The MBA OF THE XXI CENTURY. THE PARADOX OF BUILDING STABLE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS BASED ON UNSTABLE KNOWLEDGE-BASED
Introduction
Academic training of Masters in Business Administration (Master in Business Administration, MBA) in first class graduate school results of training and acquisition of knowledge in appropriate courses that help reinforce and optimize the skills and professional capability in the maximum expression. That is, in a graduate business school, should be able to solve problems concerning its business, under any circumstances, using appropriate conceptual, technological tools and knowledge acquired during the study period.
Academic training of Masters in Business Administration (Master in Business Administration, MBA) in first class graduate school results of training and acquisition of knowledge in appropriate courses that help reinforce and optimize the skills and professional capability in the maximum expression. That is, in a graduate business school, should be able to solve problems concerning its business, under any circumstances, using appropriate conceptual, technological tools and knowledge acquired during the study period.
The concept "first class graduate
school” is emphasized because there are many schools in developed countries, where
the imitation does not go beyond the ostentatious title and presentation of a similar curricula, but in a
matter of academic quality and
the demand level students in both course development and presentation of the
thesis, are diametrically opposed.
In the event that there is
the need to enter new market in a distant
land and a different culture,
MBA holding an executive
position and should make the
decision, known to sell in that country is not the same as selling in the motherland, knows the legal, political,
cultural peculiarities are looking for should
respond with a suitable design or presentation of the product or service, compliance with specific rules and protocols
for negotiation; and when it comes to quantitative
aspects, has the right to it, according to their
training and experience, can and should
choose analytical and technological
tools.
Apparently, the MBA may face any business situation and get away. However, there are events whose impact on the environment than the responsiveness or even understanding the problem when you try to approach it using the current media. The most obvious example is the communication technology and its relationship with marketing. Before the explosion of the Internet and social networks, companies could capture market information through surveys and limited market, the consumer barely knew details the product or service through the same company or some media, limited in scope or local.
Today the Internet, the consumer knows more about products or services that the same company that accesses data and information through the Internet and social networks. The executive, say an MBA who acts as Marketing Manager, who wants to know the opinions and desires or actual expectations of consumers or customers must extract the data and information of this network and processing with appropriate resources and procedures, which may never were proposed while studying because they there no were.
Apparently, the MBA may face any business situation and get away. However, there are events whose impact on the environment than the responsiveness or even understanding the problem when you try to approach it using the current media. The most obvious example is the communication technology and its relationship with marketing. Before the explosion of the Internet and social networks, companies could capture market information through surveys and limited market, the consumer barely knew details the product or service through the same company or some media, limited in scope or local.
Today the Internet, the consumer knows more about products or services that the same company that accesses data and information through the Internet and social networks. The executive, say an MBA who acts as Marketing Manager, who wants to know the opinions and desires or actual expectations of consumers or customers must extract the data and information of this network and processing with appropriate resources and procedures, which may never were proposed while studying because they there no were.
What is needed for the MBA who wants to be always updated with the skills
and the ability to make appropriate decisions? Flexibility,
humility and patience to accept what you knew or
know is temporary, limited,
changing and you should make the effort
to continually renew their knowledge base.
Knowledge and skills
The curricula of graduate schools
are designed so that students acquire knowledge and develop skills in
different areas. The extensive
experience and capacity of
academics and professionals ensure the balance between the various guidelines and
related areas from human resources to those that focus on material or financial resources.
No doubt also the way it is taught or transmitted
knowledge, how students
learn and share their knowledge,
contribute to the discovery and training of professional
skills and competence will be
tested and strengthened in
the actual performance in organizations which are
major players.
A useful task is continually reviewing and comparing the curricula of schools over the years. It is observed that always remain fundamental courses (economics, finance, administration or management, quantitative
methods) at a time to be introduced new courses or other will be transformed
to fit the new reality. Changes also occur in the
core courses by the removal or addition of content or topics. It is
impossible to ignore the study of
price elasticity of demand of a good,
but now you have to understand that this new demand
depends on new variables, which
must be identified, evaluated and
incorporated into the function. The
demand function has variables as good price, the price of substitutes and
complements, income, tastes; but how to managed the information about the
events in real time and decisions
made as a result of their
integration and interaction in
social networks?
