BillGatesthebillionaireMicrosoftchairmanwithoutasingleearneduniversitydegreeisbyhissuccessraisingnewdoubtsabouttheworthofthebusinessworld’sfavoriteacademictitle:theMBA(MasterofBusinessAdministration).

TheMBAa20thcenturyproductalwayshasbornethemarkoflowlycommerceandgreedonthetree-linedcampusesruledbypurerdisciplinessuchasphilosophyandliterature.

Butevenwiththerecession(经济萎缩)apparentlycuttingdownthehiringofbusinessschoolgraduatesabout79000peopleareexpectedtoreceiveMBAsin1993.Thisisnearly16timesthenumberofbusinessgraduatesin1960.

“Ifyouaregoingintothecorporateworlditisstilladisadvantagenottohaveone”saidDonaldMorrisonprofessorofmarketingandmanagementscience.“Butinthelastfiveyearsorsowhensomeonesays‘ShouldIattempttogetanMBA?’theansweralotmoreis:Itdepends.”

ThesuccessofBillGatesandothernon-MBAssuchasthelateSamWaltonofWal-MartStoresInc.hashelpedinspireself-consciousdebatesonbusinessschoolcampusesovertheworthofabusinessdegreeandwhethermanagementskillscanbetaught.

TheHarvardBusinessReviewprintedalivelyfictionalexchangeofletterstodramatizecomplaintsaboutbusinessdegreeholders.ThearticlecalledMBAhires“extremelydisappointing”andsaid“MBAswanttomoveuptoofasttheydon’tunderstandpoliticsandpeopleandtheyaren’tabletofunctionaspartofateamuntiltheirthirdyear.Butbythenthey’reoutlookingforotherjobs.”

TheproblemmostparticipantsinthedebateacknowledgeisthattheMBAhasacquiredanaura(光环)offuturerichesandpowerfarbeyonditsactualimportanceandusefulness.

BusinesspeoplewhohavehiredorworkedwithMBAssaythosewiththedegreesoftenknowhowtoanalyzesystemsbutarenotsoskillfulatmotivatingpeople.“Theydon’tgetalotofgroundinginthepeoplesideofthebusiness”saidJamesShaffervice-presidentandprincipaloftheTowersPerrinmanagementconsultingfirm

1.Accordingtoparagraph2whatisthegeneralattitudetowardsbusinessoncampusesruledbypurerdisciplines?

A.Envious(嫉妒的)

B.Realistic

C.Scornful(蔑视的)

D.Appreciative

2.Itseem