When is the right time for MBA?

You probably are at the cusp of your career and wondering what you should do next. Should you go for higher education like business management or should you work for a few more years? This is never an easy decision to make or a nice situation to be in, as many of us have been there and overcome that phase. I can say from my own experience that I lost a lot of sleep over it and finally when I did decide, it was not a very convincing one. I still had the apprehension of not working a few more years to gain more experience and whether I had jumped the MBA bandwagon too soon. However, once I started the program, I knew I had made the right choice. More on my conviction later, but right now I want to shed some light about this conundrum of whether to work or opt for a MBA program.

Harvard Business School professors SrikantDatar and David Garvin and research associate Patrick Cullen began a comprehensive research study to explore the state of MBA education. Their findings comprise the book, “Rethinking the MBA: Business Education at a Crossroads” ‘1’. In the book the authors make the case, that although much of conventional business education is still relevant, much of it needs to be rethought. In an interview ‘2’ by Harvard Business Review, Professor David Garner explains how much work experience is necessary before pursuing MBA. The professor analyzes that once you have a couple of years of job experience; it provides enough experience to connect with during your MBA education. Additional years of experience do not add a lot more to your learning. I think this makes perfect sense. Once you know how a business operates, you can educate yourself with knowledge from business school, understand the context of your learning and apply yourself better after graduating. Being a master of the job before studying does not provide a big advantage. If only I had access to similar information during my days, I would have saved some precious sleep time.

What can you learn in MBA?

Now that you are assured that an MBA program can be pursued at any point in your career, the next big question is what you will learn during the time you spend in the business school. The first year curriculum is usually structured towards the core subjects of business management – accounting, economics, finance, marketing, operations, organizational behavior (also called human resources) and business strategy. Once you have a strong foundation built from the learning of the first year, you then have a chance in the second year to select electives in finance, marketing, human resources, information technology or some other stream of specialization. Each of us have a dream and based on that we can select a specialization in MBA. You can weigh your strengths 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. It is important to understand that the electives prepare us for our future domain of expertise and helps us gain competency in a particular area more than other topics. Someone who wants to be an investment banker would opt for finance specialization and acquire mastery over number crunching. So, in reality the electives help you acquire specific skills that are required to be successful in the vocation you select as your career.

Let us go back to what the Harvard professors, Srikant Datar and David Garvin, mentioned in their book about the need to rethink MBA education. Most leading business schools now-a-days provide opportunities to gain hands-on experience through industry interaction, projects integrated in the curriculum and credits attached to such projects. This becomes very beneficial to students since they don’t have to wait for the course to get over to apply their learning. Application of knowledge to real life business situations occur during the learning stage only. Any disconnect or positive experience can be appraised in the education process, thus improving the overall learning. The case study method of teaching is also a significant part of the course in many business schools. Problems in the real world do not come with tags labelled finance, marketing or IT. Case studies with real business problems prepare you to identify typical situations that you will face in the external world and come up with practical solutions.

A big boost to your personality

Aside from the course curriculum, the variety of activities all the students are exposed to during the MBA program transforms them completely. After two years of team oriented activities, regular interpersonal communication, peer discussions, preparing presentations overnight, the rigor of assignments, managing and resolving conflicts daily and participation in contests, you come out with a whole new personality that will pleasantly surprise you. Smart, suave, confident, assertive, good communicator, holistic perspective and problem solving approach are some of the qualities you will imbibe. Your batch-mates and teachers will become part of your network that you will remain connected with in the future as well. You will be able to contribute, as well as ask for help from this network throughout your life.

These two years are also a great occasion to develop your leadership skills. Whether you become an entrepreneur or a top executive in life, you will need to influence others and make them work towards a shared objective. You will get some scope to provide coaching to others and also receive assessments for your initiatives as a leader. In the current environment where changes happen at a frantic speed, business needs leaders that can quickly grasp the needs of people and render solutions to those needs even quicker.

“My job as a leader is to figure out where the world is going and make sure our company is there when the world arrives at that place,” says Ron Shaich, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Panera Bread.‘3’

Thirty years ago, Ron Shaich set out to change the world by changing the way America eats. By founding not one, but two, successful restaurant concepts, Au Bon Pain and Panera Bread, Shaich shook up the industry by offering an antithesis to fast food—handmade, artisan food served in warm and welcoming environments by people you can trust.Today, Panera Bread serves over eight million people each week, employs over 80,000 associates and is a leader in the restaurant space. ‘4’

What about your career?

