The Apprentice presents a completely false depiction of the business world and encourages its candidates to be “morally bankrtupt”, says Professor Martin Parker of the University of Leicester’s School of Management.

Professor Parker has issued a challenge to Lord Alan Sugar to explain how the “sociopathic” behaviour shown by candidates on The Apprentice would be useful in business.

“The Apprentice presents the idea that you have to be sociopathic in your relations with others in order to succeed in business,” says Professor Parker.

“This is evident in the kind of things the candidates say about themselves. Apparently, you have to say things like, ‘I would sell my own grandmother for a bag of chips’ in order to do well in business. It actually encourages people to behave in ways that are morally bankrupt and reprehensible.

Professor Parker blasts the arrogance and self belief portrayed in The Apprentice, which he believes is damaging to those taking park.

“Either they really believe these things they are saying about themselves, or they think this is how they’re supposed to act because they see it on television.”

Lord Sugar

Professor Parker is also critical of Lord Sugar’s TV persona:

“Alan Sugar comes across as a Victorian melodrama version of a chief executive. I don’t, for a second, think that he could have got to where he is by acting like this. I would like Alan Sugar to explain just how the behaviour he expects of his candidates is useful in the business that he runs.”

The academic is also concerned that The Apprentice may be adversely affecting students’ impressions and expectations of the business world.

“The Apprentice may be affecting the expectations of undergraduates in terms of how they are supposed to behave once they are in the world of work,” explains Professor Parker. 

“The values presented in the show are precisely not the message we want to be sending out to our students.”

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