WHY THE MBA ROUTE?

The MBA program is not just about mastering managerial skills. It’s about becoming a leader. It’s about learning how to use your courage to make important analytical decisions while keeping the big picture in mind. The MBA program will teach you how to optimize the mixture of "hard skills"(i.e. accounting, marketing theory, and financial analysis) with your interpersonal skills. It will give you a valuable credential, new skills and the possibility to increase your income significantly.

But the MBA degree does not do all this by itself. It is up to the individual to take as much as he or she can from the MBA privilege and prove to the world his or her value as a manager and leader in the competitive market of today.

Deciding to enroll in the MBA program is an investment. In the short term it will be challenging and costly. In the long term, however, it may very well prove to be the step needed to greatly improve your position in your life and career. Life is ruled by constant change; if you don’t consistently add to your skills and update your learning, you might either fall behind or remain in a low-level position with no future. The MBA program may be the tool you need to avoid the pitfalls of stagnant waters.

MBA ABROAD

When deciding on where to do your MBA degree, you should keep in mind your specific career goals. For example, doing an MBA in the United States will prepare you to work mostly among American companies. If you want to work more internationally perhaps you might want to consider getting an MBA in Europe, Asia, or Latin America.

Regardless of what country you’re from, getting an MBA in a different country than your own may be a very valuable experience. It will give you the freedom in the future to choose between different countries, companies, and jobs. It will also give you an extra advantage in the multinational corporation market. Many multinational companies expect their workers to speak English and at least one other language.

Studying abroad will also give you valuable international experience in multi-cultural teamwork, different styles and methods of negotiating, and an inside edge on an increasingly globalized market. When looking for the right program try to find schools that are known for the specific area of management that you’re interested in pursuing. For example, if INSEAD in France is well known for your specialty, then maybe you should think about learning French. Businesses will appreciate the effort you made to learn another language just to have access to superior training in your field- it’s a sign of serious commitment and motivation.

If you’re worried about the cost, consider this- programs in North America and Europe are likely to be the most expensive. Programs in Asia are less expensive, and programs in Latin America are the least expensive. Programs that are more expensive may be more prestigious, however. This might make a difference in your salary afterwards. For example, you may spend up to $150,000 or more on a prestigious MBA program, while someone else pays $50,000 on a decent but not as well known program. The difference in salary increase, however, may be anywhere between $20,000-$100,000. In a few years the difference will balance out. But as mentioned earlier, the key element is not the degree. The key element is what the individual does with the degree. For you to decide.

SITES TO CHECK OUT

There are many worthy universities offering MBA programs around the world. One way to locate them is to go to accreditation websites where there is usually a list of schools that are internationally recognized as high quality institutions.
Some of those websites:
-Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business- www.aacsb.edu/accredalph.htm
-Association of MBAs- www.mba.org.uk
-European Foundation For Management Development- www.efmd.be/equis/5.html
-University rankings- www.bschool.com/intlsbys.html
-Graduate Management Admission Council- www.gmac.com

(Sources- www.mbajungle.com, www.gmac.com, MBA Events Magazine)