Career Paths of German Business Administration Academics

The question of how the career path for professors should be structured is a central issue in the current debate on reforming higher education in Germany. In order to substantiate current discussions on promotion and faculty development this study presents empirical data on the biographies of 699 professors of business administration at German universities. The internet-based data collection provides descriptive analyses on the pathways to the professiorate, including age, sex, educational background, mobility and social networks of business professors. The results suggest that career opportunities for academics in business administration vary widely across different age cohorts. Business professors in Germany show a high mobility, and the ability to accumulate social capital differs significantly between male and female professors. The implications for policy makers and young academics are discussed.