BW Online | January 17, 2003 | Business Ethics and B-Schools

JANUARY 17, 2003

READER SURVEY

Business Ethics and B-Schools
How do you feel about the ethical training MBA students need for the real world of work? Let us know what you think

STORY TOOLS

In the wake of the past year's corporate scandals -- many of which involved executives with MBA degrees -- the question of what business schools are, or should be, teaching future executives about ethics has received increased attention. Please tell us what you think in this Reader Survey from BusinessWeek Online and Public Television's Nightly Business Report. Remember, as always, that this survey isn't scientific, since anyone who wishes may participate. With that caveat, here are the questions:

When it comes to trust in Corporate America, I consider the malfeasance that has come to light in the past year:

	A very serious problem
	A somewhat serious problem
	An isolated problem
	A nonissue
	Not sure

I believe that most executives in Corporate America are:

	Law-abiding citizens, who don't place profits above morals
	Law-abiding citizens, who sometimes place profits above morals
	Would do just about anything for a dollar
	Not sure

I believe business schools should:

	Teach ethics as a required core course
	Offer ethics classes as electives, but not require them
	Offer no specific ethics classes, but weave ethics into existing disciplines such as accounting, finance, or marketing
	Not teach business ethics
	Not sure

I believe that if B-schools did a better job of teaching ethics there would be fewer corporate scandals:

	Yes
	No
	Not sure

I believe most MBA students:

	Want to learn about ethics
	Want to learn about ethics, but find it difficult to apply ethical standards in the real world
	Don't want to learn about ethics if it means having to miss a practical class in marketing, finance, or some other discipline
	Don't want to learn about ethics, as it's useless in their job hunt
	Not sure

If ethics is offered as a class in an MBA program, I think it should:

	Focus largely on the philosophical underpinnings of ethics
	Be rooted in practical discussions of actual business situations
	Both
	Neither

If you're an MBA student, how would you rate your school's teaching of ethics?

	A
	B
	C
	D
	F
	I'm not in B-school

If you're an MBA graduate, how often do you face ethical issues for which B-school has helped you prepare?

	Very often
	Occasionally
	Not very often
	Never
	I'm not an MBA grad

If you're an MBA graduate, how useful has the ethical training you received in B-school been in helping you deal with ethical issues at work?

	Very useful
	Somewhat useful
	Not very useful
	Don't know
	I'm not an MBA grad

Do you think B-schools should try to judge the ethical values of their applicants by using:

	Background checks
	Essay questions
	Interviews
	All of the above
	None of the above

Do you agree or disagree that at present B-schools do a good job of grounding their graduates in ethical business practices?

	Agree
	Disagree
	Don't know

I think ethical values are best taught:

	By parents, at home
	By religious clergy or instructors
	In elementary or secondary school
	In B-school
	At work
	Not sure

I am:

	A B-school student
	A prospective B-school student
	A B-school graduate
	Other

If you would like to be notified by e-mail of the results of this poll, please enter your e-mail address below.
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