Specialized Accreditation of Business Schools: A Comparison of Alternative Costs, Benefits, and Motivations

In this study, the authors surveyed 122 deans and chairs of business schools to examine the costs and benefits of specialized accreditation and the schools' motivation for seeking it. The respondents represented nonaccredited schools and ones accredited by any of the three business accrediting associations. The authors discuss the benefits of accreditation and its relationship to program goals, program competitiveness, and student learning. Their results showed significant differences across the four categories representing schools accredited by each of the three associations and the nonaccredited institutions.