In the short term an MBA education will surely benefit you in a competitive job market, as it opens up opportunities and arms you with skills for the workplace. Companies prefer employees who can transition quickly to the demands of business. An MBA program from a good school prepares you for that transition through case studies, industry interactions and team based projects. The long term advantage from MBA occurs when you have had a few years of experience and are striving for growth.

“The fact still remains that 42 CEOs of the Fortune top 100 companies hold an MBA.” Employers report that MBA post graduates are people with high degrees of credibility, are extremely confident and are able to positively influence their peers. ‘5’

Sources:

1http://www.hbs.edu/rethinking-the-mba/

2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBxtrbj_yXU

3 An MBA that served up a big slice of the snack market, by Rebecca Knight

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/b384f7d6-e272-11e3-a829-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3Jm9j6PYN

4https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/company/about-panera/management-bios.html

5 http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/mba/how-will-studying-for-an-mba-benefit-you/

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

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! And no one hires a dull boy, right? Neither your dream B-School for which you have been slogging hard, turnings days into nights nor the high paying multinational company where you see yourself a few years from now, sitting in a swank office discussing sales targets and financial reports with your colleagues.

Agreed that a strong academic report card with numerous ‘A’s proudly highlighted will put you right up there with the crème da la crème, but ask yourself this: Which Indian home hasn’t instilled in their child, the importance of good marks? What will then make you stand out in the fierce competition in the run to a good B school? What will help enhance your profile?

Aiming for an all-round development, being the ‘Jack of all Trades’ with equal participation and passion in non-scholastics as in academics, is the way to go because as Chip Conley rightly said “Intangibles are Important”

A manager or an entrepreneur must be equipped to face the unexpected, instead of focussing on certain things. Non-scholastic goals help in a holistic understanding of the society and the world which can help one to face a wide range of real life problems. Academics often get limited to theoretical problems and solutions; however an all-round development requires a creative solution to real life problems as well. These non scholastic activities provide an excellent way to experience; they are your true measure of the ‘Intangibles’

• Time Management and Multitasking
  Say you are in the college cricket team. You wake up every day with the sun, soil those white pants while practising in the nets, attend your classes, study for your CAT and still find time to help your kid sister in her mathematics test tomorrow, all in a day. Who wouldn’t be impressed?Having interests outside of your academics goes to show that you can balance multiple commitments with the limited number of hours at hand, and that as a future manager you are well equipped to juggle sales targets, presentations, conferences, recruiting, managing a team and more.
• Contributing to the Society
  Community involvement, volunteering with an NGO or being involved with any social sector goes to show that you have a larger view of the world outside; that you can see beyond ‘I-Me-Myself’ by contributing to the society. As a leader, it is important to give back to the society. With growing awareness of corporate social responsibility, contribution to your surroundings is being valued increasingly. When your personality embodies the larger life, management schools take that as a plus, as they know you will not disappoint as an alumni.
• Long Term Commitment
  Say a student was on the swimming team throughout high school and college. She then took an extra year to prepare for her B-School entrance exams while she helped coaching the middle school swimming team during the same year. Here, not only did she showcase her athletic abilities but also highlighted her commitment for her passion. The admission counsels will know that she is driven and committed and that the extra year was utilized in a productive manner.Let’s take an example. If you have been pursuing your hobby or passion since school and kept a balance between your work and play, it not only indicates that you are a high achiever but also that you are reliable, dependable and a committed person. Long term commitment is what all companies look for in their employee and they will also go the extra way for you if you show them that you are loyal.
• Relationship/Networking Skills
  Business not only thrives but it survives on networking these days. A constricted view of the world is often very limiting to one’s progress. A well-rounded, aware and sociable person who can engage and interact with different people is ultimately headed for more success than one with only academic excellence. It is in the extra-curricular activities, such as being the member of a sports or dance club, being part of a local NGO, being the lead guitarist of your school band etc., where strong relationships are formed. The bond you share with those who share common goals and passions go a long way. The skills you develop overtime interacting with individuals with different personalities and temperaments help you in the business world too. Who knows, after a decade you might get together with them again to start-up your own entrepreneurial adventure.

