AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON OF MANAGEMENTS USE OF QUANTITATIVE TECHNIQUES, AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR MBA TEACHING

In order to assess the extent to which managers use a range of statist ical techniques, an identical survey was undertaken among over 1200 MB A graduates in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and New Zealand. The managers in all three countries held similar perceptions about the ben efits and hindrances of applying the particular quantitative technique s mentioned, and these are detailed in the paper. Although the overall awareness of basic techniques was disappointingly low, the research i ndicates that most managers saw a positive role for quantitative techn iques in their work. Clear implications for the design and teaching of the quantitative component in MBA courses can be drawn from the study .