MBA in Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine

Mintzberg's new book, Managers not MBAs, came out as a cautionary tale for the management education community. His point of view that "MBA is to teach the wrong content to the wrong people" makes people begin to re-examine MBA education, and even some people begin to doubt the meaning of MBA's existence.

In fact, Mintzberg's book does not completely deny MBA education, nor does it encourage people to abandon MBA, but mainly focuses on certain management behaviors, and puts forward some corrective views on MBA education that may cause these behaviors .

No matter how correct Mintzberg's views may be, correspondingly, the market's attitude towards MBA education is in a "reflection period": in China, 2004 MBA candidates nationwide have 35,777 people, a 20% drop from 44,157 people in 2003, and 11% drop in the number of national MBA applicants in 2003 compared to 2002; in the United States, there are media reports that even the top ranked Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, in 2003 Of the 515 MBA graduates, 92 still didn't find a job until the following spring. In addition, in the top 30 business schools, only 60% of MBA graduates in 2004 were able to find jobs, and their salaries were significantly lower than before.

Although there are various reasons for the decline in the number of MBA applicants year by year, the uncertainty of employment prospects caused by the decline in market demand makes more and more people start to think calmly about the MBA: what exactly is an MBA? Who is suitable for an MBA? What kind of jobs are suitable for MBA students? Why are MBA graduates incompatible with employers?

What did Mintzberg say?

The Chinese translator of this book, Dr. Yang Bin from Tsinghua School of Economics and Management, introduced that the content of the book is divided into two parts. How does it affect the practice and social order?"; the next part mainly discusses some methods of making managers. In the book, Mintzberg uses a lot of other people's original research, footnotes and endnotes a lot.

In Mintzberg's view, management is a combination of experience or craft, art, and science. He emphasized that MBA students should have management experience, and MBA teaching should be combined with students' management practice. The current MBA education "teachs management courses to people who have never had management experience, as absurdly teaching psychology to people who have never been in contact with other people".

"This is actually the difference between the two methodologies." Yang Bin pointed out that, just like the difference between traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine embodies the principles of system theory, emphasizing the overall effect. The components of traditional Chinese medicine cannot be deconstructed into molecular formulas; while Western medicine is the embodiment of the principle of reductionism, Western medicines can be reduced by molecular formulas, which can explain which components correspond to which symptoms. The same goes for management education. The traditional MBA education is based on the reductionist thinking, dividing management into several functional modules such as accounting, human resources, production, etc., and designing courses according to these modules; while Mintzberg expounds his own point of view from the perspective of systems theory. , with particular emphasis on the role of craftsmanship and art in management, as well as the situational nature of management. These are the reasons for his criticism of traditional MBA education.

"Mintzberg's criticism of the current business school model is often countered because it affects the interests of vested interest groups. However, from an academic and educational perspective, it is difficult for anyone to raise a weighty objection." Xiao Zhixing, a student of Mintzberg and a professor of management at China Europe International Business School, once said. Some well-known MBA education institutions at home and abroad, including Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, Peking University Guanghua School of Management, China Europe International Business School, and the University of Chicago Business School MBA leaders all expressed their respect for Mintzberg's views, and even his Some views agree. But at the same time, domestic business schools believe that due to the different management environments at home and abroad, Mintzberg's doubts about management methods and MBA education are also inconsistent with China's status quo.

According to the data provided by the Guanghua School of Management of Peking University and the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University, the average age of MBA students admitted in 2004 was 29 years old, the average working age was more than 6 years, and more than 20% of the students had experience in general management. . Most of the EMBA students have held positions above middle managers in their original units. Therefore, before entering the school, some students already have a preliminary understanding of management.

Due to different ideologies, some Chinese believe that there is an element of "craftsmanship" in management, so these people come to the business school to learn some analytical methods instead of "dead study", they can flexibly use the teachings taught in the school methods, combined with their own work practices. "In fact, this is the balance between reductionism and systems theory." Yang Bin said.

