It’s a matter of phase of company. MBAs are better at measuring and capturing value. Weaker at creating it. Therefore the non-MBA expert outperforms in the growth phase, though it takes a different mindset for mature companies.
Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
11–20 of 259 posts
Re: Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
#12The most significant thing he said in this interview was probably on the regulatory burden that California businesses have to deal with. He compared regulatory creep to a frog boiling slowly in water. He also indicated his 2 companies Tesla and SpaceX are the last - automotive and aerospace companies in California, a state that was once a leader.
> He also indicated his 2 companies Tesla and SpaceX are the last - automotive and aerospace companies in California, a state that was once a leader.
How much of that is because of regulatory creep, and how much is because California has brought in even-more-valuable industries that have cranked up the cost structure, in turn pushing out manufacturing industry?
Re: Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
#13I, for one, sometimes miss the knowledge that an MBA might give me. I'm a technical CTO and I have some trouble with long term planning, budget, managing people, etc.
Re: Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
#14I've been saying the same thing for 20 years.
Re: Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
#15While I'm not certain, I have a feeling the new GSuite logos and the release of Web Stories were decisions made by MBA's and not engineers.
Re: Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
#16I, for one, sometimes miss the knowledge that an MBA might give me. I'm a technical CTO and I have some trouble with long term planning, budget, managing people, etc.
You really don't need to do an MBA to learn those things. Of the 3, two can be learnt in a week. Managing people is a lot harder!
Re: Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
#17The most significant thing he said in this interview was probably on the regulatory burden that California businesses have to deal with. He compared regulatory creep to a frog boiling slowly in water. He also indicated his 2 companies Tesla and SpaceX are the last - automotive and aerospace companies in California, a state that was once a leader.
> He also indicated his 2 companies Tesla and SpaceX are the last - automotive and aerospace companies in California, a state that was once a leader.
Except it isn't true. Other companies still make rockets in SoCal. For example Areojet Rocketdyne is still headquartered in El Segundo (next to LAX). They made the main engine for the Space Shuttle and are currently still making it for the upcoming SLS.
Re: Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
#18It's a special case of, there's too many people and not enough work (the real problem IMO).
Re: Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
#19FAANG - i think in this list only Google and Apple are run by MBAs.
Re: Elon Musk Decries ‘M.B.A.-ization’ of America
#20> more students than ever who are pursuing the graduate degree are interested in entrepreneurship and tech And their degree is telling them to suggest that Tech companies laser-focus on a small portion of the market. I keep hearing it. There's excellent theory behind that reasoning: it's hard to execute and compete. Here's the reality: people are sick and tired of having 100 apps to check that all do one little thing…
I agree with the spirit of what you're saying here, but I think it's advice that needs some measure of backing assumptions. I think especially larger companies are failing at taking advantage of their much more reliable cash flows to take broad innovation risks. But for a smaller company or a company consuming investment capital with no positive cashflow at all, focus is the correct answer. Or maybe investment in innovation in correct proportion to resources is the right message here.