thanks.
For my case, I plan to focus on it full time. I'll plan my savings accordingly for 1.5 years. Anything more will be a stretch. So far it seems like Monash is offering it.

hai everyone, I would just like to know whether MBA does effect your career progression?
Does anyone with any experience whatsoever could enlighten me.

Currently I`m 27-28 with a bachelor of engineering (Electrical) with 6 years experience in the aviation field (UAV).
I was thinking of pursuing masters but could not yet make a decision on what course to enroll in. whether proceed with engineering or go for MBA.
recently UTM offered MBA in aviation management which caught my attention.

please advise

Read all my previous posts on this thread. U will have a better idea then.

If you want to switch career using your MBA to a better corporate life, any MBA that is not listed in FT100 will be very difficult. I don’t like to use this example but if your MBA does not cost up to RM250,000 it’s not a top-tier university. Please check link below:

http://rankings.ft.com/exportranking/globa...anking-2016/pdf

You see Insead there right? It’s in Singapore, their fees now is around EURO75,000. That’s equivalent to RM300,000 to RM400,000. Its already cheap as it’s a year program. If you go US like Harvard and Stanford its easily half a million ringgit. You will ask what for? Bcos unlike degree, only top MBA makes a difference to the employer. Who you think can afford those schools? It must be very rich entrepreneur or top C-level executives. They are there to find network …. and study along the way. These schools has special career fair that only opens to them like Google, Amazon, JP morgan,….
If you want to save your money doing MBA, I think it’s better you save money for your entrepreneurship. You don’t need MBA for that. A lot of people make mistake thinking MBA will change their life. You pay peanuts, you get peanuts.

Last useful tip to choose MBA. If the school does not require you to take GMAT, very highly likely that MBA is not a top-tier one and it won’t dramatically change your career. See link below if you are not sure what is GMAT
http://start.gmat.com/gmatprep_en?&utm_sou...7259022549,gmat

The top MBA school currently in Malaysia is the Asean business school (collaboration between MIT and Bank Negara). Cost should be around RM300k also.

Monash is good but not cheap. Equivalent school will be like Manchester business school (sunway) or strachtlyde

Monash is not in the same league.

Manchester is ranked 38 in the world while Strathclyde is Ranked 63. Monash is out of the Top 100.

Sound like 250k bullshit. U dont need rm250k paper to change ur career.
Anyway stracylde is rm65k only...

I think you have misunderstood him. He said 2 separate things:

1) Using a MBA programme from a Uni which is not in the FT Top 100 for a career change to a better corporate life (not just any career change), would be difficult.

2) Any MBA which doesn't cost up to RM250K is not a top tier university.

He didn't say you need a 250K MBA for a career change. The Lancaster business school (Sunway - Lancaster MBA here in Malaysia) is ranked 35 in the world and its not even 80K.

Top Tier universities / business schools are generally in the Top 10-15 in the world rankings.

Therefore, both his points above are 100% true and valid.

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: Aug 18 2016, 08:42 AM

Ya, I fully agree with you and also think it’s BS. It’s basically a rich club formed by rich boys for the rick boys. They have very strong alumni which will ensure the MBA students join the exclusive club. Take Rajat Gupta case for example (ex Mickinsey head who was charged for insider trading).

Quote:
“Two decades earlier, it was Daniel who had hired Gupta straight out of Harvard B-School for McKinsey's New York office--after Gupta had been turned down because he didn't have any work experience. That's when one of Gupta's professors at Harvard, Walter Salmon, wrote to Daniel, then manager of the New York office, asking him to reconsider the decision. He did, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

Link: http://www.sree.net/stories/bt-gupta.html

MBA actually does not help a skilled worker become better. It’s a skilled worker using a power brand to certify himself as skilled worker. If he is an outstanding staff, getting a good MBA just makes him looks better.
I think the practical use of MBA is as follow:

Networking: Good MBA really provides the network. The theory is if someone willing to pay tons of money to be in there, that person will really invest his time to know people. And since, good schools filter out pretenders, quality network is aplenty. All depends on the student initiatives. Good schools normally requires at least > 5 years managerial experience with global standard companies, 2 endorsements from former students, good GMAT scores and solid undergraduate degress…. and willingness to pay.

Mobility: MBA is actually quite useful to switch career (not upgrading career). This was popular and now making a comeback especially for specialised positions. Think Oil and gas. After retrenchment of engineers due to global oil slump, some O&G offered MBA courses to their staffs to switch to another line within the company. Quite popular with banking also. For those thinking to switch country, take US. UK or ASIAN MBAs are very hard.

