Business schools and the Spanish business elite since the mid-twentieth century

Abstract

Literature has emphasized the key role of business schools in spreading US management in Europe after the Second World War but has not found how to quantify its impact on the business systems. With such purpose, this article examines the relations between the pioneer Spanish business schools and the national corporate elite. By combining an institutional approach and social networks analysis, it shows the incidence of business schools on the board of directors of the largest Spanish firms during the second half of the 20th century, and explains their role as centers for business elite reproduction.