#Rethink the Generic MBA

Traditional MBAs focus on the three verticals of marketing, finance and HR but there is an increasing popularity in other MBAs beyond the golden three. The tech space in particular is booming. This is supported by the Global Information Security Workforce Study (GISWS), 2017, which predicted that about 1.8 million IT positions will remain vacant by 2022. The number has already increased by about 20% from the anticipated 1.5 million in a span of just two years. What does this mean for freshly graduating engineers and generic MBA holders? There is a skill gap, as their curriculum and current skill set is not enough to fetch them the jobs that the IT revolution is creating.

Progressive institutes like University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University and UC Davis Graduate School of Management are offering Technology Management programs to produce new age digital managers who have an understanding of both technology and business operations.

The need of the hour is to elevate from coding to managing technology and mastering the applications of  Data Science.

Technology Management is the new cross functional discipline driven by Silicon Valley. The Institute of Product Leadership is proud to pioneer the course – ‘MBA in Technology Management’, in India, to be hosted at the award – winning 40 acre campus of MIT- ADT University, Pune.  Today’s managers are expected to understand the big picture and converse with the latest trends and technology so that they can go beyond managing people to managing technology, managing innovation and managing process.

MBA in Technology Management/ MBA in Data Science vs. Generic MBA

A general MBA offers the same age-old curriculum which is gradually losing its relevance in the market. Out of the 5,500 B-schools in the country thousands graduate with an MBA but only 7 % turn out to be employable according to a study conducted by ASSOCHAM. MBA in Technology Management  and an MBA in Data Science provides new age skills along with the general understanding of the business, management, and leadership. Technology Management focuses on cross-functional skills such as IT management and leadership. It helps in acquiring demonstrable abilities which are relevant across the globe. The curriculum also offers certifications on the latest technology, integrated with the course, which keeps professionals a step ahead of their counterparts who have a generic MBA or a simple engineering degree.

The silos between the IT department and business units is a perennial issue faced by many companies in recent times. To overcome the lags in decision making, an agile environment through improved interaction between IT and business has become a present-day necessity for organizational success. To achieve this, the business leaders will have to “understand and capture IT’s strategic value”. To become a digital-ready IT professional one has to work closely with all other parts of the business. The combined expertise of the cross-functional domain is required by business leaders to understand the potential as well as limitations of IT.  The degree in Technology Management is, therefore, gaining popularity among students, professionals and companies alike.