• Passion and Creativity
  Imagine a student who enjoyed dancing as a hobby until she was accepted to a multinational IT firm. She initially found no time to invest beyond the working hours. However, when she became involved in a company-sponsored fundraising initiative, she rekindled her passion to raise extra money by teaching her colleagues to dance which also helped unite the team.She did not only showcase her artistic talent and interest, but she was also involved in a greater cause, demonstrated her passion, creativity and leadership. This adds value to her resume and puts her straight into the top application by the management hiring committee.Your extracurricular activities do not have to be run-of-the-mill experiences nor have to come to a standstill once you get a job. Follow your passion and even though it might not be related to the business you are in, the leadership, initiative, passion and creativity that go into nurturing the passion will enhance your personality and reflect the same to the potential employers.
• Leadership Skills
  Leaders are distinguished as those who are resourceful, problem solvers, promoters of school activities, idea-contributors, dependable and who exemplify positive attitude about life. Leadership experiences can be best drawn from non-scholastic or community activities while working with or for others. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have held a title; any activity that shows that you ‘took a lead’ will help interviewer assess your abilities.When you apply to a business school, there’s a lot about your profile that is already set in stone – where you have studied, your career till date – but extra-curricular activities is an area where you can enhance your profile. Of course it is essential to have good grades too. It is the balance that will help you win!If you are still in the process of filing your application for an MBA School, you should consider listing the extra-curricular activities that interests you so that you are motivated to make an impact and really get involved. It is never too late to make the change. Think quality over quantity and start now. And if you are a working professional and are wondering ‘Where is the time?’ well think again!Also remember, not all your passions need to be altruistic, even if your hobby is as simple and clichéd as playing for your school cricket team, focus on how your interests bring out your personality and increase your worth vis-à-vis the intangibles. Secondly, B-Schools do not disregard solitary activities such as reading. True, they are less compelling as they do not involve team initiative and leadership skills but you can tweak this hobby to make it your strength. Consider reading short stories to street children or join a reading club that also helps raise funds books for a community school or library.

  Know your passion and make it work for you; know how an extra-curricular activity will help complement your personality together with your academic and professional goals and get an edge over your competitors.

Contributed by Aditi Kaushiva ( Class of 2007-2009, IBS GURGAON )

Reading should be a daily activity for an MBA aspirant/student. It is not a tough nut to crack that an MBA student would benefit from reading books that would guide them for a better future, but apart from that, reading helps you in several other ways too, like expanding your vocabulary, improving your analytical thinking skills, providing tranquility and last but not the least, providing free entertainment! Dozens of management books are written every year, however most of the MBA aspirants/students do not have time to explore all of them due to paucity of time, hence here is a comprehensive list of books that are worthy of special attention:

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stepen R Covey: This is one of the finest management books ever written. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People explains a useful set of guiding principles that help you change personally as well as professionally and in turn become more effective. The Seven Habits help us move through three stages of personal development. The first three take you from dependence to independence. The next three usher you through interdependence, and the seventh is needed to reinforce the others. The seven habits are: Be Proactive; Begin with the end in mind; Put first things first; Think win-win; Seek first to understand, then to be understood; synergize and “sharpen the saw”.

2. Good to Great by Jim Collins: This book involved a lot of analytics before it was printed. Jim Collins and his team analyzed how a lot of companies succeeded and what becomes abundantly clear in reading Good to Great is that there is no secret program, no “right timing” or “good luck” that was singlehandedly responsible for the success of any of the companies analyzed in this book. Instead, Collins and his team present, that the “Good to Great” companies simply, deliberately, defined their fundamental strength(s) and then systematically changed their behaviors and activities to ones that complimented those strengths. Repeated over time, these focused activities led them to great success.What makes Good to Great so powerful is that it not only provides the findings, but also gives instructions on how to recreate the same effects in your own life and/or business.

3. Snapshots from Hell: This book has been written by a very powerful man whose career depended on the words he wrote. Mr. Peter was the former speech writer for then-Vice President George H.W. Bush and President Ronald Reagan. His quest for understanding the business world made him land into one of the finest B – Schools of the world- Stanford. His view of how the premier B – schools actually function throughout the world is kind of frenzied! It clearly displays how an MBA is rigorous and hard as compared to any other post graduate degree in the world! For those who are currently pursuing their MBA or are done with it will easily be able to relate with the story! The book clearly distinguishes the business administration specialization with all other courses which helps in grasping quantitative disciplines, theories, practical, financial and simultaneously doing a lot of mental labor isn’t an easy task. Understanding every aspect of business and that too in detail right from marketing, operations, statistics, human resources and finance is certainly not as easy as a pie. The book is interesting and written from a student’s point of view with almost 95% accuracy! It is a must read for those who are doing an MBA and who want to pursue it!

