Standing at the crossroads: the vulnerabilities of Australian business schools

Abstract

PurposeTo identify key factors that are contributing to vulnerability in business schools in Australian public universities and determine the degree of vulnerability exhibited by these schools.Design/methodology/approachUsing a multi-criteria assessment (MCA) approach, a framework is developed to determine which business schools are most vulnerable to disruptions and uncertainty.FindingsThe findings show a lack of preparedness on the part of many business schools, particularly those relying heavily on international students.Practical implicationsThe implication is that business schools in Australian public universities need to diversify revenue streams and continue to seek legitimacy through external stakeholders such as employers and international accrediting bodies.Originality/valueThis study presents an empirical perspective of business schools in Australian public universities and offers valuable insights for university leaders and policymakers.

What sorts of public value are Thai public business schools aiming to realise?

“…While Thailand is clearly well served by many tertiary education providers, it falls short regarding internationally recognised quality (Nagi, 2018). Although university rankings are contentious (Hogan et al, 2020), there is an overall downward trend in the international ranking of Thai universities (Nagi, 2018). If we exclude the Asian Institute of Technology (not classified by MHESRI as a Thai HEI), only five public HEIs (Chulalongkorn, Thammasat, Mahidol, Chiang Mai, and Kasetsart) have a position in the QS Rankings of business management studies (QS, 2022).…”

“…Most of the attention has been paid to business schools in Western countries, where public universities have had to face the challenge of affirming their legitimacy in an increasingly crowded tertiary education market (Hogan et al, 2020), where 'hyper-competition' exists (AASCB International, 2017). For example, Hogan et al (2021), responding to the discourse above about what business schools in public universities should offer, sought to determine how business schools in Australian public universities claimed to create public value.…”

The value of public business education in Australia: challenges and opportunities for decision makers

“…Finally, what is to become of some Australian public university-based business schools? Hogan et al (2020) have shown that some second-tier and regional institutions are highly vulnerable to market forces. Susceptibility to continued external threats is particularly pertinent if a more diverse range of registered providers can facilitate accredited business and management training.…”

“…Recent articles by Hogan et al (2020, 2021a, b) on the state of higher education in Australia assisted with identifying the most critical literature. However, the net was cast wider to capture a complete array of insights.…”

“…As with most investigations of public value and legitimacy, the field of business education in Australia represents a highly contested space and is therefore highly vulnerable to internal and external shock (Hartley et al , 2017). There is growing evidence that business education in Australia encapsulates an increasingly fragmented discourse, which is disrupting how different constituencies perceive its purpose (Hogan et al , 2020, 2021a, b). In many ways, this vulnerability is inherent in business education.…”