Why on Earth do Business Schools Teach Microsoft Access?
January 27th, 2008 by Kavan WolfeI have been around business schools a fair bit and have noticed a few disturbing trends. For one, it seems that the majority of undergraduate business programs include at least one core course involving Microsoft Access. Sometimes Access is taught in labs or tutorials outside regular class, but the question remains, why?
I have received two answers to this question:
These answers are bullshit.
First, “fundamentals of database” includes at least two things. The first is database design. The second is SQL. If the B-Schools are teaching fundamentals of database, why in the hell are their students using Access’s proprietary query builder instead of writing SQL, and what is this bullshit about Access’s “forms” and “reports.” You won’t see this crap in Oracle, DB2 or MySQL. Furthermore, I haven’t seen much education on database design in these intro classes, and assignments rarely include design activities because they can’t be graded quickly.
Second, I can’t find a shred of evidence that Access is heavily used. I don’t know anyone who uses Access professionally. A quick search on Craigslist (Vancouver) brought up 95 jobs requiring Oracle, 122 jobs involving SQL Server, 157 jobs involving MySQL and 7 jobs involving MS Access.
So, my question remains… why does it seem like most schools are teaching not only Access, but also the proprietary wizards and features of Access?
January 27th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
It’s easy - like you pointed out - easy to grade too. An MS Access license is a lot cheaper than a dedicated server and an SQL license although, for educational purposes, Postgresql and MySQL are probably free. I suspect the instructors themselves might not know SQL.
Teaching CREATE TABLE and SELECT . . . FROM . . . WHERE . . . even at the most basic level is harder than handing someone Access and saying, “This is essentially what databases are about.”
Most of the “business people” (MBA’s, Six Sigma Black Belts) where I work use MS Access exclusively for their data needs. A handful of the sharper ones actually use MSSQL - and boy, do they have a leg up on their peers!
Information Services people and Operations geeks like me do most of the keyboard based SQL, though.
You’re right, it is BS. To get beyond that you’ve got to learn SQL on your own - usually in the workplace.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:39 am
MS pays schools to use and teach their software. Simple as that.
January 29th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
For people who know nothing about databases, Access is a fine place to start. They will learn the concept of normalizing data, relating tables and even if they are not writing the SQL, you can teach how a language is required manipulate the data. People in business school will never be programming on Oracle databases, but understanding the concepts will help them talk to technologists. As a business analyst or technologist, having your users grasp some idea is a blessing!
Access does seem somewhat antiquated, but I’m not sure if there is another solution that provides a level of abstraction.
January 29th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Also
Tons of HR people in my company use access to manipulate data and run ad hoc reports. Granted, IT would rather build robust reporting soluitions for them like Business Objects, but it is something they can pick up and use to get what they need.