Conceptual maps of the leading MBA programs in the United States: core courses, concentration areas, and the ranking of the school

Abstract

This paper captures the structure of MBA programs in 25 leading U.S. business schools at the beginning of the revolution these programs are undergoing. It is a study of strategic groups in the MBA industry, and a baseline for examining adaptation and strategic change in educational institutions. We use the Co-plot method to map the schools according to the 1993 structure of their core courses and existing areas of concentration. The maps indicate similarities among business schools and shed light on their 1994 ranking. Each of the five top schools has been found to be in a different cluster of MBA program structures. The findings suggest that program structure content—the particular mix of core and concentration areas—in itself is not a source of superior performance. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.