The Right Management Education

MBA is synonymous to Smart guys with excellentend to knowledge delivery. So if the student
communication skills loaded with fast trackpickup right communication skills, then the speed
knowledge (knowledge gathered by years ofof capturing the knowledge will increase many
industry experience loaded in books) to run anfolds.
organization with high speed, acting as catalysts.The first task is done right; the second task
While I was working with home loans division ofautomatically gets done.
ICICI Bank & BHW Home Finance I cameHowever here comes the catch.
across many candidates for direct sales forceAre the management colleges equipped to impart
who were carrying the so called MBA degree andgood communication skills? Do they have faculties
can neither converse in English nor speak withwho can look at their communication skills
confidence, hence are facing a lovely music ofdevelopment as a challenge or just deliver a
being overqualified for a direct sales force job andlecture about what should be the good
not competent enough for managerial jobs.communication skill parameters?
Then the real question is how come they are outI strongly believe that most of the students
in the market flaunting their MBA degrees andtaking admission with management colleges are
expecting a managerial job right from the Dayinterested to acquire the knowledge as well as be
One? Has the institute thrown away the degreesSmart Guys to get ahead in Life, but it is the
for just money without caring that these guys willlackadaisical attitude of the college management
actually spoil the repute of the college as well aswho are just fighting to get the classes
making of an MBA? Can one think of a CA notconducted which makes the students just get
knowing debit/credit of accounts? Can one thinklethargic and start cribbing the college. With
of a lawyer without basics of law? Can one thinkmanagement colleges mushrooming all across
of a scientist without knowledge of Newton’sIndia, there seems to be a urgent need to
laws or Laws of thermodynamics? Similarly thinkaddress the aim of the management education.
of an MBA who can not communicate well?More issues like analytical abilities, the right
But how does this matter as with an MBA degreeattitude, structured negotiating skills and team
at least one gets short listed for a job. What anspirit are also the key ingredients of the Right
Irony, Management education was started with anManagement Education.
aim of smart entrepreneurs, and it has become aIs the regular course of MBA designed to equip
passport for job interviews?the students with loads of subject knowledge or
And most of these guys with MBA degrees injust a degree to flaunt or actual managers coming
hand go for personality development programs toout as solution providers to speed up the growth
enhance their communication skills which theirof the organizations or create highly self
institute was responsible to get them before theymotivated entrepreneurs?
passed out (barring top 50 or so institutes ofThis issue is not debatable on papers and in the
country)discussion rooms as everyone will agree to the
Now what exactly should be the basic constituentsole aim of management education is to create
of an MBA? Is it development of communicationhighly self motivated entrepreneurs as well as
skills or just getting the subjects run through?managers who can act as catalysts in their
Of course everyone will agree that developmentorganizations. However, in actual practice the aim
of communication skills should be the first andseems to get lost with education being the
foremost task of a management college andmoney making machine for businessmen
subjects should take the back seat as there is nocorporate houses and individuals.