How to Form Business-School Partnerships. ECS Working Papers.

This paper offers leaders in business and education techniques and strategies for encouraging, initiating, and managing business-school partnerships for educational improvement. Such partnerships can help schools impart to their graduates the "skills, judgment, and initiative" needed to keep America's economy strong. Following the foreword and introduction, the first section discusses key elements of a successful partnership: mutual trust and equal sharing of risks and benefits; involvement of top management; access to resources; and a management plan. Several short examples are given of successful business-school partnerships. The next section discusses attitudes and other conditions affecting collaborative efforts. The third section presents steps businesses can take to facilitate partnership-forming. Finally, suggested methods are offered for education leaders to set goals, establish business contacts, and initiate and sustain collaboration. (MCG)