Prospective business students often get distracted by glossy brochures and rankings. A sleek campus and global brand might look impressive, but they don’t define a great education. What truly matters? The people in the room. The academics. Great faculty are the ones who shape future business leaders.
Connecting ideas to action rather than just teaching frameworks is the mark of an excellent professor. One such professor at a top South African business school made theory practical when he turned a port congestion issue into a hands-on case study. His students analysed real industry data and proposed solutions that a logistics company went on to adopt. This was a clear example of how classroom learning can directly influence operational outcomes.
Many academics bring years of business experience and application into their teaching. A finance lecturer with a background in major banks, or a supply chain expert who has worked with global manufacturers, could introduce real-world insights that ground theoretical models in practical application. Students can then engage with simulations, case competitions, and live projects that mirror the complexity of modern business. These are not merely rote academic exercises; instead, they have become serious, structured challenges with real consequences.
High achieving students don’t just memorise formulas; they learn to think on their feet. They practise making decisions, applying judgment, and adapting ideas to real-world situations. The classroom becomes a place where leadership takes shape through experience, not just instruction.
In an executive MBA programme, students were asked to examine a failing procurement process at a large municipal service provider. Guided by a professor with extensive public sector consulting experience, the class diagnosed inefficiencies and suggested workflow improvements. Several of those proposals were subsequently adopted. That project required more than technical skill; it called for collaboration, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence change - all capabilities that students would carry forward into their professional roles.
Teaching through research
Strong business schools rely on faculty who actively develop new knowledge through research. These academics keep students informed and engaged with emerging trends, ensuring the curriculum evolves alongside the business world.
Whether studying AI in retail or ESG in emerging markets, research-active professors bring timely, relevant insights into the classroom. These findings often become the basis for class projects or collaborations with businesses. A study on AI-driven inventory tools might inspire students to create their own forecasting systems. Research on sustainable sourcing can inform supply chain strategies for local manufacturers.
Business leaders regularly turn to academics for guidance on fintech regulation, climate risk, and economic volatility. Faculty bring analytical depth and structured thinking to these issues, helping both students and professionals make better decisions. The classroom becomes a place where evidence matters, and new ideas are tested.
Research quality even factors into global rankings. The Financial Times includes faculty research output in its MBA evaluations because original scholarship reflects a business school’s contribution to business thinking.
In Johannesburg, a professor’s long-term study on small business resilience during Covid-19 shaped both national policy and firm-level strategy. Her students helped analyse the data and presented findings to a government advisory group. This kind of engagement helps students become contributors, not just consumers, of business knowledge.
Mentors, not just teachers
Teaching content is only part of what great faculty do. The rest comes down to mentorship - the personal investment academics make in their students’ growth.
For many postgraduates, especially those in transition, personalised guidance is the magic key which unlocks leadership potential. A part-time MBA student shifting careers may benefit most from a professor who challenges assumptions, provides honest feedback, and helps connect coursework to career decisions.
A Gallup study of 30,000 alumni found that students who felt supported by their professors were twice as likely to be engaged at work and three times more likely to thrive overall. The data supports what many graduates already know: having an advisor who listens, encourages and challenges can transform the learning experience.
Mentoring relationships influence the way students lead. Through personal example, professors model resilience, ethical decision-making, and the ability to perform under pressure. In one executive diploma programme, a student credited her mentor, a strategy professor with board-level experience, for coaching her through a major merger. That support gave her the tools to lead with clarity and confidence in a complex environment.
Global thinking, local insight
Business education works best when it reflects both the world at large and the realities on the ground. Faculty play a pivotal role in bringing that dual perspective into focus.
Professors with international backgrounds or research networks expose students to business models and practices from around the world. But to be effective, those lessons must connect to the local context where students work and lead. In South Africa and across emerging markets, issues such as unreliable infrastructure, labour disputes, and policy unpredictability require unique approaches.
Leading faculty respond to this by developing regionally grounded teaching materials. They research local markets, build African case study banks, and analyse how global frameworks apply in Johannesburg, Lagos, or Nairobi. A marketing lecturer with experience in both London and Lagos helps students understand how consumer behaviour shifts across markets - not as theory, but as lived reality.
This kind of blended perspective prepares graduates to operate across sectors and geographies. They develop the ability to apply international trends in ESG, fintech, or agile strategy while adapting them to fit local constraints and opportunities. Practical intelligence of this kind is one of the most valuable things a business school can instil.
Choosing who over where
Rankings, reputations and facilities all play a role. But the most important question for any prospective student or HR leader should be: who are the people doing the teaching?
Surveys consistently show that faculty quality is the deciding factor for applicants. The content of the programme, the value of the degree, and the return on investment all trace back to who’s in the room leading discussions, giving feedback, and setting the bar.
Look for professors with real-world experience, active research portfolios, and a track record of student mentorship. These are the individuals who turn academic programmes into career-changing experiences.
The true mark of a business school isn’t in the logo on the wall. It’s in the calibre of its educators and the influence they have on their students. When leadership calls for both competence and character, the people doing the teaching become the most valuable investment.
