Business schools are continually challenged with developing programs that prepare students for successful careers and meet the evolving needs of industry. An accreditation association can provide business schools with best practice guidelines that help them ensure quality in their educational programs and supporting processes. The choice of accrediting agency is an important one for each school and could impact its success in achieving its mission. This paper examines the three primary business program accreditation associations in the United States: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB); The Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP); and The International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). An investigative study was conducted that reviewed the existing literature to identify any perceived costs and benefits of accreditation. Important factors to consider included: fit with the mission, vision, and values; faculty qualifications and scholarship expectations; financial resources; marketplace impressions; graduating student employment; teaching innovations; and online program and global reputation. The overall choice of accreditor should be made based on the fit with the school’s mission, resources, core competencies, and strategic goals. Business schools and their accreditors should work together to ensure that business programs continually meet the evolving needs of modern industry.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/daniel-ball/7/