India being a developing country has lots of scope and demand at the same time for ambitious students. Our education system has allowed us many wonderful career options to choose from, but to our dismay MBA has been highly hyped for fancy corporate lifestyle and overloading salaries.

With our country spreading its strong presence internationally, there has been a sudden demand for well qualified MBAs to look after established as well as start up businesses and like guys, girls too are not untouched by the shine of MBA.

MBA definitely is a life changing career option to choose. But are we prepared for the challenges it brings to our professional as well as personal life? MBA is high in demand post graduate program which requires deep sense of focus and determination to be able to fulfil the responsibilities given at workplace. There are lots of myths about MBA which needs to be busted and there are few points which girls should know before choosing MBA as a career path.  Let’s have a look at some must knows to help you choose MBA as a career path.

• If at all, MBA is a Nutty Cakewalk

MBA is a professional course as we all know but while taking the course it is highly important for one to follow the approach of professionalism too. As mentioned earlier, MBA is not a cakewalk. One needs to focus and learn to multitask. These two years will prepare you for the challenges coming with your job. Staying disciplined is the key but this is not just it.

First few days may seem very enjoying but with time your schedule will definitely start becoming tighter. Case studies, presentations, weekly tests, festivals, campus placements for internship as well as final placements will go side by side. There is no escape but to face it. You may go through a lot of stress but always remember, the hard work you will put at that time to get good marks or better placements will not only  make you build a better career but also these qualities will stay with you for rest of your life to help you with your professional life.

• The Corporate Drama

MBA is highly hyped for the lifestyle it provides once a student gets into corporate world for job. But it is also a fact that corporate is full of drama to some extent. Many a times we get to hear about the party culture which is highly famous in corporate. Before choosing MBA as a career path you should also know that you will be expected to take full responsibilities once you get into a job after finishing your studies. Deadline chasing, long working hours, last minute work allotment, targets etc will be part of your daily routine. Off course once you get through all these barriers, corporate will felicitate you with great salary hikes, parties, appraisals and promotions. But do not forget if MBA is your choice, you should know about the hardships you will have to go through to get what you deserve.

• Your area of Interest – Will I be a Good HR or Better Marketer?

Before getting into a B school it is better to know the major or the specialization you would like to take up in final year. There may be a lot of confusion in your mind regarding what subjects you would like to take up but it is always better to know beforehand. Once you know what specialization you will take, you can start researching over the subjects. There are many sub specialization to one specific specialization. For example investment banking is one part of Finance. You can read books, consult with seniors and teachers. This will help you take up job of your choice.

Although there is no scientific way to decide what would suite you better but still we can eliminate or choose some choices prior. In my earlier article “MBA Finance v/s MBA HR: Which is Better for Girls”, I have tried to provide some points which can be beneficial for you to make the right choice.

• Does the Incurred Cost Worth it?

Before choosing MBA as a career path you should know that MBA is not an inexpensive course. B school these days have fee structures which may or may not lie in your budget limits. You may have to apply for loan to get into a B school. Even if your studies are to be funded by your parents it is highly important for you to know that the cost you are incurring as fees is worth it or not.

Speaking of numbers, on an average the fee of any B school is between 5-10 lakhs and this is not a small amount. Before choosing any B school, one must do some prior calculations. Does the college worth paying the fee? Are the faculties well educated and competent enough? Are the placements good enough to get you the job you want and ultimately what is the ROI? So, before choosing MBA as a career path, get full idea of what you are going to get after spending your precious 2 years of life and money.

• Books won’t teach you everything

This is one myth buster. Books will not teach you everything. MBA is more about learning from experience than the books. Definitely class room studies will help you understand matters better but those will not be enough.

Before enrolling for MBA you should know that cramming will not help you in getting good grades or for that matter a better placement. As mentioned earlier MBA is highly professional course. If you want to get the job of your dreams you will have to work hard each and every day. Apart from the required studies you should be able to learn from each and every event of your life you will spend in college. There will be many events, festivals, group studies etc. You will need to make sure that you learn from your experiences and keep your participation highest in everything which is happening around you. Once you get into your dream job these experiences will help you not only in learning faster but also taking matured decisions at workplace.

Key Takeaway – MBA is surely a life defining course but one must assess the preparedness of self before going for it. A wrong decision can destroy your future. It is better to analyse well in advance to create a better life for tomorrow.

