Archive for the ‘Business & Finance’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Top Ten Online MBA Programs April 17th, 2010

admin



Do you want to pursue an MBA but can’t find the time? Maybe you don’t feel like being out of a job for 2 years is worth the investment? Maybe all the online MBA programs you know seem too generic? Do you feel that you want a quality MBA without sacrificing your job, your family, or your earnings? This is a quick summary of the top ten online MBA programs based on rankings/reputation, structure, networking opportunities, gained skills, and tuition investment.

1. Instituto de Empresa (IE)

Location: Madrid, Spain
Program: Global MBA
Ranking*: #11 by Financial Times, # 12 by The Wall Street Journal, # 6 by Forbes.
Description: IE offers an 18 months Global MBA program for English and Spanish speakers. The program allows students to connect to the virtual classroom from anywhere in the world. In addition to virtual lectures and videoconferences, students are required to participate in “blended sessions” in different cities including Madrid, London, New York, Santiago, Shanghai, and other cities.
Networking Opportunities: Students from 48 countries with background and expertise in a diverse variety of fields including financial markets, banking, marketing, and technology.
Gained Skills: Strategy, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Information Systems, Intercultural Skills.
Tuition Investment: € 33,000 (approx. $ 43,000 USD)

2. Thunderbird School of Global Management

Location: Arizona, USA
Program: Global MBA
Ranking: #1 in International Programs by U.S. News & World Report, # 1 in International Business by Financial Times, # 1 in International Business by The Wall Street Journal.
Description: Thunderbird offers a global MBA program where students participate through virtual classrooms and on-site seminars in the USA, China and Europe.
Networking Opportunities: Students have lived and worked in over 16 different countries with backgrounds in a wide variety of companies ranging from Coca Cola to Boeing to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Gained Skills: Cross-Cultural Communications, Global Political Economy, Global Finance, Global Operations, Global Marketing, Global Negotiations, Global Leadership, Global Strategy.
Tuition Investment: $ 57,000 USD (includes on-site costs for international study trips except airfare)

3. Duke University

Location: North Carolina, USA
Program: Cross-Continental MBA
Ranking: #11 by U.S. News & World Report, # 23 by Financial Times, # 11 by BusinessWeek.
Description: The program lasts 20 months blending Internet-enabled distance learning with 9 one-week residential sessions that take place in North Carolina, Europe and Asia.
Networking Opportunities: Students from 23 countries average 3 to 9 years of experience and are currently employed full-time in a variety of industries.
Gained Skills: Finance, Accounting, Decision Models, Cross-Cultural Communications, Marketing, Strategy, Global Financial Management, Global Economics.
Tuition Investment: $ 93,450 USD

4. Manchester Business School

Location: Manchester, UK
Program: Distance Learning MBA
Ranking: #22 by Financial Times, # 15 by MBA Career Guide Survey.
Description: This flexible 2 year program combines self-study with face-to-face workshops in one of six destinations worldwide – UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Malaysia and Jamaica.
Networking Opportunities: Students are located in over 90 countries worldwide and possess years of work experience in industries such as construction, engineering, and finance.
Gained Skills: Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Managerial Economics, Quantitative Methods, Corporate Strategy.
Tuition Investment: £14,400 (approximately $ 28,383 USD)

5. Indiana University

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana – USA
Program: Master of Business Administration (Kelley Direct)
Ranking: #23 by U.S. News & World Report, # 65 by Financial Times, # 18 by BusinessWeek.
Description: This two-year program focuses on general administration, but can be tailored to meet the needs of individual students. The program is offered almost exclusively over the Web with two in-residence courses that last one week in Indiana.
Networking Opportunities: Students in the program come from almost every state in the USA as well as over 20 countries from around the world. Almost all students have several years of corporate or military experience.
Gained Skills: Accounting, Finance, Economics, Quantitative Analysis, Project Management, Strategic Marketing, Human Resources, Global Business, Business Law, Strategic Capabilities.
Tuition Investment: $ 42,000 USD

6. Pennsylvania State University

Location: University Park, Pennsylvania – USA
Program: Penn State’s Online MBA
Ranking: #38 by U.S. News & World Report, # 43 by Financial Times, U.S. Second Tier Programs by BusinessWeek.
Description: This 2-year program combines online courses with 2 residency experiences – the first one at a U.S. company (anywhere in the USA) and the second one at Penn State’s University Park campus.
Networking Opportunities: Penn State iMBA students represent employers from 37 states and 5 countries.
Gained Skills: Finance, Accounting, Organizational Behavior and Change, Data Analysis, Decision Making, Marketing, Corporate Strategies, Global Operations, Global Management.
Tuition Investment: $ 49,000 USD

