But determining whether a business school's mission is ambitious enough, or whether it fulfills that mission, is far from scientific, some deans say.

WSJ: B-School Accrediting Body Retools Its Standards

An odd business model in the company's (now unavailable) mission statement is the first tip-off.

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In September, a light aircraft carrying a number of General Saleh's business associates crashed while, reportedly, on a gold-buying mission in eastern Congo.

ECONOMIST: Uganda and Congo

If all goes well, the two-week mission will serve as an endorsement of Mr. Musk's unconventional business model and, according to company and industry officials, likely set the stage for an initial public offering by the company in the next few years.

WSJ: SpaceX's Pioneering Flight Plans

So the recent trade mission to Asia by Cheryl Gillan's successor, David Jones, involved several business class flights.

BBC: Wales Office's ?43,649 trade mission flights bill

There's new urgency to this mission, although a strategy shift to build on the tax business has been in the works for several years.

FORBES: H&R Blocked