The journey from Microsoft Office usage in work experience to Microsoft Office usage in MBA has been phenomenal. On the one side, case-mats look bland but prove to be potential nightmares with long cases. On the other, nightlife in MBA seems exciting, but staying up late makes keeping the eyes open in the next-day sessions difficult. So, at the end of the two gruelling years of our life, are we ready to conquer the world? The answer is, IT DEPENDS!
How MBA matters…
People say that it is all about the journey, not the destination (in Morgan Freeman’s voice). And it is true for MBA aspirants like us as well. But the real essence of having achieved something after the two slogging years of MBA life is the certificate. The certificate which proves that we know a few more jargons than a B. Tech graduate does. Inside the IIMs, it is said that marks and CGPA don’t matter, knowledge and content does. But the question is – Is there a dipstick measure of the knowledge and content that we acquire through the trimesters? Looking at our knowledge and learning curve through the trimesters, it is an ever-decreasing curve with sputtering increases in between due to mid-terms and end-terms. So, what exactly are we learning through the two ‘blissful’ years? The answer is, IT DEPENDS!
It depends on how better we align our class learnings with real-world events. It also depends on how deeply we associate the case discussions with business perspectives and complement them with extra courses and certifications. MBA is not all about the school system where teachers will teach, and the students will listen. MBA is about changing the outlook to the instantaneous reality through extensive Socrates-styled discussions and generating analytical insights. The world is shifting towards faster innovation and technological advancement. In these times when we are losing jobs to machines, MBA offers us a broad recourse.
Can MBA save us from Machines?
Making decisions, taking into consideration all the elements of the environment can be done by machines. But machines don’t have a hunch or an intuition, humans do. Intuitions get developed by looking into all the related vital aspects of a scenario, and that is made possible my MBA. So, the MBA does help us in making the right decisions. Period. And in the end, MBA helps us in not getting replaced by a machine.
Then, there is this thing called Work Culture. Machines don’t need them because they work in silos. We must make ourselves culturally and socially fit in our workplace. We work together, in teams and add to productivity. Ideas flow through naturally in teams, and that makes us stronger than machines. You see, this is where the MBA comes along. MBA makes each one of us work with different teams from the very beginning to inculcate soft skills and patience. Leaders are always not born; they can be made as well. MBA helps us be that!
The End Game…
Whether it depends or not, MBA constantly tests and develops us in real-life skills. These two productive years of MBA are the crucible in which the fiery leader (you) is born. Although, it depends much on how effectively you channel your knowledge through projects and problem-solving cases. MBA strives to create a conducive environment for us to learn, live and grow!