If it is not useful, then why do companies pay for Executive MBA programs? I have known several high ranking executives here in the Northern Virginia area --- for Mobil/Exxon and other companies --- who have gone on to earn Executive MBA's from Georgetown, Virginia or William & Mary (alas GMU does not compete well in this market). The programs are expensive in terms of tuition, but the treatment of the students is also exotic --- a friend in the Georgetown program had to go with his classmates on a trip to China and to Cancun as part of the program! Everyone I know did not pay a dime for their schooling --- their companies paid the entire bill, plus made the commitment to give them the release time from work for course work and the in-residence requirement.
So what is the value-added? (A) Mid-career executives have already sent the signal; (B) Presumably at that stage of their career they have also established their network. So what could it be? There must be some value-added to the firm otherwise why would they pay? Is it a form of an efficiency wage? (I wouldn't want to work for an employer who wouldn't give educational benefits to its employees --- and if they do -- then boy do I work for a good company and will bust my butt for them). Pete Peter J. Boettke, Deputy Director James M. Buchanan Center for Political Economy Department of Economics, MSN 3G4 George Mason University Fairfax, VA 22030 PHONE: 703-993-1149 FAX: 703-993-1133 EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] HOMEPAGE: http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/pboettke ----- Original Message ----- From: "fabio guillermo rojas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 5:14 PM Subject: MBA's for senior exec's > > Why do older executives desire MBA's or B-school Ph.D.'s? They don't > need to signal brains because they have a track record, and they > won't learn much useful stuff. It can't terribly useful credential > when you are in mid or late career. Any takes? or is this just > consumption on the part of execs? > > Fabio > > >
