Do You Really Need MBA?

This is one of the most frequent questions I've been asked in my business life, especially during such pre-register times just before fall or spring academic semester:

"Do I really need to get an MBA degree to achieve a leading executive position or even to get promoted?"

The answer is definitely "NO!" and here is WHY:

Like in any other Master's degree, MBA, 'Master of Business Administration' also intends to give an extra insight, understanding, information, knowledge, skill, expertise, competency , and superiority on top of your pre-graduated BA/BS degree. However, there is one big exception about MBA. It is not a pre-requisite that you have to take a BA/BS degree in Management or Business Administration related departments. So this means that even if you are graduated from your BA/BS as a mechanical engineer, psychologist, economist, pharmacist, etc. you can go and take an MBA degree without too many bureacratic and academic obstacles. Moreover, there are thousands of Universities or academic institutions all over the World heavily promoting MBAs & eMBAs & Executive MBAs not only as diplomas but also as certificate programs. If you have money to afford and a certain level of patience as well as some must-have skills and capabilities, receiving an MBA title is not a big deal anymore.

Now, the appropriate question is not "Can I have an MBA title?", instead "Should I have an MBA title?".

So if you are asking this second question to yourself, I strongly advise you to ask some additional questions beside this one before answering it. Because, giving the right answer might be determinant for success or failure in your professional career. The 4 most critical ones are:

1- Why do you really want this degree?

Is this just a diploma & title that will let you gear up to higher levels of managerial positions? Or, to shift your level of competency and knowledge to a superior level? Or, both?

2- How much time, money, and focus do you have for an MBA?

Do you need to sacrify a lot, financially and timewise, from your business and private life to have this degree? Or, it will not be a complicating agenda once MBA is included?

3- What is the quality of your speaking, writing, reading, and listening abilities?

Not only in business life but also as an academic competency, are you really ready to comprehend a higher level of proficiency? Are you professionally communicative enough?

4- Do you already have the technical skill-sets needed for your career before getting an MBA?

There might be a better way to make the best use of your resources like time, money, concentration, effort, etc. in order to fulfill your lacking technical skill-set prior to getting an academic degree.

---

As you can very easily understand, all of these 4 questions listed above are inter-related and their answers are complementary. The more sincere answers you give to these questions the more unique rational outcome will exist that will lead whether you should go for an MBA, or not by considering the net opportunity cost and marginal utility to go for it.

I have seen many professionals with this famous title but without the ability to express their discussion subject even in their own language. Even worse, some of them were really not able to write strategic, or wise business e-mails. Not surprisingly, I also did meet the opposite scenerio. Without any academic quality, people who see themselves as 'Guru's of their sectors or departments, etc. underestimating the critical role and added value of theoritical knowledge. Both cases are worse than the other one.

• MBA degree 'IS' for life-time learners who have certain communication quality, intellectual curiousity, business competency, and academic interest.

• MBA degree 'IS NOT' for shortcutters, by-passers, pay-per-viewers, and short-term seekers.

Sure both categories 'CAN' take that shining title, but believe me it will not work much for the second group as expected. Moreover, dissapointment will be inevitable in terms of ROI. As Christine Comaford states:

When it comes to success in business, an MBA degree is optional. But a GSD, which is only earned by Getting Stuff Done, is required.

As an academic degree collector and rational knowledge lover, I never intend to underestimate the importance of an MBA degree. However, I do appreciate the strategical prioritization during the allocation of limited resources, parallel to one's existing potential in terms of skills and capabilities.

...

"I would also like to listen to your thoughts about MBA degree. Undoubtedly, experience is much meaningful once it is shared. If you kindly write your thoughts in 'comments' section below, I would be more than pleased to read and have new insights. Last but not least, I would like to thank for your shares in advance..

...

Dr. Serhat Tatl? continues his long years of international top executive & entrepreneurial career in mobile telecom, consumer electronics, IT, and renewable energy sectors. Beyond Ph.D. degree by his doctorate dissertation under Change Management subject, he is also a keynote speaker and TV & Radio Programmer. For additional info..