Business (And Highway) 101 - Skip The MBA And Buy A Motorcycle

.) Soichiro Honda - Lesson: Find your own way

The son of a village blacksmith, Honda was exposed to bicycles when they were
brought into his father's shop for repair. He had only a primary school education,
but showed a striking aptitude for both engineering and business. Before starting
the Honda Motor Company to make motorized bicycles in postwar Japan, he had already
built up two successful businesses, one supplying piston rings to Toyota, and another
making propellers for the Japanese air force.

Mr. Honda was anything but a typical Japanese businessman. A rugged individualist,
he refused to participate in the "keiretsu" alliances between companies, which typically
gave big banks a strong influence in business decisions. When virtually all Japanese
motorbikes had noisy, smelly two-stroke motors he decided to make a four-stroke.
That typified a willingness to plan and invest for long-term success even if it
meant ignoring prevailing "wisdom." One of the motorcycles that benefited from that
insight was the Super Cub step-through. It was introduced in 1958 and is still produced
almost unmodified today. Honda recently sold the 50 millionth Super Cub, making
it the best selling vehicle of all time.

2.) George Hendee - Lesson: You don't need to know, you need to know what you
need to know

Hendee was one of the most successful bicycle racers in Massachusetts at the
turn of the century - at one point, he won 302 races out of 309! He started a company
making his own bicycles, which sold well, thanks to his racing reputation.

Many of the very first motorcycles were "pacers" used to train bicycle racers.
They were typically unreliable but Hendee noticed that Oscar Hedstrom's ran very
well. In 1901, Hendee approached Hedstrom and told him that his dream was to start
a company devoted to making motorized bicycles. They called their company Indian,
and in short order it was America's leading motorcycle manufacturer. In 1912, Indian
sold over 20,000 units.

3.) Arthur Davidson - Lesson: Support your product after the sale

While his friend Bill Harley and to a lesser extent the other Davidson brothers
provided the technical know-how, the early business success of Harley-Davidson was
largely due to Arthur Davidson. In 1910 he set out to enroll a national network
of dealers. He also recognized the importance of factory-training for dealer service
staff, and the importance of advertising if H-D was ever to surpass Indian in annual
sales.

4.) Vaughn Beals - Lesson: Quality-control rules

By the mid-'70s after years of AMF mismanagement, Harley-Davidson had lost almost
all customer loyalty and profits were in freefall. When a group of company executives
led by Vaughn Beals offered to buy the division for $75 million, AMF quickly agreed.

After the 1981 leveraged buyout, Beals led an amazing corporate turnaround. He
funded new product development and implemented world-class quality control. It's
impossible to know what would have happened to the H-D brand if Beals had not risen
up to save it, but it's certain that no one else could have done a better job at
rehabilitating it.

 

5.) John Bloor - Lesson: Never underestimate the value of your brand, never take
it for granted

Like Harley-Davidson, Triumph was a company that had fallen on hard times - more
than once. In the 1920s the company made an ill-fated move to produce cars as well
and in 1936 an entrepreneur named Jack Sangster drove a hard bargain, acquiring
the motorcycle business at a good price. Sangster's business instincts nearly make
him worthy of a place on this list, too. He hired the brilliant Edward Turner and
after turning a handsome profit on sales, sold the company to BSA for another big
payday in 1951.

 

From the mid-'70s through the mid-'80s Triumph died an agonizingly slow death.
The brand would have vanished altogether had John Bloor, a real estate developer,
not bought the old factory in Meriden. Against all advice, Bloor decided to build
a new factory in nearby Hinckley. He spent millions designing new motorcycles that
were unveiled at the Cologne Motorcycle Show in 1990. While those first "new" Triumphs
got mixed reviews, the company has shown a remarkable willingness to go its own
way, producing a line of unique machines that once again have earned it a devoted
fan base.j

6.) Count Domenico Agusta - Lesson: Follow your passion

This Italian Count ran MV Agusta during its heyday between the end of WWII and
the early '70s. During that time, the company was really a helicopter manufacturer
with a small motorcycle subsidiary. The road-going motorcycles they made would never
warrant including the Count on this list, but thanks to his own fierce pride and
competitive streak, the company also funded the greatest Grand Prix racing team
of all time.

When the Japanese factories began to dominate in the late '60s, they drove out
most of the Italian marques. By lavishing funds from the helicopter business on
his racing team, Agusta single-handedly preserved Italian racing honor.

7.) Malcolm Forbes - Lesson: It's not what you know, it's who you know

Forbes was the son of America's first business magazine publisher. After heroic
service in WWII, he came home to work at Forbes Magazine, although he nearly became
the Governor of New Jersey - he won the Republican nomination but lost the election.
So what does running Forbes Magazine have to do with motorcycles? Nothing.

