^aRSM Erasmus University, PO Box 1738, Rotterdam 3062 PA, The Netherlands

Correspondence: Peter van Baalen, E-mail: pbaalen@rsm.nl

Abstract

The rapid growth of MBA education in China in recent years is accompanied with an increasing criticism, pointing at the adoption and implementation of Western models without taking care of the indigenous needs. Although the way and the extent to which Chinese business schools should adapt to indigenous needs have been discussed frequently, there exists hardly any empirical research yet into this phenomenon. This research is to explore the process of indigenization in MBA education at different Chinese business schools. Three dimensions (course content, legitimization and pedagogy) are chosen to investigate the indigenization process at three Chinese business schools. We conclude that the MBA programs at the schools have been indigenized to different degrees with respect to the three dimensions.