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Subject:
Divorce & Dysfunction Rates for MBAs versus Other Professions
Category: Relationships and Society > Relationships Asked by: nronronronro-ga List Price: $10.00 |
Posted:
08 Sep 2002 02:16 PDT
Expires: 08 Oct 2002 02:16 PDT Question ID: 62755 |
Do MBAs have higher divorce and/or personal dysfunction rates versus other professionals (doctors, lawyers, dentists, etc.)? I just read in a book by Professor Alfie Kohn that MBAs and those with advanced degrees in Economics are (1) more likely to "defect" in Game Theory simulations, (2) less altruistic than other people, and (3) less religious than other people. Now I am wondering if MBAs "defect" in real life, too. That is to say, are those trained in economic thinking more likely to place their self-interest dramatically above that of other people? If so, does this make them less reliable friends, spouses, and business partners? Thanks ! |
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There is no answer at this time. |
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Subject:
Re: Divorce & Dysfunction Rates for MBAs versus Other Professions
From: rwielgosz-ga on 08 Sep 2002 07:50 PDT |
I happen to have an old clipping entitled "Hug an Economist" from the Washington Post (unfortunately no date or page number) on economists--who are presumably similar to MBAs. Excerpts: A team of researchers at George Washington University left envelopes containing 10 one-dollar bills in 32 economics and 32 non-economics classes, including political science, psychology and history. Each envelope also contained a note suggesting the money was to repay a personal loan. The envelopes were addressed to a fictitious person, with no return address, and one envelope was left in each class, usually on a desk or on the floor near a seat. Then economist Anthony Yezer and his colleagues waited to see who would turn over the envelopes to their professor. Here's who did: 56 percent of the "lost" letters left in economics classes were turned in, compared to 31 percent left in non-economics classes. (Journal of Economic Perspectives.) Economists at Cornell University surveyed students at the beginning and the end of an introductory economics class, and found their stated willingness to engage in selfish behavior had soared. And a survey of economists and the general public a few years ago found that economists were twice as likely not to donate money to charities. |
Subject:
Re: Divorce & Dysfunction Rates for MBAs versus Other Professions
From: nronronronro-ga on 08 Sep 2002 10:30 PDT |
Wow, rwielgosz! Thanks for the great info. I'll definitely look up that article from the Journal of Economic Perspectives. Your data from Cornell is supported by Professor Kohn's experience...not only were economics students and MBAs more likely to "defect" from Prisoner Dilemma experiments, they were also less likely to consider "fairness" to even be a consideration. But here's the rub...your J.E.P. article seems to suggest economics students are less "selfish." Yet the Cornell study, the charity survey, and Prof. Kohn all point to them being *more* selfish. Will be very interesting to see what other data pops up. Thanks again ! |
Subject:
Re: Divorce & Dysfunction Rates for MBAs versus Other Professions
From: claudietta-ga on 17 Sep 2002 02:23 PDT |
Dear nRonRon..., My personal experience with MBAs indicates that their behavior is solely based on what values they were brought up with. The sort of thing that business teaches reinforces what one already suspected about the how the world functions and how one should treat people. The MBA is only two years and it does little to change what a good 30 years of learning has done before that. Further, all the rationality that is taught to debias the busineess world cannot rid of the basic instincts of the irrational human being, which is also taught simultaneously in MBA classes. In other words, my answer to your question is NO--I highly doubt that MBAs 'defect' at greater rates. HOWEVER, I would say the the average MBA could verbalize the reasons for any decision more easily than the average person, making him or her 'seem' as a more rational human being, with less altruism. Claudietta |
Subject:
Re: Divorce & Dysfunction Rates for MBAs versus Other Professions
From: nronronronro-ga on 17 Sep 2002 06:28 PDT |
Thank you, Claudietta ! |
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