Your MBA with Distinction

Your MBA with Distinction is presented in two parts. Part I provides you with general advice on how to manage the learning experience. Part II concentrates on how to improve your study skills.

Written in a totally accessible manner, this book will:

• Help you to improve your grades
• Enable you to manage your own learning effectively
• Develop your individual learning and writing style
• Help you to take control of your MBA rather than feeling submerged by it
• Help you to learn how to master time management

Containing cross-referenced sections for user-friendly navigation and a glossary of management and academic terms, this book is essential reading for any prospective MBA.

Maximize your success.

Take control of your learning and get the best out of your MBA.

1. Introduction to the book
   • Purpose of this book
   1. Doing well in your MBA
   2. The authors as both MBA students and MBA teachers
   3. A guide to what is in the book
   4. A note about what is not in the book!
• Part I: A systematic approach for managing the learning experience
  2. Study skills
     • Introduction
     • Purpose of this chapter
     1. Getting prepared — thinking about the balance of your life
     2. Time and project management
     3. Productive literature searches and effective reading
     4. Recording your findings and taking effective notes
     5. Planning for effective exam revision
     6. Summary
  3. Sharing knowledge and being supervised/tutored
     • Introduction
     • Purpose of this chapter
     1. What tutors/faculty advisers expect from their students
     2. The difficulties and benefits of working in learning sets/tutorial groups (including online groups)
     3. How can learning sets work effectively on an MBA programme?
     4. Working across cultures
     5. Ten tips for sharing knowledge and being supervised
     6. Summary
  4. Getting through the difficult times
     • Introduction
     • Purpose of this chapter
     1. Issues for women MBA students
     2. Doing an MBA in a country that is not your own
     3. Personal problems
     4. Part-time and distance-learning students
     5. The non-conformist member of a group
     6. Dealing with conflict or grievances
     7. Summary
  5. Making the most of classroom learning
     • Introduction
     • Purpose of this chapter
     1. Cultural differences
     2. The lecture
     3. The case study
     4. Simulations and role plays
     5. Group tasks/discussions
     6. Summary
  6. Learning at a distance — making the most of distance and e-learning
     • Introduction
     • Purpose of this chapter
     1. What is meant by distance-learning and e-learning?
     2. Managing the advantages and disadvantages of distance-learning
     3. How does studying at a distance impact on sharing knowledge and being supervised?
     4. What additional study skills will you need in order to be successful studying at a distance?
     5. How to manage the difficult times when studying at a distance
     6. Summary
  7. Choosing electives
     • Introduction
     • Purpose of this chapter
     1. Gathering information
     2. Applying your criteria to the electives
     3. Further tips
     4. Summary
• Part II: A systematic approach for managing your coursework
  8. Working in case studies
     • Introduction
     • Purpose of this chapter
     1. Types of case study
     2. What your tutors are expecting from the process
     3. The process
     4. A note about group work
     5. Case study exercise
     6. Summary
  9. Applying theory to real-world problems — projects and field studies
     • Introduction
     • Purpose of this chapter
     1. Choosing or finding a project
     2. How to target an organization and find a project
     3. Preparing for your project and managing your client's expectations
     4. Managing the transition from student to consultant
     5. Working in a group
     6. Building rapport with your client and understanding the organization
     7. Executing the project
     8. Analysing your data by applying theory to the issue or problem
     9. Feeding back and making recommendations to your client
     10. Summary
  10. How to write a good assignment
      • Introduction
      • Purpose of this chapter
      1. Preparing to write your assignment
      2. Structuring your assignment
      3. Essay-style assignments
      4. General guidelines for writing up your assignments
      5. Summary
  11. Making a successful presentation
      • Introduction
      • Purpose of this chapter
      1. Putting your presentation together
      2. The content of your presentation
      3. Presentation style
      4. Practice makes perfect
      5. Communicating with your audience and dealing with nerves on the day
      6. The confident presenter who obtains low marks
      7. Dealing with questions
      8. Summary
  12. How to pass your exams
      • Introduction
      • Purpose of this chapter
      1. Passing exams — good luck or good management?
      2. What the examiners are looking for
      3. Exam techniques for students in difficulties
      4. Summary
  13. How to manage and write your dissertation
      • Introduction
      • Purpose of this chapter
      1. Choosing a topic
      2. Narrowing down your research brief and establishing your research question
      3. Research design
      4. Getting your dissertation organized
      5. Studying alone
      6. Workplace dissertations
      7. Consultancy-based dissertations
      8. The library-based dissertation
      9. Summary
      10. Conclusions

This is not about the content matter of an MBA! This is about how you study effectively, handle different issues and what the expectations are on you.

In short, a how-to study for an MBA. The subject matter, you'll have to find elsewhere. And I very much doubt you'll get a distinction from following the advice in the book, but you will (in my opinion) at least pass, which is what counts!

Recommended for new MBA students only.