Forbes discovered motorcycling in the 1960s. He bought a motorcycle dealership
in New Jersey, which became one of the biggest shops in the country. Using his high-level
business connections, he worked tirelessly to establish motorcycle riding as a respectable
pastime. He was an extremely effective political lobbyist always ready to defend
motorcycling from legal assault. With his media-savvy background, he managed to
plant scores of motorcycle stories in the mainstream media. The social acceptability
of motorcycles today owes much to Malcolm Forbes.

8.) Floyd Clymer - Lesson: If at first you do succeed, try again anyway

Clymer was already famous as a young teenager - at 13 (in 1909) he was the youngest
Ford dealer in the country! He went on to become a winning motorcycle racer and
soon had a dealership for Harley-Davidson and Excelsior motorcycles in his home
state of Colorado. He was an innovative marketer and one of the first people to
sell motorcycles to police departments and delivery businesses. In his early 20s
he began publishing his first motorcycle magazine.

His career was put on hold when he served a year in federal prison for mail fraud.
He had been offered a chance to plead guilty and avoid prison altogether but he
always claimed he was innocent and refused to admit a crime he didn't commit. When
he got out of prison he took over the distribution of Indian motorcycles on the
west coast. Here again, he had marketing savvy, arranging for Indian motorcycles
to appear in films and lending them to Hollywood stars. When Indian faltered in
the '50s, Clymer desperately tried to save the brand but failed. He also was briefly
the importer of the eyebrow-raising Munch Mammoth motorcycle.

Last but not least, he was the publisher of Cycle Magazine from the early '50s
to the mid-'60s and ran a very successful business publishing motorcycle repair
manuals.

9.) George Barber - Lesson: Always remember where you came from

Barber was a sports car racer who gave up the track to take over the family business,
Barber Dairies, based in Birmingham Alabama. He built it into the largest privately-owned
dairy in the southeast and then, late in life, assembled the world's most important
collection of vintage motorcycles.

When the collection outgrew its original home in one of the old dairy warehouses,
he built Barber Motorsports Park on the outskirts of Birmingham. The park includes
one of the best race-tracks in the U.S., and the best motorcycle museum in the world.
The track and museum are set in a manicured landscape that puts every other U.S.
race-track to shame. After spending $60 million of his own money on the park, Barber
essentially gave it to the city of Birmingham and the state of Alabama.

10.) "Big" Bill France - Lesson: If you build it, they will come

France is best known as the father of NASCAR the builder of Daytona International
Speedway, France was also a motorcycle racer. The city of Daytona Beach convinced
the AMA to hold the 200-mile national championship race there in 1937. After a few
lackluster years, it seemed Daytona would lose the race, until France was convinced
to become the promoter. He continued to promote the race until, realizing that it
could not continue on the beach, he built the speedway. He opened his track in 1959
and the AMA saw the light and moved the race there two years later. Under France's
control, the race became an international sensation.

Mark Gardiner
was a successful
ad agency creative director and business owner before giving up that career
to pursue his dreams as a motorcycle racer. He has written an evocative memoir of
a life in racing,
Riding Man. He's one of the world's most widely published motorcycle journalists.

 

Saint Joseph's – Philadelphia MBA Program Designed to Meet the Needs of Working Professionals

Looking for a professional MBA degree recognized all over the world? St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia offers both full time and part time MBA programmes suiting your requirements. The university located in the heart of the city of Philadelphia is fast becoming a much sought after business school for professional degrees especially MBA. Only St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia gives you an MBA that is valued and recognized by all the major companies in the U.S.

The MBA degree offered by St. Joseph’s University at two locations, Philadelphia and Collegeville, adhere to the policies established by the university’s Haub School of Business. The Philadelphia campus is located in the heart of the city and the Collegeville campus is located at Ursinus College, near King of Prussia, PA. The excellent facilities offered at the Philadelphia Campus makes this university one of the leading MBA Colleges of Philadelphia.

The MBA program of St. Joseph University, Philadelphia is designed to meet the needs of working professionals in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Do you want to earn a part time MBA to enhance your career prospects? The part time MBA offered by SJU Philadelphia is the right choice for you!

St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia has been awarded the AACSB International Accreditation representing the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. As an AACSB International accredited university, we are committed to quality and continuous improvement in our business degrees like MBA. Therefore, get the benefit of an AACSB MBA and know the difference!

