Why we Need Experts not Managers as Leaders: The Case Against Professionalizing Management Education

Abstract

The call to professionalize management education has re-emerged since the financial crisis of 2008. With a particular focus on leadership, this paper questions the wisdom of that call. It argues that a leader first needs a deep understanding-- expert knowledge-- of the core business of the organization, holding constant managerial abilities. I demonstrate the significance of expert knowledge within business schools themselves, the very home of management education. The best schools are led by the best experts – i.e. distinguished scholars. I argue that management, unlike law or medicine, exists to support the core business not be the core business, and I conclude with a call for business schools to develop situation-specific management education.

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