7. University of Florida

Location: Gainesville, Florida – USA
Program: Internet MBA
Ranking: #41 by U.S. News & World Report, # 13 by The Wall Street Journal.
Description: The Internet MBA program at the University of Florida provides students with two options: The Two Year MBA and the One Year MBA option. The Two Year MBA program starts in February, offers a 27-month curriculum and requires 8 weekend campus visits at the end of each term. The One Year MBA option is provided for students with a business degree and 2 to 7 years of work experience. It starts in January, offers a 16-month curriculum and requires 5 weekend campus visits at the end of each term.
Networking Opportunities: Students in these programs average 6 years of work experience in a variety of industries such as telecommunications, banking, and international trade.
Gained Skills: Personal Finance, Corporate Finance, Accounting, Marketing Management, Professional Writing, Operations Management, Entrepreneurship, E-Commerce, Brand Equity, Business Policy, Business Law.
Tuition Investment: $34,000 USD – One Year MBA option; $39,000 USD – Two Year MBA option.

8. Babson College

Location: Boston, Massachusetts – USA
Program: Fast Track MBA
Ranking: #1 in Entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report, # 1 in Entrepreneurship by Financial Times, #49 Overall MBA by U.S. News & World Report, # 89 Overall MBA by Financial Times.
Description: This 24-month program combines face-to-face learning, web-based learning, and field-based projects. Face-to-face instruction is based on two day sessions that are held at Babson or in Portland, Oregon approximately every six weeks – all day on Fridays and Saturdays.
Networking Opportunities: Students in this program average 10 years of work experience and come from almost every state in the US and approximately 10 countries.
Gained Skills: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Creativity, Human Behavior, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Ethics and Law.
Tuition Investment: $48,500 USD.
Website:

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 

MBA Rankings April 14th, 2010

admin



MBA rankings are generally referred to as the subjective appraisal of the quality of an MBA program or a business school offering MBA programs. As an effective and conventional judging system, MBA ranking contributes to almost all leading business schools and business related programs.

In this ranking system, a number of criteria are used to find out the existing position of these business schools and their programs. It is based on the questionnaire answers and by comparing the different aspects of these MBA programs. The ranking list is put up each year. There are a number of agencies, including the US MBA rankings – FT, the US News and World Report, and the ComputerWorld’s Top 25 Techno MBAs, conducting this ranking process by evaluating part time and full time graduate business programs.

Some of the basic criteria for ranking full time MBA programs are the reputation based on the judgment and opinion of MBA graduates and recruiters; academics; GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) scores; quality assessments by the alumni; job placement rate; salary and bonus; rating of research; and academic reputation. The part time programs are ranked on the basis of nomination by the MBA program directors and business school deans. The minimum number of nomination required for ranking is seven. Although many of the schools do not agree on these ranking criteria used, a number of schools among them can be seen at the top of the rankings.

Ranking of the MBA programs or business schools acts as a review that assists a student to examine the reputation of an MBA program, acceptance rate, tuition fee, placement assistance, and employment rates. In the case of business schools, MBA rankings survey is a useful tool to determine their strengths and weaknesses. MBA rankings are always calculated in the form of numerical lists. The best school or programs is designated as #1, the second best is as #2, and so on.

Most MBA rankings are not considered as a standard measure to evaluate an MBA program or a business school. Different sources have different methodologies, so a wide variation can be seen among these results. But these reviews provide an insight of the quality of the program or schools and are valuable for anyone who is intending to take an MBA degree.

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 

Why GMAT Scores Are Not Everything – Your Application Essay Might Be the Deciding Factor! April 10th, 2010

admin



*Find out why achieving ballpark GMAT Score is sufficient
*Discover how Top MBA Schools allocate vacancies
*Learn why your profile and MBA Essay might be the most important factor
*Find out what not to include in your essay

For anyone applying to an MBA programme in a top business school, your GMAT score counts as one of the most important determinant on whether you gain entry into the programme, regardless of your extensive work experience or undergraduate GPA.

Score within the range of 630 to 730

However, the GMAT is only the first step to your programme of choice. Working smart to aim for a score that ranges in the ballpark of the mid 600s should be sufficient to gain you entry into a top programme. Considering the 80% range of GMAT admission scores for typical top schools figure between 630 and 730, scoring within this ballpark range will probably buy you your ticket through this first step into the programme. Therefore, contrary to many people’s believe, scoring below a school’s media 80% range as they would usually state in their admission prospectus doesn’t immediately eliminate your admission chances. As such, retaking the test might not necessarily boost your admission chances.

