Archive for March 2010

Seeking topic suggestions for the MBA Chat meet-ups. These sessions, held at Biggby Coffee, will help educate and inform people who may be interested in an MBA. More information about the #MBAchats.

The goal of the contest is to collect discussion topics for the meet-ups at Biggby and also by following the #MBAchat hastag on twitter. Do you have an MBA? Submit a topic focused on how your MBA contributed to your career goals. Anyone can win the contests, with a valid submission, and you’ve got three chances at some awesome prizes!

Your topic suggestions can be submitted until Friday, April 2nd 11:59 PM EST for the first chat which is scheduled for April 5th from 7:30-8:30 PM EST.

Contest Rules

How to Submit a Topic Suggestion

• @Reply to @TechMBAOnline and include suggestion and hasthtag: #mbachat

Books Included in the Give-A-Way

• Linchpin by Seth Godin
• Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk
• Switch by Chip and Dan Heath

Contest Deadline

The topic deadlines are each Friday before the chat. Winners will be selected and announced on Monday, the day of the chat, via Twitter. Chat dates: 4/5, 4/12, and 4/19

Each week a new winner will be selected and will be eligible to win one of the selected books.

Follow @TechMBAOnline to stay involved and don’t miss a tweet!

The world of business has been dominated by men for many years and there are some interesting trends surfacing on how women are leveling the playing field. Getting an MBA has been a critical business strategy for CEOs, senior executives, and individuals who want to advance in the business world and women are getting in on the action.
Numbers don’t lie they tell a story so what does the data say about women and MBAs?

According to MBA.com:

• There were 104,880 women who took the GMAT in 2009.
• Women command 39.5% of the talent considering business school.

The 2009 GMAC Alumni Perspectives Survey found:
• 70% of the graduating females in the class of 2009 felt they definitely made the right decision to get their degree.
• 81% of the women in the class of 2009 were employed at the time of graduation, and 90% of them said they got the type of job they wanted.

Considering an MBA?

In an article entitled MBA or Bust, Bari Lieberman outlines three reasons why women should consider getting an MBA.

Three Reasons

1. A skill gap: In order to be promoted or perform better in your current job, you may need to learn particular skills.
2. A credentials gap: You may have hit an “educational glass ceiling,” meaning you perform your job as well as people with higher degrees but are unable to move up since promotions require a post-graduate degree.
3. A challenge gap: You may simply desire a new challenge and a new perspective on how business is done.

Other Influencers

• Women Role Models: There are now more visible women role models who have been highly successful in business in senior level positions like Meg Whitman former CEO of eBay who is running for California Governor in 2010.
• Women Rule the Social Web: According to Information is Beautiful the future of the social web is going to be based around women based upon data they outpace men in most social networks.

In Conclusion the numbers are showing that women are taking the MBA process seriously and MBA programs should prepare for the future and the future appears to be women.

Live streamed #MBAChat coming soon to Twitter. Many people have questions about the value of an MBA, the process of preparing and/or applying for an MBA program and personal development based upon the conversations we have monitored online via Twitter. The mission of the #MBAChat is to create an open dialogue with people who have an interest in participating in conversation about these topics. The #MBAChat will be moderated by @Hajjflemings. The conversation will be live streamed via Twitter and the re-cap will be compiled from participants tweets.

The #MBAChat will have an online/offline component. For those in Michigan area who would like to meet face-to-face there will be a physical meet-up. The physical location will be at various Biggby Coffee locations in the Metro Detroit Area which will be sponsoring free coffee for attendees.

The #MBAChat will launch Monday, April 5^th, 2010 from 7:30-8:30 EST. At this point, three dates have been identified: April 5^th, 12^th, and 19^th. To participate, go to http://search.twitter.com or http://tweetgrid.com/. Watch for tweets with the hashtag #MBAChat and follow the conversation on the @TechMBAOnline Twitter account.

#MBAChat Schedule and Locations (Physical Locations)

• April 5, 2010 Location: 20570 Haggerty Rd Northville, MI   7:30PM-8:30 EST
• April 12, 2010 Location: 32443 Northwestern Hwy Farmington, MI  7:30PM-8:30 EST
• April 19, 2010 Location: 4501 Woodward Ave Ste 105 Detroit, MI  7:30PM-8:30 EST

Co-Sponsors: Michigan Technological University School of Business and Economics ‘Tech MBA Online’ (@TechMBAOnline) Program and Biggby Coffee (@BiggbyBob – CEO of Biggby Coffee Bob Fish).

(Note: The originator of online Twitter chats is @PRSarahEvans who started #jourchat.)

I look forward to connecting with you online.

Michigan Tech has made it easy to connect with the Tech MBA online program through traditional and social channels. Dean Darrell Radson and Ruth Archer, director of graduate business programs, have created a user experience through 11-touch points that enables each potential student to have a personalized experience in becoming more familiar with the program. These options allow you to download information, apply online, or connect directly with Ruth, who is available to discuss the program, admissions, and financial aid opportunities.

