11–20 of 71 posts
With that said, I think business school courses should be taken on the side to the primary engineering courses as that provides the most well rounded education.
I have always thought business school would be a lot better off if people were forced to read people like Seth Godin or even Chris Anderson. My problem with business people is that they learn buzz words and jargon, and often treat the "makers" as tools. I would have a lot more respect for b-school if business majors were forced to pick a "concentration"- engineering, CS, etc. They wouldn't be expected to be great at…
I don't think anyone is going to be cured of buzzworditis by being forced to read Godin and Anderson. Can I interest you in my biz, which is a freemium play on a purple cow concept? We just need enough money to get through The Dip.
It's obvious stuff, no doubt- but it's stuff we all seem to forget.
I know that in my Computer Science undergrad, while I was interested in learning, I was more interested in living the student life. I just recently finished an MBA and while it fell short on some fronts, the talent of the professors, many of whom were doing real work and affecting change in the real world, did not disappoint, especially in the fully elective 2nd year. Further, students have much more to contribute after they have done, and have been vetted on what they have done, in the years after finishing their undergrad, rather than on what clubs they joined in their first of year of general undergrad. Undergrad Business degree != MBA.
For a different point of view. Coming from an engineering background, I sat in on an entrepreneurship class at UChicago Booth and I was totally blown away. The angle was completely different. The previous class the students were all given the details about hypothetical ventures with some background on the market and they were asked to say whether they would invest or not invest should such a proposal cross their desk…
consider that the author's program was an undergraduate program and try to remember how experienced or useful you were at 18-21. This is important. I got an undergrad business degree and I got a nice background in accounting, finance, marketing, and to a lesser extent IT. When I think back on it, either it doesn't seem useful or I've forgotten the useful bits (had some great classes on branding that taught me a lot m…
But I think this is what the author was trying to say. An MBA (I'll talk about the MBA since undergrad business degrees seem really terrible) is a way of gaming the corporate structure (and getting a raise in salary and so on , as you point out) more than acquiring any real skills or insights, which is why most MBA students become Management consultants vs entrepreneurs. One job is about talking the talk and the other is about walking it.
As an enginner/hacker I am a bit dubious about how business school professors can actually teach anything business related. (By and large) They have never run businesses, so how can they teach you how to run one? If they could build or run a multimillion dollar businesses would they be teaching? ( Not snark, I am genuinely curious. Can someone who has done an MBA explain how this works out. What value do these professors add. Couldn't you just read the books yourself?)
For a different point of view. Coming from an engineering background, I sat in on an entrepreneurship class at UChicago Booth and I was totally blown away. The angle was completely different. The previous class the students were all given the details about hypothetical ventures with some background on the market and they were asked to say whether they would invest or not invest should such a proposal cross their desk…
What was the message?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
consider that the author's program was an undergraduate program and try to remember how experienced or useful you were at 18-21. This is important. I got an undergrad business degree and I got a nice background in accounting, finance, marketing, and to a lesser extent IT. When I think back on it, either it doesn't seem useful or I've forgotten the useful bits (had some great classes on branding that taught me a lot m…
"On the MBA side -- the MBA program at my alma mater has placed several of my friends in jobs that were a big jump in salary and growth potential from where they were coming in -- and none of them were bankers" But I think this is what the author was trying to say. An MBA (I'll talk about the MBA since undergrad business degrees seem really terrible) is a way of gaming the corporate structure (and getting a raise in…
To your second point: Is that true of most b-school professors? I honestly don't know, but I think some if not most have some good experience. The guy who taught me finance rocketed up the ranks for Coke, ran the operations of a multinational region, and retired to teach while in his 40s.
My international business professor, however, was an insufferable douche who had no real-world experience that I know of.
For a different point of view. Coming from an engineering background, I sat in on an entrepreneurship class at UChicago Booth and I was totally blown away. The angle was completely different. The previous class the students were all given the details about hypothetical ventures with some background on the market and they were asked to say whether they would invest or not invest should such a proposal cross their desk…
The experience of being there when a room full of really bright and really accomplished kids learned that the company that 9/10 had passed on became a multi-million dollar success was priceless (and vice-versa). The message was unmistakeable. What was the message?
1. school can't teach me much
2. I already know so much
3. Gosh why am I here?
4. Am I ever going to use this?
I was so turned off by the busi100 classes that I gave up even applying for business. Instead, I chose the easiest major on campus(communications) in hopes that I can quickly get my degree requirements and then drop in to higher level busi classes bypassing the annoying b-school prerequisites.
So after sophomore year I took a 3 semester break. During that time, I was working on my startup and living life as a non-student. It is also when I realized the holes in my "skillset"(for a lack of better word). I returned to school with a new attitude: I am going to nitpick classes to fill up the obvious holes.
My attitude upon return:
1. I have stuff to learn
2. I will take very specific classes fill up specific holes
3. I don't expect the class in itself to teach me as much as for it to provoke thought in me
My experience has been a complete opposite since return. I have learned a tonne from a few specific classes(sales management, market strat, market analysis). I am a startup guy. So when I say learned, I am talking about very practical shit that I am putting to use right now.
It's all about the attitude IMO. A subtle thing I realized: the classes in itself might not teach you but they can provoke thought in you that pushes you to learn specific stuff yourself that you wouldn't have known about.
If you think school can't teach you anything, take time off! It'll validate or invalidate your thinking.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
consider that the author's program was an undergraduate program and try to remember how experienced or useful you were at 18-21. This is important. I got an undergrad business degree and I got a nice background in accounting, finance, marketing, and to a lesser extent IT. When I think back on it, either it doesn't seem useful or I've forgotten the useful bits (had some great classes on branding that taught me a lot m…
"On the MBA side -- the MBA program at my alma mater has placed several of my friends in jobs that were a big jump in salary and growth potential from where they were coming in -- and none of them were bankers" But I think this is what the author was trying to say. An MBA (I'll talk about the MBA since undergrad business degrees seem really terrible) is a way of gaming the corporate structure (and getting a raise in…
Business school professors are very well paid and live the life of leisure. Starting a business is risky and is hard work, and business PhDs aren't generally recruited to work as CEOs.