The Dean and the Business School- a Quest for Relevance in Times of Disruption

Abstract

The roles of the Dean within the business school arc determined by the specific challenges that the business school faces in today's volatile world. The Dean's mission is to ensure that the school is relevant to those challenges and can adapt to disruptive drivers of change. To accomplish this mission, however, the Dean must play different roles, from architect of the school business model to salesman, but the major role is to serve as an ambassador building a bridge between the school and society. Understanding the challenges that the business is facing, being ready to offer an adequate response to them and adapting the school's offerings and model are the Dean's major objectives. Disruptions in the education industry evoke many scenarios for the future. It is impossible to count the number of possible models that a business school could adapt to stay competitive in turbulent times. However, the key functions of the school will remain unchanged: It must develop leaders who can face the challenges of tomorrow, and it has to create the knowledge base that will strengthen the school's position and help business and society to progress.