Harvard Business School Considering Online Education

By Dr. Marciene Mattleman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Harvard Business School, the B-School, is at a critical juncture; should it enter online education and, if so, how?

Many universities are in the same quandary.

For esteemed faculty member Michael Porter, father of modern business strategies, the answer is yes. For Clayton Christensen, author and academic star, the way to survive is to do what Wharton and Stanford have done, go online.

Now Harvard is doing HBX, a new model pre-MBA, three undergrad online courses, to be completed in 9 weeks, costing $1500. Only those with high levels of participation will be invited to take the final.

As for the professors, the incentive is not publishing papers in journals but what's important for everyone, inspiring students standing the "'pit"' for a presentation or online.

Whether the traditional MBA, the undegrad, or the executive MBA, all are stimulating faculty introspection with changed models for the B-School.