Viewers who watch hit BBC1 show The Apprentice might already think it paints a slightly unrealistic picture of the business world.
Now, University of Leicester professor and business expert Martin Parker has spoken out against Lord Alan Sugar to say just that.
With the latest series in full swing, he has said that not only does the programme paint a bad picture of business but actively encourages the candidates who take part to be "morally bankrupt".
Prof Parker, an expert in business organisation and culture at the university's school of management, even issued a challenge to Lord Sugar to explain how the blind ambition shown by the candidates would be at all useful in business.
He said: "The Apprentice presents the idea that you have to be sociopathic in your relations with others in order to succeed in business.
"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.
"The show puts across a presentation of self which is about an arrogance and self belief – which I feel is personally damaging to those taking part.
"Either they really believe these things they are saying about themselves, or they think this is how they are supposed to act because they see it on television.
"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."
Prof Parker said he feared The Apprentice could also be affecting the way students imagine they should behave once they are in the world of work.
He said: "The values presented in the show are precisely not the message we want to be sending out to our students. The business education offered by Leicester School of Management is about ethics, diversity and responsibility – not bullying, one-upmanship and backstabbing."
Prof Parker said the negative stereotypes didn't end with The Apprentice. They could be linked back to characters such as the greedy dragons on Dragon's Den, David Brent from The Office and even Homer Simpson's slimy boss Montgomery Burns.
Melody Hossaini was living in Newfoundpool, Leicester, when she became the first social entrepreneur to appear in The Apprentice in 2011.
She runs InspirEngage International, aimed at improving the lives of young people, and is campaigning for the BBC show – which she still loves – to include business tasks that are more socially responsible.
She said: "I share some of the concerns highlighted by Professor Parker and certainly welcome the discussion.
"There is an element, perhaps because it's a TV show that depicts it as much more dramatic than it needs to be. However, my main call to action is a new way of doing business.
"The Apprentice is still a great show and the number one business programme in the world - however, the business world is changing, so it should reflect this. Contestants should measure success by profit but also need to ask themselves what difference they made – which is all about social enterprise."
"At InspirEngage International, we've recently launched 'Social Enterprise Revolution' working with schools, colleges and universities to build social enterprise and the mindset into the curriculum and would welcome Professor Parker's involvement in this."
A spokeswoman for The Apprentice said they rarely commented on criticism and left it up to viewers to make up their own minds.• What do you think? Share your views here.