4. Connect the Dots by Rashmi Bansal: There are very few English books written with an Indian audience in mind and Rashmi Bansal’s “Connect the Dots” is one of them. The book is a collection of 20 inspiring stories of entrepreneurs who never went to any B-school. They were driven by the desire to realize their passions. To lead interesting, passionate and meaningful lives. Their stories echo one sentiment clearly – You need dream big and make it happen. It’s all in your head, your heart and your hands. Written in the form of a conversation, the author here questions the subjects and complements their words with insightful statements.

5. Beyond the MBA Hype A Guide to Understanding and Surviving B-Schools by Sameer Kamat: Sameer Kamat’s book tries to provide direction on how to get into a B-School and understand how it functions. He lists down the essentials needed to impress the admission committee: What is it that they want? They do not want someone who knows business like the back of his hand, but the basics are needed.

6. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell: This book was gifted to me by my colleagues on my last day of working with Hewitt Associates and sorry to say it, but I hated it then. I worked in Analytics and hated reading about anything remotely related to analytics outside my workplace. Then one evening when I did not have anything else to read at home, I picked this book up and surprisingly I couldn’t put it down. Malcolm Gladwell excels at pinpointing a social phenomenon, be it cultural epidemics (The Tipping Point) or snap judgments (Blink); putting forth his thesis; and illustrating his proof through a series of short, engaging, self-encapsulated histories. In Outliers, he examines the phenomenon of high achievement, fantastic stories of success often attributed to the tenacity, hard work, and innate individual talent. The author doesn’t discount the necessity of ability, and he points to hard work as a crucial factor for success in any endeavor. But he finds in these success stories that factors such as timing, circumstance and cultural heritage play an often overlooked yet critical role. Outliers is Malcolm Gladwell’s ode to these unsung heroes.

7. Straight from the Gut by Jack Welch: Jack Welch does not need an introduction. Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch embodies what many believe are the ultimate skills of the courageous corporate leader: guts, know-how and a track record that includes keeping a top company extremely profitable for 20 years. This book is basically an autobiography of Jack Welch’s GE years and does not dwell on deep management theory. It does a great job of showing the management task as an art and discipline that can be learnt, improved and mastered rather than as personal charisma or other common stereotypes of leadership.

Read these books in any order as you like, but try to read them all. Books like these leave a lasting impression on all the readers and help them navigate through the world of MBA. It is assured that they will make a positive impact on your life, both personally and professionally.

Happy reading!

Contributed by Shilpa Verma Kansal ( Class of 2006 – 2008, IBS GURGAON )

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You clutch your course handout of a subject in your hand and wonder about the various titles written in the last column of it. These titles are the quintessential of your disciplines in practical world and are known as case studies. Ranging from a single page to a whopping figure of thirty or forty, case studies give you a new perspective to your book concepts. Written by Harvard’s as well as IBS’s professors, they appraise the practical scenario in which the application of the book concepts has been witnessed.

Basically, there are three broad categories in which every case-study can be divided into. First, there is the introduction part which gives you a brief history of the organization and outlines the main dilemma and problem points of the case-study. The second part consist the facts and information which could be crucial for solving the case and the last part focuses on a specific problem which the organization, mentioned in the case, wants you to solve to come to a decision and hence terminate the conundrum.

Of course, there are exceptions to the above mentioned ‘three parts of a case’ rule. Cases in the discipline of Economics, for instance, are mostly jotted down in a chronological manner. Throwing light on major economic crisis of the world, the students are encouraged to discuss on a “What-If” basis rather than asking them to solve a problem.

Again, there are three ways of solving any case study. Read the chapter first, read the case and the final step is to match the concepts of the chapter with the case. Since the first two steps are self-explanatory we would not go into the details but focus on the third and the trickiest step as it is of paramount importance when it comes to solving a case.

The golden rule of approaching any case-study is – “Stop getting scared of the size of the case and the number of pages, words etc.” On the contrary, the lengthier the case is, the better it is for approaching a conclusion. When it comes to subjects such as Quantitative Techniques, Accounting for Managers, Operation Management and other disciplines, lengthier cases aid you with more and more information and hence solving them becomes a walk in the park.

