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I hope I don't get into trouble for cross-posting this in both the Education and Business forums. (I'm not sure what the rules are regarding cross-posting, but the query is pertinent to both areas, so hopefully I won't get into trouble. Please accept my apologies if I'm wrong).
Can anyone offer advice or share experiences regarding an MBA program, specifically in International Business. I want the focus to be in Marketing, and maybe even the Phd in Marketing. Also want to concurrently study Mandarin, as my goal is to market violins from China.
After examining so many graduate programs and taking coursework in a couple of them, and also doing some law school (blah!! -- I can always hire an attorney, just like I can hire technical people) -- when I think about these marketing and international business courses, I feel happy and excited. This is a good sign because I'm UNhappy and bored right now and need to find something to do.
If your goal / dream is to sell violins from China I really gotta tell you that is already being done. Many large organizations are currently involved in the importation, distribution and sales/ marketing aspects of that.
An MBA in an number of specialized field could be useful to these firms -- logistics, marketing, negotiation, all spring to mind. I doubt any of the if irks feels a need to hire PhDs, the additional academic focus rarely is useful.
As regards getting an MBA specifically in in International Business there is a great deal of variety in what that really means and how useful it can be. Like most degrees, the better schools tend to have higher standards, but beyond that there are real concnerns that you should consider in light of what you want to accomplish. Some programs are quite focused the aspects of banking / financnce, especially as it concerns the global money flow in various markets. Other programs are more focused on developing the knowledge that is needed to master the intricacies of vastly different business cultural. Still other programs have an emphasis on the political under pinnings of international commerce.
The vast majority of successful entrepreneurs have no formal business degree. Read any of the useful stories of folks that went down that path and the theme you get over and over is not that any specialize knowledge gained on classroom is what helped them, quite the opposite, their own ignorance of what a business would consider normal amoints of risk / profit allowed them to work like mad. Their own drive, determination, and ability to be on the right side of luck is superior to anything in a textbook.
I would suggest that if you do not already have a solid network to help you get financing that you spend a considerable amount of time making those connections, as ultimately to grow vey large or be acquired you will need to be part of that world.
amoints? You're not going to dissuade me, sorry. These stories are always brought up by people who don't have the PhDs, but for a woman to do business in Asia, it really helps, and besides, it will give me time to learn Mandarin.
I'm really not seeking anecdotal opinions as I am input from someone who has been in such a program.
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You may want to broaden things a bit...
