by Eric Jome
Illinois State University’s MBA Program has been ranked among the top 100 programs for preparing students for social, ethical and environmental stewardship in business. Illinois State is ranked 32nd in the 2011-12 Beyond Grey Pinstripes Global 100 MBA Ranking, an independent, biennial MBA ranking published by the Aspen Institute Center for Business Education.
The complete ranking of the top 100 MBA programs is available at www.beyondgreypinstripes.org The website also provides information on thousands of courses, extracurricular activities and faculty research at all schools that participated in the Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey.
“Both the broad business community and society at large are demanding higher standards of corporate citizenship and transparency in governance,” said Scott Johnson, dean of Illinois State’s College of Business. “Demands are also increasing for sustainable stewardship of resources. We embrace these trends and recognize the important awareness the Aspen Institute rankings are bringing to an emerging and enlightened new methodology of valuing MBA programs throughout the world.”
Unlike other MBA rankings, Beyond the Pinstripes measures how well schools are preparing their students for the environmental, social and ethical complexities of modern-day business. In ranking MBA programs the Aspen Institute found that many schools are adapting their curricula to focus on responsible business practices and are placing a greater emphasis on the social and environmental context in which businesses operate.
“The MBA curriculum here at Illinois State provides substantial learning experiences on social impact issues for students,” said S.J. Chang, College of Business associate dean for MBA and undergraduate programs. “Throughout the curriculum students engage in rigorous discussion of critical thinking, ethics, sustainability, corporate social responsibility and leadership. Recognizing the growing importance of these issues in the business world, we take this as the beginning of what we will continuously endeavor to improve upon.”
The Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program, along with its Center for Business Education, seeks to create business leaders for the 21st century who are equipped with the vision and knowledge necessary to integrate corporate profitability with social value. It offers programs that provide business educators with resources to incorporate issues of social and environmental stewardship into their teaching, research and curriculum development.