Contributed by Leena Sonparate ( Class of 2013, IBS MUMBAI )

Linkedin Profile of Leena Sonparate : http://in.linkedin.com/pub/leena-sonparate/4b/715/aa7

The weather was somewhat cold and damp and the sips of hot tea from roadside dhaba (I do not remember the name of the dhaba now) outside the college seemed nothing less than panacea. The fourth semester had started and so were the winters. I saw a small group of our college students approaching the dhaba making their way out of smog. It was one of the groups who had taken Finance related subjects as electives. A few waved at me and all of them took plastic chairs scattered all across the dhaba and got into a serious yet animated discussion. Suddenly, one of them looked at me and blurted out- You marketing guys have a splendid life with no stress and strain. You guys enjoy the true honeymoon period which B-school offers to students who choose marketing subjects as electives- he continued and winked somewhat sarcastically. Isn’t many students, especially those who choose finance as elective strongly feel the same about marketing and those who choose it as elective.
However, I beg to differ with those who carry this perception. Undoubtedly, I call it as a period when we feel more carefree while thinking but have several intricacies to understand and learn. Every elective in the field of management has its own advantages, scope, horizon and limitations. The first year of the B-school familiarizes all with subjects from all the fields of management and make majority of us prepared regarding which path we shall ideally choose. Our batch mates choose electives as per their inclination, interest and keenness and many form combinations what we call as Major and Minor (Major as Finance, Marketing as Minor and vice versa and many such combinations) but the underlying fact remains the same for all- burn the midnight oil lamp and ensure and secure a promising career.
Marketing as an elective brings true value to those who opt for it and I am sharing my viewpoints which are highly personal and individualistic with a touch of experience shared by many of my peers and colleagues.

1. You learn to Analyze- Markets are growing and new markets are getting developed. What differs is the dynamics of the region, driving forces in the particular market, consumer behavior and many such related aspects. The analysis of such markets through Case Studies, discussions in galore, presentations indicating probable solutions certainly develop a strong sense to analyze.
2. You learn to Strategize sans rigidity- One suit, fits all never works in dynamic markets of today. Standardized practices have fallen flat and only customized solutions work successfully. When we are able to analyze a problem in a particular region, product, service and consumers, we tend to form specific strategies to deal with the problem(s) at hand. I still remember late night discussions often leading to arguments and bickering with fellow mates, studying theories, jotting them down and presenting it to mentors has helped a great deal and now I can (can only mention about myself) craft effective strategies, however with much space for error and improvement. The discussions with mentors often opened avenues to new perspectives of looking at and dealing with the problems. The additional and biggest advantage was that it reduced the amount of rigidity in thinking and approach to zilch. Today, I can confidently state that what I learned during my B-school days has provided me what I can term as a strong sense of direction depending upon the situation(s) with adequate flexibility.
3. Explore, Experiment and Develop- What I may define as beauty of marketing as elective is that it provides enough food for thought, makes you exercise your mind round the clock, imbibes attributes to explore, experiment and always think beyond imagination. Marketing truly makes you creative, daring, adventurous, risk taker in a calculated manner and a true thinker. Developing markets, penetrating into new markets is no child’s play and that’s what marketing as an elective teaches. It undoubtedly equips you with limited tools to tackle it and your experience as a marketer once you join the professional world arms you to the teeth.
4. You become more expressive and persuasive- Marketing is termed as a Cost Centre which it actually is. The huge investments made in marketing initiatives help to spread awareness, establish the name and strengthen the position, be it a product or service. But the route to Brand Marketing Divisions of big MNCs sails through the narrow alleys of sales. Marketing sessions in B-schools make you to be more expressive, persuasive and logical. Imagine presenting a case study about launch of a new product in a class of 35-40 students, mind of each one oozing out with new ideas, approaches and perspectives. Difference of opinions in such sessions is quite mundane and everyone faces wrath of their classmates who are otherwise amiable but turn into ferocious rivals during that time.
5. Wide Smile like endless River Nile- None in the world of management face consumers/customers directly, especially aggrieved, dissatisfied and irate ones
   and what field of marketing, even in theory teaches us is keep your cool and calm, be sangfroid and keep your mind open to search for solutions no matter how worse the situation gets. An aspirant can become a successful and effective marketer only when s/he knows how to keep a broad smile on face and keep the head cool under all circumstances. This is not all. Marketing is never done in isolation as statistics of various sorts are involved while allocating resources and determining the effectiveness of set of strategies devised and implemented and the team requires working in tandem with other divisions and with each other as Hobson’s choice.
   So, a relaxed demeanor and carefree attitude shall never be confused with what is called as relaxation time for the students who choose Marketing as a career path. The subjects, training and grooming prepare majority of us to face the real world in a calm fashion.

Well, I do not think a honeymoon will bring so much on platter to chew simply in ten months. In the end, I would like to state that Marketing is not simply confined to leaves of Philip Kotler tome but like all existing electives, transforms those who choose it and work hard towards learning its nuts and bolts.

