Better Teaching. Stronger Skills. Measurable Outcomes.

In business, the protection of intellectual property is critically important. Patents, trademarks and copyright are fundamental building blocks of business. In New Jersey, Big Pharma and the technology sector play a huge role in the local economy. The same can be said for New York City.

This is why it is surprising that some within a typical business school seemingly do not not understand this concept. Several obvious domain names are often left unprotected: some related to the school name, others to members of the school leadership office. For privacy and to be respectful, the exact domains for any school will not be listed here.

We do not believe that a business school can effectively teach students about the value of inventions and product uniqueness if you yourself cannot protect your own school and name.

At some business schools, student course evaluations may be the primary source of feedback about teaching. Where deans, department chairs, or experienced colleagues do not routinely observe classes and offer structured coaching, professors may miss opportunities for constructive improvement. Student feedback is useful, but it should be one part of a broader evaluation process.

This is especially important for courses taught by adjunct professors, who may have limited opportunities for structured feedback and mentoring. Where a substantial share of required courses is taught by part-time instructors, clear teaching standards, classroom observation, and ongoing support become especially important.

Whatever the root cause, teachers need to be observed and offered constructive corrective actions, and direction by those within a school who are truly in tune with the dynamic priorities of the business world, so students and teaching are not a distinct second priority to academic endeavors.

Some business schools face substantial financial pressures, including enrollment uncertainty, changes in international student demand, and constrained budgets. Such pressures can limit compensation increases and investments in teaching. At the same time, faculty incentives may favor research and scholarly activity over classroom innovation. Some educators are cautious about AI or other emerging tools, making it important for leaders to encourage and support professional development rather than assume change will happen on its own.

Some institutions invest in instructional technology, teaching support, and contemporary business materials, yet adoption may remain uneven. Even when innovation centers or instructional designers are available, faculty may need clearer expectations, time, incentives, and hands-on assistance to use these resources. This presents an opportunity for academic leaders to improve motivation and support for better teaching.

At some business schools, faculty adoption of emerging technology may lag behind changes in the workplace. Tools such as AI assistants, AI-assisted coding platforms, and licensed campus software can offer valuable learning opportunities, but access does not guarantee regular use. Schools could assess which tools faculty actually use and what training would help them integrate these technologies into teaching.

Opportunities to introduce new technology into teaching are widespread, but uptake can be uneven. Deans and department chairs could make expectations more concrete by asking faculty to identify the emerging skills and technologies they plan to teach each term, then provide the resources and follow-up needed to make that possible.

You have to teach things which are used in the world today. Students can encounter financial functions taught with a TI calculator, teams presenting work using poster boards, courses where modern online assessment tools are not used, and technology courses built around tools or programming languages that are not only no longer current, but beyond obsolete.

Instructional designers and experts from the business world could be greatly beneficial. Students who walk out of business schools lacking skills required to succeed in the modern business world when classroom methods do not keep pace suffer immensely.

The modern workplace is changing rapidly. Teaching theory and concepts without technology—or outright banning technology in the classroom—does not help make students more employable. Students need exposure to technology, hands-on work, and teachers who can teach these things.

Across business schools, deans and department chairs should help ensure that students learn techniques and tools employers actually use.

Enrollment pressures affect some colleges and business schools, although the trends vary by institution and program. Where enrollment is declining, schools should examine the causes and respond proactively so that valuable existing programs and promising new offerings are not weakened by reduced funding.

Accreditation is important. Of course, it should not be overlooked. However, it is even more important to ensure that students have the skills necessary to secure a role and build a great career. It is probably reasonable to suggest that much, much more of the school's work and the Dean's office should therefore be dedicated to vocational skills alongside pure academic areas. It is nice when a student can inform a prospective employer that their school has Middle States or AACEB accreditation, but the importance of that pales in comparision with thier familarity with things like Claude Cowork, agentic AI or advanced prompt engineering or any other skills or tool which is valuable in today's working world.

Imagine how much better any university school can be if even a small number of these thoughtful, well-intended suggestions were considered and implemented. Not to mention the tremendoes benefit to the students, who would be much more employable when they walk out of college with a skill set featuring many high-demand elements and tools in the workforce. Thank you to all the stakeholders for taking the time to contribute content to this site and for reviewing suggestions that can help improve the school.