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| MBA (Master of Business Administration) |
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What actually is MBA all about?
Am I the right person for it?
Does the course always create good Managers? |
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We have seen many of our friends and relatives doing MBA right after their graduation, aspiring lot about a big management position in some big corporate. But we all are well aware of the fact that, a very nominal part of these Business Graduates get a job suiting their dreams and hopes. Why does this happen? We are on to a discussion..
In conventional terms, pursuing MBA must equip a person with skills to analyze, interpret and make decisions on various aspects of modern day business. This means that the candidate must be well aware of aspects of trade and management, moreover must think and invent new ways to tackle business consequences. It largely involves decision making. How many of those passing out of our graduate management schools will be able to do this?
In India, higher education is still done via the old methodology, which mostly involves learning from classroom lectures, readymade notes and University recommended text books. But very little emphasis is being given to research, discussions and self-learning. It is evident that decision making cannot be taught like that, apparently the skill of management has to originate from an individual's thought and experience in concerned industry. To facilitate this, people who pursue higher studies in management, must already be exposed to industry. More clearly saying, they must posses countable experience in an industrial environment, before starting the course.
The business schools in Western countries tend to recruit students on the above said idea, so a professional experience of at least 2 to 3 years in a relevant industry is mandatory during student intakes. The classroom becomes a place to group students in order to discuss various facets of business and industry. So they consider a class which comprises of students from diversifying industrial experience will make the best place for learning business. Every one of them must have their own outlook to present about an aspect, which in turn will be grouped to arrive into a general decision. So personality and communication skill also becomes an utmost requirement in such classes. A person who can communicate better will contribute better and eventually learn better. So even age is not a barrier; the average age of MBA students in western business schools range from 28 to 34. This substantiates the fact that MBA is a mid-career qualification.
To our relief, the premium business schools in India like the IIMs or XLRI are also following this system no wonder their intake criteria are one of the toughest in the world. Aptitude Tests, Group Discussions and Personal Interviews, they only want the very best among the aspirants. That is why people who pass out from these institutions are offered the best positions in industry not only in India, but also abroad. Now you know why when it comes to job offers to business graduates, where the candidate studied MBA becomes a prime criteria. The best institutions are not at all orthodox in learning methodologies, they imitate the best practices in the World or they show to the World how to impart business education.
We can also see that, getting a good job right after bachelors degree, is not so easy in our nation. Only selected graduates like medical graduates, engineers, law graduates, a few commerce graduates and those who posses specialisation degrees are the lucky ones. Try to get a job first and build up an experience in a specific industry. After acquiring knowledge about how the industry is functioning by being a part of it, think of managing people and business in the same industry. Then, if you feel confident about pursuing a management position, you feel like you have the basics to manage people and business, think about getting armed with Masters in Business Administration.
We are lucky to be in an era where our nation is looking bright unto the future in areas of commerce and industry. This means the need of efficient managers will be on the rise in the coming years. Remember, decisions by managers can flourish or demolish a business, so those who recruit are very decisive about giving the job in the right hands - those who also know about the specified industry, not just those who learned business. Don't lose hope; anyone who possesses average learning skills can get the certification. But try to acquire industry exposure before the course.
So think well before doing MBA, I am sure, no one of you will be eyeing a position lower than a Junior Manager right after your masters in business.
Best of luck!
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Article by Ullas Chacko Antony. He is a Post Graduate in Information Technology, a professional Software Programmer and an aspiring MBA.
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