Research Presentation by Shelagh Campbell

Fri., Apr. 24, 2015 10:00 a.m.

Location: ED 558

Silence across an organizational field: Discourse analysis of business school histories before and after the global financial crisis.

Presenter: Dr. Shelagh Campbell

Summary

This paper examines the organization narratives of business schools prior to and following the 2007-2008 economic crises. Using web site representations of school histories, missions, and key communications with stakeholders, the paper explores the discourses surrounding legitimacy of the business school both within the academy and beyond its walls in the broader economic context. Distinct discourses of research prominence, accreditation, internationalization and job market readiness emerge that indicate schools carry on in a “business as usual” mode despite the prominent upheaval in global and regional financial markets. Furthermore, despite an increased emphasis on business ethics in the curriculum, there is a notable absence of a discourse of integrity and ethical behaviour among the histories of the subject schools. This silence invites reflection on the role of the business school in preparing the next generation of business leaders and on the balance between intra-academy and extra-academy legitimization.