Hi George. I think it would be easy to read what you've written and conclude that the MBA doesn't develop soft skills and simply imparts knowledge. I don't think you really believe that, and I certainly don't. Certainly, an MBA isn't a guarantee of perfection. However, I think an MBA helps people develop in many ways, and the more there's group work there more it helps develop soft skills. I think that's because of what you also suggest: it's experience that develops soft skills. And, of course, soft skills are not like hard skills. You either know, or do not know, how to calculate a beta. But there are degrees to which soft skills are developed and maintained.

In my opinion, a key thing for some MBAs is to get away from narcissism, from the defensive fantasy of their own perfection. At top business schools, I come across this attitude a lot with applicants or students. People refuse to admit that their soft skills are weak. But, at the same time, imagine the impact of an elective on negotiation skills. Everyone feels and admits a huge benefit from that, and it shifts not just the skills but in a way one's whole attitude towards cooperation. That's one simple example of how education can shift a soft skill a lot. Another clear example is cross-cultural working culture: a small experience can lead to a big difference.

So, no, face-to-face work isn't magic. No-one said it was. But can be really helpful for people whose existing role does not allow them to develop their soft skills, and who otherwise might not be aware of their potential to develop.

A long journey is started by taking that first step, you don't learn everything within that first step but will learn as the journey progresses. At least you have taken that first step in the right direction by opening up your horizons.

If you stay in your comfort zone i.e. interacting with the same people you will not have the opportunity to take that first step.

The 10 day seminars are intense going from breakfast together at 07:00 and going to sometimes 21:00 in the evening with lectures and syndicate group work. But it is the exposure to diversity outside of your comfort group that is invaluable, and the intensity is what can accelerate the experience, but you have to be looking for it to happen.

Agree, no magic, but incredible possibilities...

I am in similar situation, and I work between Canada, US, Hong Kong and China. The only practical way for me to pursue a MBA is via distant learning.

I have received offers from Durham and Strathclyde, and am in the process of deciding between the 2. My main concern is whether there are difference in delivery of course content. i.e. which program provide more resourses on-line and whether the programs provide for on-line discussion.

At this point, Strathclyde seems to be a better choice for me, as I may be able to take some sessions in Hong Kong.

Where can you watch the sample online lessions for Durham?

Hi cdrsteve,
If you want to see samples lessons from Durham, go to:
http://www.dur.ac.uk/dbs/glc/support-for-dl/
You can use the guest access to see a sample.

Regards
cl

Thanks, CL

I am just wondering if there are any course sample for Strathclyde.

Just realized that I actually qualify for a fee reduction at Strathclyde because of my membership in CIMA.

Hi George;

There is quite a wide variation in what you get out of these courses; in many ways Manchester's is sufficiently intensive that it's a misnomer to call it a 'distance' course.

Good luck with whatever you do choose!

hello!
help me, please ...
does it worth having LSBF online MBA for 4500 GBP ?

Thanx

If you can afford an internationally-accredited MBA, then that will be much better accepted. Royal Holloway and Durham both have distance learning MBAs which are accredited by the AMBA. and are around 12,000 GBP. Durham is triple-accredited, and it would certainly be my choice if my budget was limited.

Warwick DLMBA is triple accredited...

I'd it checking it out, just finishing dissertation and final assignments and I would recommend the Warwick Business School to anyone. I don't know about the others as it has been three years (part-time) since I did my MBA research but I haven't been disappointed!

If a school isn't triple accredited and highly ranked in multiple rankings, or not even ranked at all, I would be suspect and remove them from my consideration list.

Just my opinion...

CANUCK

Hi Canuck,
how can you rate how do they
1) stimulate interaction among students
2) help your career (coaching, indications, opportunities, ecc)

I don't know if you are british but I m italian and I m sure that only few people here would give some value to such MBA.
I would be 100% available to relocate but this is not so easy if the BS won't help me a little

and is LSBF accredited by any organization, or by none ?
12K GBP is not affordable for me at the moment...
I am interested in LSBF, because for me (ciizen of Armenia) it is 4500 instead of 11500 GBP - that't the point :)

Its MBA is validated by the University of Wales (which is giving itself a pretty bad reputation) but it does not have international accreditation from any of the three key bodies.

