Beyond the Ivory Tower

Following on from Part II, Part III now explores in more detail the potential shape of the business school in the future as we move through the 21st century and potential approaches towards how the structures, processes, focus, funding, recruitment of faculty, research and so on can be changed, hopefully for the better. These changes are required because it is currently arguable that existing models in relation to business schools and even universities at large will be viable into the future (Bennis & O’Toole, 2004; Mintzberg, 2004; McCluskey & Winter, 2012; Muff et al., 2013). The issues related to the ‘University of the Future’ have been widely researched in recent times (for example, Christensen & Eyring, 2011; Ernst & Young, 2012; McCluskey & Winter, 2012; Muff et al., 2013; Thomas et al., 2013). A key factor is that although these researchers vary considerably in their approach in terms of offering solutions to the question ‘What will the University of the Future Look Like?’ there is no doubt that they have clearly identified the need for change based on the overarching premise that the current models of universities are unsustainable into the future. Other commentators in the private sector, such as Ernst and Young, and in the public sector and elsewhere agree with this need for change. The evidence drawn from the case studies in this work also indicates that there is an increasing recognition of the need for change within the UK university business-school sector.