What role does the MBA play?

Mintzberg believes that a leader's success comes from a deep understanding of the business and a respect for the skills and experience of its employees. In this regard, well-known MBA institutions at home and abroad have no objection, and they also recognize the importance of practice to the achievement of successful managers. So how much does business school play a role in shaping a successful leader?

Mintzberg separates "business" from "management", and believes that the current MBA education focuses on cultivating students' business skills (Business), rather than management means (Administration), that is, most of the majors are about business management. function, not the management practice itself.

"Management and business cannot be separated." Zhu Shanli, deputy dean of Peking University's Guanghua School of Management, emphasized that business technology is included in the extension of management. Management has a scientific component as well as an art and craft component, while the basic business skills are science, and the statement that management "is not a science, but an art" is somewhat absolute. He believes that MBA education has three main functions: firstly, it is to impart basic business education; secondly, by learning the management experience and theoretical courses of predecessors, students can avoid detours or mistakes made by their predecessors; thirdly, make MBA Students have a common language of communication.

"We talk about more common things in management. As for individual things, it may need to be done by the industry. Business schools cannot solve all problems, but they play a role in polishing." Zhu Shanli said. As Mintzberg said, quite a number of successful leaders have the talent for management and the ability to think outside the box, but MBA education enables most potential people to recognize their potential and induce them to play this role. a potential. Just like the role played by West Point, a famous military academy in the United States, West Point has trained a large number of outstanding officers and soldiers, but military geniuses like Patton cannot be cultivated by schools.

For most people without management talent, MBA education can only provide some basic laws and thinking frameworks in the business field. Some courses such as leadership art, strategic decision-making, etc. will also involve some content that entrepreneurs need, but It is also limited to the theoretical level. How to apply these laws in practical work, so that success in the future depends on the ability of the individual and the actual application.

"Some MBA students also become company clerks, doing some day-to-day basic work." Beth Bader, who has been in charge of the MBA program at the University of Chicago Business School for many years, said.

Since business schools mainly teach "management commonality" and focus on the theoretical level, Mintzberg's emphasis on combining cases with practice is less important. "It's like a driver learning to drive in a simulator. The case is also a kind of simulation, where students are placed in a simulated situation to make decisions. The functions of enterprises are similar, and these cases should be of great help in the future." Zhang Weijiong, Vice Provost of China Europe International Business School, said.

Leadership development doesn't happen overnight, and the role of business schools is limited. Business schools clearly know this better than their students. Unlike many people who previously believed that "MBA is a shortcut to high salary and high career", these well-known MBA colleges generally said: MBA does not necessarily mean what will happen, education is related to position and money. There is no necessary connection between them. They encourage the trainees to start from the middle and low level managers of the enterprise after graduation, such as project managers, assistants, staff of the strategic planning department, etc., to accumulate their own practical experience.

In fact, due to the media's exaggeration of MBA, and some MBA institutions in China have not corrected the public's understanding out of consideration of their own economic interests, people have exaggerated the role of MBA. Compared with business schools in the United States, most domestic schools are still in their infancy, and some schools even have the same teaching methods as ordinary colleges and universities. At present, domestic business schools have not put forward an effective countermeasure against Mintzberg's point of view.

Who gets the MBA?

Chicago's Beth discourages MBA education for those two or three years out of school. She believes that the ideal business school student should be someone between the ages of 30 and 40, who has many years of work experience, and who should continue to work while studying, so that the knowledge learned can be applied immediately and combined with practical work.

At present, there are many reasons for domestic students to apply for MBA. For example, they want to use MBA to increase their career development, some want to obtain a master's degree through MBA, some want to learn some new knowledge, and some can't find it. Work choose to study, and so on. In fact, if it is not for career development considerations, other reasons to study MBA can be seen as a waste. "Once a student was only interested in learning new knowledge, and after graduating from MBA, he obtained a doctorate in history; some students like to comment on things, and they are more suitable to be critics." A professor at a well-known college revealed, "This kind of student is actually not necessary to study an MBA."

