MBA Takeaways - Part 2

Formula for success = 10% What you know + 40% Who you know + 50% Luck

Some people call it being at the right place at the right time. Some call it luck. But I realized it plays a big role in success. What you know or how capable you are are not the biggest factors. Who you know is another way to say how well you can network. I just can't emphasize the importance of that. But then, in the end, did you network with the right guy at the right time? Or in other words, were you lucky? I don't know the answer yet.

Bottomline is that my notion that a superman will be successful always was totally transformed. There are several factors that go into the equation, and other intangible factors sometimes dominate. I would end by quoting what Jim Whitehurst told a group of MBA students (including me) - A CEO who says that he was successful only because of his capability is either lying or is too insecure. Luck plays a critical role!

MBA Takeaways - Part 1

I am not in a very bad mood today, for a change. So I thought it might be a good time for me to start this MBA Takeaways series on a positive note. Here is what I learnt from a technical standpoint -

Marketing
Everything revolves around 4Ps, 3Cs, and STP. If you know this (which by the way was Mod 1) you are a good marketer.

Finance
Even simpler. Discounted Cash Flows. Period.
Everything else flows as a result - NPV, Valuations, IRRs whatever. Everything is a manifestation of DCF. Yeah, I did learn a few theories like CAPM but then who cares. Just look-up the #$%^@ beta.

Operations
I thought I might eventually start getting a great ROI on my investment due to my learning in operations until I realized that I was learning about linear programming and regressions, which I sort of covered in my engineering days. But to give the due credit - Newsvendor problem was a sexy sounding concept I did pick up.

Consulting
Wow! This was the best ROI as far as my learning for MBA jargon which I think would be most handy for me going forward. Bucket everything into 3 things. Bottom-line on top. Throw in a few numbers, a few sexy sources like Gartner, Forrester, and you are done!

Etc.
Sustainability, yeah I do recycle! Thank you.

It is almost time to graduate. Yes, the countdown has begun and it would be soon that I will be ready to enter the cruel world again. Wait, did I just say that the MBA world is not cruel? I am not sure about that. With that thought, I have decided to blog my key takeaways and learning from the last 18 months. I am sure there would be several, and I would break them up in separate posts. So happy reading.