Contributed by  Vineet Mani (Class of 2010,IBS GURGAON )

The business news daily’s are filled with headlines of how Startups and young entrepreneurs running it are making a fortune from the business they had set only a few years ago. A lot of the newspapers do sensationalize these stories and build a glorified case around it however in India we are still living in a business environment where about 600 new ventures emerge every year out of which half of them die in the first year while the 30% that go past the crucial 12-18 months mark also eventually end up in the grave within three years (a study by Microsoft Accelerator). While graduates / postgraduates fresh out of college are looking for a placement or someone in the working force is looking for a switch may explore working for a startup firm; it may come in handy to watch out for the below mentioned areas before one takes a plunge in the unknown world of risk and opportunities.

It is an unknown territory you are venturing in
Few of us have the tendency to look for safety net in our jobs, imagining career in a single place for a decade or more and there is nothing wrong with having such expectations. Unfortunately in a startup venture there is no such safety net, at least in the beginning. Thus the element of risk of the company not being there in the next couple of years may be a tough fact, one may have to deal with.

Be prepared to get your hands dirty
As a startup ventures which is started by someone’s hard earned money it may not be having the initial booster shot of dollars by a venture capitalist and in all likelihood the incumbent will have to act as an all-rounder and perform several functions at one point in time. There will be many occasions that you may be the divisional head of an entire function and the next moment you will have to double up as the admin assistant or deal with daily chores of the office. There is nothing defined as petty work is the moral of the ‘startup story’.

Be passionate about the work you are choosing
The above mentioned is true for all scenarios involved with a working professional, but my strong recommendation would be to join the startup venture only if the work is something you will enjoy doing for a long time. There will be roadblocks, uncertainty and stress and it will be easy to let go of it if you are really not passionate about the work you do. Hence it is imperative to be passionate about the field you are venturing into as you are joining a new startup.

Political Quotient is necessary here too
We have all heard about Intelligence and Emotional quotient, however with the evolving dynamics of the corporate world Political Quotient is making its presence felt too. So to demystify the aforementioned, we all witness some amount of politics (if I may use that word) in our workplaces and for some time it was believed that smaller workplaces and startups ventures are devoid of such conditions, however to the contrary I believe that in any setup which has more than couple of people there will be a healthy competition and slice inch (or more) of politics. To deal with it one must be well
equipped to handle stress and challenging situation smartly at work. Political quotient nowhere states being cunning or harmful, it’s just an approach towards any critical situation with open eyes and ears to protect the company’s and the individual’s interests.

Investors behind the firm
While you are thinking of taking a plunge into a new startup it is necessary to do a background check on the people you are going to work with. As your background will be evaluated too at some stage there is no harm in doing your homework and looking up there LinkedIn profiles and checking through common acquaintances about their professional background. You can never be thorough with your check but can at least ensure that the Directors on board do not have criminal history and the company is funded well enough to pay employees salaries.

Salary
A well funded startup venture can be a dream to work in with the amount of flexibility at ones disposal, but usually the startups are suppose to sustain themselves by nature of selling the products or services on offer. As a result it is possible that your paycheck might be dependent on the several factors. Hence the salary in a lot of startups usually gets credited on different dates at the beginning of the month, but you will be really lucky to get it on the first working day of the month like in all large MNC firms. (Tip: Schedule all your EMI’s towards the third week of the month to be on the safer side)
Whatever you have read thus far is full of skepticism, however the warning shots is all but to make one prepared for the tough journey usually encountered in a new startup. The other side to a startup as mentioned below is one which usually gets most of us to take the plunge and it will be a tad unfair to miss out on those aspects too.

Unprecedented Professional growth
If you pick up case study of any of the successful E-commerce startups in India (likes of Flipkart, Snapdeal etc.) you would have surely noticed the age of the Directors and the millions / billions they have already parked in the bank. This could be a reality for one of us as well, and this is something which one may not experience in a well established firms. So the success of the new startup venture you have joined may help you grow as a professional and in the process make a fortune out of it too.

You define the culture
We all have been critics of large MNC’s and the culture they have! Well a startup venture gives you an opportunity to walk the talk and build a culture which promotes merit and ensures harmony amongst organization and personal goals.

Chart your own path to glory
Usually for all the startups they have a macro plan in place, in terms of direction they want to head. Thereafter it is up to individuals working in these companies to be self motivated and go all out and
achieve micro goals while keeping the bigger picture in mind. A startup under normal circumstances gives one immense freedom in choosing the road to glory. So if you like to implement your methods, strategies and style at workplace a startup with a vision and mission is the best place to work in.

Makes you think like an entrepreneur
As a member of a startup venture you will be in the firing line more often than not, and you may also be handling the entire running of a business unit. This will call for a lot of action with minimum turnaround time and as a result will enhance ones decision making ability. Not all of your decisions will be correct but by learning from your mistakes it will only broaden your horizon to take on bigger challenges ahead.
All in all a startup venture is a place where one may achieve unprecedented success or be a complete failure. In the end it will boil down to your skill set, the industry you are a part of and market acceptance of the product or services you are dealing in, so if you succeed enjoy the professional growth & the accompanying moolah and if it doesn’t work move on to fight another battle.
Albeit always be watchful about the things to know before you join a startup!

