A Comparison of Beginning MSW and MBA Students on their Aptitudes for Human Service Management

Abstract

This study argues that graduate students’ values and personal orientations are important in determining their aptitude for human service management. This article reports on a fall 1989 study which compared the answers of beginning MSW and MBA students to nearly 50 scaled statements on values and personal orientation. Because the qualities on which the MSW students outscored their MBA counterparts all support effective leadership of human service agencies, the authors posit that social work education should maintain or even strengthen its involvement in training future managers.