| Dear Reader: Are online MBAs beginning to gain traction with recruiters? In the past, employers have told us that they're wary of online degrees. The experience of taking a course online, they say, lacks some of the vital teamwork and leadership components that are crucial skills for business leaders in waiting. But as Alison Damast reports, a new study suggests that employers are starting to warm up to online degrees, with half saying the format of the degree would not be a significant factor in their decision to hire or promote a job candidate. Personally, I never understood the bias against online degrees, especially "blended" programs that include a face-to-face component. First, an MBA isn't like pre-school. Grown-ups don't (or shouldn't) need two years of face-to-face interaction to learn how to play well with others. If they don't know how to work in teams and lead small groups after a few years in the workforce, I doubt that any MBA program (in-person or online) is going to teach them. An argument could be made, successfully I think, that anyone who undertakes an online MBA while working a full-time job shows exactly the kind of nose-to-the-grindstone determination that recruiters should be looking for. Instead of disdain for online MBAs, maybe it's time to show them, I don't know, a little respect. Louis Lavelle, Business Schools Editor, Bloomberg Businessweek |
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