AACSB recently conducted an informal study of the Web sites of a group of member schools. The primary goal was to provide useful data for business school media and public relations directors. Here is the preliminary analysis.

Background
Sixty-five Web sites were analyzed over a two-week period last fall. Almost half (49 percent) of the schools were classified as Research I institutions. Slightly more than half (54 percent) were public institutions. Ninety-five percent of the schools were located in the United States and were accredited by AACSB.

The analysis focused on five major areas: content, external connectivity, technology format, functions and maintenance.

Summary

Content
Perhaps not surprisingly, information about each of the following was found in more than half of the Web sites analyzed:

It may be more interesting to consider the information found less frequently on the Web sites analyzed. For example, information about admissions statistics (e.g., average SAT or GMAT scores of students) and placement statistics (e.g., industries in which students earn jobs or average salaries of students) were found on only 31 percent of the Web sites analyzed. Information about awards earned by the school, faculty or students was found on only 15 percent of the Web sites analyzed. Although 95 percent of the schools were accredited by AACSB, only 40 percent of the Web sites had any mention of AACSB. Only 12 percent had a link to the AACSB Web site (http://www.aacsb.edu).

External Connectivity
There was a surprising lack of connectivity to other Web sites from the school Web sites. Although 43 percent provided links to community-oriented Web sites, only 25 percent provided links to Web portals, search engines or research-oriented Web sites. Less than 20 percent had links to corporate partners, academic partners and disciplinary associations (i.e., AICPA). Only six percent had links to commercial Web sites.

Technology Formats and Utilities
Photos (78 percent) were found more often on the Web sites than original graphics (48 percent). Users were able to search on 58 percent of the Web sites examined. A site map or index was found on 52 percent of the Web sites analyzed. Thirty-one percent of the Web sites studied had some form of animation. Less than 10 percent of the Web sites contained any form of video or audio files. Only two percent (one of 65) of the Web sites utilized a transition page, had text in more than one language or allowed customization by the user.

Functions
Thirty-five percent of the Web sites appeared to provide a gateway to the business school Intranet. Fourteen percent of the Web sites allowed for queries of school databases (e.g., research articles). Nine percent of the schools appeared to use the Web site openly to collect information about the visitors and only six percent allowed for purchases of any products or services using the Web site. None of the Web sites analyzed appeared to accept advertising banners from commercial enterprises.

Maintenance
The most common maintenance problem found on the Web sites analyzed was broken or incorrect links (35 percent). Outdated information was found on only nine percent of the Web sites analyzed. In six percent of the cases, interactive components did not work properly. Text was difficult to read on only five percent of the Web sites studied.