You might find this thread useful:
http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/27657-jacksonville-state-university-12-month-online-aacsb-mba-what-am-i-missing.html

Duncan,

thank very very very much for raeal help!

HI,

I'm Canadian...

Warwick has online virtual study groups, syndicate groups at September Seminar, and online course team assignments, where you have a group team assignment to complete.

Make sure of the accreditation otherwise the MBA won't really be valued, in my opinion at least. You are spending a significant amount of money, and while it can be done for the experience, a payback should be expected. The payback would probably be equivalent to the employers estimation of the perceived value, to them, of your additional education = rankings, accreditation and reputation, and being widely known. This equals Warwick Business School at the moment in my opinion.

The employment question I really cannot answer as I have not required the services, but I have sure they are of the same quality as the rest of the program.

georgep

Can you please let me know why your friends at Said does not seem to succeed at either management consultancy or banking?

I have to admit to you that banking and management consultancy are full of intimidation kids screaming around with high egos and not very intellectual.

It might be the case.

Except from that good luck with the MBA, to be honest with you, with that much experience, I think half-of-the MBA modules could be your piece of cake.

Soft-skills? Duncan, what do you think? How do you develop those as an individual and how MBA helps you?

Soft-skills? Duncan, what do you think? How do you develop those as an individual and how MBA helps you?

I'd think this is where a distance learning program suffers, generally. I mean, even if the curriculum includes classes and strategies to develop soft skills, how do you learn them if you are not directly interacting with people?

Potentially there is some value in communicating with people electronically and developing soft skills over email, message board communication, and Skype chatting - all of which could be helpful in today's ultra mobile business world.

Anybody been through a distance learning program and can comment on this?

Right, I don't know if an MBA program can solve a lack of soft skills or experience in the management of people, no matter what the method of delivery.

Employment experience is where that will be developed, whether prior to or after the MBA program. It would not be reasonable to put all the weight of becoming an effective manager of staff at the feet of a school, you require real experience and not that within an educational program.

You do learn about ways of managing but a style of your own, that you are comfortable with, will be developed over time. A one or two year educational program added on top of nothing will not, and should not be expected, to lead to a "corner office".

An international distance learning program will allow you to complete an MBA program while you develop experience during your working day, from by applying the principles you learn from your courses.

Warwick DLMBA is very effective at accomplishing that objective.

Just my thoughts...

Canuck .. sorry to bother you again but I ve a question about Warwick.
Can you tell me which was the background of the students? Actually I work in an IT office of a medium sized company (around 500 people worldwide) where i m responsible of different projects (CRM, ABC costing, ecc) but definetely i m not the office/function manager!
I wouldn t be considered a loser in the class ... lol

No of course not...

I had a great experience, and a broad spectrum of courses and classmates. There are students with just as much diversity of backgrounds as of nationality, and I didn't meet anyone I didn't like! I may have been lucky, but a person that balances school and life develops time management skills as well as a flexible approach to life, and our fellow man and woman.

Life is what you make of it, live and learn, do the right thing not just doing things right, will carry over the transition to the next phase.

Hello all,
I am back after joining DBS to share my initial feedback. I been through induction process and doing 2 core modules for this term.

I think I made a very good choice. The quality of the material received and the level of support I am getting are very good. The books are published by FT and PrenticeHall which are actually written by DBS professors. Webminars are run by fulltime professors.

The cohort is world wide from Argentina, Brazil, USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany, UK, Italy, India, China, Japan.. truly global and from various industries such as IT, Banking, Retail, Oil, Army, Police, Broadcasters, Art, Gemmology, etc.. very good interactions through the online platform. In just 2 months I could see the big world out there from my little IT world.

But make no mistake.. It is not a walk in the park, very very demanding :-( .
Hell lot of commitment and it is a damn difficult subject (at least for someone with IT background like me).
No wonder why there are people start with high enthusiasm and drop off soon ..