Have access to affordable GMAT help in the Philadelphia area only at St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia. We partner with Spielberg and Associates to offer our GMAT workshops. Register yourself for the coming GMAT Prep Workshops at the university campus in Philadelphia and give a competitive push to your GMAT preparations. The online MBA application available on our website allows students to submit their resume and personal statement electronically. St. Joseph ’s MBA brochures and application form are also available at the university campus. Submit your application online and give a boost to your career with a MBA from SJU Philadelphia.

for more Plz Dn’t forget to VISIT: Saint Joseph's University - Graduate Business Office - MV 284 - 5600 City Avenue - Philadelphia, PA 19131 - Phone (610) 660-1690 - Fax (610) 660-1599

http://www.sju.edu/hsb/mba/ http://www.sju.edu/hsb/mba/prospective-students/sju-philadelphia.php http://www.sju.edu/hsb/mba/prospective-students/gmat-workshop.php

3 Mistakes MBA Aspirants Make In The Personal Interview For The Indian Institutes of Management

Blaming your College/School Professor for low scores: You are always 100% responsible for your grades. If you have low scores then don’t ever state that your teacher did not clarify the subject or rushed the topic. Do you think studies at IIM’s or any MBA institutes are designed to be studied in an easy relaxed spoon fed manner? Wrong the MBA curriculum is a real test of your abilities to stay awake and perform at your best. If you blame your teachers – you are out.

2. Blaming ill health: What are you LOSER NO 1? If exam days give you bad health, how will you be able to achieve corporate profit targets? Unless you are actually physically handicapped you cannot be expected to fall ill under mysterious circumstances whenever pressure builds around you. Even if you were truly sick - try to come out with some other reason for your lack of extra curricular activities or low scores.

3. State hobbies just for the heck of it: OK so you enjoy cricket. Do you know the technical details of the game? How many members are there in the BCCI governing council? The IIM professors do not appreciate mere couch potatoes. Hobbies are not merely for adding spice to your CV. State only 2 hobbies and try to learn everything there is to that hobby.

The MBA Personal Interview is actually tougher than job interviews. In job interviews they actually need manpower so they don’t ask tough questions. Here you are being SHORTLISTED against equally capable competitors so they are trying to find means to NOT SELECT you. So be careful with your replies.

Priyanka is a MBA from IIM- Bangalore and works as a communication specialist. Her website http://www.mbainterview.in provides useful tips for MBA aspirants to succeed in the MBA Group Discussion and Personal Interview.

The Top MBA Schools in the United States - Based on Employment and Average Salary Post Graduation

A Close Look at the Best MBA Colleges in the Nation – With Statistics

If you are looking for the top MBA schools in the United States, then you must be business minded. Many questions can be brought up when you are asked to rank the best business schools in North America. On what basis do you rate a business school? Do you rank them based on recent graduates experiences or do you rank them based on the return that you will receive by attending a business school? Well, for most business minded people, the answer is simple-rank them on your return in plain old dollars and cents. So, here it is: The Top Ten Best Business Schools in North America according to the top financial business leaders-Forbes.

1. HARVARD

Graduate Stats:38% of graduates are hired in the Northeast United States.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates is $93,050 with a signing bonus of $20,000.

Tuition Stats: The class of 2004 paid $64,000 in tuition.

2. COLUMBIA

Graduate Stats:11% of graduates were hired in Europe. 5% were hired in Asia and 3% were hired in Latin America.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates is $90,000 with a signing bonus of $25,000.

Tuition Stats:The class of 2004 paid $67,000 in tuition.

3. CHICAGO

Graduate Stats:34% of graduates were hired in the Midwest and 24% were hired in the Northeast.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates was $85,000 with a signing bonus of $20,000.

Tuition Stats: The class of 2004 paid $67,000 in tuition.

4. DARTMOUTH (Tuck)

Graduate Stats:59% of graduates were hired in the Northeast.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates was $87,000 with a signing bonus of $20,000.

Tuition Stats:The class of 2004 paid $67,000 in tuition.

5. YALE

Graduate Stats:63% of graduates were hired in the Northeast.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates was $85,000 with a signing bonus of $18,000.

Tuition Stats:The class of 2004 paid $65,000 in tuition.

6. PENNSYLVANIA (Wharton)

Graduate Stats:38% of graduates were hired in the Northeast.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates was $85,000 with a signing bonus of $20,000.

Tuition Stats:The class of 2004 paid $58,000 in tuition.

7. STANFORD

Graduate Stats:54% of graduates were hired in the West.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates was $95,000 with a signing bonus of $20,000.

Tuition Stats:The class of 2004 paid $70,000 in tuition.

8. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA (Kenan-Flagler)

Graduate Stats:32% of graduates were hired in the South.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates was $82,000 with a signing bonus of $15,000.

Tuition Stats:The class of 2004 paid $54,000 in tuition.

9. NORTHWESTERN (Kellogg)

Graduate Stats:34% of the graduates were hired in the Midwest, 16% were hired in the Northeast and 16% were hired in the West.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates was $85,000 with a signing bonus of $20,000.

Tuition Stats:The class of 2004 paid $66,000 in tuition.

10. VIRGINIA (Darden)

Graduate Stats:36% of the graduates were hired in the Northeast, 21% were hired in the Mid-Atlantic, and 13% were hired in the South.

