Thursday, July 29, 2010

G^3 for guys

Guys

Are you wondering what is G^3. Well it is not a DS or PS problem, but a simple funda.
G^3 equals GGG and you must be serious for all three GGG. got the concept of GGG from another guy

now wonder what it is
Gym - Are you serious? Well I am

Girl - if u have one then u have to be, otherwise you are lucky :). I am lucky
and last and but very important for getting into Top-B school

Any guesses on what it can be..Think..

Ok let me say it. Already you must be breaking your head on verbal and quant problems...heheeee

final G - GMAT

Enjoy reading :)

Won a Guide From Stacy Blackman Consulting

I have finally won something this time. the prize catch is essay guide from "Stacy Blackman Consulting" for stanford school of business.WoW a nice one..
would have been happy to get all the free guides..i have becoming to selfish...i know :):)


I am Happy to be on a winning side. Other's also can participate in this competition.More details on the below link
http://www.beatthegmat.com/stacy-blackman-consulting-updated-mba-essay-guides-contest-t62501.html

Fellow members join this competition and keep refreshing your facebook page to take ur prize

Monday, July 26, 2010

IIM Lucknow- Batch of 2011-Amazing diversity- IPMX

Diversity is the new Mantra at B schools.Having a diverse set of candidates not only increases class learning but also helps students build a wider professional network. Wherein many B schools in India get undesired attention in the name of diversity the IIM’s have gone in a silent manner building a good set of students for their newly launched 1 year residential MBA’s. IIM Lucknow has worked even more silently,staying away from the media glare and working towards its long term goal- to produce senior leaders for the various industries to assist in the development of the nation.

While analysing the batch MIX of class of 2011 ( read 1 year full time MBA) popularly known as IPMX, i was really thrilled and overjoyed. For 1 full year i would spend day in and day out not only with people who are willing to learn from me but from whom i can gather an ocean of knowledge and real industry experiences.

Energy Sector, Medical, Lifestle Retailing, Automotive, Information Technology, FMCG,HR,Technology, Finance, IT service, Consulting, Telecommunication, Central and state government are all represented in the class.

Brand Managers, Regional Managers, Marketing Managers, Senior Surgeons, Design Engineers, ERP consultants, Entrepreneurs, Project Leads, Operations Managers are all there. People have traveled all over the world and have amazing experiences to share.

The Experience Ranges from 6 years to 20 years in the class.This would facilitate learning of not only various functions required to succeed as a leader but would also enable the class to build on their people management skills. IIM Lucknow has even silently built a satellite campus in NCR region at Noida to have a locational advantage. The entire 1 year of study would be brocken down in modules and would be conducted at Lucknow and Noida campuses, with 1 month of international immersion( read 1 month of exchange program with a prestigious university in Europe/Singapore)

Its time now not only to wear the thinking cap, but to pull out the guitars, cricket bats,school bags, and all the childhood experiences as the Big daddy’s are going to SCHOOL…..a BUSINESS SCHOOL..where its the last opportunity to relive our lives like students and enjoy and soak in the experience.

The Dhols, nagaras, Shehnai’s, need to be brought out…!!!! Its time to party…!!!

Diversity is the new Mantra at B schools.Having a diverse set of candidates not only increases class learning but also helps students build a wider professional network. Wherein many B schools in India get undesired attention in the name of diversity the IIM’s have gone in a silent manner building a good set of students for their newly launched 1 year residential MBA’s. IIM Lucknow has worked even more silently,staying away from the media glare and working towards its long term goal- to produce senior leaders for the various industries to assist in the development of the nation.

While analysing the master of business administration batch MIX of class of 2011 ( read 1 year full time MBA) popularly known as IPMX, i was really thrilled and overjoyed. For 1 full year i would spend day in and day out not only with people who are willing to learn from me but from whom i can gather an ocean of knowledge and real industry experiences.

Energy Sector, Medical, Lifestle Retailing, Automotive, Information Technology, FMCG,HR,Technology, Finance, IT service, Consulting, Telecommunication, Central and state government are all represented in the class.

Brand Managers, Regional Managers, Marketing Managers, Senior Surgeons, Design Engineers, ERP consultants, Entrepreneurs, Project Leads, Operations Managers are mba school all there. People have traveled all over the world and have amazing experiences to share.

