Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

bloomberg.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 139 posts

Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

#41

Post by OJFord »

jevgeni wrote: post #36
OJFord wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but there is only one COO of Facebook, so let's not make any statistical conclusions.

But are statistical conclusions really necessary? Or the only conclusions that matter? I look at it from a market perspective: she had to compete with a lot of people for that position. If an MBA was a disadvantage, would she win that position? Of course, there are many factors for why she got her position. But I doubt that she strictly speaking knows which of them contributed and which of them didn't.

    > But are statistical conclusions really necessary? Or the
    > only conclusions that matter?
They are in the sense that without any further information, let's make other claims:

  - Would she really be the COO of Facebook if she wasn't a woman?  
  - Would she really be the COO of Facebook if she wasn't an Harvard alumna?  
  - Would she really be the COO of Facebook if she wasn't Jewish?  
  .  
  .  
  .

    > there are many factors for why she got her position. But
    > I doubt that she strictly speaking knows which of them
    > contributed
Precisely; nor do we. There seems little point speculating. (However something statistical like 'x% tech COOs have an MBA' would be more interesting).

Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

#42

Post by xivzgrev »

Then why do several prominent tech companies have MBA preferred in their business job postings? I noticed maybe 9 months ago during a job search.

I also have a friend who is MBA and works at FB. They have a whole formal program set up for them.

So while it may not be advantangeous per Se I think companies do use it as a proxy for character traits or pattern of achievement. Because of that it is an advantage. Even if not if they have a formal Recruiting program then IT is an advantage.

Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

#43

Post by trequartista »

c0achmcguirk wrote: post #34

I'm a developer at a financial services company. I was content to be a developer and let the "business" folks define our stories and I'd just code them. I never understood the application I was building on a deep level--it was always superficial. A friend convinced me to take a few MBA classes at a local university. The first class was accounting. It opened my eyes to understanding what our product and business owner…

This has been my experience as well - getting a deeper, business insight into the applications that I was building for my customers.

It has also helped me in one more way - getting a feel and helping me understand why my own company behaved the way it did - including business strategy, sales dynamics as well as HR policies and practices.

Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

#44

Post by pc86 »

jevgeni wrote: post #33
x1024 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you're saying that "No true MBA graduate is useless".

Why are people on HN so obsessed with trying to find argument fallacies in comments? No, I am not saying that. The words "true MBA" have the same amount of content to them as "a true kitchen sink": zero. I say that people buy education for different reasons. Some get an MBA because they want to flash their CVs, have a cushy job, and avoid the strains of being original. Others get an MBA because they need the skills,…

> Why are people on HN so obsessed with trying to find argument fallacies in comments?

Because they usually don't understand the fallacies themselves, let alone the argument someone else is making.

Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

#45

Post by code4tee »

xivzgrev wrote: post #42

Then why do several prominent tech companies have MBA preferred in their business job postings? I noticed maybe 9 months ago during a job search. I also have a friend who is MBA and works at FB. They have a whole formal program set up for them. So while it may not be advantangeous per Se I think companies do use it as a proxy for character traits or pattern of achievement. Because of that it is an advantage. Even if…

Because, honestly, HR at most of these "tech companies" is rather clueless. Also as an investor if I see a tech companies looking to pack the halls with MBAs that tells me a lot about its soon to be bloated future.

If someone is really skilled outside the MBA and it was more of a tack-on then they'll probably be fine. ...but in my experience the person relying on their MBA is the type of clueless executive that demands all the metrics for their division be totally reworked into some crazy ridiculous Excel spreadsheet because that's the only thing they know how to use and they think this means that they are doing analytics. These are the types that slowly destroy companies these days.

Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

#46

Post by atom-morgan »

xivzgrev wrote: post #42

Then why do several prominent tech companies have MBA preferred in their business job postings? I noticed maybe 9 months ago during a job search. I also have a friend who is MBA and works at FB. They have a whole formal program set up for them. So while it may not be advantangeous per Se I think companies do use it as a proxy for character traits or pattern of achievement. Because of that it is an advantage. Even if…

It's a matter of walking the talk. Every tech company says, "We don't care about years of experience with a specific language. We want someone who can learn quickly no matter what they do". Then you interview and they ask you specifics on whatever programming languages they're using internally.

Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

#47

Post by jackgavigan »

trequartista wrote: post #43
c0achmcguirk wrote: post #34

I'm a developer at a financial services company. I was content to be a developer and let the "business" folks define our stories and I'd just code them. I never understood the application I was building on a deep level--it was always superficial. A friend convinced me to take a few MBA classes at a local university. The first class was accounting. It opened my eyes to understanding what our product and business owner…

This has been my experience as well - getting a deeper, business insight into the applications that I was building for my customers. It has also helped me in one more way - getting a feel and helping me understand why my own company behaved the way it did - including business strategy, sales dynamics as well as HR policies and practices.

Moi aussi. My original impetus for going to business school was the realisation that there was a lot I didn't know about running a business, strategy, marketing, business development, finance, cash flow planning, accounting, cap tables, negotiation and all the other little things that add up to a successful venture. I was a CTO at the time, and I was exposed to all this sort of stuff during interactions with the CEO, COO and other board members.

What I didn't realise until after I'd graduated was that having a better understanding of business would effectively make me a better product manager/designer. When you can combine an understanding of business with an understanding of technology, the whole is greater than the simple sum of its parts.

Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

#49

Post by jheriko »

I think this depends on the kind of person you are, as well as the field you are in.

If you can learn things for yourself effectively then there are a whole range of degree level courses which are completely unnecessary. In fact, not wasting your time with them, can be an advantage of its own...

Although even then... its always good to have others with experience teaching you. Regardless of the subject matter.

There is no 'rocket science' in business and there is plenty of material available to learn from.

Re: Sheryl Sandberg Says an MBA Doesn't Matter in Tech

#50

Post by davnicwil »

Aside from the value of the degree itself, can anyone attest to the usefulness of any particular knowledge gained from doing an MBA, particularly around running small companies and startups? If so, any recommendations for resources, books etc?

This whole issue (usefulness of MBA in tech management) sounds very similar to the usefulness of CS degree in development issue. We can talk all day about the effect the CS degree has on getting jobs in the first place, but putting that entirely aside, as a developer with a CS degree, I can certainly point to some very useful things for the job that I learned in the course of doing the degree, and I could tell somebody without a CS degree what those were and where to read about them. Ignoring the entire issue of whether or not the 'piece of paper' would help them in their career, this knowledge certainly would.

If anyone (MBA or not) has any such advice, I'd be very grateful to hear it!

Post reply on HN