Saturday, August 9, 2008

Why MBA?

The CAT 2008 forms are out and the fight to get into the most prestigious of Indian Institutes (famously known as the IIMs) is gaining pace. Most of my friends are searching for reasons why to write it. They want to know how will MBA help them achieve what they want to achieve when they don't know for sure what they want.. Well, one month into the system, I am still not sure why I opted for MBA but can tell what it is and what should one look for in an MBA.

Three months back, I found myself getting offers from various IIMs (except the most illustrious and horrifying A) and a job offer from TVS Capital Fund. I was stuck in a dilemma not knowing which would give my career a better kick. But one month into it, I am starting to believe that the decision I took was the right one. There are several reasons for it. Firstly and most importantly, its an opportunity one might or might not get again. You must be very strong on your hunches to ignore an offer from IIMB. Secondly, it completes off my formal education and the thoughts of going back into academia after joining a job no longer exist. Third, is that I have come to know that little I knew what PE was and what I would be doing there. Leave that alone, I didnt know how an organisation worked. One can argue that I could have learnt all that there. Yes indeed, but when you have to do an MBA in any case why not do it and then understand. I completely acknowledge the fact that people with job experience appreciate a couple of courses better. But the number stays put to a couple. In other courses its all a level playing field. Fourth, a place like MBA gives u a platform to explore what you want to do and what you enjoy. Its not about getting the highest package after the placements, its more about finding what you can do and what you cannot.

The other thing I have noticed is that people often perceive this place as a production house of entrepreneurs. Although, this is one of the important aspects of management education, it is not the only one. IIMB goes a long way in producing world class managers, not necessarily entrepreneurs. It gives the very basics on which any industry is based and then builds upon it to specialize you in the field of interest. It provides everyone with a sense of direction as to what one wants to do.

So, if you are undecided on what you want from your life or any such questions like that lingering in your mind, I would suggest you seriously think about management education. If you think you know what you want to try and give it a shot, go ahead... But in any 50 - 50 situation its education that always wins.

4 comments:

Unknown said...
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KSHITIJ said...

Well written...review in 18 months :)

Ankit said...

yeah... we will have one after my intern.. and then take it from there..

Contributing Author said...

That's a very good piece of reasoning, and I can appreciate the dilemma since I'm still not quite sure which direction to go in. I think there's probably a middle ground for the likes of me though (not accepted into prestigious schools...). The idea is to start a rewarding job in the general economics field, but simultaneously get an MBA business degree in economics perhaps through the online arm of a local university. It's not fancy, but it would give me a leg up over 75% of other people in the field