It is a criticism also made by some business school insiders. “Academic journals tend to find more and more techniques for testing more and more obscure theories. They are asking trivial questions and answering them exactly. There has to be a backlash,” says Julian Birkinshaw of London Business School. In large part, the problem goes back to a time when business schools were trying to establish themselves. Up until the 1960s, American business schools were dismissed as pseudo-academic institutions, including the universities of which they often formed a part, regarded them as a little more than vocational colleges. Since then, most of the leading schools have undergone major reassessments and introduced sweeping changes. However, it is questionable whether those changes have gone far enough.

15 What does the first paragraph suggest about the research generated by business schools?
A Its quality is variable.
B Its lasting value is uncertain.
C It has always been produced too quickly.
D It has had no influence on management.

16 In paragraph two, the writer argues that business school research
A takes a negative view of the business community.
B has failed to give credibility to management as a discipline.
C is directed at the wrong audience.
D does not stand up to academic scrutiny.

17 In the third paragraph, the writer criticizes the theories of management produced by business schools for being
A incomprehensible.
B contradictory.
C vague.
D inflexible.

18 In the fourth paragraph, the writer says that the business school system causes academics to
A be satisfied with reinterpreting previous research.
B avoid complicated business issues.
C concentrate on very narrow fields of study.
D focus on topics no longer relevant to business needs.

19 What do we learn about business schools in the last paragraph?
A They are reluctant to admit to failings.
B They resent criticism of their academic journal.
C They used to be looked down on by other institutions.
D They are comfortable with the current situation.

20 What is the writer’s purpose in this text?
A to express regret at the growth of business schools
B to point out a weakness in the approach of business schools
C to criticize business school for producing bad academics
D to forecast the eventual collapse of business schools