When I applied to the Executive MBA over a year ago, I had some doubts about how much this degree would enhance my career.  Now, reflecting on the conversations, the lectures, the debates, and the laughs shared with my classmates, professors and staff at the University, I cannot imagine a better time to have been a business student or a better education in the global markets.  Surely this year has been a struggle for us all because of external events, but the comfort of knowing I have been equipped with the ability to understand, and cope, with the pertinent financial issues we all face is a product of the quality of this programme.

We have finance and accounting exams in a little over three weeks.  To explain why these courses matter in this year is not neccessary, but I leave to your imagination the discussions we had over this year on these subjects . . . next year or beyond, you too could be in the well debating these topics — I highly recommend you take the leap.

I find it is more effective to take an opposing viewpoint if you do it from another part of the classroom (in this case, the opposite side of the theater), but I leave it to you regarding style. Sometimes you may find yourself being the lone person, with the lone idea, so be sure to have your facts straight . . .

A highlight of these two weeks was learning about Game Theory (During Managerial Econ).  We learned that they didn’t quite get it right in the movie “A beautiful mind” and learned the proper application of the theory in the context of hair colour (MBA student’s apparently prefer blonde).  My favorite case study this week also came from Managerial Economics — BA vs Ryan Air. In case you have this case next year (no pun intended), remember the fate of BA is in your hands and don’t be too tentative.

Signing off for this week, I leave with some advice to future students — reading, do ALL the reading in advance. It is tough, but it is so critical to class discussion. The hardest thing about studying in this program is that we have to balance two lives, but to make the most of both, the readings are what bridge the gap between our work and the classroom.

This course is intense;  we are completing the equivalent of one year’s work into 16 weeks of intense sessions, not counting all the work done in between modules.  However, being in Oxford surely makes it inspirational.  The School does a great job with our included accommodation near the Business School, the library at the School has its share of seats occupied by Executive MBA colleagues, you can always find students in local establishments debating capitalism and finally, working in small groups tries even the most experienced manager.  The key to this experience is the learning first — the rest, the friendships made, the debates (some won, some lost), the jokes, the dinners . . . you will leave here, if even after only four weeks, left with new techniques to implement at the office and the impression that you have been part of a tradition in the making (the Executive MBA programme is only in its fifth year) and an institution that you are now gaining an appreciation for (800 years I hear at this point).

The Oxford English Dictionary defines change to “make or become different”. It is hard not to change after courses in developing effective managers, general management, strategy, marketing – and this is just the beginning! What makes this course interesting is that with 48 other classmates who are in different industries, roles and perspectives, you really cannot predict a day, lecture or discussion. Our classroom, lunch, dining and after school discussions are case studies themselves in management – I cannot imagine studying without my colleague who is a telecom executive, my group partner who is a conglomerate entrepreneur or my good friend who is an IT manager. Change is indeed to make or become different and the way I feel myself changing is through absorbing and learning from classmates, professors and the environment our program creates.

Until June for Module 4 . . .