EXPRESS: AACSB Accreditation Claims by U.S. Business Schools: An Ethical Perspective

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is one of the world's most recognized accreditation organizations. A common claim, made by many institutions in the United States, is that only 5-6% of all business schools worldwide are AACSB accredited. Although such claims may be true globally, they misrepresent data that students in the United States use to make college choices. A large-scale study conducted by the authors revealed that approximately 52% of all institutions with a school (or division) of business in the United States are AACSB accredited. Given these findings, it is clear that AACSB accreditation does not infer “elite” status, as so many schools claim. Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau, Institute for Advertising Ethics, and International Chamber of Commerce codes of ethics are clear and consistent in that marketing communications should not misrepresent or omit material facts, or be misleading in any manner, that could affect consumer decision making. The objective of this study is to spark meaningful discussion regarding AACSB accreditation rates within the United States, and the ethical responsibilities of business schools when framing this accomplishment in their marketing communications.