The Experience Ranges from 6 years to 20 years in the class.This would facilitate learning of not only various functions required to succeed as a leader but would also enable the class to build on their people management skills. IIM Lucknow has even silently built a satellite campus in NCR region at Noida to have a locational advantage. The entire 1 year of study would be brocken down in modules and would be conducted at Lucknow and Noida campuses, with 1 month of international immersion( read mba 1 month of exchange program with a prestigious university in Europe/Singapore)

Its time now not only to wear the thinking cap, but to pull out the guitars, cricket bats,school bags, and all the childhood experiences as the Big daddy’s are going to SCHOOL…..a BUSINESS SCHOOL..where its the last opportunity to relive our lives like students and enjoy and soak in the experience.

The Dhols, nagaras, Shehnai’s, need to be brought out…!!!! Its time to party…!!!

Source : http://mba.college-geek.com/iim-executive-mba-iim-lucknow-batch-of-2011-amazing-diversity/

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Got the First Star of BTG :)

finally my 401st post gave me the first star of BTG :):)


1-year MBA program for 2011 intake

1-year MBA program for 2011 intake. Got from PG
IIM - A 10/8/2010
IIM - B 30/09/10
IIM - C 31/08/10 prog starts 20-Apr-11
IIM - L (dates r not yet announced)
XLRI - XAT2010 3/1/2010 (1st week of Jan ). GMAT also accepted
XLRI - Dubai 27/08/10 (XLRI - admission test )
INSEAD - Sep2011-Jul2012 29/09/10 1st round
INSEAD - Jan2012-Dec2012 30/03/11 1st round
SP Jain - PGPM - Jan '11 30/06/10
ISB 1st cycle 30/08/10
ISB 2nd cycle 15/11/10


A good GMAT score will help aspirants :)
Have i missed anything

Friday, July 23, 2010

XLRI - One Year General Management Programme For Working Executives

One - Year General Management Programme For Working Executives


Knowledge and continuous learning is the mainstay amongst the best organizations of today. In order to satisfy this thirst for knowledge and to become a learning organization, XLRI has evolved a one year consolidated programme in general management with the objectives of providing the practicing managers a substantial exposure to theoretical foundations in management as well as to provide them a holistic perspective of business in such a way that they are not only equipped with tools and techniques to perform their task effectively but also to shoulder greater responsibilities in the future as they move up the hierarchy.

The institute awards the Executive Postgraduate Diploma in General Management to the participants who successfully complete all the requirements of this programme.


Curricula

The programme consists of Core & Optional/Elective courses specially designed for fast track executives with work experience. They provide the essentials of management education with the flexibility of individual exploration in their chosen area of interest. The entire programme spans for more than 1000 contact hours in class spread over one year.

The programme starts with induction for initiating the participants with XLRI’s culture and refreshing the fundamentals for better appreciation of the courses to follow.

Thereafter the participants undergo the core courses as building blocks essential for management education. Currently the core courses are categorized into seven major areas, Finance & Accounts, Marketing, Production & Operation, Information Systems, Human Resource Management & Organizational Behaviour, Economics, and Strategy, providing not only the essentials of management but also the core functional skills. About 500 contact hours are devoted to the core courses.

Successful completion of the core courses paves the way for the elective courses, chosen by the participants, helping them to further their areas of interest. Our effort has always been to provide a wide range of electives with a cutting edge focus in areas of relevance in grooming tomorrow’s business leaders. These are organized into six functional areas of Finance, Marketing, Operations, Human Resource management, Information Systems and Economics or Economics-Strategic Management. Each areas has six electives. In the third and fourth term students are allowed to choose electives from a list of offered electives. A minimum number of participants should opt for a specific elective to be offered.

The courses, both core and optional, are continuously restructured to make them contemporary to the changing scenario in management education.

The programme incorporates a group project which will be based on live problems from the industry and involves an important part of the learning process.

International Exposure

International exposure is a two weeks international cross cultural project which exposes the participants to international perspective of business, so that the participants can effectively function in an environment different from their “home culture”. It is designed to prepare the participants to take on challenges anywhere in the globalized world.

Academic Evaluation System

The institute's evaluation system is designed to continually assess the students' performance in relation to the required standards of academic achievement. Apart from examinations, a student's performance is assessed on the basis of class participation, preparation of periodic assignments, mid-term tests and quizzes. As specified in the Manual of Policies, the institute expects a minimum for the award of the diploma.

