Changing School Culture at Harvard Business School

Changing school culture is an intricate process

Harvard Business School is revamping its M.B.A. program. According to a Wall Street Journal article, they are putting a greater emphasis on ethics and teamwork in response to a concern that the program has supported a money-focused culture that contributed to the financial crisis. The curriculum is changing with new classes, an internship program, and more time spent working in small groups.

But will these changes alter the attitudes of its students who are attracted to Harvard because they consider it a culture of entitlement? To create leaders of competence who want to lead solutions in health care, energy, and sustainability, the entire Harvard experience from selection to completion, must incorporate this new tone of change. Changing school culture or any organizational culture is an intricate process that must begin at the core and be infused in all organizational practices. The curriculum and how students are structured is a start, but selecting applicants who are a fit is essential, too. A mindset is not easy to change. Defining the new culture must be a collective process for faculty, administration, and students. And aligning all practices with the new culture must be a shared goal.