Monday, September 3, 2012

5 Vital reasons why you should be undertaking a Mini MBA!


5 Vital Reasons for Undertaking a Mini-MBA

Matthew was becoming increasingly frustrated in his role as a manager of a large division at a manufacturing company. He felt as though he had reached a career ceiling and had been advised by his mentor to gain some form of business qualification so that he would have more opportunities for progression. He felt he was not quite ready to undertake an MBA as he thought it was a huge time commitment and it might be a step too far for him.

Are you too looking for the next step forward in your career? Are you seeking to gain a more complete and well-rounded sense of the business environment without the commitment of intensive study? These are two of the main reasons we hear from our many applicants who understand the benefits of gaining a business management certificate or as we like to call it, a Mini MBA




Here are the 5 vital reasons that you too should be undertaking studies towards a Mini-MBA:

1. Gain credibility and to increase your sphere of influence – in the fast-paced business world, those who have subject matter expertise, but who do not speak the language of business, finance and marketing are at a severe disadvantage. Your broader understanding from a holistic perspective of the ins and outs of how business functions and the inter-relatedness of different spheres is essential if you want to fully engage in meetings and have your views recognised.

This is what the mini-MBA provides – the complete overview of all aspects of the business cycle so that you gain the confidence to be able to convey your interpretation and standpoints in order to be able to influence others. You are empowered with the language, jargon and insight in to the functioning of organisations so that whether you are in the public or private sector, you gain key leadership skills.

2. Set yourself apart with a valuable addition to your CV – Research indicates that those managers who hold an MBA have a competitive advantage when it comes to career progression *1 - and they also make a serious difference to the organisation’s results. There is no question that besides the perceived prestige attached to holding higher level qualifications, your organisation benefits as you are able to deal more effectively with challenges that continue to arise.

There is obviously the advantage of possibly receiving higher remuneration – and research indicates that those who do hold higher level qualifications can earn up to 40% more than those who do not.*2

3. Take a small step towards a full MBA – A full MBA is a massive commitment in terms of time, workload and energy. Some of our applicants for the mini-MBA tell us that this management certificate is less daunting and will give them an opportunity to evaluate whether they are indeed suited to the full MBA.

Because of our link with the highly regarded Southern Cross University there is the opportunity to get advanced standing in the full MBA and this creates an attractive option. The business-school style environment of the mini-MBA also provides you with a sense of the lecture style and group work that is expected in the university business school setting.


4. Try out your skills in a simulated environment – gain the theory and the practice – What participants value highly in the mini-MBA is the ability to mix both theory and practice in terms of management and leadership concepts and strategies. It is an excellent way of learning the important theoretical models and then by working in a simulated environment, you are called on to make decisions that determine the successful outcomes of the business.


It is not often that we have the luxury of hindsight when it comes to making judgment calls and in this mini-MBA simulation, you have the advantage of playing out challenges, dealing with change and understanding the broader implications of the decisions you make. As top leaders well know, if the incorrect decisions are followed, the path to organisational success becomes far more difficult – yet, it is so tough to always make the right call, given the highly complex nature of organisations, the pressures and stresses of the business world and the inter-relatedness between all aspects of the economy.

5. Network with other managers and leaders – One of the key leadership skills is to have a wide and diverse network that is not restricted to your own sector of the marketplace. The top-level professionals in the mini-MBA program are drawn from all sectors and are equally keen to establish business relationships and connections.

You have the opportunity to mix with like-minded managers who are able to provide examples, lessons learnt and experience to ensure that you gain insights and establish long-lasting networks that could be useful to you at stages of your career.

As you work in teams through the different challenges of the program, you develop a common bond that stands you in good stead in your career. 


For more information on the mini-MBA offered through Management Consultancy International, please call 1300768550 or email info@mci.edu.au


Have a look at a short video of the simulation that you will participate in during the program - 
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYJ-son79ag&feature=youtu.be
Source:

ww.cesim.com
 
*1http://www.businessweek.com/business-schools/the-mba-advantage-07112011.html



*2 http://www.topmba.com/articles/news-and-features/mba-pay-averages-40000-more-undergraduate

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