Who Serves?

The authors elaborate on our understanding of the use of the labor market of individuals with MBA and MPA degrees for service on boards. They find that individuals are most likely to have board service in the same sector in which they have paid employment. Being older and having a “do good” orientation are associated with board service in all sectors. MPA degrees are connected to service on government boards, whereas MBAs are connected to service on business boards. Nonprofit boards do not show a preference for degree type. Years since graduate management education predicts nonprofit and government board service but not business board service. Only government boards seem to draw significantly more men than women from the pool of individuals with MBA and MPA degrees. The findings, consistent with resource dependence theory and the expected value of scholastic, social, and cultural capital, offer implications for board recruitment and future research studies.