Contributed by Gaurav Sharga (Class of 2010, IBS GURGAON)

Some of the most successful people in the world are MBA graduates and they have learnt the qualities to excel in their jobs or businesses while pursuing their MBA only. One of the most honorable graduate awards in the world is Masters of Business administration and a guy who has completed his MBA degree is all set for achieving corporate success and is filled with all the qualities needed to win in his professional career. All you need to do after completing MBA is to take the right decision of selecting your career and then take a go-ahead. Being an MBA graduate you acquire a number of professional skills so that you get plenty of options to start your career. Here we will discuss about the five best career options for you after MBA.

An analyst-

While doing an MBA degree, the biggest quality being developed in the student is the ability to analyze things and identifying and solving problems. This trait is required for the analysts working in a particular domain and they have to be detail-oriented and have to figure out why a business solution is not working now and what will be the future trend based on the current market trends.

As a market analyst you will have to review the targeted demographics and analyze the success of the previous and current advertisements on them. Based on this analysis, you create new advertisements for future.

A management analyst has to analyze the corporate structure and suggest ways to the departments on how they can cut costs and improve the profits based on his complete management analysis.

In the role of a financial analyst you will have to analyze the market trends and reviews different portfolios. You have to analyze the jump and fall of the stocks and on the basis of all the past knowledge predict the future trends in the financial market.

Investment Banker-

A good option after completing your MBA degree is to look forward for a career in investment banking. An investment banker plays an important role in advising firms about mergers, buyouts and takeovers. The main role of an investment banker is to provide advisory services to the companies in their decisions for long term investments. Besides providing M&A advisory, an investment banker also provides help in other areas like IPOs, strategic alliances, trading of securities and diversification of sales and assets.

The entry position for an MBA graduate in investment banking is as an “Associate”. In this role you will be a part of a team which will attend client meetings and those who will make the actual deal. Good analytical skills, spreadsheet knowledge and great dedication is required in this role. Later you can look forward to rise as a leader, project manager and higher positions. To develop a career in investment banking you need to have a great client rapport and a good understanding of macro-economic environment and political environment is required. The best companies to work as an investment banker are Barclays, Blackstone and Goldman Sachs.

Consultant-

A good quality of an MBA graduate is the ability to give analytical opinions on different subjects and for them, a consultant job is ideal. A business firm or a private entrepreneur goes to a consultant with the question “What do you think?”. This job is highly prestigious and even the CEO’s of renowned companies come to a management consultant and ask solutions related to different business problems.

Those who become gurus in consulting business are usually paid very well and can maintain a bright career in the field of consulting.

Entrepreneur-

A number of professionals decide to study MBA with a hope to never work under any boss for the rest of their lives. Statistics have shown that about one fourth of MBA graduates are entrepreneurs and have been doing their own business in the fields of Consulting, marketing, finance and many more. But for starting your enterprise you need start-up cash and a good database of the customers. For fulfillment of both these requirements you need to have an exposure to the industry you are targeting. That is why MBA graduates generally spend at least 5-10 years in the industry and then decide to go for entrepreneurship.

With my experience as an MBA graduate, I myself found that entrepreneurship is taught at every step in the professional MBA courses. The students learn all the skills required to become a successful entrepreneur and that is why it was named Masters of Business administration. The courses and curriculum are designed in such a way that the student learns all the aspects for running the business successfully. I found a lot of difference in myself when I entered into a job again after completing my MBA. The communication skills, presentation skills, writing skills, subject knowledge and management skills, all are improved when you complete an MBA successfully from a professional institution. After 6-7 years of working experience I started my own business in the IT domain and found that MBA skills translated at each and every step of my business.

ERP consultant-

One of the best career options after completing your MBA is working as an ERP consultant. Enterprise resource planning(ERP) is a business management software which is used basically for the storage, management and interpretation of the different enterprise activities like shipping, inventory, marketing, finance, production planning, sales and nearly every major functions of the enterprises. As an ERP consultant you will be responsible for understanding the various business processes of the clients and will understand and handle the various ERP packages like SAP and how they are implemented in the organization with the necessary customizations.

An ERP consultant earns an average salary of more than 8-10 lakhs per year in India and a very handsome salary oversees. The highest paying skills associated with the job of ERP consultant are Customer relationship management (CRM), Oracle-E-Business Suite HRM, PeopleSoft and SAP.

The career options discussed above are one of the best options to follow after you complete your MBA degree and the analysis is based on the basis of current job market trends, salary packages and the MBA skills required for a job. Here are some of the other things you can do after you complete your MBA degree-

• Contact your alumni network to learn about more career and business opportunities
• Apply for teaching jobs and use your MBA qualification to leverage your candidature.
• Explore new career opportunities within your organization to advance in your organization with the new MBA degree.
• Travel abroad which will give you a chance to learn about a new culture and creating a new set of skills with a number of more options in hand.
• Freelance your work- You can start freelancing and can work as a freelance consultant, mentor, coach and a freelance contractor. This will help you to earn extra income and will also expose you to other industries and new organizations.