What kind of person is suitable for an MBA? Zhang Weijiong believes that two conditions must be met: one is to be good at dealing with others, or like to deal with people; the other is to have professional aspirations and desire to engage in management.

In addition, Yang Bin of Tsinghua SEM believes that MBA students should have a keen sense of business. "For example, when it snows, the road is difficult to walk. Can you think of business opportunities? Smartness should be the biggest requirement for MBA students." Yang Bin said.

Judging from the employment trends of MBA students in recent years, some students have embarked on the road of entrepreneurship after graduation. While entrepreneurship is common in MBA courses, how helpful are these courses to entrepreneurs? "MBA may be a hindrance." Amy, who graduated from a well-known MBA school in China two years ago, was quite emotional when she talked about her entrepreneurial experience: Before starting a business, she believed that her strengths were theoretical analysis, a large number of markets The research and strategic design made him believe that he was fully prepared for starting a business, and the days of "high spring and white snow" must meet him in front of him. However, after nearly a year and a half in the shopping mall, he found that there was a problem with the original decision, and he did not adjust the hidden dangers of the company in time. "Knowledge is not power, just like gasoline is not power. Whether you can generate power or not depends on who you are and what kind of car you drive." Amy concluded in his "Confessions of Entrepreneurship", "Too much and premature theoretical study It will become an obstacle to the instinctive nature."

Although the proportion of MBA graduates who choose to start a business is not large, MBA education does not have a particularly great effect on these entrepreneurs. Xiao Zhixing believes that MBA is not suitable for cultivating entrepreneurs, because entrepreneurs are managers to a greater extent. Yang Bin said: "There is no qualitative difference between entrepreneurs studying MBA or not", "For entrepreneurs, what is more important is whether there are good and real business opportunities."

Why not integrate into the business?

Mintzberg theoretically points out the criticism of MBA education, and the market seems to be one step ahead of the MBA's problems. After a brief "electric shock" with MBA students, more and more companies realize that having an MBA degree is only a tentative reference to their abilities, and whether they truly possess these abilities still needs to be tested by practical work. "Graduates are too impetuous, they don't understand the situation of the company, their eyes are high and their hands are low!" has become the consensus of many companies. On the other hand, it is difficult for MBA students to agree with the system or practice of the company, and some of them also have estrangement with their colleagues and leaders.

In fact, MBA students are not able to integrate into enterprises, both students and enterprises are to blame. First of all, some students think that they can solve any problems of the enterprise, but they do not realize that most of what they have learned is theoretical knowledge, and it is difficult to apply what they have learned without knowing much about the enterprise. "The MBA student should have a humble attitude to understand the actual situation of the company, and he should realize that only one degree is not enough. In fact, other employees of the company may not have an MBA degree, but they have more practical experience than him. He To see that, to collaborate with others, and to work hard and do it bit by bit, it's possible to succeed," Beth said.

Secondly, companies should not evaluate MBA students prematurely. The problems of enterprises are often complex and changeable, and MBA students also need a process of understanding enterprises. If companies rush to demand outstanding performance from MBA students, they can only short-term their behavior and end up disappointed on both sides.

Third, there is a cultural conflict between MBA students and companies. Likes to use analytical methods to deal with problems, like to use PowerPoint as a tool to explain opinions, like to speak in professional terms that only MBAs can understand... MBA students take away the so-called "MBA culture" after graduation. The values of managers who act systematically form a thick barrier.

"At present, there are more than 10,000 MBA students in China, and these people are only a small force in the whole workplace." Zhang Weijiong believes that this is the main reason why some views of MBA students are not accepted.

The conflict between MBA and enterprise involves many issues, such as correctly looking at MBA students and placing them in a more appropriate position in the enterprise. Solving these problems also requires the cooperation of both students and enterprises. "This also requires a rational understanding process." Zhu Shanli said.

MBA in Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine

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