Women Face Multiple MBA Roadblocks, Say Female Executives

A new poll of 400 Canadian business leaders shows that the majority of female executives believe many barriers stand in the way of women who want to pursue an MBA degree, but few of their male counterparts agree. The survey, commissioned by Queen’s School of Business, also reveals that most executives say their own organizations are not providing enough ongoing education for employees once they are hired. The Queen’s Executive Survey was undertaken by Environics Research Group.

Women and the MBA

According to the survey, more than half (56 per cent) of women in senior level positions believe there are multiple barriers to female enrolment in MBA programs, but just 30 per cent of men in senior positions feel the same way. The obstacles most often cited by women are family responsibilities (36 per cent), lack of financial resources (18 per cent) and lack of female role models (6 per cent).

“Canada cannot compete in a global marketplace if half of the nation’s potential talent pool feels discouraged from pursuing the crucial business training that comes with an MBA,” said Shannon Goodspeed, Director of the MBA for Science and Technology. “At Queen’s, we’re actively recruiting top female students to our MBA programs, and taking steps to create an environment that helps all students, both male and female, manage the balance between work and life.”

Top Marks for the MBA, Failing Grade for Employee Education

Eight in 10 (78 per cent) executives say they would choose a candidate with an MBA over one without an MBA if other factors were equal.  Fourteen per cent say the degree would make no difference. Six per cent say having an MBA makes a candidate less appealing.

“Every few years a chorus on the sidelines seems to pipe up and question the value of an MBA, so we put the question directly to those that really matter — business leaders,” said David Saunders, Dean of Queen’s School of Business and Chair of the Canadian Federation of Business School Deans. “When you ask Canadian executives about who they prefer to recruit, their answer is loud and clear: ‘we’ll take the MBA.’”

Executives give the following reasons for preferring an MBA graduate:

• 42 per cent say they have a superior skill set;
• 23 per cent say they have greater familiarity with a variety of business disciplines;
• 23 per cent say they have had more exposure to a variety of business issues;
• 23 per cent say they’re more qualified; and
• 21 per cent say holding an MBA demonstrates career commitment.

When it comes to investing in business training and education for managers and executives, the majority of respondents (60 per cent) admit their own organization has “room for improvement”. Twenty-nine per cent say their company’s investment is satisfactory, and just 11 per cent say it is excellent 

Executives were also asked if ongoing business education and/or the attainment of an MBA degree are part of the process for grooming future executives at their organization. Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of executives say no. Just one-third (35 per cent) say it is part of their company’s employee development process.

Queen’s Tops Rankings

• In a comparative assessment of business schools, Queen’s ranks first in providing students the “best overall experience,” named by 26 per cent of the sample. The University of Western Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business is second at 23 per cent. Smaller proportions mention McGill (9 per cent), University of British Columbia (6 per cent), Schulich School of Business at York University (6 per cent) and The Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto (6 per cent).
• Queen’s and Ivey share top spot for “best full-time MBA program in Canada.” Each school garnered twenty eight per cent of vote. Smaller proportions mention Rotman (10 per cent), McGill (6 per cent) and Schulich (6 per cent)
• Queen’s ranks first for “best Executive MBA program” in Canada, cited by 37 per cent of respondents; more than three times the percentage that name either Ivey or Rotman programs – 11 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. Queen’s also ranked first in previous surveys in 2002 and 2004.
• According to Canadian executives, Queen’s is the clear choice for non-degree executive development programs in Canada. Twenty-three per cent of executives rank Queen’s number one, up four points from 2004. Ivey ranks second with 10 per cent and Schulich is third at seven per cent.
• While US business schools are often touted as the gold standard of business education, three quarters (76 per cent) of senior executives believe Canadian business schools are “just as good” as US schools.

The Queen’s Executive Survey was conducted by Environics Research Group and involved interviews with 409 Canadian executives. Respondents’ job titles included president, CEO, general manager, COO and vice president. Telephone interviews were conducted between February 3 and March 2, 2006. The results are accurate within +/- 4.8 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Queen's School of Business (business.queensu.ca) is one of the world’s premier business schools, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees and non-degree executive education programs. Programs include: Queen's MBA for Science & Technology, ranked #1 in the world outside the US by BusinessWeek magazine; Queen’s-Cornell Executive MBA, Queen's Accelerated MBA for Business Graduates, and Queen’s Executive MBA – each offered by videoconference in cities across Canada; the largest offering of open enrolment executive development programs in the country, ranked among the world’s top-25 by Financial Times (UK) and BusinessWeek; Queen’s Bachelor of Commerce, renowned for its rigorous entrance standards; and Queen’s MSc and PhD in Management programs, which produce leading researchers for industry and academe.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Amber Wallace, Queen’s School of Business
613.533.3151
awallace@business.queensu.ca