MBA or Master of Business Administration is a course that hundreds and thousands of students pursue each year, not just in India but also all over the world. An MBA is a post-graduate degree in the field of management and business administration and covers areas such as accounting, finance, business law, marketing, supply-chain management amongst many others.
Given that an MBA is such a sought-after degree and that there are so many people who wish to get into a reputed institute in order to pursue this degree, it is actually quite competitive. Besides having to meet the eligibility criteria of each management institute or business school, it is also important to clarify what is known as CAT or Common Aptitude Test especially in order to get into IIM or Indian Institute of Management. Preparing for CAT is not easy and takes a lot of time, dedication, and discipline.
Moreover, there are certain qualities that students pursuing an MBA should possess; besides being regular, disciplined, hard-working and dedicated, it is also important to be well-aware of everything around.
A List of Books All MBA Aspirants Must Think of Reading
Before you begin your MBA program, you must be sure that you possess all the qualities needed to succeed. Once you convince yourself of the fact that you do, you should also know that besides having to put a lot of effort into your academics, you will also have to put in effort into learning about the world and about the industry.
One of the best ways of doing this, in order to succeed in your MBA program, is to read. So, here is a list of books that you should consider reading if you plan on pursuing an MBA degree: –
- The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: As a student pursuing an MBA degree, one of the key elements of your program of study would be to teach you how to create and implement successful business models while also thinking about how to bring about societal changes or how to have a positive impact on the society. Written by C.K Prahalad, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid focuses primarily on the people at the bottom of the “financial pyramid.” The book, with the help of a number of case studies, talks about how people who are suffering from poverty can actually contribute to market growth and can find entrepreneurial opportunities if provided enough attention, goods, and services. The book makes a case for fighting the major problem of poverty while assuring profitability.
- A Never-Before World: The book, written by Rama Bijapurkar, provides an insight into the consumption patterns of India and talks about the class divide in the country, mainly on their respective consumption patterns. It talks about the rich sections of the society and then on who constitutes the middle class while also mentioning how it is important to meet the needs of the entire population and not just the needs of those at the top. Moreover, the book also talks about innovation and the development of new products in new emerging India.
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People written by Stephen R. Covey is a business as well as self-help book which defines what effectiveness is and how to achieve it. According to the author, it refers to obtaining desirable outcomes or results while making sure to care for what resulted in those results. Besides talking about what it is, that makes one effective (being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking first to understand then to be understood, synergising and finally sharpening the saw) and what it is that results in success and the achievement of desired results, the author also talks about something known as the Maturity Continuum, wherein dependence, independence and interdependence are the three stages of increasing maturity.
- Connect the Dots: The book, which is written by Rashmi Bansal follows the life and work of 20 entrepreneurs who do not possess an MBA degree. Divided into three sections, namely, Jugaad, Junoon and Zubaan, the book talks not only about what all these entrepreneurs did in order to get where they are but also talks about what one needs to do in order to become a successful entrepreneur. While traditional degrees are seen as the main way to achieve professional success, and an MBA is the most important degree in order to be a successful entrepreneur or business owner, it also goes without saying that it is possible to successfully to do so without a degree or professional training. That is exactly what this book focuses on.
- How to Win Friends and Influence People: Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People is one which focuses primarily on the importance of effective communication in all aspects of life. It talks about how to get people to like you, how to forge and maintain relationships, about interpersonal effectiveness, about understanding and accepting different and holistic perspectives, and also expressing ideas in the best way possible. When it comes to being an entrepreneur or engaging in any kind of profession, it is highly important to focus on communication skills in order to succeed.
- Man’s Search for Meaning: Victor E. Frankl wrote this book based on his experience of the holocaust. The author, a holocaust survivor, with the help of his experiences as well as those of other survivors, explains how suffering is something which is inevitable. He talks about the concept of social survival and says that while one cannot avoid anu kind of suffering in life, one does have the power to decide how to cope with it in order to move on with life.
MBA is a degree which is quite demanding and teaches a lot not only regarding the field of management and business administration but also about how to be successful in life in general, not just in the field.
In order to fully reap the benefits of this degree, it is necessary to have an idea of the world, of everything going around so as to understand the social, political, economic and cultural scenario.
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