How The Carlson School Connects Top Research With The MBA Experience

Business schools face the challenge of balancing education and generating new and important knowledge. At the top-ranked University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, connecting world-class research to student learning and improving our communities is embedded in the DNA of the school.

The Carlson School has a rich history of faculty developing new ideas and innovations, translating that scholarship into practice, and using it to provide real-world opportunities for MBA students. The Carlson School is ranked No. 3 in Management among U.S. public schools in the ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (2021), and No. 2 among U.S. public schools in the University of Texas at Dallas’ Top 100 World Business School Research Rankings (2016-2020).

Research Leaders In The Classroom

Professor Joel Waldfogel not only belongs to the highly ranked Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship Department but is also the associate dean of the Carlson School MBA program. Specializing in issues related to digital products, such as piracy and pricing, he brings insight into the expanding online footprint in the business world to the classroom. His recent work looks at the digitization of the music industry and the impact of Spotify playlist rankings on artists.

Using research to investigate multiple perspectives is paramount to increasing inclusivity in the business community. Assistant Professor Abdifatah Ali, who is also an MBA instructor, focuses on how to establish equitable employment opportunity practices. His studies include how external, racially traumatic events, such as the deadly police shooting of Philando Castile, impact Black employees and organizations. Incorporating such research into the teachings of tomorrow’s leaders is one of the many examples of the Carlson School’s commitment to a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

The Carlson School’s deep emphasis on experiential learning provides students the opportunity to immediately apply classroom learning in the field. Through the Carlson School Enterprise Programs, master’s students can work on real-world projects over two years with individualized coaching from enterprise directors with deep industry experience. The school’s four enterprise programs are focused on brands, consulting, funds and ventures and often lead to job opportunities for students. For example, Fortune 500 companies, such as Amazon, 3M, and Target, regularly recruit Brand Enterprise students. Even amid the pandemic, 96 percent of 2021 graduates from the full-time MBA program received employment offers within three months after graduation. Internship placement was also at 100 percent.

High-Impact Industry Research

Research contributions by faculty also help inform changes in the business landscape. A study by Associate Dean and Professor Alok Gupta found providing too much information can be a disadvantage for companies. The results led Royal Floral-Holland, one of the largest flower auction companies in the world, to no longer name who placed the winning bid—a long-held practice. Gupta won the Research Impact Award from Association for Information Systems for his discovery.

Faculty have also stepped up to the challenge of delivering research responsive to the times. In March 2020, Professor Pinar Karaca-Mandic and Associate Professor Soumya Sen created the COVID-19 Hospitalization Tracking Project. Developed in collaboration with two centers within the Carlson School, the project provided county-level hospitalization data across the United States to detail the spread of the deadly virus. The project won a 2021 Innovations that Inspire award from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the world’s largest business education alliance.

Research developed within the Carlson School broadens the teachings within its programs as well as contributes to working knowledge in the business community. This environment cultivates top talent and creates the driving force for more discoveries to come.

Phil Miller is an experienced business leader, educator, and coach. He serves as Assistant Dean for MBA & MS Programs at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He is responsible for leading the teams responsible for the entire student lifecycle (recruitment/admissions, student placement/life & career development/placement) for more than 1,300 MBA and Master of Science students.