US Institutions Top in Business School Research Ranking

However, with only two business schools from outside the US featuring in the top 20, and only 28 featuring in the top 100, US business schools clearly dominate when it comes to research, according to UTD’s ranking.

Ingo Walter, NYU Stern School of Business' vice dean of faculty tells TopMBA.com that the emphasis that US schools place on investment in research means that they are able to draw some of the best research faculty. “The US business schools are well-established and most of the top-tier schools are affiliated with universities who place a high value on research and invest in it.

“The investment in attracting, cultivating and retaining strong junior and senior faculty, as well as providing the appropriate time and environment in which to conduct research is being made at these US schools. To the extent that this same investment is or will be made in Europe and Asia, we can expect to see strong research in business schools there as well.”

In fact, as Walter points out, with European and Asian institutions investing more in research, they too are beginning to feature highly in research based rankings such as UTD’s.

“Five years ago, there were 83 US schools in the UTD Top 100,” in comparison to 72 this year points out Gene Anderson, senior associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.

“So, the rise in the number of non-US schools featured in the UTD ranking seems to be consistent with observed student trends. One would expect both of these trends to continue going forward, especially as current non-US schools continue to strengthen and new ones arise along with the shift in economic growth and power to emerging markets.”

With a recent study concluding that MBA salary levels are positively influenced by the amount, and quality of research that their school produces, research could well be an important factor to take into account when selecting which business schools to apply to.

Walter at NYU Stern explains why he agrees: “I believe that faculty who are strong in research bring the benefits of their scholarship to the classroom, exciting the students about the subject matter as well as providing cutting edge analysis and insight. It does not surprise me that this translates into more engaged students, who in turn are more sought after by recruiters and perhaps better compensated as a consequence.”

On the other hand, there is no doubt that the whole business school package contributes to MBA salary levels, rather than purely the amount of research an institution might produce.

Professor Steven DeKrey, senior associate dean and MBA program director at HKUST Business School explains that there are numerous factors to a good quality MBA education.

“There are also aspects other than research that contribute to the quality of business education. For example, some business schools hire industry practitioners with extensive practical knowledge about the business worlds as adjunct faculty to provide lectures for students. Those faculty do not produce any research but their practical experiences are valuable knowledge to business school students.”

“Diversity of students, program curriculum, enrichment activities, career services, and students’ goals are also important factors which applicants should consider when choosing a business school. Programs with diverse classes will definitely help to broaden students’ horizon with better understanding of different cultures and industries.”

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