Thus you can find a number of career options after completing your MBA. The only thing you need to do is the careful selection of the career option which best suits your skills and expertise and allow you to grow continuously in your career path.

Contributed by ASHISH SINGH PARIHAR ( Class of 2006 – 2008, IBS PUNE )

Truth Vs Hype Foreign Direct Investment into multi brand retail has been put on But in the brief window that it almost became a reality, a fierce debate broke out, with wildly opposing This is ironic, given that every claim made about its benefits or risks can be tested against the experience of almost ten years of Indian organized retail, which closely followed the western Will it create an agricultural back end chain? Will it bring down prices? Does it squeeze out small traders? Does it create employment? And do we even need foreign retail chains at all?
There are always many facts of any realistic situation, especially in the country where democracy is deemed above anything else, and where the right to freedom of speech and expression is used or misused, over and over again. Unlike the U.S., where only two major political alliances exist the Democratic and the Republicans, we in India have a host of fronts other than two major alliances the ruling party and the opposition, and all of them consistently scuffles over every single agenda and many times ignore the main issue and divert the whole argument.
Same is the case with introduction of Foreign Direct Investment (F.D.I) in the Indian retail
market. The government has decided to open up the Indian retail market for global players
through F.D.I. in multi-brand retail with a 51% threshold, i.e. they can have only 51% equity in the investment and 100% ceiling in single]brand retail. There are several versions of the
possible outcome of this scenario floating in the different spheres of the country. But the
different interpretations ought to be backed with rational reasons.

” The kirana store rules India thanks to three major advantages it offers ? location, time of
delivery and personalised credit “
Foreign direct investment into the Indian retail sector is controversial, with political overtones. Few countries have witnessed such a elife and deathf debate. The protagonists exaggerate the benefits by a wide margin and the antagonists articulately verbalise imaginary ghosts. Broadly, there are two different views with regard to the decision of the Indian government to allow F.D.I. in Indian retail market, one supporting it and the other opposed to it.

View 1) The first argument is put forward by the government itself, supporting its resolution. The government claims that 10 million jobs will be created in the retail sector in the next three years. It mandates a minimum investment of 100 million U.S. dollars, approximately 500 crores rupees, for the foreign companies, with at least half the capital to be invested in backend infrastructures, including cold chains, refrigeration, transportation, packing, sorting and storing.
Now, this is a fact that India is not much developed in terms of infrastructures. Hence, this step can be deemed most welcoming. Another very influential agenda pointed out by the government is the nuisance of middlemanship.
FDI in retail will ensure procurement of raw materials, especially of fruits and vegetables,
directly from the farmers, thus filtering out the roles of middlemen. Another proposal buoying this idea is that a minimum of 30% of the value of manufactured items procured should be sourced from small and medium Indian enterprises. The government backs its decision with a host of other reasons, e.g., the presence of foreign retail majors will ensure supply chain efficiency. It also alludes to examples of some other nations like China, Thailand etc.

View 2) The second version includes the views of the opposition and those who consider this decision to be inconsistent with the nation’s development. There are over 1.2 crores shops in India, employing over 4 crores people, 95% of which are small shops run by self]employed people. The opposition claims that the move will lead to large]scale job losses. Since there is no compulsion to procure all the raw and manufactured materials from Indian sources only, it may lead to domestic agro-industries getting haywire. The move can also lead to market prices being controlled by the foreign giants, further causing a slump of traditional Indian markets and monopoly in the markets. The fact being pointed out by the opposition is that any comparison being made between India and country like China is crushingly in genuine.
Both these versions of possible upshots are anything but restrained. And going by the history of our nation’s reaction to issues pertaining to the common]man’s life, a lot of hype is being created over the situation and the issue, by and large, is being blown out of proportions. These extremist views, being largely politically motivated, are far from being the truth. The truth, in fact, lies somewhere in the middle; Firstly, a sheer glance at the whole matter at hand gives anyone the fair idea that this move is going to do more good than harm. Since the government is not directing anything against the Indian domestic enterprises, they can co]exist with the big guns of the world, and a healthy competition is never a bad idea in today’s world. They should, in fact, look forward to work in liaison with these companies. If the idea to introduce F.D.I means that the farmers are going to get their worthy rewards and the masses are going to have access to better qualities of commodities at better prices, then this step should be welcomed with open arms, even if this means that a handful of people will be driven out of jobs, because while choosing between two evils, one should always go for the lesser evil.
However, if the government is backing its decision purely on the basis of examples and
references of nations like China and U.S., then it should also keep in mind the grave differences between the highly disciplined systems of theirs and the chaotic conditions of our system.

