Common Misconceptions
Masters of Business Administration (MBA) is a graduate degree attained by a student after completing their studies at a college or university. It is believed that an MBA degree holder is well equipped with the theoretical and practical skills required for business management.
Achieving the MBA degree is a dream come true for most students on campus. It is believed that whoever attains an MBA has several added advantages compared to a student without it. However, what they fail to understand is that the reverse is the case. Attaining an MBA degree in the university or college is tied with several disadvantages. Many students have been made to believe that they must have an MBA degree to succeed in business. The belief has become entrenched in their subconscious to the point that the disadvantages of achieving an MBA are regarded as false. For this reason, many students end up enrolling for an MBA without knowing what exactly lies ahead of them.
Based on complaints and statements made by several students, an analysis will be carried out that will point out reasons why an individual should not register for an MBA and why it is terrible for students.
Since the analysis will aim at discouraging students from enrolling for an MBA, it will also come up with a better option for students. There are better choices a student can make to be successful in business. For instance, a student can decide to become an entrepreneur, start a business and later use his or her innovative knowledge and experience gathered to come up with successful business strategies. What you need to start a business is an entrepreneurial spirit, not an MBA. A successful entrepreneur is capable of building a multi-million company that generates huge revenue. This entrepreneur can even eventually hire MBA degree holders.
Unless they decide to build their own companies, MBA degree holders will be dependent on other people to practice and implement their professional skills and knowledge. For this reason, attaining an MBA degree does not worth it.
Achieving the MBA degree is a dream come true for most students on campus. It is believed that whoever attains an MBA has several added advantages compared to a student without it. However, what they fail to understand is that the reverse is the case. Attaining an MBA degree in the university or college is tied with several disadvantages. Many students have been made to believe that they must have an MBA degree to succeed in business. The belief has become entrenched in their subconscious to the point that the disadvantages of achieving an MBA are regarded as false. For this reason, many students end up enrolling for an MBA without knowing what exactly lies ahead of them.
Based on complaints and statements made by several students, an analysis will be carried out that will point out reasons why an individual should not register for an MBA and why it is terrible for students.
Since the analysis will aim at discouraging students from enrolling for an MBA, it will also come up with a better option for students. There are better choices a student can make to be successful in business. For instance, a student can decide to become an entrepreneur, start a business and later use his or her innovative knowledge and experience gathered to come up with successful business strategies. What you need to start a business is an entrepreneurial spirit, not an MBA. A successful entrepreneur is capable of building a multi-million company that generates huge revenue. This entrepreneur can even eventually hire MBA degree holders.
Unless they decide to build their own companies, MBA degree holders will be dependent on other people to practice and implement their professional skills and knowledge. For this reason, attaining an MBA degree does not worth it.
8 Reasons Not to Get An MBA
Research has been carried out by different scholars to come up with sound reasons why an individual should not get an MBA. The research was triggered by complaints and comments made by several MBA holders. Students’ opinions have also been resourceful in coming up with these reasons. Below are some of the reasons.
1. Return On Investment Is Not Substantial
The cost of obtaining an MBA degree has risen over time. An individual may decide to take a loan, with plans to repay after completion of the program, when he hopes to land that high paying job or get that salary increment. He is disappointed when he realizes that things do not work out as planned. Even the pay rise he gets is not commensurate to the amount spent on attaining the MBA. At this point, it dawns on him that he has to repay the loan for the rest of his life. For this reason, it is clear that an MBA degree does not guarantee a substantial return on investment.
2. MBA Does Not Teach How To Run A Business
The fact that the MBA program aims at equipping students with theoretical and practical skills of business management does not mean that they are taught the essentials of managing a business.
MBA tends to focus more on the Investments and Finances of a business entity but not other essential activities involved in running the business entity. Finance and Investment are just but one part of a business. There are other aspects that make a successful business.
This is where MBA degree holders fail, as they have no expertise in running a business. At this point, their degree is nothing but an ordinary title.
3. An MBA Does Not Guarantee Increase In Your Earnings
Most organizations are structured such that promotions and increment in salaries are result driven, not title driven. So if with your MBA degree, you are not able to meet the targets set for you, the pay rise will not come. Hence, getting an MBA degree does not guarantee increase in your earnings.
4. MBA Degree Holders Are Not Taught How To Handle People
Managing people is crucial in any workplace. People are dynamic in nature and difficult to control. Managing people requires skills acquired through experience. Learning how to manage people involves both theoretical and practical approach.
MBA does not train students on how to manage people. It only provides information on Finance and Investment, which are not in any way related to managing and handling people. Following a study on how MBA holders act, it is clear that most of them are yet to master the art of managing people, despite their high education.
5. The Techniques Learnt Are Short Lived
People enroll for MBA so that they can enhance their career and get promotions in their workplaces. However, the MBA holder only acquires current skills that are applicable in the market at that particular time. Some of these strategies become obsolete due to changes in market trends and behavior.
