Why undertake an MBA?
There are many reasons why people study for an MBA. These include personal development, promotion or career change and gaining a recognised qualification.
People who undertake an MBA degree for personal development reasons want to acquire critical knowledge which they can apply in their workplace and which will help them to manage more effectively in an increasingly complex and changing environment. These are the skills needed by accountants, engineers, nurses, lawyers, technicians, scientists, schoolteachers and others as they are promoted within their organisation.
These people often discover that their original, specialised or perhaps technical qualifications do not prepare them to manage complex situations and people. The skills they possess may be very different from those required to be a good manager or supervisor. These people often enrol in a MBA as a way of supplementing existing specialist skills with a range of general management skills. It is way of updating their qualifications and skills so that they can take on these new roles competently and confidently. MBA study can include such subjects as communication management, human resource management, project management, leadership, change management, legal studies, information technology, accounting, international business, e-commerce, marketing and many more. Some MBAs allow some specialisation, whilst others are more generalist in nature.
People who wish to change careers often study for an MBA in the hope of gaining a management position or of starting up their own consultancy. The interdisciplinary nature of an MBA is considered to be its strength for those wanting to manage organisations in a holistic manner. The broad range of subjects studied means that managers can gain an understanding of how to deal with the many issues which will arise on a daily basis in their organisation. They should also gain skills needed to guide those they lead in a confident and informed manner.
Then, there are those who believe that the 'piece of paper' is what is important. They believe that employers require an MBA degree for certain positions and so they obtain one even though they believe that they have acquired the necessary skills 'on the job'. These people are often surprised by what they learn. They find that knowing why they have managed the way they have in the past helps them to do their job even better.
Most employers believe that a person who has undertaken MBA study has a good level of understanding of the 'big picture' and has obtained the skills which will enable them to manage in the ever changing, complex environment.
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