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168 Comments
- sibos, on 06/10/2009, -8/+50George W. Bush had an MBA.....just saying
- 23cranberries, on 06/10/2009, -3/+43Here's what people think.
MBA = Quick Buck.
And that's the problem. - eramos, on 06/10/2009, -3/+42I'd hate to see what kind of doctor you go to
- elliotys, on 06/10/2009, -3/+39part of the problem. In fact wheres my ***** soap box?
Why the hell do we refer to the business leaders in our country as the best and brightest?!?!?! The best and brightest are our scientist and doctors. Just about anyone can literally piss there way through a business degree, and a masters in business is nothing like a masters in science. It has become a way to reward mediocraty, and is at the core of this nations problems.
No one wants to learn the hard stuff, they just want to profit from the people who do. - nedzeve, on 06/10/2009, -2/+33I think you went to the wrong college.
- Anand999, on 06/10/2009, -0/+29And some people without MBAs...
Steve Jobs
Bill Gates
Sergey Brin
Larry Page (okay, Brin and Page have honorary MBAs, if that counts)
...
Like most things in life, it's the drive and willpower of the person that counts, not the piece of paper he carries around. - mattmollysdad, on 06/08/2009, -3/+29maybe we should make our politicians take your ethic classes. seems they need it more than anyone.
- piznut, on 06/10/2009, -0/+22I work with an MBA. For the most part I dismiss her as a person with the on-paper ability to manage people, but with no desire to actually do so.
Every once in a while she pulls something out that makes me go...ahhh thats awesome, you were able to learn something that those of us working in our field just kinda know, innately.
My point? MBA doesnt mean ***** in the real world beyond getting you hired. It serves only as a way to get into management without actually knowing anything about what you are actually managing. - nedzeve, on 06/10/2009, -2/+24A good education is more than just vocational training.
- brinkofjon, on 06/08/2009, -3/+23For my BA in bus admin I had to take 4 different "ethics" classes. Business ethics, a general ethics class, a class on building a ethical organization, and one on ethical management practices. There were several others offered as electives to replace other classes although I wasn't able to fit any of them in.
It's not up to the colleges to change someone's ethical beliefs, all you can do is offer the foundation and let people make their own choices. - BrandonJM, on 06/09/2009, -4/+24It's on the students, not the colleges, to take what they learn and apply it, no matter the program. Just ask any liberal arts major, including myself.
- sigep441, on 06/09/2009, -6/+25I think that the blame is misdirected to focus on MBA programs here. What does this problem have to with MBA programs? The argument is based on an assumption that the majority of those involved with poor decision-making in the financial sector have MBA's. While this assumption may or may not be accurate, the universities do not control human behavior and have no influence once students leave their hallways.
While I agree that there are definitely problems with the education system, the Wall Street problems are quite simply tied to the greed and dishonesty of some people. I am currently enrolled in a top MBA program that is well-known to focus heavily on ethics, but I can tell you with certainty that people will only listen to and practice what they believe, regardless of what they are taught. Ethical thought can be stimulated and directed, but resistance to temptation is a matter of having willpower, which is not a subject matter that any institution will be able to teach to any adult.
The problem lies within the financial and economic system--there must be metrics in place to prevent abuse, excessive greed, and dishonest practices. Capitalism encourages some degree of greed in the competitiveness of growth. While the SEC does monitor transactions and practices, the breadth and depth of the current financial system is nearly impossible to manage. When the smoke clears after the recession, the regulations that are enforced will demonstrate that even greater regulation is required.
Google "IASB, IFRS, and BRIC." Consider the position of the US as a declining global economic leader over the next 10-20 years. The majority of regulation is and will be coming from external global pressures, not from internal system failures. The financial system has worked when the US is securely positioned with the world's greatest economy, but the system will change with that position. - cam0man, on 06/10/2009, -4/+19if you want to set yourself apart, an MBA is a waste of money. In way less time you can do something way more significant....write a book, research and host seminars, etc - actually DO SOMETHING. Amazingly, nobody does this ***** and it takes less time and money than an MBA.
