Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss the drivers behind the rise and fall of the Australian Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and to assess its future. Design/methodology/approach – Data covering the period 1993-2013 was sourced from the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training to provide a comprehensive analysis of the rise and fall of the Australian DBA. Findings – In Australia, the DBA was introduced in 1993. In the first 11 years of the programme, enrolments increased from only nine candidates in 1993 to 1,505 candidates in 2004. However, by 2013, the number of candidates had fallen to 869 candidates. The authors argue that the principal rationale for the dramatic fall in enrolments points to the challenges and issues of managing overseas candidates by second tier and regional universities rather than a decline in the market per se. Practical implications – The challenge for universities is to determine whether they can or are able to offer the DBA under a quality framework that requires academic rigour equal to the PhD. Originality/value – This paper presents – for the first time – the most comprehensive description of trends in the Australian DBA programme from its inception to the present day. It also offers valuable insights and cautionary lessons for other countries thinking of introducing or expanding their current DBA programmes.

Australian business schools are often viewed by senior university managers as 'cash cows' because of their revenue‐raising capacity. However, a competing view has emerged that challenges their status as 'cash cows' and contends, instead, that business schools should focus on maximising 'public value' as a means to enhance their legitimacy. Using the analytic framework of 'public value,' a broad cross section of Australian business schools deans was interviewed. These interviews afforded a greater understanding of how the tensions inherent in these competing narratives are reconciled, and how they impact on the day‐to‐day management of business schools in Australia.

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PurposeTo identify key factors that are contributing to vulnerability in business schools in Australian public universities and determine the degree of vulnerability exhibited by these schools.Design/methodology/approachUsing a multi-criteria assessment (MCA) approach, a framework is developed to determine which business schools are most vulnerable to disruptions and uncertainty.FindingsThe findings show a lack of preparedness on the part of many business schools, particularly those relying heavily on international students.Practical implicationsThe implication is that business schools in Australian public universities need to diversify revenue streams and continue to seek legitimacy through external stakeholders such as employers and international accrediting bodies.Originality/valueThis study presents an empirical perspective of business schools in Australian public universities and offers valuable insights for university leaders and policymakers.