Reputation Beyond the Rankings: A Conceptual Framework for Business School Research

Abstract

Despite the global explosion of the business school rankings industry, the validity of current ranking systems and league tables as credible measures of business school reputation has been questioned by scholars, accreditation agencies and consumers worldwide. Critics have begun calling for more substantive assessments of educational quality and more meaningful, theory-driven strategies for studying reputation in the business school context. This paper responds to these critiques, introducing a conceptual model of business school reputation that applies recent advances in reputation theory and research to the specifics of the business school setting. The literature anchoring the model is reviewed, the variables in the model are introduced and theoretical propositions suggested. The paper concludes with discussion of the model's practical implications, an analysis of limitations and suggestions for future research.