Initially, adopt the habit of reading the case completely. Try not to omit any part of initial cases from every subject. They are written very precisely in the start and this practice of yours might give you a clue as to what areas you can skip when it comes to further lengthier cases.

Though there is an incorrect notion among students that the focus on case studies should be kept until the last minute. In fact, it should be quite the opposite way. Overcome this procrastination and don’t take case studies down to the wire where it is just a tool to earn grade in class participation. A lot of thought goes into designing a case-study and the same is expected from the students while grasping the concepts from it.

‘Ask questions to yourself’ is the next rule to follow. Try to find the crux of every paragraph or at least every page and narrow it down in the form of a few questions. This exercise would help you in two ways. Firstly, you would be able to summarize the entire case and secondly, it would help you in the class participation too. However, you need to have an experience of three to four sessions to execute it perfectly. You need to know the areas where the professor emphasizes on while discussing the cases and once you grasp that, you will be able to form questions in accordance with that of your professor’s.

Note down the names of critical decision makers (they are mostly the top management of the organization mentioned) from the case and jot down their point of view regarding the dilemma mentioned. Sometimes it so happens that either the language of the case perplexes us or it is the diverse viewpoints of the decision-makers that add to the confusion. Hence, it is better to scribble the final stand of every decision-maker on the dilemma.

Not every case can be solved by a thorough reading. Sometimes, you have to look beyond the horizon for the answers. What lies behind the veil are the “Appendix” which has the balance sheet, growth chart of the firm since its birth and other significant numerical hints. Let’s say the dilemma of a firm lies in whether or not to foray into a new market. Just by reading the company’s history and other facts you cannot resolve this issue. This is where the appendix trumps all other facts and information. All you have to do is compare the preceding year’s profits and other important figures to help you reach the verdict. Try to give logical solutions backed by numbers rather than shooting in the dark without any evidence.

Now once you follow all the above rules and tag yourself a perfectionist in solving the issues of various cases, you can advance to a part called ‘Skipping’ some areas of cases. This would surely save a lot of time and make you to concentrate on more vital areas of the case-studies. Now, you might wonder which areas to skip without affecting the decision-making process. This would vary from subject to subject.

In Accounting, Quantitative, Marketing Research and other financial subjects you can skip the history and introduction of the firm and scan for numbers instead. While in subjects such as principles of Marketing, Service Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communication, Business to Business Marketing etc. try to look for the four (or seven) P’s first and then the STP (Segmentation, Target market and Positioning) of the firm.  When it comes to micro (and macro) economics, try to represent the problem of the case with the help of a diagram (a graph) and then understand it on a broader scale. Solve the IT related subjects’ cases such as ISM directly over your computer. Make sure you input the data in your computer as and when it appears in the case.

What if a professor of a financial subject asks you about the history of the firm? The answer is ‘Trade off’. Diversify the risk in such a manner that even if you miss the intro and history of the case, you still have the middle and last part (which is the solution) to discuss at the time of case discussion in the lecture.

Lastly, never ever put a cart before a horse. Read the chapters first before even touching the cases. Regardless of the subject whose case you are studying, always keep in mind the industry in which the firm belongs, the target group and definitely the dilemma that you need to focus on. Just in case none of the above rules work for you, remember that the professors are always there as a last resort. All you have to do is to approach them and clarify your doubts with them.

All the best!

Contributed by Hasan Ali Gumani ( Class of 2012-2014, IBS HYDERABAD )

In today’s fast changing and ever evolving world of business, the importance of management/managerial skills is of paramount importance. To address today’s topic I would like to first briefly elaborate on “What is a Management Skill” and how and why it becomes essential for survival of today’s enterprise.

Management Skill can be defined as an attribute/characteristic in a person which enables him to make most of the available resources in an efficient manner.

There can be many skills a management or a manager should posses to effectively and efficiently run an organization. I will pick only few of them which are actually the game changer.

1. Time Management
2. Self Confidence
3. Knowledge
4. Effective Communication
5. Result Oriented
6. Persistence
7. Self Motivation
8. Proactive
9. Empathy
10. Goal Setting

For a manager the above mentioned skills along with a few more are very important to succeed. I would like to elaborate particularly on these 10 skills and explain how they prove to be a game-changer.

1. Goal Setting: For a manager setting up the correct, precise and smart goals is very important. If goal setting is done with due care and proper introspection, anything is achievable. To ensure that this task is done with perfection a manager should be cautious, aware of himself, the marketplace, and his team/organization, and should know the product/service thoroughly.