Fees

Each participant in this programme will be charged Rs 11.395 lakhs ( or equivalent US $) which will include tuition fees and other academic necessities, and expenses for lodging and international exposure. Along with the fees the participant will be required to deposit an additional refundable amount of Rs. 40,000/-. The above fees are payable in four installments at the beginning of each term. First installment is Rs. 4,24,500/- (including refundable deposits) second installment is Rs. 2,80,000/- third installment is Rs. 2,65,000/- and the fourth installment is Rs. 2,10,000/- . In addition, they will have to bear the expenses for food, electricity etc., any other expenses of personal nature during their stay in the campus. Those who want to avail the Family Quarters will have to pay an additional amount of Rs 60,000 (Rupees Sixty Thousand Only) with the first installment.



Source : http://www.xlri.ac.in/scripts/gmprogram.php

ISB forms 'Ivy League' with 3 Asian B-schools

The Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, has tied-up with three top Asian B-schools to devise a strategy to attract more students from the United States, Canada [ Images ] and Europe.

Along with the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, China Europe International Business School, and Nanyang Technological University, ISB officials will jointly market the potential of studying management in Asia to Western students. All four B-schools, including ISB, feature among the top 30 in the Financial Times (London [ Images ]) rankings of the Top 100 Business Schools in the world.

After five months of meetings and discussions, these four Asian B-schools have now branded themselves as 'Top 4Asia B-schools', created a logo which depicts the same, have a common signature, and a website http://www.topasiabschools.com to achieve the creation of an 'Ivy League' kind of image for students from developed countries.

The 'Ivy League' refers to eight north-eastern US colleges -- Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth University, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University.

These 'Top 4 Asia B-schools', on their newly-created website, reason that "Asia is the new land of opportunity. This is where you should be...to be present to learn to address the challenges of today's increasingly complex business world. And, it is what makes a vital difference in your CV and to the direction your career is headed."

"Asian education has now reached a critical mass trajectory. It is in our interest to give students multiple options. Hence, we got together with the other prominent Asian B-schools to jointly market our programmes. This proves more effective than going it alone," asserts Deepak Chandra, deputy dean of ISB.

Along with their counterparts from the other three Asian B-schools, ISB officials will sometimes travel together to North America and Europe, to promote their cause.

"This could be in the form of World MBA events wherein we travel together along with the officials of the other B-schools or sometimes in pairs. We also plan to participate in seminars besides using collaterals, etc. in the countries that we travel to," says V K Menon, senior director (Career Advancement & Admissions), ISB.

Menon points out that traditional marketing methods like direct mailers, advertising, etc., are "prohibitively expensive", hence "this strategy makes senses". "We have a history of collaboration, especially in executive education programmes," he adds. For instance, ISB has collaborations with some of the world's leading corporations including a number of Fortune 500 companies, the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at North Western University and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and London Business School.

All the top four Asian B-schools, including ISB, have an international standing, a pedigree and are well-anchored in their own regions. ISB enjoys the distinction of being the first Indian B-school to be ranked among the top 12 global business schools in the FT rankings. All its faculty members hold doctorates.

HKUST was established in 1991. Today, it is regarded as Hong Kong's premier business learning centre and its MBA programme has been consistently ranked No.1 in Asia by The Economist and world No. 9 by Financial Times in 2010. HKUST Business School is characterised by a blend of East meeting West. It was the first institute in Asia to be awarded dual accreditation by AACSB in the US and EQUIS in Europe.

CEIBS, on its part, has the longest running MBA programme in mainland China and the biggest EMBA programme in the world. The school has 10,000 graduates worldwide and 1,000 are added every year. It ranks No. 22 globally by Financial Times and has been No.1 in Asia for six years.

The Nanyank MBA has consistently been Singapore's No.1 MBA programme (both Financial Times Global BA rankings and The Economist's MBA rankings) for several years. It provides a pan Asian experiential learning, spanning China, India [ Images ] and the rest of Asia, while allowing global experience as Singapore is home to more than 5,000 global MNCs.

Source: Business Standard,
Rediff(http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/jul/23/isb-forms-ivy-league-with-3-asian-b-schools.htm)

Sunday, July 18, 2010

IIMA PGPX placements 2010

IIM Ahmedabad today released the placements statistics for its one-year PGP Executive batch that graduated in 2010. “Of the 66 students seeking placements 64 have been successfully placed. The average salary for the batch was Rs. 26.1 lakhs – an increase of 29.5% over the previous year’s average. Students who participated in the placement process received 1.77 offers per person,” said an official statement released by the institute.