Instead, once your GMAT score falls within this ballpark range, focus your efforts on preparing for the application essay. This next important state might just work better to help you stand out against the rest.

Breakdown of MBA Applicants

Typically, you will be competing in categories based on your work background. This levels the playing field for applicants and admission officers in selecting successful candidates. Majority of the applicants comprise of those who come from the finance and consulting industries and have scored well above average in the 700 range for their GMAT. Many work with prestigious asset management companies, consulting firms and investment banks.

Hence, if acceptance was based solely on GMAT scores, classes would be made up of almost exclusively applicants from these categories. In order to balance the class dynamics, admission officers have a class profile in mind, and select applicants based on this profile that will ensure a good mix of students that each brings something different to the table.

Therein lies their challenge to put together a diversity and well-roundedness such that the students from a wide range of work backgrounds and experiences complement each other while working on assignments together, especially since many are collaborative and interdisciplinary.

The proportion that most intakes end up with is an estimated 60 to 65% from the finance and consulting categories. However, with the disproportionate number of applicants from these backgrounds, competition is rife within these two categories.

Naturally, investment banking and management consulting make up the most competitive categories as the MBA is necessary career advancement measure for people working in these industries. On the other hand, the non-profit category sees the least competition. Along with the token lawyers, doctors, government civil servants and those with military background, these applicants, even with their modest GMAT scores, are chosen for the depth and unique perspectives they can offer to the class. This shows that an exemplary GMAT score doesn’t necessarily buy you a sure ticket into the top schools as they are willing to trade modest GMAT scores for valuable experience.

Although not dictated by a specific policy or category quota in their selection process, admission officers tend to subscribe to these grouping guidelines to ensure that the competition is somewhat fair.

Crafting the Killer Essay

Now that you know who you’re competing against, the next step is learning how to craft an application essay that shines against the rest. Instead of talking about what the school can do for you in the essay, elaborate on how you think you can contribute and add value to the school.

You can do this by highlighting your unique work and personal experiences that others in your class can learn from. These could be special projects you’ve worked on or rare opportunities at work. Remember that many applicants in the consulting and finance categories might also have come from big firms so talking about this generic work experience just because of its prestige would not do much to make you stand out. Rather, you should convince the admissions officer that you have accumulated interesting and insightful experience that you are ready to share with your classmates.

Writing about oneself can be a daunting task having to sift through all the information and decide what to put into your essay. Some information can seem rather mundane to you but interesting to others. While many have interesting experiences worthy of making it into the essay, it’s not knowing what the schools are looking for and putting their thoughts down in words that they get stumped with. Furthermore, it can be assumed that many of these applicants are better at their mathematical skills over language skills, given that they are applying for an MBA course.

Talk through your work experience with someone who is able to offer a fresh perspective in deciding what’s interesting about your background, then work to pen it down in a clear and concise way. Work towards a ballpark range GMAT score and an insightful essay, and you might just be on your way into the top business school of your choice!

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 

Recession Marketing Part 4 – Radio Marketing April 10th, 2010

admin



Last time, we talked about the emotional appeal of advertising on TV. This time, we’ll talk about a great way to educate your customers on your products or services: Radio Marketing.

In the recent SIMM 11 study conducted by BIGresearch, it was shown that 44.2 percent of consumers who
hear information that interests them on the radio go online to look into the product or service further. Further studies showed that 22 percent to 28 percent (depending on the industry) of consumers go on to
buy the product that caught their attention.

A recent recession marketing survey by BtoB Magazine shows that companies who normally invest in radio
advertising are estimated to cut back in 2008 by 10 percent. So what does that mean for the clever
business owner?

It means you can acquire one of the most powerful marketing tools for influencing buying decisions at a
significant discount this year.

When radio stations experience a 10 percent loss in revenue, slots that are normally extremely competitive or pricey become available at discounted rates. So how do you take advantage of this?

Negotiate with your radio stations. Radio stations may claim that their prices are fixed, but any
good salesperson will adjust their pricing in order to close the deal, especially when their revenues are down.

One of the best ways to increase your buying power is to offer to increase the duration of your marketing campaign in exchange for a lower rate. For example, rather than buying a 13 week campaign at
$1,500 a week, offer to commit to a 26 week campaign at $1,200 a week. You’ll save $7,800, which is like getting five weeks of valuable advertising for free, and the station gets the extra revenue they need.

