The
mini-controversy surrounding an article about CompuServe in the March 27 issue
of the Monroe Street Journal draws attention to subjects beyond which
on-line service is superior. A brief review of the facts is as follows: the
MSJ published an article by a student and MSJ staff member that
was critical of various features of CompuServe's on-line package. One faculty
member was so outraged by the article its criticism of CompuServe that he
suggested MSJ editors acted irresponsibly by publishing the article.
What I find troubling about this series of events has nothing to do with
CompuServe, America Online, or any other on-line service. I am concerned
because the widely circulated letter (which was also printed in the MSJ
the following week) intimated that because CompuServe gives Michigan Business
School students free access to their product, the company is beyond reproach.
In other words, business as usual at the B-school means businesses, especially
contributors and recruiters, are infallible. Further, the suggestion that the
article should not have been published implies that students' experiences and
opinions are less important than preserving the image of the school's corporate
partners.
This incident is in no way an isolated occurrence. At events ranging from
corporate presentations to guest speakers, rarely does the level of discussion
evolve beyond a superficial level. If people are holding back out of fear of
jeopardizing future job prospects, it strikes me that this tactic is a bit
self-defeating. A thoughtful, well-researched question that may or may not
touch on a corporation's shortcomings is impressive. It demonstrates an
interest in a company that extends to both what they do well and to what they
are less successful at.
This silence is most discouraging because it occurs within an academic
institution. A political science department that fails to address the policies
of the current administration or a law school that ignores the decisions of the
Supreme Court is unthinkable. Institutions of higher learning have a role in
both informing and leading national debates on every topic. Ideally these
debates pull in voices and opinions from the business world as well. Why does
the energy and intelligence with which case studies are discussed disappear
when a corporate representative is in the room?
The relative importance of networking aside, all of us at the B-school are
involved in the process of learning how to be effective managers. Management
is not an objective task but a messy, subjective job that involves hard
decisions. To best prepare for this challenge, students need to be involved in
rigorous, respectful debate. Only by identifying limitations can we improve
them. The alternative is mediocrity.
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