Dean's Corner
Dean Robert J. Swieringa
Issue date: 10/5/00 Section: Viewpoints
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The Johnson School’s achievement of retaining its #8 position among U.S. business schools in the Business Week rankings is significant in several ways.
First, most schools that make the dramatic movement that we did in 1998 later fall back. We held our position.
Second, there was considerable movement among the top ten this year—seven schools changed position (including two elite schools that moved out). We held our position.
Third, Business Week changed its approach and measures for the 2000 rankings. The rankings traditionally reflected two opinion surveys: MBA graduate ratings—we were rated #4 in 1998 and #8 in 2000, and corporate recruiter ratings—we were rated #11 in 1998 and #10 in 2000. An examination of other details indicates that in other important areas we are among the top five schools in the nation: #3 on responsiveness to students, #5 on placement office rankings. Overall, we were the third most improved program. I congratulate each member of the Johnson School community for these achievements.
For the first time, the Business Week rankings reflected a measure for scholarship and the ability to influence thinking in the business world, as measured by contributions to 12 academic journals. It was our performance in this new category—intellectual capital—that is cause for enormous pride for the Johnson School. We were #4 on intellectual capital, and this helped us hold our overall position. Our faculty was equally highly ranked as teachers—#4. Our strength in this area impacts most directly the quality of the Johnson School MBA degree and speaks to the heart of what graduate management education is all about.
We recognize that magazine rankings are by no means a perfect measure of relative performance among top business schools, but we are very pleased to be included in this elite group. Our position signals the marketplace that we are here to stay, and we are grateful for this public recognition of the strides we have made.
First, most schools that make the dramatic movement that we did in 1998 later fall back. We held our position.
Second, there was considerable movement among the top ten this year—seven schools changed position (including two elite schools that moved out). We held our position.
Third, Business Week changed its approach and measures for the 2000 rankings. The rankings traditionally reflected two opinion surveys: MBA graduate ratings—we were rated #4 in 1998 and #8 in 2000, and corporate recruiter ratings—we were rated #11 in 1998 and #10 in 2000. An examination of other details indicates that in other important areas we are among the top five schools in the nation: #3 on responsiveness to students, #5 on placement office rankings. Overall, we were the third most improved program. I congratulate each member of the Johnson School community for these achievements.
For the first time, the Business Week rankings reflected a measure for scholarship and the ability to influence thinking in the business world, as measured by contributions to 12 academic journals. It was our performance in this new category—intellectual capital—that is cause for enormous pride for the Johnson School. We were #4 on intellectual capital, and this helped us hold our overall position. Our faculty was equally highly ranked as teachers—#4. Our strength in this area impacts most directly the quality of the Johnson School MBA degree and speaks to the heart of what graduate management education is all about.
We recognize that magazine rankings are by no means a perfect measure of relative performance among top business schools, but we are very pleased to be included in this elite group. Our position signals the marketplace that we are here to stay, and we are grateful for this public recognition of the strides we have made.