2. Time Management: This is perhaps the most talked about skill a manager should have. Why is it important to manage time? Because it is the only resource which is free. Have you ever paid anything to buy time? You haven’t right, then how is it the most expensive resource? It’s the most expensive one – because you pay for it after you spend it. If you spend it wisely you reap the benefits and vice-versa. A manager who manages his time well usually achieves his goals on time and with a better success rate.

3. Persistence: In business and in life one is bound to fail sometimes. It’s the persistence in a person which helps him achieve the impossible. ‘Never Give Up’ spirit and coming up stronger after each time you fall will make you a stronger and more successful person in life. As Thomas Alva Edison said – Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. So, be persistent in all your endeavors.

4. Empathy: A leader/manager should be empathetic to his team and to himself. There are targets which are going to be missed, there are going to be missed deadlines, there might be failures in relationships (personal and professional). But these are the moments when one should be patient, strong and empathetic to overcome the situation. Displaying empathy would create a stronger bond between the team, enables one to understand other’s point of view and analyze situations from a different angle.

5. Effective Communication: This is the most important skill a manager should possess. Today there are numerous courses in colleges and in corporations to make their folks more effective while communicating. This actually helps the organization cut costs, prevent repetition and achieve customer satisfaction. Effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication is the need of the hour and should be paid attention to.

6. Knowledge: Today information is on the fingertips of every individual. We can search for any information at an unprecedented level with an unbelievable accuracy. But knowledge is different from being informed. Being knowledgeable and an expert of one’s subject/field will earn him/her respect and accolades. In this economy, the most lucrative jobs are given to a person who is well informed, knowledgeable and is updated about the current events. It further helps when someone is well versed with technology and also knows how to maneuver it.

7. Self Confidence: With knowledge comes confidence. Self Confidence is very important in today’s world of business. It is you who should first believe in yourself before anybody else does. To believe in their capabilities and have a strong will makes a manager or organization successful. But you should be very careful when being confident it should not be false/overconfidence. Just remember that if the confidence is coming from knowledge, preparation and hard work, then it’s genuine; otherwise check once more before you hit a roadblock due to complacency.

8. Self Motivation: When you go up in the ladder there are fewer people who motivate you than the people who discourage you. You should be a self-motivator to take initiative and encounter failure. One should be brave enough to take on challenges with a positive and an optimistic outlook. Self-Motivation is very important when one is leading others. It’s the most important aspect of one’s personality to come up victorious every time.

9. Proactive: This is most one of the most desirable managerial skills in today’s world of rapid change, but unfortunately it is found very rarely in students, managers and leaders. Being proactive means preparing for the challenges are yet to arrive. Being proactive means to be able to envision the future and prepare for it or rather create the future on your own terms. This quality ensures better results, higher customer satisfaction and an increased customer loyalty.
10. Result Oriented:Everybody wants an employee or a manager who can produce great results.
    All of us expect good results from ourselves in all the aspects of our lives. Any person would like to become a better son/daughter, a better spouse/friend, a better parent etc. Being result oriented does not mean to exhaust oneself while working or pursuing a cause, it does not even mean to be a fanatic and end one’s life in a lunatic asylum. But being result oriented means that one should always be focused and oriented to his results, while maintaining a balance between the personal and professional life. One should not be distracted by external/internal factors.

    These management qualities are vital to run an organization successfully. Each of the above mentioned skills enables a person to effectively manage resources at his/her disposal. In today’s turbulent times, the importance of these skills cannot be underestimated. These are the qualities each manager/leader/student must possess in order achieve great success.

    Apart from being successful in professional arena, these qualities also make a person a better human being which is more important that having a promising career. Since an average person works for about 30-35 years in his life, the rest of the time is dedicated to the society, family and his friends by interacting and exchanging ideas and values. Each of above explained qualities makes him a better character to play his role more efficiently and more satisfactorily.

Contributed by Avdhesh Shukla ( Class of 2009, IBS BANGLORE )

Master of Business Administration (MBA) is just not a qualification or a degree which many applicants apply for. It is a means to a purpose, then a purpose in itself. Your motto would never be just to get an MBA degree but to utilize the skills learned during the course towards the area of interest. One has to understand that MBA is a classroom program which has different transformational aspect towards an individual’s growth and career enhancements. It acts as a catalyst to one’s career.

A majority of the candidates pursue MBA to land a respectable job but is this right attitude towards their career? Of course NOT! Instead, they should think that they are not just pursuing MBA but rather, chasing their dream.

The contemporary MBA era is over where one would get an MBA to get a job. MBA has evolved through the years and it has now become the roadmap for Entrepreneurship. MBA has been extremely helpful in seeding the minds of the individuals with new business models, new viable plans, new strategies and have sown the seeds of creating new jobs. Gone are those days when one would applaud a fat pay-check when now people take pride in starting a new venture. It brings a sense of accomplishment and the ideas are worth millions against a hefty check. So, MBA plays a crucial role in streamlining these thoughts and ideas.

One of the most important aspects of MBA is the learning that it provides. Various domains such as Finance, Marketing, Human Resource, Project Management, Information Technology, Business Communication, Business Ethics etc are imparted to the candidates. Various methods are adopted to ensure that the individual is getting the cutting-edge knowledge and is right on track with the latest developments. This includes PowerPoint presentation, class-room training, industrial visits, team projects, individual assignments and most importantly, an internship. With this multi-prong strategy, teaching and learning goes hand-in-hand and is the most undisputable fact of the course.

MBA centers on multiple semesters with each one divided into several subjects which spread out from basic to intermediate to specialized knowledge level. The complexity and the rigorous assignments backed by empirical case studies provide an outstanding experience which otherwise would have been left unexplored. These projects and assignments fill the void which a contemporary course usually skips. In short, MBA is a structured program which strives in taking the best out in an individual. On the behavioural front, the individual evolves an analytical bent of mind.

It is one of the few courses which apart from imparting knowledge also build social-personal skills. It helps your harness skills right from professional communication to ethical behaviour. It teaches you to deal critical situations in a most positive and efficient way. Just not that, more than a course, it definitely roots the individual leadership quality and teaches how to get along in a social group. These skills are a by-product of the course and change the persona of every individual, helping him go a long way in his career.

One of the forefronts in an MBA course is the ‘Brainstorming Session’ that the individual has to experience at multiple levels. This drives a person to not just put new thoughts and fresh ideas forward but also helps them understand various ideas of their peers too. Individuals start connecting the dots and respecting the ideas of others. The process is so effective that it enables one to think outside of the box which otherwise would have been untapped. The impact of this will be more visible when the person starts working in an organization.

The experienced lecturer who comes from different industry, background, knowledge and perspective makes MBA a different ball game altogether. Their experience and expertise would be a priceless aspect for students. Their way of imparting knowledge and the methodology of teaching is not something that one can ever get in books or learn on their own. Such aspects leave no leaf unturned in the learning process of the individual.

MBA provides a platform where you can maximize the available resources. You can have a mentor helping you get your skill-sets and concepts right. You can get in touch with your strong alumni-base to help reshape your ideas and guide you till your execution stage. Furthermore, you have the full support of a diversified group of classmates who can make learning more meaningful. In short, the quality of support one gets while pursuing an MBA is worth the time and money spent.

One of the primary aspects of the course is to make the individual efficient. This is not done just by taking sessions after sessions but through continuous monitoring and evaluation. The individual is subjected to rigorous time-bound projects which are done in small groups and thereupon a 360 degree feedback and appraisals are done. In each semester, the individual gets to know where he stands and measure his performance. More importantly, the peer competition further makes him burn the mid-night oil to get the correct CGPA. Eventually, a new mindset with a strong performer is what one ends up with.

MBA also incorporates on-the job training which is known as ‘Internship’. An individual who has already been made aware of theoretical knowledge is given exposure to the on-the job training in the middle of the course helps recognize his potential as well as weakness. It actually provides a reality check and the areas of improvement or the areas which the individual would have to further hone. It is a litmus test to the individual making him more serious about his career path. In short, this training may be of a few weeks but it provides SWOT analysis to the individual which brings crucial changes on an individual’s perception and brings the best out of him.

To call a spade a spade, MBA has been gripped into a misconception that it is a mere qualification. With so much to get from a professional course like what has been mentioned, one can only say that MBA is beyond qualification and a fat pay-check.

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

An MBA degree not only gets you an entry into the corporate; it stays with you for the rest of your life. Your Alma matter defines who you are.  The college from which you graduate from helps you in your future course of journey.   So one has to be careful while deciding to join a MBA institute, as there are so many stakes (money, efforts, and future) involved, it is one of the crucial decision which can make or mar ones career.