The bottom line is that any step of any nature taken by the government is always going to
benefit a particular section of the society and at the same time, is going to be harmful for
another section. But the million dollar question is whether this decision has really been taken with a chaste heart, or is just another example of seasonal politics.
India offers an enormous opportunity for retail, but success requires an experimental, adaptive and innovative approach.

Contributed by suchin kulshrestha ( Class of 2008, IBS HYDERABAD )

The word ‘seek’ means to go in search of, try to discover, try to acquire. It requires an active, assertive approach to life. – Joseph B. Wirthlin
It is in our inherent nature to seek. Incessant curiosity and the consequent quest for information have played a big role in the survival and evolution of our species. Ever since its inception, ‘Search’ has been hailed as the best and most obvious problem-solving tool. With the advent of technology, the process has been simplified and made user-friendly. The World Wide Web has permitted mankind to swiftly satiate its thirst for knowledge with ease.
Imagine there is a product you have been contemplating buying.

You could go to a physical store or an online one. What do you do?
Most of us tend to avoid the first option. This is because the effort that has to go into a physical store shopping is so much that only a couple of searches can take place before the final buy.
We just reach into our pockets to take out a smartphone – for the preliminary or detailed research and the subsequent purchase. We know that Shopping, once a tedious and time-consuming task, is just a click of a button away.
Search engines like Google and Bing guide us during the buying process by providing us the comprehension that we need to make an informed purchase decision. If an answer exists to our query, a Search Engine can fish it out for us. Today, autonomous search agents propose recommendations based on user’s metadata (including data available on social media sites) and location, which has personalized and enhanced the shopping experience even further.
Whether it is toothpaste we want or a new eatery, which we wish to check out, the search engines can help us acquire reviews and details.
Thanks to Search, there is transparency of market and price. The control has been reassigned from the seller to the buyer. However, the digital information that we receive effects our perception and impacts our choices. Search Marketing aims to use this to favorably influence the potential customers. Need is matched with relevant product, information or service and vice versa.
The bandwidth of Internet Search supports the consumers and raises the productivity of business workers and businesses.
Columnist Trond Lyngbø says, ‘Organic Search has changed the way consumers consider and make purchases’. He deems that the marketers who “get” this are certain to profit big.
Online Search has altered the traditional selling models. For instance, Music Industry is one of the many businesses to have seen a revolution from an existing successful model to that of an equally profitable new model, since the Internet came into being.
Matrimony Industry too has been revolutionized through the people-matching search technology.
Search has given birth to countless Internet business models- Price comparison, Entertainment and Service-provider information sites being at the top of the list.
People employ Search to discover perceived value. This has also created a big market for long-tail offerings or sale of niche items that may not have a large or easily accessible customer base.
Marketers realized early on that Internet Search is not only useful for discovery of value but also for creation of it. That initiated Search Marketing. The predictive value of Search helps the trend-watchers understand present scenarios and calculate future outcomes.
The return on investment (ROI) from natural Internet searches surpasses the benefit reaped from physical media advertising. Though Search promotes naturally and raises awareness, a business can improve its chances by opting for Paid Inclusion (or
Sponsored listings), which is an effective form of advertising. The more people know a business, the better the chances of it being shown in the top 10 Search results in a Search Engine. If something is already well known, there is a good chance that it could share an even bigger popular status in the near future. This leaves the smaller local businesses lagging behind. They require a good SEO strategy to ensure ecommerce visibility. Content is king. Content becomes the best instrument of engagement.
Many organizations rely on Search Engine Marketing (SEM), which helps promote their websites by increasing the visibility in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERP). SEM often makes use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to adjust and rewrite the website content to attain a higher ranking in the search results. Pay Per Click (PPC) listings are another frequently used form of Internet Marketing. Keyword research and analysis, simple traffic counters, creation of backlinks, page tagging etc. are some important SEM tools.

Unwanted emails and intrusive social media advertising have failed to keep the intended attention of the customer.
Search Marketing, works much better than the conventional and pushy online marketing. You only impart relevant information to educate those who may find it of interest and value, as per their convenience. A Search Marketer uses various forums like blogs, social media, and news articles to inform, entertain and empower its prospective clients.
With no push from the marketing advertisers, the Search Engine makes the consumer feel more in control. ‘Search’ behaves like a tool, which the customer can use  to make his own selections.
Vertical search engines that match your business, service or products with a target market offer you a higher conversion rate than traditional search engines. Because they have already qualified their interest by coming to a search engine with a specific focus, searchers will be more receptive to targeted advertising. – Marc Ostrofsky Search empowers everyone involved and is forever developing. It is extraordinary that Search started out as a business and eventually changed ‘Business’ itself.
Search analysis parameters will continue to expand to better understand current and forthcoming trends and outcomes. New applications are likely to come up as it keeps on growing.
The future of online Search is as boundless as the word itself.
The ultimate search engine would basically understand everything in the world, and it would always give you the right thing. And we’re a long, long ways from that. – Larry Page

Contributed by Ankita Verma ( Class of 2009, IBS HYDERABAD )

Ever heard the expression? “Can’t see the forest for the trees.”As budding MBA students, we spend so much energy trying to figure out which specialization or combinations will work best for our first job that we limit our growth in interdisciplinary skills and lose the bigger picture of career progression.

