- Title: The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business
- Author: Josh Kaufman
- Publication Date: 2010
- Recommendation Score: 5 / 5
Book Review
The author, Josh Kaufman, argues that MBA programs are too expensive, with a low return on investment. Especially that the best MBA programs are highly selective, they will pick the candidates who have promising profiles, and who would climb the ladder with or without an MBA. He suggests that business school is unnecessary, and that reading books and gaining real-life experience is a better option.
“The Personal MBA” book as a distilled summary of a huge number of business and personal development books. It gives a boost of knowledge about business, but you need to complete it with further readings and practical experience. As the author puts it: The Personal MBA is a “Do-It-Yourself” approach to business education, but “Do-It-Yourself” does not mean “Do-It-By-Yourself”.
The book comprises both the technical and emotional skills needed for a successful career. The chapters pursue the following outline:
- Value Creation
- Marketing
- Sales
- Value Delivery
- Finance
- The Human Mind
- Working With Yourself
- Working With Others
- Understanding Systems
- Analyzing Systems
- Improving Systems
Each chapter comprises small sections, 1 to 2 pages each, which makes the reading of the book easier. The last 3 chapters are about systems, understanding, analyzing and improving them. As a control systems specialist, I highly appreciated the way the author addresses these topics.
Overall, the author had made a tremendous effort to accomplish this book. The result is a must-read for all graduates (and undergraduates) before entering the market.
mohamadkoteich.org 