Which ostensibly means that about 117 jobs were offered to 66 students. Eight were slated to start their own entrepreneurial ventures while six opted out of placements, added the note. Two students were yet to receive jobs. “The two students remaining to be placed from the 2010 batch have niche skills and location constraints and have rejected one offer each as they are looking for well targeted positions in specific industries. The institute continues to provide full support in their career search efforts by facilitating interaction with firms that express interest,” said the statement.

Most PGPX graduates have joined project management, business development and consulting functions. The batch had an average work experience of 10 years with 80% of the batch having spent an average of 5 years working abroad. Apart from the traditional consulting and general management roles, students were offered CEO, Executive Director, Senior Vice President. Vice President, General Manager and Practice Partner positions.


























































Functional breakup


PGPX 2009-10 current batch


PGPX 2008-09 previous batch


Business development


13%


22%


Consulting


19%


24%


Finance


3%


 -


General management


 9%


 29%


Operations


14%


 11%


Product management


5%


-


Project management


25%


5%


Sales


9%


-


Strategy and planning


 3%


7%


Human resource


-


2%



More than half of the batch joined IT and ITES companies. It is interesting to note that both the Functional Breakup and Industry Breakup trends have completely changed between the previous year and this year.



























































Industry breakup

 PGPX 2009-10

 PGPX 2008-09

Conglomerates

 3%

13%

Financial services

 8%

7%

Infrastructure

 5%

11%

IT and ITES

58%

29%

Management consulting

19%

20%

Manufacturing

5%

-

Media

1%

5%

Pharma

 1%

0%

Healthcare

-

4%

Telecom / Hi-tech

-

11%


Recruiters included McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, Axis Bank, Google, Amazon, TCS, IBM, Wipro, Mahindra Satyam, HCL, Infosys BPO, Polaris, Aricent, VBHDC, NISG, Genpact, Hero Honda, Mahindra and Mahindra, RIL, Tesco, RPG, Bennet Coleman, MARG and Zensar.








Source : http://student.exattosoft.com/iima-pgpx-placements-2010-it-largest-recruiter-eight-start-own-ventures.eswp

My AWA template

There are lot of AWA templates available on web. I am going to rely on the following template for my AWA


Issue Introduction

In asserting that………..the speaker fails to acknowledge….nevertheless I agree with the statement to the extent that

The issue of…….is a controversial one. On the one hand,………..On the other hand


Issue Body


Template 1

Experience tell us…for example

Admittedly…….however…..

One must admit as well….also….however………..moreover

Finally


Template 2

First…..for example……..even

Secondly

Some might argue that…..yet………….others might cite…….however..



Issue conclusion

In the final analysis……….since


In sum, although ……it is therefore


On The whole,




Argument introduction

Citing………concludes here that……….however the argument relies on a series of unproven assumption and is therefore unconvincing as it stands

Argument body

To begin with, the argument assumes that…..yet the mere fact that………hardly suffices to infer……without better evidence of…..it is just likely that………….for that matter…..in which.


Even if……..it is unfair to assume that…..it is entirely possible that…….it is also possible that…………without ruling this and other reasons…….


Nor can the manager justify…..perhaps…..or perhaps………

Argument conclusion

Thus the argument is not completely sound. The evidence in support of conclusion_______ is not reasonable. Ultimately the argument might have been strengthened by___________


Thursday, July 15, 2010

Harvard Business School 2010-11 admission essays analysis from PG

Source: http://www.pagalguy.com/2010/07/harvard-business-school-2010-11-admission-essays-analysis/

As is the case each year, Harvard Business School (HBS) has not overhauled its essays for the fall 2011 admission season either, but has tweaked them slightly. We would guess that this is likely about variety and change, rather than some shift in attributes sought by the admissions committee. The first two essay questions remain the same, but thereafter the optional essays have changed — notably, you now have to answer two of four questions, rather than two of five. “Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization,” is a thing of the past. Meanwhile, the “career vision” and “undergraduate academic experience” essays remain among the options and the final two, ”Tell us about a time when you made a difficult decision,” and “Write a cover letter to your application introducing yourself to the Admissions Board,” have been altered, as you will see below. Overall, even with fewer options this year, HBS offers you a great deal of flexibility in its essays, enabling you to selectively showcase the best of your candidacy. Don’t just start writing — brainstorm and thoroughly consider the message that you are communicating about yourself.

Mandatory: What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)

This mainstay of the Harvard MBA application challenges the applicant to quickly “wow” the reader with three individual accomplishments that, together, reveal a true depth of experience. Generally, the candidate should showcase different dimensions of him-/herself within the three subsections of this essay. Candidates can select from their professional, community, personal, academic (must be truly outstanding), athletic, interpersonal, experiential and entrepreneurial accomplishments, but certainly, no formula for the right mix of stories exists.

