Why MBA?
Being an alumni of MBA entrance coaching classes and presently a fellow men of MBA student fraternity, I sometimes feel that majority of B-School aspirants and even B-School students are not aware of the reason to pursue an MBA? Cursory glance thrrough the following forum on PagalGuy To Hell with MBA will give you an insight into the veractiy of my statements. Applying 80:20 rule to the number of applicants in CAT, we derive that only 50,000 out of 2,50,000 applicants are aware of their reasons to do an MBA.
A step-wise approach is essential in any decision making procedure and the same implies to the decision making process of pursuing an MBA. The approach consists of three questions “YWH” which need to be asked in the same order as it is mentioned for an effective decision. In case of a decision of pursuing an MBA one needs to ask three questions viz “Why MBA?”, ”When MBA?” and “How MBA?”. The first question shall answer the reason for one to do an MBA and which MBA will suit him the most, the second one answers the best time to do the MBA which he has zeroed in for and the third answers how to go about it.
Though “Why MBA?” is the first and the most important question to be answered, it is the least bothered element in decision making for majority of the MBAs as I have pointed out in the earlier section of the article. Even in a coaching institute, the faculty and students remain confined to the boundaries of how to crack an MBA entrance test and the discussion to answer “Why MBA?” remains at the back burner except during the preparation for GD/PI. The answers prepared during the GD/PI stage are mostly cosmetic and do not represent the real candidates views and thoughts.
Many B-School students pursuing MBA become aimless and hence are not able to reap the best out of MBA course. As per my opinion, this is one of the reason due to which Indian MBA courses create managers not leaders. A Harvard Professor once commented about Indian MBA - “Indian managers can keep a ship (business) afloat but cannot salvage out a sinking ship (business)”.
January, Febrauary and March are the seasons of final admission process for majority of B-Schools around India. And a huge chunk of students will be brainstorming on how to get through the last hurdle. Though answer to the question “Why MBA?” is not the sole criteria for ones admit to B-Schools but I would advocate every candidate to do a retrospection before he/she gets into the corridors of B-Schools to reap the best of your MBA. Better late than never!!!
Why do you suppose the professor said “Indian managers can keep a ship (business) afloat but cannot salvage out a sinking ship (business)”? It seems a bit prejudicial to me.
Good points Pradeep. In my opinion, B-Schools in India need to incorporate something in their curriculum to stimulate a career planning. Even better would be if they do some introspection before the join as you alluded in your article. Any thoughts on how they can do this?
As to the previous reply by “University of Chicago Hopeful”, The Harvard prof. is probably referring to the fact that analytical thinking and creativity is lacking. Which is why Indian managers do well in operational jobs (follow the precess) but fall short when they are required to think.
Probably the reason also why in India MBAs are in great demand i.e. employers hope that MBAs are more capable of analytical thinking than a non-MBA
Very interesting points pointed by you here.According to me mba in India is perceived to be a course which would be the last milestone to be achieved in the field of education,a degree to flaunt in the society or to achieve just a managerial post which is highly thought of at least in the Indian context.A very hand few people would be really pursuing mba as a course which would be adding a missing piece in their overall persona.I feel people should give more thought on this before really committing to a mba course like this.
“Indian managers can keep a ship (business) afloat but cannot salvage out a sinking ship (business)” might be true due to the reason/mindset of people having an MBA from india. In the west most of the management institutes have people having ample amount of work experience doing this course simply because the course fee being exorbitantly high they got to have ample amount to pay up the fee and are very sure of the ROI .The long experience is required to ascertain his own weaknesses and voids which the MBA would cater to strengthen and fill up.