Is Accreditation Good for the Strategic Decision Making of Traditional Business Schools?

In this essay we take a deliberately provocative stance in assessing the utility of the accreditation process in relation to the strategic decision making of business schools given increasing amounts of environmental turbulence, competitiveness, and potentially discontinuous change. We argue that the core process characteristics of accreditation are not well suited for the new competitive terrain that business schools face and may act as impediments for effective adaptation. We conclude by making suggestions for accredited schools, agencies, and researchers.