Organizational culture and effectiveness in business schools: a test of the accreditation impact

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to measure the perceived impact of an accreditation process on organizational effectiveness and culture. Design/methodology/approach - A survey led with 31 deans and directors general of European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) accredited schools measures the impact of EQUIS on those constructs. Findings - The paper shows a positive impact on some dimensions of effectiveness, and no impact related to the bureaucracy dimension of culture. The dimensions of organizational effectiveness that have the highest perceived positive impact are the "programs development and quality of the faculty", the "social openness and community interaction" and the "ability to acquire resources". In particular, two cultural dimensions are strongly correlated to effectiveness: adhocracy and market. Finally, the cultural change induced by accreditation seems to be correlated with a positive impact on performance. Research limitations/implications - This research is based on a small sample of perceived measures, with a single person per institution. Originality/value - The paper looks at the unexplored field of international business schools that have got the EQUIS accreditation. Cultural changes induced by EQUIS are suggested to imply a positive impact on performance.