While this is HBS’s longest single essay in terms of word limit, many candidates treat it as three mini essays. Remember, though, that constructing individual stories within 200-word subsets is quite challenging. Candidates must keep in mind that the experiences they describe are crucial, but these descriptions only address half of HBS’s question. Indeed, two elements need to be addressed in this essay—(1) your accomplishments and (2) an analytical reflection on them (“why do you view them as such?”). The second half of this question should not be ignored; your personal thoughts and reflections are yours alone and will differentiate you from the pack.

Candidates often wonder if all three stories need to link thematically to conform to the expectations of a single essay. We have seen many a candidate skip a formal introduction and simply launch into a story, grabbing and holding the reader’s attention by placing him/her in the middle of the action. There is nothing wrong with a single essay that flows from one accomplishment to the next, but candidates should not fret if they have three distinct stories.

Note: Avoid beginning each accomplishment with “My first significant accomplishment is…” “My second most significant accomplishment is…” Because many candidates start their essays this way, you risk losing the reader almost immediately. Further, by telling the reader what the accomplishment is in the first sentence, you kill the mystery, and the reader is left with nothing to discover—nothing is driving him/her to follow your story.

What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)

What makes this question interesting is that the admissions committee is not asking you to simply recount a failure or setback, which might allow you to shift the blame onto others or external circumstances. Instead, they are asking about a mistake that you have made or were in some way involved in making—which means that you cannot avoid taking personal responsibility for the error. We cannot emphasize this enough: the admissions committee wants to know that you can honestly and critically assess yourself. You do not need to be brutal, but your essay must leave you exposed in some way. Attempts to hide or minimize your mistake, or your role in it, will be transparent and will lessen the import of what you learned from it—as well as the strength of your essay. That said, however, be sure to note that this essay is not so much about the mistake itself as it is about what you learned from the mistake. So, you will need to explain the error, take responsibility in a mature manner and then be introspective, showing that learning occurred and led to real change in your subsequent thoughts and actions.

Optional: Please respond to two of the following (400-word limit each):

What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?

This question is quite open-ended, so you are not constrained to a historical recounting of your entire academic career; you can be selective and showcase the aspects that present you in the most positive light. This can be an opportunity to explain your choices (of school/major) and highlight your intellectual vitality—but not to review your coursework (the admissions committee already has your transcript) or justify bad grades.

While “academic” is the operative word in this essay question, it can be interpreted broadly. Your academic experience can extend beyond the classroom and into, for example, vigorous discussions with professors during office hours. The idea is to show that while you were an undergraduate, you seized various opportunities to explore ideas and develop your interests, thoughts and world view. You should try to create momentum in your essay, illustrating how you worked to discover your passions and then committed yourself to an appropriate course of study. However, this does not mean that you can only discuss your major; that quirky “Surrealist Cinema” or fascinating “Modern Architecture” class that was well outside your core course of study might be the perfect fodder to prove your intellectual curiosity and growth.

We should mention that we have seen successful candidates hone in on one spectacular academic experience that defined their academic career as a whole. Again, this essay need not be a historical recounting of an entire four-year degree. You have the freedom to offer what is important to you and showcase what will allow you to stand apart from others.

Note: We generally do not recommend this essay question to candidates who are several years removed from their undergraduate experience, but exceptions are made for those who had truly extraordinary academic careers.

What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?

Many candidates feel anxious about not answering this question, because, for the most part, every top school asks candidates to directly discuss their goals. Well, for the record, mbaMission has worked with candidates in each of the past three years (i.e., since this essay became an option) who have succeeded in gaining admission to HBS without answering this question. It is, indeed, optional. Essentially, we feel that if you are truly passionate about a certain career path and this path has some distinctiveness to it, then you should answer this question. However, if you are still contemplating your career or can reveal something unique about yourself by answering one of the other essay questions instead, then you need not respond to this one.

If you choose to address this question, it offers you flexibility in discussing your career path, because the admissions committee wants to hear about vision, not narrow goals. Still, even though no blatant request is made for a description of your short- and long-term goals, you cannot afford to be whimsical. To ensure your credibility, you must demonstrate that you are focused in your ambitions and show that your desired career path is built on a legitimate intellectual and professional foundation.

