Comments on: Tech startups need/don’t need MBAs? Discuss …

By: VDD

VDD — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 05:48:05 +0000

From what I have seen and understand, people with MBA degrees tend to be risk takers, hence, good leaders on the short term. People with engineering degrees tend to look for stability, hence make good leaders on the long term. As I see it, tech start-ups need a good mix of both.

By: Khurrum

Khurrum — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 06:21:52 +0000

As far as tech companies go. They are typically smaller and more agile. Being effective there requires a very different skill set compared to a large company – especially to be a leader.

Also, an MBA who isn’t sufficiently versed in new trends and technologies may have little to offer. Education like an MBA seeks to substitute real world experience. That is a question any student should ask himself “Can I do a good job at this in a real company?” Have to remember to put effort in the right direction.

By: Khurrum

Khurrum — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 06:16:57 +0000

As with anything else, what matters isn’t the theory you know but rather the actual abilities you have – as well as your network. A capable MBA does not need to fret about whether he’ll find a job when he graduates, he already has one lined up.

By: bogusstory

bogusstory — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 23:56:54 +0000

The writer forgot to mention MBAs and the finance industry.

There’s the negative earnings dot-com bubble, the housing bubble, the micro-bubble, the naked-short flash crashes and there’s ENRON style accounting frauds everywhere. Meanwhile every MBA demands deregulation and the financialization and monetization of everything.

I think Harvard would like to hide their former president Larry Summers in the basement.

In banks, all departments are managed and run by business majors hand selected to be the most greedy, self-centered and arrogant. That includes marketing (makes some sense), finance (less sense), risk management (little sense), operations and IT (outsourcing and off-shoring).

For more details on the financial boom, bust, see: http://analytical-crm.com/UnMoney_TBTF.pdf

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:30:24 +0000

An MBA is fine, as long as its backing up an engineering degree.

By: Barb Darrow

Barb Darrow — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:34:43 +0000

i’m not positive you need MBAs per se — but you do need good business people –people who know finance , who have business skills. that’s a no brainer.

By: jbrynsvold

jbrynsvold — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:57:45 +0000

I think the skills that are learned while earning an MBA definitely make the student more equipped to be successful within a tech startup company. You don’t necessarily need an MBA to succeed in the business world (as proved by Zuckerberg, Gates, Jobs, etc.), but more education is never a bad thing. Some people are just naturally gifted with business knowledge and prowess, but for those who aren’t, education can help a student gain and improve those skills. This degree gives students specialized training for how to be successful in business and the student is able to work with aspiring and motivated businesspeople within their MBA program. Going after an MBA degree also shows that the student has the initiative and desire to learn more about his/her craft, which is a good sign for the student’s future work ethic within a company.

In general, I agree with Barb that every tech startup needs someone with business and financial management expertise. Without that, how will the company succeed financially? You could have a groundbreaking idea for a tech startup, but if you can’t organize the finances and can’t market the product to potential buyers, you could be wasting your time and resources.

By: Futureengineer

Futureengineer — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:10:09 +0000

This discussion is absolutely pointless.You need both MBAs and engineers in your organisation be it a startup or a big company.The engineers are mostly required at the back end to design the product while mbas are required to market and sell the product

By: Free Coffee

Free Coffee — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:57:38 +0000

actually, most entrepreneurs fail.

By: sghosh

sghosh — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 06:04:17 +0000

I always wanted to do MBA and never did it instead i did start up. Unlike many entrepreneurs i failed in my start up but i don’t regret but i feel its utter stupidity to discuss whether you need MBA or not. Education never goes waste just because we have some outliers doesn’t mean MBA is waste. For a successful company you need everyone.