B-Schools are known for their quirky way of learning. We come from a background where there is huge weightage given to theoretical learning be it your schools or graduation. Everyone focuses on the theories and concepts learned. Whereas in b-schools we get to learn about real life situations one face. It is not only about the business world but also about the personal life. Subjects like Organisation Behaviour and Human Resource Management (OB-HR) bounds you to introspect about yourself and your behaviour with others. In a way, it makes you a better person and I think that plays a very important role in making life of a IIM graduate successful.
B-schools generally follow case pedagogy of learning as it gives students an experience of a real-life situation. I like reading cases and analysing them, but the fun part is cases which we read in OB-HR which tell us about normal human behaviour. I liked the way one of our instructors teaches in a class by using role plays. It not only breaks the ice with your classmates but also gives a material to think how as a manager, you are going to handle difficult situations concerning your employees. The hidden actor inside everyone comes out. I remember one play which was named as boat building exercise wherein we were given material to make our paper boats and sell them in the market. There were many teams consisting Manufacturer, Seller, Banker etc. And groups were as usual formed randomly and every student was assigned different roles. Some are making creative boats, some are busy in R&D, and peers with good negotiation skills are put in the sales and marketing department. It was fun to see my friends roaming around to make a new variety of boats. R&D team had to come up with new ideas to make a boat, marketing person had to sell these boat in the market. Rule of the game was the group who makes most money, wins.
It was an amazing experience, seeing a b-school graduate, sitting on the floor and making paper boats and learning management lessons from a very basic game which everyone must have played in their of childhood but never realised its true importance. The whole purpose of the activity was to learn what problems a businessman faces and how he uses his negotiation and communication power to succeed in business. The things we learn in textbooks remain with us for a little span of time but role plays and different kind of fun activities held in MBA remains with us as cherishable memory for a lifetime.
Waiting for many more such memories in final year as well….
Which ABG company would you want to work for and why?
ABG is one of the dream recruiters for a B-school graduate. It is a lifetime opportunity to be a part of the most famous leadership program which ABG provides to its employees. You get to learn a lot from the best minds of the world. The employee benefits ABG provides which gives employees a work-life balance are most important factors. Being a part of any subsidiary gives great learning opportunity .but Being a supply chain and retail management enthusiast and having some experience in similar domain earlier, I have great affinity towards supply chain and retail industry and given an opportunity I would like to work with ABG Fashion and Retail.
- Roshita Solanki