HBS strives to restrict the illustrious HBS experience to those with clear vision, potential and purpose. The latter portion of this essay question (“why is this choice meaningful to you?”) places the onus on you to explore and explain your motivations. The question’s structure prevents superficial answers and forces you to show a fundamental understanding of, and personal connection to, your goals.

Note: We strongly advise candidates not to try to anticipate the “types” of careers that HBS admissions “prefer” and then try to game the system. Whether you write about a potential career in nonprofit or one in private equity, your chances are no better or worse. Vision—we repeat—vision is key.

Tell us about a time in your professional experience when you were frustrated or disappointed.

At first glance, this question may seem to be an odd addition to HBS’s optional statements. After all, the mistake essay already asks you to present yourself in somewhat of a negative light—now they are asking you to discuss a frustrating or disappointing experience as well?

If anything, this essay reveals that HBS is seeking people who are “real” and know that they are fallible. It may sound like a cliché, but often, far more can be learned by navigating a path strewn with obstacles than on the clear and easy road to success. For this essay, HBS is not asking you to recount an experience in which you were culpable in some way (as it does in the mistake essay), but rather one in which you were challenged and had to struggle. For example, if you took on a corporate bureaucracy to bring about a positive change, and did so with conviction and determination, whether you lost or won is not relevant—what is crucial is how you navigated your path and dealt with the obstacles in your way. Relaying a professionally frustrating experience does not need to reveal that you are tempestuous, but can instead reveal positive traits, such as diplomacy, thoughtfulness, determination, entrepreneurship and more. We encourage you to carefully consider this question and not dismiss it outright as another challenge to your character. In fact, you may find that your character truly shines through in this essay.

When you join the HBS Class of 2013, how will you introduce yourself to your new classmates?

Many candidates will consider writing this essay in first person, likely in quotes. If you consider taking this approach, we caution you against using the typical opening: “Hi. My name is Tom Brown and I am excited about joining the HBS Class of 2013. I was born in…” This is not a time to blend in with the crowd, so you will need to use a more compelling approach. HBS is not asking for a biographical statement but is essentially giving you a free opportunity to showcase your strongest attributes and experiences as a potential contributor to the broader HBS experience. In this case, you do not need restrict your focus to the academic sphere. Instead, consider offering a narrative that reveals your strengths in various areas—academic, community, extracurricular, social—which would thereby demonstrate your ability to contribute to many different facets of the HBS community, not just in the classroom. Although we strongly discourage you from writing a disguised “why HBS” essay, tactfully linking some of your proposed contributions to specific offerings at the school may be appropriate.

More than outlining your contribution, however, your overarching goal in this essay should be to find your voice and convey your true personality/style so the admissions committee can gain a better understanding of you as an individual. Again, the committee is not looking for a specific “type” of candidate, and you should not try to be anything other than yourself. (If you are a shy person, for example, there is no point in trying to depict yourself as the life of the party.) Your sincere story and personality need to materialize for you to stand out among the thousands who apply to this school.

Harvard Business School 2011 admissions – Application dates
Round 1 Last date to submit application:Friday, October 1, 2010 Result :Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Round 2 Last date to submit application:Tuesday, January 11, 2011 Result :Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Round 3 Last date to submit application:Thursday, March 31, 2011 Result :Thursday, May 5, 2011



About the author: Jeremy Shinewald is the Founder/President of MBAMission, an admissions consulting service based out of New York. He is an alumnus of the Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia. The views presented here are his own.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Doing an MBA has its benefits, and risks too(Text: Co-founders of iTrust.in, a financial advisory business)

Below is a useful article i got from ET(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/5776399.cms)

In the recent past, leading business schools in India have announced that they are raising their fees by almost 10%. This begs the question, if an MBA is worth it.

In true MBA style, let's do a cost-benefit analysis of what it means to get an MBA. However, this is not just about looking at what you spend on tuition - and boarding and lodging - and how quickly after graduation you can expect to earn this money back through a high salary.

Cost-benefit analysis of what it means to get an MBA
There are numerous intangibles that must come into the equation that we need to talk about. At the outset, we must admit that we are biased — both of us have had the good fortune to get our MBA degrees from Harvard Business School in 2002, and have over the past 8 years recognised the true value of what our education and experience can offer and has indeed offered us.

What is expressed here is our personal view. While one could spend pages writing a thesis on this very topic, we hope that this brief article, in the very least, will prompt you to think about some of the issues that matter when thinking of enrolling for an MBA programme


Costs
The obvious cost is that of tuition, boarding and lodging. This will vary depending upon the school as well as whether you attend a 1- or a 2-year programme and whether you get your MBA in India or abroad. You, of course, need to add to this, costs of sundry items such as a computer, travel costs, day-to-day living expenses and the like.