Another powerful buying method is to negotiate to buy filler inventory. Radio stations often have 10 to
15 seconds where they have to push filler in order to start a show on time. Those 10 to 15 seconds could
easily be your ad at a significant discount.

Try AM radio. News, sports, and talk radio have amazing followings, and unlike FM or music radio
stations, their listeners are much less likely to surf stations and are much more likely to be attentive
to ads they hear.

So now that you’ve landed a sweet deal for your marketing campaign, how do you maximize returns on your investment?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Keep your ads simple. Don’t try to cram too much information
into your ad space. I say that for two reasons. First, you don’t want to confuse your listeners. Second,
curiosity is one of the most powerful tools in marketing. You want to grab their attention. Pique their
curiosity to the point that they’ll call the number or visit the website you mention in your ad.

For example, if you sell pizza, you might structure the last few seconds of your ad like this: “Free BOBBY’S Pizza today! Find out more at 918-555-1212. Call now! Tulsa’s best pizza…guaranteed. That’s 918-555-1212.” Now, don’t you want to find out how to get a free pizza?

If you sell a service or information, hook their attention by offering a free report or a free “how to”
article on your website. If you sell retail, offer free coupons or a sales calendar online.

And remember to mention your contact information twice. They won’t be ready to take it down the first
time, and odds are, they’ll be scrambling for a pen. The second time you mention your contact information, they’ll be ready.

Most importantly, avoid confusing domain names or names that are difficult to spell. It’s better to buy an expensive domain name than to spend $15,000 on radio advertising for a website no one can spell. Be
creative with your domain names and avoid domains with the word “and,” confusing symbols like dashes or underscores, and the number 4.

At Xeal every commercial ends with “Visit Xeal online at X E A L dot com…that’s Zeal with an X, and X E A L dot com.” In this case we actually spell it out for the listeners.

Also, a great way to track your ad response is ask your radio station for permission to use their name
in your tracking URLs. Using our pizza example earlier, you could use “KFAQ LOVES PIZZA dot com.” Saying that in a commercial would be much easier than saying “BOBBY’S Italian Eatery dot com.”

If they say no, then try something like “TULSA LOVES PIZZA dot com,” or make it campaign specific:
“TULSA FREE PIZZA dot com” or “5 BUCK PIZZA NOW dot com.” Notice I say “buck” instead of “dollar” so

That’s it for today. Keep an eye out for our next article on our blog [http://www.xeal.com/blog]. We’ll talk about the state of the market, projected spending, and how to come out of the recession stronger than ever before. You’re going to love it.

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 

Let the Rankings Help You Choose the Best MBA Program April 9th, 2010

admin



The first step for anyone who decides he wants to pursue an MBA through an executive program is to decide how to use the degree once all the classwork is completed. To many, an advanced degree will be something of a marketing tool for your career. A ranking executive MBA program will help signal that not only you have acquired an advanced degree, but that the quality of your education will be higher than the quality of your competitor’s education. Further, choosing a program based on its ranking can make it more valuable for you.

Employers might not always have the time or experience to be able to assess your specific skills in all areas. Some employers turn to proxies in order to help them compare one employee against another. Some clients may also turn to reputation to be able to evaluate performance. Ranking executive MBA program provides graduates with a way to let others know that their time spent acquiring further knowledge through an MBA has been worthwhile. Also, graduates will be able to point towards the ranking as evidence of their knowledge. The employer or client can also trust what others have said about the program without having to make an assessment on a project by project basis. It can further be considered as an important tool in deciding which person should be granted an opportunity to try and complete a project. Obviously, employers will usually rely on the quality of an employee’s education in order to decide which one should take on any given assignment.

Since there is limited availability within each program, executive MBA candidates must understand that not everyone will be accepted into Harvard or some other top ranked school. The system works because not everyone needs to go to the number one school. Therefore, a straight ranking executive MBA program is not the only analysis candidates should conduct. Candidates should nonetheless explore reputable online resources to be able to learn how the programs will be able to fit in with their needs. Candidates should understand how each program can help them learn specific elements that will be able to further their knowledge. Candidates should know what they need to learn how to add the most value to their career.

Choosing to go back to school is not always an easy decision, as candidates will need to weigh whether the time lost from work will be made up in the future through an advanced degree. It is not always a guarantee that the decision to pursue an MBA will be advantageous for the candidate. However, there are things executives can do in order to improve the odds in their favor. Take into account the ranking executive MBA program, but do so together with specific information about how the program will be able to meet your needs.

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »