ONE argument which is often trotted out in favour of a liberal-arts curriculum, at least for undergraduates, is that being exposed to a variety of subjects leaves the mind supple and agile. Knowledge of accounting, say, is all well and good for standard problems, but to embark on fundamental change it is better to think as a biologist or philosopher would. If this is true, then the fifth of American college students majoring in business would seem to have put themselves at a disadvantage.
Your correspondent was reminded of this while browsing the winter issue of the MIT Sloan Management Review. In one piece, Leonard Berry of Texas A&M University, Ann Mirabito of Baylor University and Gale Adcock of SAS Institute, a software firm, describe how SAS takes care of its employees’ health-care needs on-site:
The SAS Health Care Center, which started modestly in 1984 and now has a staff of 55, including four physicians and 10 nurse practitioners, does not charge for services and collects no copays. Same-day appointments are common, and care is unhurried; clinicians may spend 30 minutes or more with a patient... As its own health insurer, SAS avoids the cost of paying staff to negotiate claims payments with insurance companies, as most private medical practices have to do. And SAS estimates that each on-site patient visit saves two hours of employee work time because the individual remains on campus, resulting in productivity savings of $3.6 million in 2010.
Thirty years established, SAS’s approach sounds charming and useful. But it would take an enormous amount of work to implement something similar from scratch. The tasks involved might include: designing the facility; hiring doctors, nurses, and other health staff; establishing relationships with hospitals; buying equipment; and explaining to employees how to take advantage of the new service. One would need a background in health economics, or a willingness to learn a great deal, quickly. (Perhaps it’s worth noting that Ms Adcock did not start out with a business background, but as a nurse.)
The Management Review also features an interview with Dave Stangis, vice president of corporate social responsibility and sustainability at Campbell Soup. Mr Stangis has a broad title, but until reading the interview you might not have guessed that his responsibilities include negotiating the installation of solar panels at three different sites (in two countries), educating shipping partners on environmental certification programmes, and worrying about the health of children in Camden, New Jersey. Unlike Ms Adcock, Mr Stangis does have an MBA, from the University of Michigan.
Most likely neither Ms Adcock nor Mr Stangis, if asked at the start of their career, would have been able to predict their current duties with any accuracy. This might well be something for aspiring MBAs, especially those who still have other educational possibilities open, to keep in mind. A broad-minded approach to education now might well make for a much more interesting job in future.
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