Who graduated from MBA in late SXX, to cite
just one example, possibly learned basic and
intermediate statistics, some
statistical software or Excel, or learned
that the time series regressions could give
answers in those years; now, if you do not know
Analytical advanced multivariate statistical and more sophisticated and specific than
Excel computing resources, it would be out of context. The paradox arises that the professional MBA
degree; Marketing manager does not know
how to use market data concerning
your product or service,
therefore, will not take the right
decisions. It might be the
best student, graduated with honors, Summa
cum Lauden, but
if it was not updated is not
better than anyone with a MBA
degree or even without
it is up to date knowledge.
A statistical linear or multilinear regression based on data provided by a survey is as primitive as a computer which had among its
Intel 8080 processors
circuits; because simply does not work
and those who use them, you must bear
the cost of the inaccuracies,
lack of rigor and disregard for professional obsolescence.
Is problem or professional weakness that should be attached to graduate school? Never, because when the student was in the school cognitive and technological
resources they offered were the
most advanced and relevant. The
current issues are perhaps the constant in these schools now, so that current students are formed under a new perspective. For the former is
obliged to run after them.
The 21th Century MBA
Subsequent changes and update requirement correspond
to MBA, the
capacity for continuous learning is a
requirement for professional and
if that mentality was forged
in school, the better. The MBA was in the best
school, and therefore will always
have updated skills and under the highest standard because "learned to learn continuously."
When the professional MBA graduates, at this time, professional skills
and knowledge are aligned, supported, so that decisions on any aspect of professional life are taken with knowledge,
authority and support robust and current resources. Figure 1 shows this situation.
As time passes, knowledge in all spheres
expands and for the professional who
is not actualziado and stayed in the past, doubts arise, also questions, lack of instruments
to decide on unpublished or
new contexts, confusions and paradoxes.
The conceptual and technological to act and decide there, tools are available but professional neither know or fully
understand its possibilities and
limitations, is obsolete or
outdated. Figure 2 illustrates this idea.
Under these conditions, the skills are not optimal and often are not suitable for the type of problems that arise. With some islands of certainty or knowledge, the MBA cannot act appropriately; make mistakes or is paralyzed by inaction. The figure 3 shows these facts.
Precarious skills in today's dynamic, changing world, interconnected, is equivalent to the lack of computers, so the MBA that is in this situation can be described as someone who is not. Paradoxical but real, capacity and merits to hold an executive position no longer lie in diploma or document certifying them as such, but in the actual performance present. Figure 4 illustrates this idea.
Figure 5 shows the ideal situation.
The professional competence and skills shown are
effective, robust and rely
on knowledge that is at once firm and continuing as knowledge itself, but the content is mutant,
variable, continually renewed. The
MBA who acquired this
ability to "learn and
unlearn continuously" is favored
not only the knowledge
that supports their analysis
and decisions of the situation in
your company, but also the ability to allow you to always be on the top, the crest of
the wave. It is an absolute winner
in every way.
The key is to not be obsolete. Obsolescence is not only in technological equipment such as cell phones or televisions, individuals can also be obsolete by not having adequate knowledge to the new reality. And though for many professionals, especially in undeveloped countries, obsolescence is not a problem as both the country and the people who live there have no ambitions for a first class MBA, obsolescence is not allowed, it is a mortal sin and who falls into this state, get out in the market.
You can understand that academic knowledge is like armor, the graduate is always in action (making decisions that optimize processes or allow the achievement of objectives in your organization) and necessarily this armor wears out, corrodes, is altered and should therefore be changed continuously.
Conclusions
The premier MBA receive
rigorous academic training, providing
updated conceptual and analytical elements needed to address critical issues and increasingly complex
in the world of business.
The rapid changes in many fields of human activity, especially in technology and knowledge, leading to loss of effectiveness of learning, so to always be able to act properly and promptly, the MBA must continually renew knowledge.
The rapid changes in many fields of human activity, especially in technology and knowledge, leading to loss of effectiveness of learning, so to always be able to act properly and promptly, the MBA must continually renew knowledge.
Building strong and stable skills lies
in adapting to the unstable, changing knowledge
through continuous learning and unlearning.
For an MBA, there is nothing more truely as the expression of Socrates, "I just know nothing." And always know you have to continually learn. Whoever wishes, let him hear.
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For an MBA, there is nothing more truely as the expression of Socrates, "I just know nothing." And always know you have to continually learn. Whoever wishes, let him hear.
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