MBAs Want to “Make a Difference,” but Say Pay Is More Important
Today’s MBA students aren’t just out for money — 25 percent of them claim they’re looking for a job that will allow
them to impact or contribute to society, writes Kelly Bronk of BusinessWeek about a recent survey by The Aspen Institute (“The Do-Good Disconnect,” April 21, 2008).
"It doesn't mean that material success and financial success are not important to them, but there is another goal in
there now that needs to be balanced with those," Daniel Diermeier, a Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management professor,
told BusinessWeek.
The “Where Will They Lead?” survey
asked 1,943 MBA students at 15 of the highest-rated business schools across the United States, Canada and England
about their attitudes toward business and society. This year, students who said they wanted to make a difference in
the world increased 10 percent, compared to the results of a similar survey conducted in 2002.
However, in spite of the growing number of self-proclaimed do-gooders, 49 percent of these students still ranked pay
was an important factor when looking for a desirable job and 63 percent said that finding a position that challenged
them was a key issue.
When questioned about business ethics issues, 83 percent of MBA students surveyed said they anticipated being asked
to do something on the job that conflicted with their values, writes Katherine Mangan of The Chronicle of Higher
Education (“Business Students Say Their Idealism Is Blunted by Corporate
Recruiters,” April 21, 2008).
Yet, less than half said they would object to what was being asked of them. Instead, most indicated they would
either look for another solution or leave the company.
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