21–30 of 139 posts
Once could make the argument that having an MBA is actually a hinderance in tech...
Do you have something substantive to add to the discussion, instead of simply offering a baseless semi-insult? You might even be right, but just writing it without any supporting evidence isn't adding much to this discussion.
For what's it's worth nearly all the excellent executives I've met over the years didn't have an MBA and nearly all the worst ones did...
I wonder if she would still become COO of Facebook without Harvard MBA and all the oportunities resulted from it. MBA is probably really not necessary, but if you have the oportunity to do one on a top school, it may open some doors and expand your network. At least it has no negative effects (if you can efford it). Especially if you have technical background and want to move to management position. It simply diversi…
It has opportunity costs though. Assuming that MBA is indeed useless, she would have achieved greater things in lesser time had she spent the time on something more meaningful than pursuing the MBA.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Do you have something substantive to add to the discussion, instead of simply offering a baseless semi-insult? You might even be right, but just writing it without any supporting evidence isn't adding much to this discussion.
I think its pretty clear, the time invested in a mba degree is quite enough to really improve or learn new technical skills.
By "technical skills", do you mean programming? Because plenty of financial based technical skills are taught in MBA programs.
Of course, HN loves to blame MBAs for everything that goes wrong in tech companies; meanwhile, how many founders can't read financial statements, have no idea how to market, can't budget, can't do HR and get suckered in by VCs? Plenty. I think there's a direct correlation between people who think MBAs are "useless" and those who don't understand that running a business is much more involved and harder than it seems.
MBAs aren't required in tech in much the same way Computer Science degrees aren't required. But they're certainly valuable.
I wonder if she would still become COO of Facebook without Harvard MBA and all the oportunities resulted from it. MBA is probably really not necessary, but if you have the oportunity to do one on a top school, it may open some doors and expand your network. At least it has no negative effects (if you can efford it). Especially if you have technical background and want to move to management position. It simply diversi…
> At least it has no negative effects It has opportunity costs though. Assuming that MBA is indeed useless, she would have achieved greater things in lesser time had she spent the time on something more meaningful than pursuing the MBA.
My background is economics (and political philosophy) - and I work in tech - first as a programmer, the product manager, and now as founder: knowing economics has been useful in my roles as PM and founder.
Everyone should know some basic economics - micro-econ concepts such as marginal utility, producer/consumer surplus - as its useful for business.
And everyone should know basic macro stuff (interest rates/GDP/etc) because in a democracy it pays to have informed citizens.
An MBA, however, is overkill.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> At least it has no negative effects It has opportunity costs though. Assuming that MBA is indeed useless, she would have achieved greater things in lesser time had she spent the time on something more meaningful than pursuing the MBA.
Well, on the other hand, there are a lot of people who haven't paid that opportunity cost, but they aren't the COO of Facebook...
Honestly the MBA has always mostly been an advanced degree for people who didn't get an advanced degree in a real subject. Lets people tick the 'grad school' box. The real world value has always been quite questionable and yes I'd agree here that in tech it's mostly useless, if not actually even a disadvantage. For what's it's worth nearly all the excellent executives I've met over the years didn't have an MBA and ne…
Thing is, the useless MBA image comes from the indiscriminate and formalistic practices of HR recruiters, who would equate an "MBA" with "value". So the incentives have changed from "I want to bring my company forward" to "I want a cushy job with little actual work".
And it is true, that traditional business education has now suffered from this. What I ask myself, if CS will be immune to this. Judging that Fizz Buzz is still a thing, I'd say no.