It is clear that MBA does not teach students skills that will help them all through their career lives. The skills and techniques learned are short-lived. They will have to ensure that they update themselves regularly so they can understand how to approach and deal with current situations in their field of specialization.
6. An MBA Makes An Individual Irrelevant for Higher Positions
The MBA curriculum is known to be general in its approach, unlike professional courses which are specific. There are certain top positions in an organization that require more specific disciplines. An MBA degree holder is unable to fit into these positions because of the general nature of its approach.
7. You Do Not Need An MBA to Build A Solid Professional Network
True, the MBA degree affords you the opportunity to build a network of professionals. But why pay a hundred thousand dollars when there are other ways you can build a network of people without paying a dime?
Other ways you can build a network include attending events in your community, attending alumni meetings and networking around co-workers and clients, just to mention a few. Meeting and networking around people will only require self-discipline, respect, and self-esteem, not a hundred thousand dollar MBA.
8. MBA Degree Holders Are Discriminated Based on the Institution They Attended.
Currently, employers rate an MBA degree based on the institution from which it was acquired. An MBA degree from Harvard University, which is ranked top 10 is perceived to be of better quality and hence more recognized than an MBA from an institution that is ranked bottom 50. Employers will prefer hiring the individual from Harvard and pay him or her more.
So your MBA degree notwithstanding, you still face the possibility of discrimination based on the institution attended. This discrimination is real.
1. Return On Investment Is Not Substantial
The cost of obtaining an MBA degree has risen over time. An individual may decide to take a loan, with plans to repay after completion of the program, when he hopes to land that high paying job or get that salary increment. He is disappointed when he realizes that things do not work out as planned. Even the pay rise he gets is not commensurate to the amount spent on attaining the MBA. At this point, it dawns on him that he has to repay the loan for the rest of his life. For this reason, it is clear that an MBA degree does not guarantee a substantial return on investment.
2. MBA Does Not Teach How To Run A Business
The fact that the MBA program aims at equipping students with theoretical and practical skills of business management does not mean that they are taught the essentials of managing a business.
MBA tends to focus more on the Investments and Finances of a business entity but not other essential activities involved in running the business entity. Finance and Investment are just but one part of a business. There are other aspects that make a successful business.
This is where MBA degree holders fail, as they have no expertise in running a business. At this point, their degree is nothing but an ordinary title.
3. An MBA Does Not Guarantee Increase In Your Earnings
Most organizations are structured such that promotions and increment in salaries are result driven, not title driven. So if with your MBA degree, you are not able to meet the targets set for you, the pay rise will not come. Hence, getting an MBA degree does not guarantee increase in your earnings.
4. MBA Degree Holders Are Not Taught How To Handle People
Managing people is crucial in any workplace. People are dynamic in nature and difficult to control. Managing people requires skills acquired through experience. Learning how to manage people involves both theoretical and practical approach.
MBA does not train students on how to manage people. It only provides information on Finance and Investment, which are not in any way related to managing and handling people. Following a study on how MBA holders act, it is clear that most of them are yet to master the art of managing people, despite their high education.
5. The Techniques Learnt Are Short Lived
People enroll for MBA so that they can enhance their career and get promotions in their workplaces. However, the MBA holder only acquires current skills that are applicable in the market at that particular time. Some of these strategies become obsolete due to changes in market trends and behavior.
It is clear that MBA does not teach students skills that will help them all through their career lives. The skills and techniques learned are short-lived. They will have to ensure that they update themselves regularly so they can understand how to approach and deal with current situations in their field of specialization.
6. An MBA Makes An Individual Irrelevant for Higher Positions
The MBA curriculum is known to be general in its approach, unlike professional courses which are specific. There are certain top positions in an organization that require more specific disciplines. An MBA degree holder is unable to fit into these positions because of the general nature of its approach.
7. You Do Not Need An MBA to Build A Solid Professional Network
True, the MBA degree affords you the opportunity to build a network of professionals. But why pay a hundred thousand dollars when there are other ways you can build a network of people without paying a dime?
Other ways you can build a network include attending events in your community, attending alumni meetings and networking around co-workers and clients, just to mention a few. Meeting and networking around people will only require self-discipline, respect, and self-esteem, not a hundred thousand dollar MBA.
8. MBA Degree Holders Are Discriminated Based on the Institution They Attended.
Currently, employers rate an MBA degree based on the institution from which it was acquired. An MBA degree from Harvard University, which is ranked top 10 is perceived to be of better quality and hence more recognized than an MBA from an institution that is ranked bottom 50. Employers will prefer hiring the individual from Harvard and pay him or her more.
So your MBA degree notwithstanding, you still face the possibility of discrimination based on the institution attended. This discrimination is real.
