Australian Financial Review10 March 1999
The president of the NSW Chapter of the Graduate Management Association of Australia, Mr Andrew Horsley, said the views of BHP and Telstra (importance of performance on the job) were generally reflective of other sectors of Australian senior management towards a MBA qualification.
"A MBA is not a qualification you can hide behind, but it does give you a ticket to the main event," said Mr Horsley, who is also the director of executive search firm Horsley & Company. "There is an expectation that, with a MBA, you are going to be more favourably viewed by your employer or prospective employer, but in reality, a MBA only starts to gain significance when the candidate can translate the qualification into work experience as well as how they can add value, make a contribution and have an impact on an organisation."
Mr Horsley argued that the biggest danger for a MBA graduate was to expect the qualification to have absolute currency throughout their career, without further refining and developing their knowledge and experience. The graduate can maintain the relevance of their MBA by furthering their education, widening their work experience and maintaining their knowledge of cutting-edge management practices, he said.
Ways to do this include joining an alumni organisation to maintain their network of peers, getting involved in a professional or industry association, and by taking additional courses or attending relevant seminars. However, the obligation to keep up to date does not rest solely with the graduate. Employers must be able to offer the intellectual stimulation and opportunities being sought by the MBA graduate.
Executive students attract higher salaries because they are typically at a more advanced stage of their career. Mr Horsley said: Spending $30,000 and two years of your life is chicken feed compared to the ultimate pay-off over the lifespan of a company executive.