education. The authors' survey finds that some of the business schools are following these strategies, while others appear to be heading in the wrong direction entirely.