How to Get an MBA

✍ Scribed by Morgen Witzel

• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 209
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

How to Get an MBA is a short handbook for either prospective MBA students wanting to know more about what is involved, or students seeking to prepare themselves for the experience to come. As the first step on the road to a managerial career and lifelong learning, the MBA is one of the most important things a student will ever do. The student must take care to acquire not only the hard technical skills that the MBA provides directly through coursework, but also the soft skills, especially the ability to communicate and to establish and maintain networks, which are developed indirectly through the entire MBA experience. The author shows how to get the most out of an MBA programme, the instructors and fellow students. Topics covered include how to:read and prepare a casework in teamsdesign a projectcarry out a projectpresent written materialcommunicate effectively in classroomsinteract with instructors and fellow studentsuse libraries and other resourcesdevelop and manage personal networkslook for a job at the end of the programme.

✦ Table of Contents

Book Cover......Page 1
Title......Page 4
Contents......Page 5
Acknowledgements......Page 10
Introduction......Page 11
Learning how to learn......Page 16
Education and the service process......Page 18
Setting and defining goals......Page 20
Core benefits......Page 21
Maximizing benefits......Page 22
A resource-based view of the MBA programme......Page 26
Developing a knowledge management strategy......Page 30
Conclusions......Page 34
Doing the groundwork: getting started on the MBA......Page 35
Induction......Page 37
Learning the ropes......Page 38
Work/study groups......Page 39
Meeting colleagues......Page 40
Assessing resources......Page 41
Setting up......Page 43
Tuning your mind......Page 44
Conclusions......Page 46
Courses: the first channel of knowledge acquisition......Page 47
Definition......Page 48
Types of courses......Page 50
Delivery methods......Page 53
Aims and processes......Page 54
Maximizing value from courses......Page 57
Courses and the knowledge management process......Page 60
Conclusions......Page 62
Case studies: exercises in management skills......Page 63
Definitions......Page 64
Advantages and disadvantages of the case study method......Page 66
Reading and analysing cases......Page 68
Approaches to case study resolution......Page 73
Case studies and benefit maximization......Page 75
Conclusions......Page 76
Working in teams: creating value from synergy......Page 77
Why do it?......Page 78
Organizing teams......Page 80
The functioning of the team......Page 81
The role of individual personality......Page 83
Functioning in groups......Page 88
Benefit maximization......Page 91
Knowledge management......Page 92
Conclusions......Page 93
Written communication: who writes, wins......Page 94
Fitness for purpose......Page 97
Structure......Page 100
Style......Page 103
Content......Page 105
Knowledge management and written communication......Page 108
Maximizing benefits......Page 109
Conclusions......Page 110
Working in the classroom: managing presentations and discussions......Page 111
The stage and the players......Page 113
Presentations......Page 115
Discussions......Page 121
Knowledge management......Page 123
Conclusions......Page 124
Research: generating and creating knowledge......Page 125
Data, information and knowledge......Page 127
Doing research......Page 129
Using information and knowledge resources......Page 135
Knowledge management......Page 140
Conclusions......Page 141
Projects: working in the real world......Page 142
Identifying a project......Page 143
Establishing aims......Page 145
Developing relationships with the client......Page 147
Setting up the research programme......Page 148
Carrying out field research......Page 150
Analysis of data gathered......Page 154
Following up......Page 155
Knowledge management and projects......Page 156
Conclusions......Page 159
Networking: creating value out of harmony......Page 160
Networks and their benefits......Page 161
How they do it in China......Page 163
Networks and ethics......Page 165
Networking and the MBA......Page 167
Networking and social life......Page 170
Spouses and partners......Page 172
After the programme......Page 173
Benefit maximization......Page 174
Conclusions......Page 175
Exchange programmes......Page 176
Cross-cultural learning......Page 179
Doing courses......Page 181
Problems and drawbacks......Page 182
Knowledge management......Page 183
Conclusions......Page 184
Getting a job: recruitment during and after the programme......Page 185
What are recruiters looking for?......Page 186
Focusing on goals......Page 189
Presentation and professionalism......Page 191
Giving the right impression......Page 194
Conclusions......Page 195
The MBA and lifelong learning......Page 196
What is lifelong learning?......Page 197
Why is it important?......Page 198
What contribution does the MBA make to lifelong learning?......Page 199
Conclusions......Page 201
Conclusion: broad vision, sharp focus......Page 202
Index......Page 208