Top 5 Schools for MBA Specializations in Information Management

Information management has grown substantially in importance for businesses, with technical advancements taking place at an ever-increasing pace. In order to take on a management role in this area, an understanding of the technology involved, as well as the theory behind it, is absolutely critical – and this where MBA specializations in information management come in.  

High demand within information management for MBAs with technical skills

It should come as no surprise that demand for MBAs with technical skills has also been growing. The 2013/14 edition of the QS TopMBA Jobs & Salary Report, for example, recently revealed a worldwide growth of 11% in demand for MBAs within the technology sector.  

It is opportunities such as these that increasingly encourage prospective MBAs coming from IT or engineering backgrounds to add management skills to their portfolios.

This has been reflected in the approach taken towards information management at leading business schools, which offer MBA specializations in the form of a targeted track or through a plethora of electives within the structure of a traditional MBA program. All are designed to aid students to utilize their technical skills in a senior management role under this field.

The QS Global 200 Business Schools Report 2013/14 collates the opinions of international recruiters to provide a guide to the top-rated MBA programs in information management. This year, among the top 50, 11 schools are based in Asia-Pacific – a number higher than in any of the remaining nine MBA specializations rated. However, as yet none of these are listed in the top 10. India’s IIM Ahmedabad, which has moved up from 14th to 12th position this year, is the closest school to breaking into the final 10 from this region.

But for now, the top 10 remains dominated by US schools, with big-name institutions in Europe making up the balance. Below is a guide to the schools currently occupying the first five places for employer reputation in the field of information management.    

1. MIT Sloan School of Management (rated 1st in 2012/13)

A well-established leader in combining technical skills and research with international management and strategy, the MIT Sloan School of Management offers two programs, in collaboration with MIT’s world-renowned engineering school, that offer MBA specializations related to information management.  

The LGO (Leaders for Global Operations) program is a two-year joint degree that allows MIT Sloan students to graduate with an MBA as well as an MSc in a choice of seven participating programs from MIT’s School of Engineering. These programs include Aeronautics and Astronautics, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Engineering Systems.

MIT Sloan’s SDM (System Design and Management) master's program meanwhile, combines engineering and management training in one degree for students with an average of nine years work experience. If taken full-time it can be completed in 13 months, but choosing the longer option of spreading its mixture of core, foundation and elective courses across two years is popular among those who wish to continue working for its duration. The program was launched at MIT Sloan back in 1996 as a direct response to the industry’s need for top-level managers who also held the technical skills required to lead teams effectively.

2. Harvard Business School (HBS) (rated 2nd in 2012/13)

Technology and operations management (TOM) is one of five core courses taken by MBA students at Harvard Business School (HBS) during their first term. This gives an insight into the complexities beneath product development and manufacturing, as well as addressing issues of strategy and process analysis among others.

Technology and operations management is also one of the main elective categories from which Harvard Business School students choose their own path of specialization; 10 out of a total of 120 courses can currently be found listed here, including ‘Managing Service Operations’ and the field course, ‘Commercializing Science’. However, courses relevant to those interested in pursuing a career in information management can also be found elsewhere – for instance in one that focuses on strategy in a technology setting.

When selecting an MBA program, many prospective students look to a school’s intake to see if it is likely to suit their requirements and ambitions. Here then, it is interesting to note that among the Harvard Business School MBA class of 2014, one-third of students come from a background in engineering, natural sciences or technology.

3. Stanford GSB (rated 4th in 2012/13)

One of Stanford GSB’s main draws for those inclined towards a career in information management is its strong connection to technology companies in the San Francisco Bay area, and Silicon Valley.

But, this is by no means the only reason for its reputation in this respect. Close to 20% of students at Stanford GSB opt for a joint or dual degree and take advantage of Stanford University’s web of graduate schools.

For example, one dual degree available combines Stanford GSB’s MBA with an MSc in Computer Science with the aim of appealing to those interested in new technology management. This degree runs for three years, with the first year reserved for MBA study before students divide their time between the two programs over the subsequent two.

Stanford GSB itself offers a number of courses, such as ‘Strategic Management of Technology’, that count towards the MSc requirements. Meanwhile, the university’s computer science department allows students to specialize in various areas including ‘Information Management and Analytics’ and ‘Biocomputation’ through coursework.

4. IE Business School (rated 6th in 2012/13)

IE Business School offers a wide of array of both MBA and specialized master’s programs, with a substantial number of classes being offered in Spanish as well as in English. New technology is also utilized substantially in IE Business School’s ‘blended learning’ programs, which combine a campus presence with interactive classes online.

Among the specialized master’s options is a 10-month course in business analytics and big data attached to IE Business School’s social and behavioral sciences department. This clear focus aims to ensure its students are well-placed to take advantage of the rising opportunities in big data.

Information technology is also available as one of the MBA specializations within IE Business School’s global and executive MBA programs. Here, the onus falls on enabling a successful transition to a career in IT management or in assisting those wishing to pursue entrepreneurial ventures that tap into new technology.

5. INSEAD (rated 3rd in 2012/13)

At INSEAD, the foundations for interpreting information and data are introduced early-on as part of the core requirements of its MBA program. ‘Uncertainty, Data and Judgement’ looks at probability and statistics, but is designed more with the general manager in mind than those who already possess strong technical skills.

For a specialist focus, there are numerous elective options an INSEAD MBA can pick out to suit their own particular needs and interests – after all, students commonly select as many as 11 electives to complement their core requirements. From a total of over 75 electives, INSEAD currently counts 8 in the field of technology and operations management, as well as 6 categorized under decision sciences including ‘Data Analytics for Managerial Decisions’, which focuses on a practical software-based approach.

Both these academic areas boast strong faculty expertise that combine MBA-level teaching with their own research and supervision of PhD students in the field. The level of research carried out in these areas is showcased by site, Research@INSEAD.

Find an MBA program to suit your needs

Employer reputation is crucial in knowing where to look for an MBA program that offers the best possible return on a student’s investment, post-graduation. But, it’s also a good idea to match up any specific, individual interests and ambitions to a program as much as possible. This is of particular relevance for those considering MBA specializations coming from technical backgrounds. It’s therefore worth reading more about what to expect in embarking on a transition from STEM areas to management.

What is clear is that the options in the field of information management from elite US schools, such as MIT Sloan and Harvard Business School, to European leaders, IE Business School and INSEAD, are now so wide-ranging in their scope that prospective MBAs are highly likely to be able to find exactly what they are looking for in an MBA program.