Why MBA? This question has most of the management aspirants in India besotted, befuddled and belligerent with. I am shortlisted for one of the premier Management Institutes in India which follows unique process of grilling aspirants on basic questions like this one. After the shortlists were declared, I engaged in frenzy pursuit of gathering experiences of candidates who appeared for the interviews from past years’ thread on PG. After anxious hours, days and weeks, I could come across some questions which found repetitive pattern amongst the panelists. These included, although not exhaustive,- Why MBA? Why this School? What Specialization? What after 5 Years? I did my Engineering from VJTI, Mumbai. It is considered one of the best Institutes in India. Alumni going good way along the boardroom of fortune companies. I can vividly recall the excitement of getting admission in VJTI at COEP, Pune. However, as years passed by, I came across dark and bleak reality of Engineering Degree save and except the brands of IIT-B,Khg, K, D etc. When it boils to money, everything- trait, reputation, brand comes at stake. I landed placement at one of leading Healthcare IT services provider. I shall always be in debt of my alma mater for getting me my daily bread-butter. Many of my colleagues and batchmates went on to pursue MBA at top Institutes. In IT world I came across the hopeless reality of the thrown away back-end work of software world. I witnessed indiscriminate work hours. I saw people whine about their appraisals. I saw everybody wanting to land on-shore for extra dollar income. I saw people carry huge burden of home loans only to be drooped by low pay and no executive roles. I am a great Hollywood buff. While catching “The pursuit of Happyness”, I came across Chris Gardner in contemplation:
It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking: How did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue. And maybe we can actually never have it, no matter what. How did he know that?
I came startled at the statement of Sir Jefferson. Wisdom recedes with coming age but how he in his great wisdom saw that Life is but a pursuit of happyness and we are entitled every chance for it. Pardon me for my digressions. Why MBA? On en-route to my office I usually come across swanky Mercedes and BMWs making their way past my Bus and leaving that dusty smoke for me to breathe. Be it Kiton or Ralph Lauren Suits, Hawes and Curtis, Harvie and Hudson Crisp Shirts, Ermenegildo Zegna Silk tie, Rolex Perpetual Oyster, Crockett & Jones, Berluti and Lobb for shoes etc. We all have that aspirations of sporting this attire, smoking finest Cuban Cigars, and criticizing Business decisions in comfy Coffee lounge of JW Marriott. Unfortunately you can never tell these things. About success, making filthy money, growing fat etc. Perhaps the Panelist can see this yearnings in your eyes but this remains always hidden in the sub-conscious. Perhaps they recognize the struggle in pursuit of your happyness! But the answers always are lame justifications. I am big fan of Boston Legal which aired from 2004 to 2008. I happen to take inspiration from Denny Crane. To others he is one crazy Ego-maniacal, pompous, self-deceitful grandiose but I see that in the end it is always about money. Hence MBA for money. Because the founding fathers of now a superpower envisaged that couple of centuries back. I do not want to be stuck to my chair, cubicle, grow old, bald, fat and read some thrown away specifications and export my work. I have that birth-right to grow, to climb Ladders of success, to make money, to travel world, to discuss boardroom meetings, to provide my children the best of education, world and pass down legacy in inheritance. Am I wrong when I say that this is the motivation for MBA? Let us keep all hypocrisy aside.
P.S: Do not get offended by the cover picture!!