It is imperative to understand that MBA Education is different from University Education. Management graduates are expected to provide solutions to the problems. Therefore, they are supposed to be equipped with analytical and problem-solving skills.
Management cuts across different disciplines and it requires multidisciplinary perspectives. Typically, a class of MBA has diverse backgrounds from Arts, Philosophy to Science and Engineering – a wide range of subjects. By nature, it is heterogeneous rather than homogeneous. Again such students should be drawn from different parts of the country providing a multi-cultural environment.
Therefore, all MBA students need to appreciate the new context and get adjusted to the prevailing ecosystem. For many undergraduates and also students with experience will find that management education is more rigorous and they have to cope up with different subjects with which they may not be very familiar. In addition to it, management education believes in continuous evaluation rather than one exam at the end of the semester where one can select a few chapters and go to the exam hall. Typically in each MBA course, students are expected to learn from textbook, cases and experiential learning.
This calls for students to be equipped with new gear to handle such situations. It is essential for the students, right from day one, to focus on the courses and the tasks at hand. There is no such thing that one can make up for it later on. In the very first month students are expected to encounter cultural and academic shock. It is strongly recommended that students in the first month should have the capacity to absorb the shocks and get along with the life. This requires a tremendous amount of grit, determination and hard work.
The very first month in MBA Education provides a wonderful opportunity to learn from each other and appreciate each other’s culture and get into the group mode. Of course, there is no denying the fact that there will be ample opportunity for recreational avenues and other activities but the course demands sincerity and hard work. It cannot be substituted by the laid back approach. Because there will be a lot of interdisciplinary courses and unfamiliar terrain due to their diverse educational background. Very quickly one has to free oneself from the “comfort zone” to another “demanding zone”. Like love at first sight, well begun is half done. In view of this, very first month becomes very important and crucial in the life of a student and he has to love the work which he is expected to do and also lay the solid foundation for the future. Not only CGPA / Grade is important but also learning of life in a new environment will hold the student in the good stead. So, it is important to focus and concentrate rather than get distracted by small issues. There will be a tremendous opportunity for interactive learning and a student must make the best use of it rather than avoiding it. Management education is also about articulation and presentation. In view of this, students should come forward and speak and learn the art of expressing oneself.
In essence, the first month of MBA education is the most crucial and indicative of what lies in future. Students are advised to grab all opportunities available and make the best use of it.
About the Author: More than three decades of experience in Research, Teaching, Training and Consulting in the field of development / General management. Worked in Multicultural situations and multi dimensional situations having collaboration with community based organizations, civil societies, industries, government and international organizations. Started the academic journey with Administrative Staff College of India(ASCI), Hyderabad in 1983. Worked since inception, in 1984, with Indian Institute of Forest Management(IIFM), Bhopal ( An Autonomous institute of Ministry of Environment and Forest, Govt. of India), which was promoted and incubated by Indian Institute of Management- Ahmedabad. In August 2013, assumed the role of Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management(LBSIM), Delhi before joining Institute for Financial Management & Research (IFMR) in September 2014.
