Gender and the MBA

Kelan, E K and Dunkley-Jones, R (2007) Gender and the MBA. Working Paper. London Business School Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business.

Abstract

More than 10 years ago, Amanda Sinclair reviewed the field of gender and the MBA and found a profoundly masculine culture operating in business schools. This article takes a fresh look at the phenomenon of gender and the MBA. It argues that while the male to female ratio in business school has not changed drastically, the mindset in relation to gender has shifted in significant ways. Two aspects of this shift are particularly highlighted. First, the study indicates that while MBA education still involves learning to do business like a man, gender is understood as more of a mental construct than as the basis for a discriminatory reality. Secondly, it shows that a postfeminist climate is operating in management education, where gender is no longer seen as an important element. The article raises profound implications for management education today.