- bugsy187, on 06/10/2009, -1/+15You're right that ethics classes won't solve business problems, but the larger issue is that ruthless people rise in our society. They "get the job done" and earn a company profit. The more ethical people don't get the promotion or won't get awarded a project. They're pushed aside. Greed and is rewarded. That's the systematic problem.
- Sagags, on 06/10/2009, -1/+15except you really learn something and the people want to be there.
- danj484, on 06/10/2009, -2/+15I think I'm going to create another account just so I can digg you up again.
- ucdbunny, on 06/10/2009, -2/+15lol "constantly enriched by the principles I learn each day"
Sorry but my ***** counter went off. - stutimandal, on 06/09/2009, -2/+15Managers were made to manage people dependent on the organization as employee. Now they manage finances and their perks more, while taking a toll at the employees' happiness.
- piznut, on 06/10/2009, -1/+13Unfortunately retarded HR staff tend to prejudge based on the paper rather than merit, skill, intelligence or vision.
Its all about padding your resume, and then building enough rapport to get your foot in the door...from there its head in the sand time. - tightscrummy, on 06/10/2009, -3/+14Because it's smarmy.
- Technopundit, on 06/10/2009, -0/+11I bet she swallows.
- passedoutghost, on 06/10/2009, -0/+11If you were that close to graduating why didn't you just finish it off?
- sciencelovesyou, on 06/10/2009, -1/+12As a research scientist who constantly hears about how he "missed out on the big moola" by NOT getting a Masters in Money, I applaud you.
- inactive, on 06/10/2009, -0/+11***** zombies
- otbeverly, on 06/10/2009, -1/+11Yeah, but does this make the individual more qualified? On paper, perhaps, yes. But what is the difference between a bachelor's degree and master's degree? A letter grade, according to some schools.
- 6minuteabs, on 06/10/2009, -1/+11Sounds like you've bagged groceries for a lot of really interesting people.
- sgerwel1985, on 06/10/2009, -2/+12Go try to get an accounting job without an undergrad, or an engineering job without the degree. Those are 2 of the MANY jobs you MUST obtain an undergrad in to become remotely successful, even then most employers want you to have an MBA if you want to get into upper management in that particular field.
- Eshestun, on 06/10/2009, -0/+9Agreed, leaving with less than a year left is a pretty stupid idea if your own business interests fail.
And reality is reality. Business interests do fail! - danj484, on 06/10/2009, -0/+9That's so much trite business speak I had an aneurysm half way through the paragraph.
- stuffradio, on 06/10/2009, -0/+8You couldn't have waited 8 months before pursuing your own business interests?
- TaterSalad77, on 06/10/2009, -0/+8Just the article I wanted to see after dropping $10k for my MBA first semester....
- GoKings, on 06/10/2009, -0/+7I'm so tired of these things. When will people realize that a college degree does not guarantee ANYTHING. To be fair, they do help get you in the door. But it's what you learn in college that is what sets you apart. It's learning to deal with deadlines, learning to function as an adult by yourself, and learning to interact with other people. Unless you want to be a doctor or an engineer, something that requires specialization, the college degree only guarantees you the opportunity to experience something.
I know a Sociology major that's making 70k a year 4 years out of college, and I know a Business Econ major 5 years out of college waiting tables to pay the bills. It's all about how you take it and apply what you've learned, and it's also about what you do with your experience that really changes things. - otbeverly, on 06/10/2009, -3/+9Luckily I was just lassoed into a BA and the large volume of debt that came along with it. However, most of my classes had graduate students in them and the only difference between the credits received were that graduate students had to make a B or higher in the class for it to count towards their MBA. I always thought that was a ripoff since I could make an A in the class as an undergrad, but couldn't get credit towards a master's degree. It made no sense, especially since I tutored a number of graduate students in statistics.
