This research aims to examine Canadian business school deans’ career paths and decision-making processes. The first archival study will chart the career paths that current and recent Canadian business school deans have taken. The second, qualitative study will explore choices to enter deanship from the lens of transitions. These two studies will be summarized in a report distributed to BSAC. The knowledge gained should help Canadian business schools derive ways to address, collectively, the vital question of the leadership pipeline.

Through two studies, we aim to provide a clearer picture of the experience of becoming a business school dean. This clearer picture should offer critical insights about the development of leadership pipelines and recommendations to ensure that the pipeline to business school dean, for which all business schools share responsibility, is strong. Specifically, the combined results of the two studies, and ensuing recommendations, will expand knowledge and understanding of the career paths of deans, including the roles they occupy prior to becoming dean, how they are attracted and/or recruited into the position, how they are prepared for this role, and what makes them stay in the position or leave for another position either up or down the academic ranks.

Documents:

• Call for Research Proposals [PDF, English]

This study prepared by Tracy Hecht and Kathleen Boies (John Molson School of Business, Concordia University) is supported by the Business Schools Association of Canada and funded through its research grant competition program.