The next cost one must consider, one that is equally if not more important but often neglected, is the opportunity cost of being away from the work force while one is on campus. This is the lost salary that one could have earned, the promotions you lose to your peers that might have been yours and the irreplaceable real world experience that you miss


Benefits
An MBA is a great way to jump-start one's career, especially if one is looking to change a career. One can get access to opportunities that otherwise might not have been accessible because certain jobs require an MBA as a minimum qualification. This often comes with the potential rewards of better earnings potential.

It's not uncommon to read about graduates from top business schools earning more than what their parents did at their retirement age.

But equally, if not more importantly, there are softer benefits that most MBAs from top business schools find more rewarding, but are unquantifiable.

First, it's the intellectual stimulation that one can get from being in a room full of people from diverse backgrounds, especially if the school prefers to admit students with work experience.

Network
Then, there is the opportunity to build a network and circle of classmates and alumni who remain your friends, advisors and mentors for life and will open door for you. This is probably one of the most important reasons why there is a big difference between attending a top-ranked school versus going to just another business school.

An MBA education is also a great time to pick up new skills and improve on existing ones in order to add to one's competitiveness in the job market. For some reason, the perceived value of an MBA in the job market is high, and an MBA is often a convenient shortcut that recruiters use to attach certain minimum skills, intelligence and experience that you might be expected to possess.

Finally, there's job mobility. You might find it easier to move jobs and careers because the recruiting market considers MBAs to have transferable skills that can span across industries and geographies.

Risks
Notwithstanding the above benefits, just because you have an MBA does not directly translate into a better job with higher pay. If that were the case, then every graduate from an MBA programme would be the CEO of a business. Ultimately, your prospects depend upon what you make of your degree and its associated experiences. History has shown that while some MBAs do go on to become industry leaders, most get stuck in middle management.

Additionally, the opportunity cost is something that one can't ignore. In the real world, those with actual hands-on experience are sometimes more valuable than just an MBA qualification. The bulk of India's MBAs can end up in jobs that did not require an MBA, to begin with. You could have got the same job if you had sufficient work experience. Most importantly, where you get your MBA from is perhaps a huge determinant of the value of this qualification.

Due to competitive reasons, the highest salaries and the best jobs are usually limited to the graduates of the top 10-15 business schools, and not just graduates of any school. Yes, the curriculum and classroom materials might be the same. But how, where and with whom you learn is very important. If you aren't from one of the top schools, you might need to work that much harder to succeed and derive the full value of your MBA.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Building Profile of an Indian IT professional

Given the boom in Indian market, there has a lot of attrition happening. People have different reasons for resigning. Some reasons are
better pay
better job profile
transfer to diff location
unhappy with work location
office is very far etc.
This are the excuses i have heard till now

Due to attrition the HR team has become active and lot of attrition metrics are being circulated. Each of the leads have been asked to reduce the attrition. Most of the time i have found myself bound by policies and could not avoid the resignation cases. Last week a strange case. A resource of mine came to me saying that since he is not able to build his profile for an MBA so he wants to quit the job.

I could relate this guys problem to my MBA aspirations and could understand his frustration. Well what is actually a profile. let me list down my responsibilities other than coding which i will highlight in my MBA application.

- six sigma mentor(process)
- internal auditor(process)
- editor of an internal magazine(marketing)
- project manager(Management)
- part of presales team(sales)

i have just been in IT industry for 6+ years and trying for a good GMAT score. irrespective of whatever profile i have, i feel what matters the most his how different he/she is and a GMAT score(700+) to make an entry.

The guy who put down his papers has spent around 3.5 years in IT industry and wants a role of BRM or BA. BRM without an MBA is almost impossible. Whereas a BA role might be possible but i doubt how far exposure it can give to a 3.5 years resource when today most companies are hiring MBA grads for a BA role

Honing an MBA degree is a dream but if we can built an ideal profile for an MBA without it(there are some pre MBA course such as CABM which ISB says is enough to get a i/v call) then why people shd do an MBA. after all bill gates has done it without an MBA

The topic of whether an MBA/profile is a must can be debated a lot. coming back to the main issue, I gave the resource all the options that i could. Finally we have decided to release him from my project so that he can explore other options within my company

