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Two years ago, Dell Technologies published a much talked about report that stated that 85 percent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 had yet to be invented. Behind the report was the Institute for the Future (IFTF) and a panel of 20 tech, business and academic experts from around the world. In December 2018, Derek Newton called these stats a “myth” in a Forbes magazine article. Having analyzed the report and how it’d reached its conclusions, he described it as “more than sloppy” and argued that it contributed to “amplifying pressure to change to meet expectations that are, by definition, not real”.

This is an important discussion for MBA students, given the increasing visibility of MBA programs that present themselves as uniquely constructed to develop students’ creativity – the creativity they’ll need to navigate a professional future dominated by “jobs yet to be invented”. So, what exactly do “Creative MBAs” consist of? How do they compare to “traditional” MBAs?

What are “Creative MBAs”?

The majority of self-entitled “Creative MBA” programs share at least one common trait: about half of their cohorts are composed of artists or students who’ve studied in artistic fields such as Architecture, Design or Fine Arts. The idea is that people with a background in the arts are more creative but often lack the business skills to turn their ideas into new business ventures. Conversely, engineers and business students may have the skills to launch or run a company, but lack the creativity that leads to entrepreneurship.

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In addition to a recruitment process that positively discriminates artists, these programs bet on combining different talents within workgroups, in creativity labs and in networking events run by personalities that operate in artistic settings. Some of them allow students to define a large part of their schedules and/or to work from home. Design Thinking and Innovation feature heavily in the curricula of “Creative MBAs”.

“Creative MBAs” versus “traditional” MBAs: what we think about it

First of all, bringing people from various walks of life together is always an interesting move. Yet it’s also something that most MBAs do anyway; the majority of institutions now recognize the academic and financial advantages of recruiting diverse students.

Secondly, important as it may be, creativity is just one of the skills education experts and employers mention as valuable in the workplace. The so-called 4 Cs of the 21st-century skills adopted by the National Education Association (the largest union of education professionals in the USA) also include critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. Before enrolling in any MBA, we advise you to investigate how well it aims at developing a strong core of soft skills – instead of favoring any single one.

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Thirdly, creativity seems to thrive in environments where there’s permission to experiment and there’s no stigma attached to failure. Under such conditions, anyone can become more creative. On the other hand, even a classroom completely filled with artists will have trouble creating anything if it’s subjected to very restrictive rules. This is, of course, a caricature whose goal is to help you focus on the conditions that really must exist in your MBA in order for you to grow as a creative being.

And a final note

In a fast-evolving competitive market, it’s normal that people feel tempted to find their niche or that unique path that will help them stand out. Yet formal education has time and again proved to be the best route towards more and better career opportunities. Make sure you don’t choose your academic program solely based on the fact that it appears to be “shiny and new” and that, if you do opt for a not-so-formal program, it truly corresponds to your needs and aspirations.

If you wish to know more about how to choose the MBA program that best suits your needs, download our ebook!