Connect with the Tech MBA Online Program

• Email: mba@mtu.edu
• Online Application Submission: www.mtu.edu/apply
• Webinars: http://www.mtu.edu/business/mba-online/webinars
  • The webinars allow you to join our MBA Admissions staff for an overview of the Tech MBA Online program, which is a brief presentation that can be experienced over the phone or online and will be followed by a question and answer session. Our next webinar is on Tuesday, March 30th at Noon EST. Register to attend.

• Twitter Account (Tech MBA Online): @TechMBAOnline
  • Follow @TechMBAOnline, to see updates from Hajj Flemings, the Tech MBA program ambassador. This Twitter account will provide specific updates about the Tech MBA Online program, provide valuable links to online learning, and topics related to the MBA degree.

• Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/TechMBA

Contact the Director of the Tech MBA Online Program

Ruth Archer is the director of graduate business programs at the School of Business and Economics at Michigan Tech. She has established various channels to provide potential students an opportunity to talk with her directly. She is happy to answer any questions and help you get familiar with the program.

• E-mail: raacher@mtu.edu
• Phone: 906-487-3055
• Google Talk: MBAatMichTech
  • If you have a Google Talk account, add MBAatMichTech and start chatting.

• Twitter Account (Director of MBA): @MBAatMichTech
  • Follow @MBAatMichTech to hear from Ruth Archer about our program, the value of an MBA, and other tweets!

• Skype: raarcher.mtu.edu
  • You can add raarcher.mtu.edu to conduct an audio or video conversation via Skype.

• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/RuthArcher

To apply online, request information, sign-up for webinars, and get additional information you can connect in the way that best suits your lifestyle.

What is the value of your investments in the stock market?  What is the value of your real estate holdings? The American economy has placed a great deal of confidence in investing in systems that they thought were too big to fail.  In systems that they thought would yield high returns and provide financial freedom.  Does the name Robert Kiyosaki ring a bell?  Most people wish they would have listened to him when he said your house is not an asset in, Rich Dad Poor Dad.

So why on earth would you have confidence in investing in an MBA? Does having one mean you will become a millionaire or quickly move up the corporate ladder?  The answer to both of these questions is no.  The difference in investing in an MBA is that you are investing in your human capital, which should be your first investment.

Wikipedia defines human capital as the stock of competences, knowledge, and personality attributes embodied in the ability to perform labor so as to produce economic value. It is the attributes gained by a worker through education and experience.

MBAs Impact Human Capital

Getting an MBA is an investment in your human capital and has the ability to yield a higher return than the stock market or real estate.  The return doesn’t necessarily mean a higher salary it can take on many forms:

•    Expands your job search opportunities
•    Expands your social and professional networks
•    Helps you to be more relevant in the changing job market
•    Enhances your productivity
•    Enhances your problem-solving abilities
•    Changes your worldview

At the end of the day MBAs have retained their value relativity speaking as it relates to the economy.  Will this change from year to year? I am sure it will.  It is time to invest in yourself and grow your human capital.

Relevant Articles

Top 100 MBA Employers 2009 (CNNMoney.com)

Higher Salaries for 2008 MBA Graduates (Businessweek.com)

Laid Off and Looking: The Wall Street Journal follows out-of-work M.B.A.s as they search for jobs in a post-meltdown world. (Wall Street Journal)

MBA Salaries and Compensation (TopMBA.com)

Why is Michigan Technological University offering an MBA online?

Michigan Tech strives to move technology and innovation forward through research and collaboration.

“We know we have an excellent MBA program, and we want to give working professionals an opportunity to participate so they can meet the demands of this fast-paced world. We are using cutting edge education delivery methods to make that happen.”

- Ruth Archer, MBA Program Director, School of Business, Michigan Technological University

The U.S. Department of Education released a report that was cited on GetEducated.com focusing on the effectiveness of online education entitled, “U.S. Dept. of Education Finds Online & Blended Education More Effective than Residential Method Alone”.

This blog post highlighted three significant findings.

1. Online education is more effective than face-to-face learning
2. Online learning combined with some face-to-face learning (blended learning) is the most effective
3. Face-to-face learning alone is the least effective method among the three types studied

These findings confirm the direction of the Tech MBA Online program, which provides a blended learning experience by incorporating three residencies.

Bill Gates Speaks on Online Learning

When Bill Gates the richest man on the planet speaks people have to listen. In the 2010 Annual Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Report he talks about the future of education and how online learning will be greatly impacted by the Internet. Michigan Tech is on the forefront by creating their Tech MBA Online which focuses on innovation and technology.

With the changing demands of peoples lifestyle online learning is becoming a more popular choice. The expansion of technology is also allowing for a rich learning experience. Let us know your thoughts about online learning.

Posted by Hajj Flemings who is the Tech MBA Online Program Ambassador. You can follow him on twitter @hajjflemings.