Organizational Leadership vs. Business Administration | Which Is Better?

Organizational leadership programs teach students the strategies businesses use to lead an effective workforce. A business administration degree is a bit broader in its focus. It teaches strategies businesses use to manage time, people, and resources.

These degrees are great for students who want to pursue leadership roles. But which is better? Deciding between an organizational leadership or business administration degree requires understanding both degrees and determining how they align with your career goals.

Below, we'll look at key differences between the bachelor's degree in organizational leadership and the bachelor's in business administration. We'll discuss master's degrees and explore career paths available to graduates of each program.

What Is Organizational Leadership?

Organizational leadership is a form of strategic management focusing on ways business leaders motivate and encourage workers to carry out projects. This management approach aims to improve worker productivity and strengthen teamwork to help businesses reach their goals.

Core Focus Areas

This field focuses on management, decision-making, and how understanding human behavior can help companies succeed. Other core focus areas include:

• strategic planning
• team-building
• leadership development
• conflict resolution
• organizational behavior

Key Responsibilities

The duties of organizational leaders can vary by position. However, the following are key responsibilities of most leaders:

• Create business strategies that lead to company success.
• Improve the efficiency of teams, departments, and overall company operations.
• Help with human resource management and employee training.
• Analyze business research to allocate and use resources.

Leaders should be forward-thinking visionaries with quality interpersonal and leadership skills.

Education Requirements

Employers typically require a minimum of a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, or Bachelor of Business Administration) for management roles. Coursework in these programs explores:

• labor studies
• evidence-based leadership
• work attitudes and motivation
• ethics in the workplace
• ethical leadership

Students who want to advance in their careers might consider graduate degree programs. Depending on your career goals, you could pursue a master's degree (Master of Science, Master of Arts, or Master of Business Administration) or a doctoral degree (PhD or Doctor of Organizational Leadership).

Many schools of higher education offer affordable online organizational leadership degree programs for students who have busy schedules or want to save on tuition. You can save even more with financial aid options like scholarships, grants, and work-study.

Learn more: What Is an Organizational Leadership Degree?

Career Opportunities

You can qualify for numerous careers with the communication, interpersonal, and management skills gained from a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership. Some include:

• benefits manager
• operations manager
• training and development manager
• account manager
• human resources manager

Master's degrees can help you qualify for the above roles. You can also find roles as healthcare managers, community managers, and project managers. Doctoral degrees can lead to careers as superintendents, college professors, executive directors, or university deans.

What Is Business Administration?

Business administration focuses on making a business efficient, productive, and profitable. While organizational development aims to enhance worker productivity, business administration looks at all aspects of a business.

Core Focus Areas

The fundamental goal of this field is to ensure companies perform at their best. Leaders implement business strategies for effective employee, time, and resource management. Its core focus areas include:

• strategic planning
• quality business management
• problem-solving
• financial management

Key Responsibilities

Leaders with a business administration background are responsible for helping companies reach peak performance and productivity goals. Primary duties include the following:

• Ensure effective communication in the workplace.
• Make informed decisions through data analysis.
• Manage and lead productive teams.
• Allocate resources and manage finances.
• Use key plans and strategies for future success.

Individuals in these roles should be well-versed in marketing, accounting, finance, human resources, and information technology.

Education Requirements

Employers often look for candidates with a bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field. Similar to organizational development, you can find business administration degree programs resulting in a BA, BS, or BBA. Subject matter often includes:

• accounting
• entrepreneurship
• corporate finance
• marketing
• business law

Students seeking career advancement can enroll in MBA programs. A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) can help students secure top executive roles.

Career Opportunities

Bachelor's degree holders can find plenty of great careers. Here are a few:

• financial analyst
• project manager
• sales manager
• special events coordinator
• marketing coordinator

With a master's degree, you could secure a role as a marketing manager, financial manager, art director, nonprofit director, or chief operating officer (COO). A DBA can prepare you for a career as a healthcare executive, business consultant, or chief executive officer (CEO).

Master's in Organizational Leadership vs Master of Business Administration (MBA)

A master's degree in organizational leadership teaches students the skills to lead workers. Programs discuss team-building approaches and decision-making concepts while exploring leadership theories, standards, and challenges. They also teach strategies for becoming effective leaders of a diverse, modern workforce.

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree focuses more on business management skills. Concepts like organizational strategy, data analysis, and problem-solving are explored. However, the MBA also discusses leadership, people management, and cultural awareness in the workplace.

If you want to enroll in a program with a flexible schedule, you can find graduate online organizational leadership degrees. Online MBA degrees are also available.

Which Career Path Is Right for You?

Choosing organizational leadership or business administration starts with deciding which degree option aligns with your goals. Here are a few tips for picking the right career path.

Consider Your Career Goals

Think about the direction you want to take in your career. There are a lot of great career paths for graduates of either program. Examine your personal and professional interests and decide which career fits your personality, skills, and strengths.

Interest in Specific Business Functions

Are you interested in motivating workers to be their best in the workplace? Or would you like to work in project or operations management to ensure a business reaches its full potential? If you want to manage businesses, you might lean toward business administration. If you'd prefer to manage people, consider a degree in organizational leadership.

Educational Experience

You can find great careers at all educational levels in both fields. A bachelor's degree in either field can open doors to management roles. If you'd like to work as an administrator or director, consider a master's degree. A doctoral degree can prepare you for academic or top executive careers.

Work Environment

Organizational development and business administration can lead to similar careers. For instance, superintendents, CEOs, general and operations managers, and college professors can all be categorized as top executives.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), top executives can work in almost any industry. They generally work in office settings and can deal with a lot of stress because they are held responsible for their organization's success. They might also travel frequently to attend meetings and conferences.

A human resources manager, financial manager, or another management position might work under a top executive. They work primarily in office settings. These roles are typically less stressful since managers generally have fewer responsibilities and are more likely to work about 40 hours a week.

Career Growth Opportunities

Business administration and organizational leadership careers both expect growth. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment growth of 6% for top executives from 2023 to 2033. Employment for human resources managers is also projected to jump 6%. Students interested in financial management can expect an employment leap of 17%.

Find the Right Degree Program Today

Prepare for an exciting career as a business leader by exploring the degree programs listed on Learn.org. Contact one of these colleges today to learn more about business administration and organizational leadership programs that can help you reach your career goals.