Are We Really Seeing a “New Kind of Dean?”

By Hanna Drozdowski

In the last few months, the Research and Knowledge Services staffs have been taking a closer look at the business school dean profile from the results of the recent Deans Survey, which seems to be a growing interest among our members, media, and various stakeholders. One article in particular came to mind, published in The Chronicle of Higher Education by Katherine Mangan, “Business Schools Are Hiring a New Kind of Dean,” last December. When I first read the article, our Deans Survey had just closed, and I was eager to see whether our results supported those mentioned in the article derived from the Korn/Ferry Institute’s report, “The Business School Dean Redefined.”

The article discusses the “new breed” of deans, and some of the differences compared to deans hired several years ago. One of these areas centers on the academic background of deans. According to the article, “Many new deans emerge from fields like organizational development and management, while in the past they were more likely to have backgrounds in finance and economics.” The Korn/Ferry Institute’s research was based off of behavioral analysis of recent dean candidates, internal discussions, and follow-up interviews with deans, provosts, and search committee chairs. Our data comes from a self-reported survey in which 500 deans from AACSB member schools participated in. I was curious to see whether our survey’s results supported any of the statements from the Korn/Ferry Institute’s report.

Our survey’s results show that deans have been in their current position an average of 4.6 years, with the median being roughly 3 years. I decided to compare deans currently serving their first deanship who were hired within the last 3 years and those who were hired more than 3 years ago. Although there is a difference in the number of respondents who indicated the academic focus of their highest degree for each group, we can still get a sense of how the academic background of deans has changed. (click on images to enlarge)

Indeed we do see a growth in deans with a Management, Strategic Management, and Behavioral Science/ Organizational Behavior background compared to those who were hired more than 3 years ago. For deans serving more than 3 years in their current position, 23.5% have a background in Management, Strategic Management, or Behavioral Science/ Organizational Behavior, compared to 28.8% who have been in their current position for 3 years or less. And although Economics and Finance still remain the top foci of degrees among newer deans, 25.6% of deans serving 3 years or less indicated an Economics or Finance background, compared to 29.1% of those who have been serving in their current position for more than 3 years.

Data also suggests that deans currently in their first deanship start their first appointment as dean at an older age than those who had indicated serving as dean before their current appointment. More specifically, the average age at start of appointment for those currently in their first deanship is 52 years old, and 47 years old for deans who indicated having a prior first deanship, according to our data.

Comments

[Bookkeeper Sunshine Coast]

It is fairly reasonable for deans to have a background in the Behavioral Science/Organizational Background, Management and Strategic Management. Maybe because finance and economics don’t really cover the management part of being a dean. Having the knowledge in dealing with your subordinates is essential in being a dean, so management covers this aspect.

[PP]

If there is a new kind of Dean, then Business Schools are in trouble. One of the most popular forum topics on the Chronicle of Higher Education Forum is a topic discussing how to be the worst Dean -- and there is input from dozens of professors regarding the horrific traits of some Deans. In addition, one of the primary and most disturbing comments are the ones indicating that Business School Deans seem incapable of managing their way out of a paper bag. See http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,89214.0.html.