I am a student in MBA distance learning in University of Leicester. I just passed half the way to graduate. And I can really tell how useful and interesting this program is. That does not mean in any way that the journey is easy; it needs a big time and some sacrifices.
I want to speak here about a common theme I learnt through several main subjects’ schools of theories; like Organizational Behavior and Strategy; through a spectrum of theories’ schools between “modern” classical (usually older) to “post modern” (usually newer).
Classical theories’ schools have previous successes in reality, and have pre assumptions that there is one right way every where in this planet, and may be through history to some or more extent. They are built on a believe that “right and wrong,” values, and human development is determinant and in one direction; toward western “modern” civilization. It depends on superiority of human being abilities of understanding everything, that they really did understand almost everything, and that every thing is measurable and stable. These kind of schools establish a clear way of handling and measuring, with clear introductions to determinant results of actions.
“Post modern” theories’ schools are built on huge failures of classical theories and on pre assumptions that the world is too varied and too dynamic to be understood and controlled enough. There is no one solution and no one pre determinant development of human beings. The right and wrong is not only the one believed by Western civilization; further, there are several Western civilizations through history and geography with deferent values, aims and directions of developments. These kind of theories push you to think that pre constructed way of handling problems are almost misleading and even useless! And the extreme theories push you to do nothing at all, but to be pulled and pushed by changing environment, or even being just “selected” by the environment!
Studying MBA’s main subjects one after another, surfing through this spectrum, and other spectrums, of theories is really amazing! It takes you in a journey like through every subject from the most classical theories, toward most "post modern" affected ones. and when you try to live with the creators minds, it will get more exiting! Your mind will flex and extend as it is getting hot and cold sequent pools; trying to defend and criticize each time differently from extreme east to extreme west.
At the beginning of MBA program, I used to bias more toward “post modern” theories. May be because I am not from the West! Or may be because it is more modest towards human abilities! But after studying, reflecting, and trying to apply more; I realized one very important fact, that should every student realizes:
It is true that humankind understands more by time how simple humans were before, and that the environment is complex changing in high pace that prevent measuring and planning! BUT we have to keep in our minds, that in daily business practices, the classical way still dominates more than 60% of cases. It is the way to begin our, “Must,” pre constructed processes; without forgetting that the world is more complicated and dynamic to be caught simply. So:
Even if the plan is useless, you should begin by one to move forward and to handle changing internal and external environments, inside and outside the organization.
It is true that humankind understands more by time how simple humans were before, and that the environment is complex changing in high pace that prevent measuring and planning! BUT we have to keep in our minds, that in daily business practices, the classical way still dominates more than 60% of cases. It is the way to begin our, “Must,” pre constructed processes; without forgetting that the world is more complicated and dynamic to be caught simply. So:
Even if the plan is useless, you should begin by one to move forward and to handle changing internal and external environments, inside and outside the organization.
