Friday, December 19, 2008

The Values of MBA

Epilogue:

Recently, I stumbled upon a blog whose owner, Lisa, is an MBA student. I am doing MBA too. After reading the blog, I feel like sharing my own experience and views too...


Quite a few of my classmates are fresh graduates with little or no working experience. They are often very concerned with examination and grade. As a part-time student who has worked for a number of years, I know very well that CGPA is only important for one’s first job.

You may ask, “Why, then, do you study MBA?” Well, there are a couple of reasons…

First and foremost, in an MBA class, one can sharpen his or her writing, presentation skills, analytical skills and creativity. These qualities are more important than CGPA itself. Surprisingly, even at this level, you still need to memorize a lot of stuff before entering the exam hall. Part-timers usually have less time to study, so they probably won’t score A’s, but there are definitely other things worth learning.


Secondly, we don’t just learn from the lecturers, or from books. We also learn from our classmates. A few of my classmates are my role models:

One of them is Mr Yap. He was the oldest student in the class, and a successful businessman.

Another one is Dr Tay, the best public speaker among us. You can hardly imagine his background is in Medicine.

The third one, Hellen, is one of the most high-powered women I personally know. I see myself as a thinker, i.e. think but no action. Hellen is a “doer”.


Last but not least, MBA provides a platform for networking. Your classmates may provide you with unofficial consultation. They may even be your future business partners. On the lighter side, they may be your companion in the golf club or karaoke lounge.

14 comments:

  1. What's important is not the grades, and not the degree you get at the end of it all; it's the kind of person you become, and what you bring to your business life quite apart from the MBA. I'm glad there are some like you, KS, who live your life with a real sense of values. Good luck with the continuing studies!

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  2. Totally agree with Peter (from above). :D Are you nearly done with your MBA?

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  3. yes, you got it right ...

    I think having MBA is not all about scoring your marks but learning what is the applicable knowledge from the subject...

    there are others who strive for good grades and really read thru the midnight and memorize a lot of the chapters into their brain...

    asking them whether do they remember it later in the next semester, they so NO... "-_-


    well good luck !!!

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  4. Peter
    Well said. Thanks.

    宝茹
    Still some way to go...

    Lisa
    In one subject I took, there was a 'Scenario Planning' workshop in the final class. The lecturer also made it clear that Scenario Planning would not be tested in the exam.

    Guess what, out of 16 students, only 2 attended the workshop! (I was one of them.)

    Gambatte kudasai!

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  5. why the dude changed from medicine to accounting? what a funny case.

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  6. kyh
    He is still a doctor, but I think he wanted to learn hospital management.

    There was a police officer in MBA too, but I don't know him well.

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  7. Aiyo... I need to study some more then... sad. :)

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  8. i used to imagine myself studying MBA when i was still in uni. and now, i think i will work for a couple of more years then only pursue it. it is def a great way to widen circle of friends eh?

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  9. hmmm i'm graduating from my bachelors degree soon and i'm still considering to take up MBA or go ahead to work in the industry first... what say you?

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  10. neo
    How come you show a smiling face even though you say 'sad'? :P

    xin
    Depends on your luck. Lisa, the lady I mention in the post, had a con-man classmate.

    desmond
    I suggest you work for a year or two before returning to school.

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  11. geez, with so many benefits, I think I should go for a MBA too.

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  12. 3point8
    There are drawbacks also. If you are a working adult who study part-time, you'll get terribly busy.

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  13. INTERESTING comment.

    (1) In a way, Yes, I agree. Learning definitely goes "beyond" what any Lecturer, Book, or University can ever teach us. Thus the old adage "WE learn from THE UNIVERSITY of LIFE" hammers in this point. We, as human beings learn from "ALL" the life experiences we garner over a LIFETIME. And not just from any single source, book, individual, university, or classroom. To merely rely on a single source for knowledge is just plain naive. As pointed out by KS, many fail to see this, and are myopic to the fact that the CGPA is just ONE, out of many MANY other factors that are important to them.

    (2) Why is this so? From my point of view, the answer is simple. It is a CYCLE. A CYCLE that almost everyone goes though. Some pass thought it faster, while others take a little longer.

    Thus, the difference in mindset stems from the fact that each student is at a DIFFERENT PHASE in this cycle.
    Rest assured, many of these "fresh graduates" (as you have mentioned) will have a REVAMP in their mindset once they reach a certain age. To prove this, it is debatable that those who are "slightly older" in any MBA/DBA class also had the same misconception when they were "fresh graduates" themselves. Am I right?

    As time passes, and as "grey hairs" replace "black", the latter finally realize that exams and CGPAs are merely a "MILESTONE" in their life, and not a final do-or-die destination for them.

    Then and again, it is a CYCLE. No one escapes it.

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  14. xazukay
    Thanks for your long comment :-)

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