There are around 3000 B-Schools/Management institutes in India which produce more than

1, 00,000 management graduates every year. Majority of them cater to students without prior industry experience. So why do companies pay lucrative 6 figures salary packages to only 10 % of the lot.  How do companies choose professionals for working in their companies when they know fresher’s have to be trained and worked upon before putting them into responsibilities.  And the million dollar question for the student here is how to select a college of repute why will lead them the entry into those 10%.

Well the answer to these questions lies here.

When a company chooses a college for campus it has different criterion based on which it makes decision.

Brand name – Brands play a significant role in choosing a product in  our daily life. Same is the case with companies. Companies shortlist colleges of high repute which are known in the industry to select their future professionals. Colleges with a long term perspective invest hugely on Brand building exercises.

Alumni: The reputation is build by a college due to its Alumni network and how it is doing in the market. The performance of professionals who are doing exceptionally well in the market reflects their quality of Alma matter. It also depends upon the differentiators which the college has created for itself which distinguishes itself from the rest of the lot. Colleges like MIT, HBS don’t worry about the placements as the Alumni itself suffice the requirement.

Teaching Pedagogy:  The distinguishing factors can be the pedagogy, industry exposure and the way learning is imparted in the students.   Universities like Harvard, Stanford and Oxford are famous for its case study style of teaching. Case studies are considered as an effective way of exposing students to managerial situations. It introduces and provides hands on experience to students of what is going on in the industry. Modern teaching tools and techniques such as simulation games, innovative class activities, learning through videos and role plays also helps Students understand the nitty-gritty and intricacies.

Industry- Institute Interface: The Companies prefer to go to colleges for placements which they have interacted with. This interaction happens when a college has a continuous connect with Industry Professionals. This connect happens in the form of guest lecture from the industry professionals,  Invitation to industries for events happening at college, mentorship program from industry, Summer Internship and Winter Internship programs, sponsorship and other allied activities. The industry is also in a way want to get connected to Institutes to get the Crème – Del – crème of professionals for their companies. Many Corporate firms organize and sponsor events which help them understand the dexterity of students in the available market.

Well these are some of the traits which a company looks for in a college for campus placement. The end result is a win-win situation for both the company and the institute as the companies get the best of talent pool for their organization and the colleges get the best of packages for their students. When it comes to students to select a college these aspect should be definitely put into consideration.

Let’s try to see what are the advantages of graduating from a Premier MBA institute:-

A Lucrative career: – The fight for getting into the elite college is not just for the sake of getting into the best colleges of the country but to have a lucrative career ahead. The elite MBA helps you give you a head start over your counterparts who may not get the push from a tier 2 or tier 3 MBA. The chances of selection in interviews increases, promotions, switching from one company to other good company, when you have a tag of an elite Institute behind your back which gives you an extra edge over others.

Alumni Network: – Every good college has a strong alumni network which acts as a backbone of the institute. This not a known fact in case of a non premier, two tier colleges. The fact of the matter is that it is very important to understand how much the Institute is connected with its alumni. As education has been minted into a big business the college feels that the pass outs have no role to play and just act as liabilities to them. But a college of good reputation never lets its alumni lose its hope and faith in the institution and treat them as the torch bearers and messenger of their institute to the Industry and the society. The Alumni meets, mentorship program etc helps the Alumni to be connected with the college and the friend circle which he was part of during his MBA. The Alumni network also helps in career advancement, Job change, etc which makes thing easy for him in the latter part of his career.

Groomed persona: A good MBA program which has two years of rigorous hard work and development of smart work has an unusual effect on the persona of an individual. He/she gains not only presentation and communication skills but also analytical skill sets which helps him/her understand and solve complex situation of life and other issue with great rigor and enthusiasm. The MBA program changes the perspective of an individual towards life and its challenges.

Identity: – The MBA degree becomes an Identity of the Individual. When a person gets the tag of being a MBA from the Elitist of Institute he gets a special identity among his colleagues and staff. A different form of respect and admiration is shown towards the person. As it is rightly said that, “Respect cannot be bought, it has to be earned”.   The respect and adoration one gets because of being a part of an elite club has an aura of its own and which can be felt ones the person becomes a part of such club creating an exclusive segment for himself/herself.

Contributed by Roopesh Rao  ( Class of 2007, IBS GURGAON )