Saturday, July 10, 2010

International Programme in Management for Executives(IPMX) @ IIML

Executive MBA (IPMX), is a one-year residential executive programme at the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow-NOIDA Campus. The International Programme in Management for Executives, is designed for mid/senior level professionals, to prepare them for leadership roles. The programme is designed to develop business education that is grounded in the Indian and international business environment. It will accelerate understanding of business at functional and strategic levels, and prepare students to manage enterprises engaged in global business. The curriculum would focus on a strategic understanding of business, rooted in practical skill development through action learning projects and industry interface. A core component of the programme is an international module of 3- 4 weeks at one of our partner institutes located in Europe / East Asia which will provide students the opportunity for an international learning experience to equip them with the knowledge and perspective relevant to current global business issues. The programme would be rigorous as well as rewarding as it would provide ample opportunity for personal development and professional growth through inquiry and insight in an interactive learning environment. NOIDA being the hub of commercial and industrial activity, the locational advantage of the NOIDA Campus would also extend to the learning process where industry related assignments and real management contexts form an integral part of the course curriculum. The delivery is oriented towards best practices, an integrated strategic perspective, project work and constant engagement with industry The Corporate Interaction Centre of the Institute would facilitate in providing placement services for non-sponsored students.

Programme Objective
The overall goal of the programme is to broaden the core managerial competencies to further enhance the professional growth of students. The specific objectives of the programme are to:
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Provide students with the fundamental principles of effective management of modern business organizations
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Develop understanding of the roles and responsibilities of business managers in increasingly global nature of social and economic orders and corporate operations
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Sharpen diagnostic and analytical skills for effective decision making in complex business perspectives.
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Sensitise students to the issues of cultural diversity and develop skills for effective management within multi-cultural work environments.
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Strengthen strategic leadership and team working skills




More details
http://www.iiml.ac.in/post_graduate_program_ipmx.html

Friday, July 9, 2010

SPJIMR - 11 Months Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGPM)

About the Programme

Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGPM) is an eleven month, full-time, residential programme. The mission of the programme is to create and nurture value-based future leaders taking on higher management roles in transforming organizations.

SPJIMR perceived the need of the industry for thought leaders in middle level management and successfully endeavoured to create the PGPM course. The programme which is in its sixth year, has challenged the paradigm of conventional part time courses for working executives values and ethics.

The unique aspect of the programme is the focus on the specific Role and Domain that the participant is interested to pursue. The customized approach ensures

A) Contextually specific role and domain focus
B) Functionally integrated teaching-learning process



Positioning and Philosophy

The course caters to specific industry requirements as it combines domain focused expertise with a general management perspective.

The programme has a unique model of combining the Six Week ALP (Application of Learning Program) with a comprehensive research paper which gives the participant a holistic approach towards contemporary business environment.

Industry Need

The rapid growth of business has thrown open the need for a very large number of middle level and senior level management professionals in most companies. They are required to have a general management perspective with focused domain expertise on the businesses they serve. The current demand for such professionals is expected to far exceed the availability. Internal promotions within the organization alone will not be sufficient to feed this demand.

Participant Need

The PGPM programme is best suited for working professionals to add value to their careers in a short time. It provides a great opportunity to those participants who want to rejoin the industry quickly at higher remunerations. The programme is rigorous, challenging and intense. The programme encourages learning beyond classroom discussions and the intense process prepares participants to analyze situations quickly and apply skills to real business situations. One learns to combine one's industry expertise with the fundamentals of management that one is exposed to over the year. Successful leaders and entrepreneurs regularly visit the campus to provide their perspectives on the ever-changing dynamics of the industry.



The SPJIMR Advantage

SPJIMR is not affiliated to any university and is completely autonomous. This status has given the institute the ability to utilize academic freedom to develop trend-setting educational programmes and pedagogic processes with long-term benefits for all stakeholders. SPJIMR also has entrepreneurial agility that has made it the only self-financed institute to be among the top ten in the country.

The guiding philosophy of SPJIMR is influencing practice, here and now and promoting value based growth. The Institute has an enviable track record of recognizing the needs of the society and quickly and aptly responding by offering high quality relevant programmes. And, to cap it all, SPJIMR has the advantage of being in Mumbai, the commercial capital of the country.



Duration

PGPM is an 11 months full-time residential programme with six months online learning as a pre foundation before joining the course.



Eligibility

Minimum 3 years of bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university in India or abroad.



More details about the school @ http://www.spjimr.org/pgpm/pgpm_home.asp
Work experience of minimum 5 years after graduation.