An MBA program has three key jobs or components. These jobs include:
(1) Provide students meaningful interpersonal experience
(2) Vet students through the admission process
(3) Provide educational program that de-risks future performance
Today, MBA programs provide these services as an integrated solution, but the forced adoption of online coursework suggests that at least the educational component can be effectively modularized. Perhaps the other components could be modularized as well.
For example, could the interpersonal experience be run by a hospitality company, the educational component by a top-5 school, and the vetting process by a firm that leverages technology to reduce bias? Maybe these three jobs could be outsourced and re-aggregated by a school leveraging Harvard Online, Marriot Experiences, and a Consulting Firm’s Hiring/ Admissions process. While challenges remain, it’s likely such an experience would be preferable for many students.
