the "financial times" poll was the result of over 10,000 respondents to nearly 23000 electronic questionnaires of alumni from 155 qualifying business schools. the survey began in july 2006 and all internationally accredited programs that are at least five years old and that have produced at least 30 graduates in each of the last three years were solicited. 113 of the 155 had at least 20 respondents and at least a 20 percent response rate. the questionnaire used twenty criteria in three main areas. the poll actually presents all twenty criteria to the reader. eight criteria are based on alumni responses; eleven criteria are based on business school responses, and the final criterion is based on a research index produced by the "financial times". the survey responses are audited by kpmg.