OWEN SKAE: Why academia is a good career
There are compelling reasons to become a business school academic. Unfortunately, no-one is making the case
The sustainability of academic institutions in SA, including business schools, is under threat because too few young people consider an academic career. The reasons for this are complex, often driven by perceptions and stereotypical thinking that the higher-education sector has not worked hard enough to debunk. However, we cannot ignore the reasons commonly put forward: that you need a PhD if you hope to be a senior academic; low pay; inadequate resources; or that your job might be redundant (especially in the humanities — which I don’t believe for a moment). So what is the case for a career as a business school academic? SA schools are at an exciting stage in their development. The country is fortunate to have many schools that are internationally acknowledged as leaders in management education. But we need dedicated academics committed to solving the vexing questions about the management skills required in SA, Africa and the world. Another idea that comes to mind is the opportunit...
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