Knowledge: Very subjective as it’s the least professional (non-specialised). I like case studies and experience where I met executives from other companies. I find the knowledge sharing useful but the content you can roughly get it from Harvard business review.

Career progression: …. Ok (strictly my opinion), MYS bosses will felt that staffs taking MBA most likely will leave the organisation for better offers. Most bosses also don’t see the value add of MBA here so they won’t pay the premium. Unless the company wants to sponsor you to take no point you go take yourself. I only heard a genuine case of a known acquaintance where he was asked to take MBA with a top15 as he was geared to become a MD.

Ha ha I feel you. Looking at the list, I think only the top20 will make any difference. Although most felt FT is the most accurate ranking but there are others like QS. QS Ranking understands the regional differences and importance of GMAT score. I think the most useful indicator is the alumni recommendation as Lancaster ranks 81 instead of 35 in FT. As perception / prestige are more important, I wonder why their students don’t recommend it that much.

Another thing about tie-in universities, it will always be inferior as compared to the actual full program. Taking course at Lancaster here and at Lancaster UK is very different especially the network quality. Although one might argue the local network is more relevant if one wants to stay in MYS. UK students are very very different compared to US students mentality. I heard Australia MBAs are very sought after in Australia but not elsewhere but can’t confirm on these.

And non-US MBA always a tougher sell as only US MNCs actually treasures MBAs.

Thank you for all the valuable tips and infos!! I have noted this down in case the thread went missing.

I have similar background with you, now pursuing MBA in Singapore
why not consider to study in Singapore？

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This post has been edited by Mahao: Aug 15 2017, 09:23 AM

I would agree with the other posts that only the top ranking universities' MBA's would really make any substantial difference to your career. You have to remember that from a time when only a few universities offered MBAs to a time now when almost every university has an MBA course, including online universities. Basically, they are a dime a dozen.

Unless, you qualify from top ranked universities and the only one I know in South East Asia which in that category is INSEAD branch in Singapore, you will not see much difference in your career. I know of a Vietnamese girl who worked as an IT personnel in Singapore for a number of years. She then applied to University of Pennslyvania, Wharton to do their MBA (its ranked around top 4 in the world according to 2016 Financial Times ranking) and borrowed almost US$300,000 from Wharton university as a loan to do that MBA. Luckily, she completed the course and is now looking for a job in USA. She estimates that with a Wharton MBA, she should be able to pay off that loan in a few years.

So, try and see if you can go that route. I believe that most of the top MBA universities in USA have special loan programmes for applicants who qualify for them (based on means test and academic ability). She was from a lower middle class background in Vietnam and was self sponsored from her savings and loan from Wharton. She did not want to do her MBA in Singapore because after checking all the facts out, she said that it was not worth spending thousands of dollars for an MBA from a university which is not ranked top 10 MBAs in the world. Return from lesser ranked MBA universities did not justify the cost.

This post has been edited by xenotzu: Sep 24 2016, 12:00 AM

why kept saying having good mba will change your career?

Its you whom make the different. MBA is just a knowledge and a pcs of paper. It's the knowledge and experience from MBA that will help you to push further.

Just a note, Wharton is under upenn.

This is misleading and inaccurate. Since when is your MBA progamme the Top Ranked UK MBA in Malaysia?

Can't agree more. Shouldn't even be considered an MBA.

I agree with your view that it’s just a piece of paper. If the user is unable to utilise the MBA, it’s just another piece of paper. That’s why top-tier universities have a very rigid filter test to root out only the best for the programme (if you can pay). In a way, they transformed those already good employees into the next level. My view is most of the students already have outstanding credentials; they just need a stamp of accreditation from these universities.

It’s much easier to say they have a certified Harvard MBA to a potential recruiter than spending 1 hour explaining their background. Most employers trust the university have a very good selection process. Take Insead SG for example, the filter system is as difficult as getting into McKinsey itself.

I think that's why you will hear a lot of people wants to do MBA but will balk at the cost later. I agree it shouldn't cost that much but the university knows well that most can recover that amount. Its not that huge if you are considering from US/UK perspective. The currency does not really work into ASIAN students favor.

The local colleges from each country takes advantage by offering low fees "MBA" that really misled a lot of those that doesn't perform proper due diligence. Most realized mid-way or when they applied for jobs using the MBA.

US university has a policy on the minorities. They have a minimum quota and special privileges for minorities in the class (including MBA). International diversity also feeds into the ranking