Of course, we need to specialize in something that fits with our existing strengths and aspirations. However, that in no way means that we cannot master subjects in other disciplines that also fit with our skills. For example, a student with outgoing personality and good communication may opt for marketing, but is equally apt in number crunching. Selecting subjects in finance that will help the student to enhance the skill could turn out to be useful in future when this student has to manage a profit center’s growth. Take another example where someone pursuing a marketing stream is also good at logic and analysis. Learning appropriate subjects in systems/IT specialization would actually be a bonus when this person is working in the marketing organization of a technology company. Understanding the software that has to be marketed will assist in developing the right marketing content and targeting the right audience. Also, many marketing functions these days require technical skills like knowing HTML to execute online demand generation campaigns using marketing automation software like Marketo, Pardot and others.

An age old saying is there that you cannot market something that you don’t know about. There will be people, who are very good at developing creative material, conducting in-depth market research, providing consumer insights, laying out promotional plan, organizing media buys, analyzing campaign progress, managing customer relationships and other marketing functions. A very few however make all these functions tie in seamlessly and enable success of the overall marketing of the product or service. These few have an edge over others as they understand the product or service in addition to the various marketing functions. For example, the marketing success of financial services and products like investments, loans and credit cards is dependent on how well the marketingactivity is aligned with the product characteristics and benefits. So, someone who understands how these products will perform under the prevailing macro-economic environment will be in a better position to outline the appropriate marketing strategy. If Reserve Bank of India hikes the repo rate for banks, the bank will be forced to raise or maintain the rate of interest for consumer loans. A marketing communication promising lower interest rates will have to be abandoned and a new strategy addressing other benefits will have to be planned.

Marketing has transformed a lot over the years and is closer to business strategy than thought earlier. Activities leading to consumer insights, value propositions and brand promotion have become strategic in nature and have a major say in the overall business strategy. MBA students of marketing must look at a more holistic picture of the business because the demarcation lines across functions are overlapping.  In the bestseller, Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance?, Louis V. Gerstner Jr.’s  memoir of his nine years as CEO of IBM,it turned out that his most important decisions weren’t based on technology but on his past experiences as an IBM customer.

Post MBA, after years of experience, most marketing professionals settle into one of the following marketing roles – marketing manager, sales manager, product manager, market analyst, brand manager, media planner, digital marketing, direct marketing, etc.  A marketing manager needs to focus on strategy, servicing, customer relationship and account management. A brand manager is responsible for promotion, positioning, advertising and market research. A media planner selects media channels, provides advertising support and fulfills campaign objectives. A product manager looks after the profitability & growth of a product line and executes campaigns for the products. A digital marketing professional works on Google Ads, SEO formulations, web content and social media platforms. As you can notice, the different roles require expertise in one or more areas that a person has to possess to perform that role effectively. These skill sets are acquired through a combination of learning and work experience. But how does one differentiate from the rest, how does a product manager differentiate from other product managers. What is that unique trait in his repertoire that will make the product manager stand out from the rest? Interdisciplinary skills can certainly be the sauce that will make the pizza taste better. If you dream to make it to the top of corporate hierarchy, you must start acquiring knowledge on subjects that may not relate to your present job or role. The world and events around you will find space for utilization of your mastery on additional topics. Remember, CEOs and consultants are generalists at heart. They have expertise in the diverse fields enabling them to make those sound decisions that have an impact across everything.

Each person has a dream and based on that the decision to select a specialization in MBA should be taken. You can weigh your strength and interests to decide the subjects that you should specialize in, however what you want to do in life should influence your decision in a major way. Even if you specialize in something there is no hard rule that you cannot do something else. For example, I specialized in IT but my career has been in marketing ever since I passed out. Currently, I am in love with marketing and advertising, but to think of it I wanted to be a MIS or project manager in an IT company when I opted for MBA.

It is very important to understand that specializations are designed to allow students to develop depth and expertise in a functional or interdisciplinary business area. A student should not look at a specialization as the Holy Grail for the type of job they will work in forever. Rather, a student should focus on the electives within one or more specialization that will enhance his skills and prepare him for the road ahead.