It just goes to show that the system is a ripoff meant to put people in debt. Very little is actually learned and the degree, in reality, means nothing. Sure, the MBAs might survive the weeding out process a little longer than someone with a BA, but it doesn't mean you're getting a more qualified employee.
And before you say anything, for some reason Bachelor's of Arts -- not the usual Bachelor of Science -- were awarded at my school. - cjw10, on 06/10/2009, -2/+8The piece of paper does help though.
- TheR3dMenace, on 06/10/2009, -1/+7Because he writes like a douche. Where is the youtube style audio playback when you need it!
- nedzeve, on 06/10/2009, -1/+7Can it be a combination of both? If people at Cal Tech were willing to work with her, she's probably not so bad herself.
- zigardne, on 06/10/2009, -0/+5They should have taught you by now that brevity and small words will take you much further than a thesaurus ever could.
- harmonixmedia, on 06/10/2009, -1/+6Once you've finished your MBA you'll be able to make your point in 8 long paragraphs instead of just 4.
- spookyttws, on 06/10/2009, -6/+11It's who you know, not what you know. Hell, my sister just got a position working for the Under Secretary of Energy. She's fully qualified for the job, but there is no way she wold have even been considered had she not worked with a few key people at Cal Tech.
- RainNIU, on 06/10/2009, -1/+6Wow. That argument is like blaming computer science degrees for viruses, spam, and popups. Worry about the ***** getting the degrees, don't put the screws to creativity.
- deviouskoopa, on 06/10/2009, -2/+7I don't think that...
Does that mean I'm not a person?
*becomes self-aware* - Klinky, on 06/10/2009, -0/+5Well when someone is holding a paycheck over your head it can be pretty easy to swallow ones pride.
There are many people at high levels who make terrible choices and there are those who makes choices which look good to people who like money and don't care about the consequences that this money brings. Look at pretty much any large corporation out there and they all have very big ethical concerns, from "Big Phama", to the insurance companies, to the oil companies, to the communications companies, to the financial sector...etc... The list goes on, people who have poor ethics & seem to have semi-sociopathic personalities seem to rise to the top of the business ladder. - ryrocker, on 06/10/2009, -0/+5dugg for self determinism
=] - maliath, on 06/10/2009, -1/+6Thank you. While the rest of us we're taking real calculus/statistics/science courses, business majors were taking those courses with the "for business majors" addendum.
- thrashertm, on 06/10/2009, -0/+5I have an MBA from the College of William and Mary - not exactly the most well-known school. Still, the MBA helped me make a career change from break-fix IT consulting @ $50K/year hour to $75K/year business consulting at one of the top consulting companies. That's a 50% salary increase after taking 2 years off. I don't think I ever would have been able to achieve $75K... In addition, the MBA experience opened me up to new ideas, gave me a much more global perspective (got me interested in traveling). It helped make me more confident and instilled some leadership qualities.
Today, I am leveraging some of the MBA experience as I launch side businesses in addition to my day to day consulting work. Yeah, an MBA isn't the only way to achieve these things, but for me it was the catalyst that launched my career. - inactive, on 06/10/2009, -0/+5I know this guy who has four fingers and he's a millionaire. You should cut off a finger because five fingers are for suckers! Intellectual property is apparently trivial now as well.
- tspchen, on 06/10/2009, -1/+6some people rob corner stores. others get a MBA education and rob from the United States government
- 9portal, on 06/10/2009, -0/+4Precisely. Very nicely put.
- donkz, on 06/10/2009, -0/+4With my bachelor in Business CIS, the only way to go further is MBA. I've been a strong believer in education ....until I graduated with bachelors. Now, knowing how much of worthless ***** all those business/management/ethics classes are, I'm absolutely reluctant about spending 2 more years studying for MBA. I'd rather get a second major instead.
Besides, MBA lost its appeal since everyone and their mother seem to have it anymore. I know only a few who actually ended up using their knowledge gained in that degree. -
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