Looking For Niches In All The Right Places: Designing An MBA Program For The Next Decade

Abstract

In an over-built, mature industry as is graduate management education it is increasingly important that schools find the right niche at which to target their MBA programs.  However, the literature is largely silent as to how a school might go about the process of finding the right niche for its MBA.  Using gap analysis and data from Occupational Outlook Handbook, we develop a process for identifying future employment trends as a means of identifying promising niches toward which to orient an MBA program.  This is an important exercise for those who design MBA programs, especially in light of the AACSB/International’s current focus upon continuous improvement among its member institutions.  Even if accreditation standards did not require it, the rapidly changing business climate makes continually upgrading MBA programs a necessity.