Contributed by Amitava Kundu ( Class of 2002, IBS BANGLORE )

Classrooms are where we have been getting our primary learning since our childhood. It is from there we have nurtured ourselves. The study methodologies followed then were traditional where there would be no extended teaching hours, no PowerPoint Presentation, no Case-methodology, no panel discussions, and mostly the students would have to listen to the teacher and parrot the lessons.
The same classroom has been completely modernized in an MBA. The silent listeners have to be active listeners. The students no more have to be a mere spectator but rather dynamic participants with an aggression to willingly learn. They would have to give extensive presentation and initiate impromptu discussions and work on projects until the next day. They would have to agree and disagree to various notions and ideas put forward. In short there is vibrancy in these classrooms which makes MBA an effective course.

However, these classrooms are not the only tool for student’s all-round development. Keeping that in mind the limitations it still possess, MBA looks beyond these four-walls. To make the students more proactive, MBA utilizes various interactive and social environments, those which are more effective beyond the classroom studies. These ad-hoc groups act as a trigger to willingly learn circumventing the traditional channels.

Study Groups, is one such groups in which 5 to 10 random students are assigned one group name. They are assigned a mentor and a specific topic which they would have to collectively do it. This group forms a touch base for the students who get cohesive in time and with a specific agenda. They meet regularly and share ideas and ways to get the agenda done. This group is definitely a team-building exercise and requires minimum supervision by the mentor as the entire group works together to give their best.
Students in this group turn very proactive. In spite of the fact that no one initially knows each other, the amount of shared responsibly for each increases and it becomes a force for them to deliver results collectively. Further, this group has a purpose, an agenda which makes them unified and each has an excitement of contributing something. This makes the entire study group move in one direction rather than wandering aimlessly. In short, the whole process makes the individual learn religiously.
The significant environment beyond the classroom is the seminars, workshops and training sessions which are provided to the students out of the normal routine classes. Several seminars provided by guest lecturers, specially the ones who are intellectual and industry specialist. They provide new insights on electives, industry and career. They provide both theoretical and practical knowledge from their experiences. These Seminars provided by distinguished personalities help inspire students. Their valuable suggestions and ideas provide a sense of association with their own ideas.

During the MBA, various workshops are organized such as yoga, mediation, skill development, workshops on career specialization, etc provides enormous learning. These events are instrumental in providing learning in ways the traditional classroom cannot provide. Few events are backed by contest and prizes which motivates students to give their best. Some seminars are backed by training sessions on Software and Tools which are essential at work place. Such two-way processes are beyond the classroom training which are accompanied with feedback and appraisal and much away from the mundane classes.
During the course, students are asked to be part of various B-school sponsored Clubs and Committees. It goes without saying that these clubs which are diversified in nature right from Financial Club, Marketing Club, Information Technology Club, Festival Clubs, Nature’s Club, Social Club, Sports Club, Hostel Committee, Placement Committee, etc makes the student learn to take responsibility. These social groups and clubs help explore individual potential and many a times we see their willingness to learn.
They go an extra mile to achieve the objective of the club. Such initiative help build strong network, and each participants becomes integral part of the chain and builds a family.
Beyond these four walls, one of the most well known aspects is the Internship training that the students have to go through. Under this the students have to work on-the-job in a company for a month or two.

The process starts with either choosing your own company or opting from the B-school itself. The students are asked to relocate to the city in which he/she is posted and a mentor is assigned to monitor and guide him/her until the internship is over. The whole purpose is that the course ensures that the theoretical knowledge imparted to the student is actually made a practical use. It ensures the right effort is put in the right direction.
During this Internship, the individual have to imbibe to the company’s mission and vision. They would have to do exactly what they might experience while doing a Job. In fact it is not a drill but a corporate job. In addition to this, the students would have to mandatorily do a report on a topic which adds value to their training. This shows that the Internships are not excursions but a serious affair that has greater importance. These projects are also screened by the B-school and a star performer is handsomely rewarded.

During the course of MBA, the students have an opportunity to study abroad for 2 months or more. Under this, the students are provided oversea-campus accommodation and food. The curriculum has electives and is supplemented by tour and industrial visits. The lectures are conducted by foreign professors as well. These international exposures are great learning experience for the student. Such opportunity goes beyond the traditional classes and provides a new enhanced environment to learn. Last but not the least, the campus life during MBA has enormous value addition in itself. Right from the Hostel Life to being part of Fest Organization leaves an indelible footprint to the students.

Students come across people who are from different states, culture and background. The level of interaction among the students during hostel life provides a reality check to the students. The stay instills a sense of independence to them. It is during campus life that many of the students have to go through several challenges – making new friends, adapting to the place, living alone, getting errands done, and taking care of oneself.
In short, the education provided during MBA is not weighed only by the quantum of electives taught within the state-of-the art classrooms but also by the unparallel life outside these four walls.

Contributed by Mitesh Agarwal  ( Class of 2009-11, IBS HYDERABAD )