Salary Stats: The base salary for first year graduates was $85,000 with a signing bonus of $20,000.

Tuition Stats:The class of 2004 paid $64,000.

So there you have it, the best returns on your college education.

© GradResumes.com – specializes in writing graduate resumes and college admission documents. With dozens of professional resume writers and education specialists, and some of the finest editing staff in the industry, GradResumes.com has effectively helped thousands of clients launch their post-graduate careers and successfully gain admission to their schools of choice. Any reproduction or reprint of this article must include this information.

What Kind of Jobs Can I Get With an MBA?

Wondering whether or not an MBA will truly advance your career in business? Read this article to discover what kind of jobs you can expect to get with an MBA degree.

What is an MBA?

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is granted after one or two years of study at a graduate level institution. Students who are enrolled in an MBA program receive training in the theory and practice of business management. This degree can increase the number of jobs that you are qualified for, as well as your earning potential.

Jobs for Grads with an MBA Degree

Earning an MBA degree can make you much more valuable to employers. This degree certifies that you are prepared to handle almost any management role found in a modern corporation or organization. The type of job best suited for an MBA grad depends on the type of MBA degree that was achieved.

For example, an MBA grad that specialized in marketing will easily be able to obtain employment in the marketing field, while an MBA grad that specialized in finance will be best suited for a position in the finance industry. General MBAs, on the other hand, can secure employment in almost any business sector.

MBA grads most commonly work in the following fields:

· Accounting
· Consulting
· Finance
· General Management
· Human Resources
· Marketing
· Sales

Salary Potential for MBA Grads

MBA grads can command higher salaries than those who have not obtained a master's degree. Base salaries for MBA grads typically start out above $80,000, with total compensation amounting to more that $100,000 when benefits, bonuses, and profit sharing figures are taken into account.

Visit http://www.businessadmin101.com to find more information about MBA Degrees. Also, visit businessadmin101.com to find information about Climbing the Corporate Ladder

Top 7 Things They Do Not Teach You in MBA School

Often when I give speeches at MBA schools I am flabbergasted by some of the questions that I get from the students. It is often as if the students have no concept of reality and that is very scary for a potential employer. It is even more scary to think that they are being taught by a professor who has never actually been in business but only studied the theory and written textbooks on how to do something that he has never succeeded at.

Nevertheless this is the case at many MBA schools. Not all are like this of course, many other top MBA instructors have been in business and come back to teach. But the superstars of business are still in business and they have no time to teach.

Some more critical of MBA schools say that; “Those that can't teach” and I myself have turned that phrase in a good number of articles on business. Indeed, this may be the case at many MBA schools. There are many things they do not teach you at MBA schools and there are many books written on the subject.

One of the most serious things that they do not teach is that when doing business deals they are never cut and dry or black and white. Everything is a shade of gray and you need to be a little bit pragmatic in order to make it work. I hope you will consider all this in 2006, as perhaps it might help you in your business career in the future.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

 

MBA Applications and Your Application Essay

Lvy League admission officials revealed that the best chance of a candidate to get accepted lies in his application essay. That is why your purpose in writing your MBA essay should be similar to the purpose of a college admission essay. Years back, weren't you thinking that your goal was to make your dream university think that you're a worthy student to walk through its halls? The same goes for the MBA application. Double the effort you exerted in writing your college application essay but think along the same lines. Below are reasons why MBA essays are not resumes or a reiteration of your grades and accomplishments.

Limited space is allotted for MBA application essays, so there is simply no space for unnecessary details. Skills and academic excellence are expected and commonplace in the competition. After all, no one in his right mind will aspire for an MBA if his brain dried out in college or in writing his college application essay. Your SAT scores and excellent academic records might have helped to get you in your dream college. Collegiate achievements undoubtedly have had a role to play in getting you a good job. But members of an MBA admission board are not to be steam-rolled by grades and professional history alone. If you're an overachiever, you are likely just one of the many overachievers trying to get into the same MBA program. You all have good academic records and professional accomplishments but impressive resumes don't really cut it in for the admissions board. There is no way to get accepted in an MBA program without distinguishing yourself from other applicants except in an MBA essay. So weeding out information like these is not only wise but practical.

Similar to how a college admission essay is evaluated, MBA admission boards evaluate MBA essays for traits and non-academic qualities of the candidates. Obviously, personality is not measured in grades. The members of the board want ambition, honesty, maturity, diplomacy, and other traits in their students. They evaluate inter and intra-personal strengths in their potential students. They want dynamism and enthusiasm -- individuals who have interests outside the academe and actually experienced what it's like to live (if you want to be poetic about it). If you recall, your high school adviser gave you the same advice regarding your jargon habit and verbose essay. Do not repeat the same mistakes in your MBA essay. Flamboyant words take up too much space and a highly-technical language hides your personality which defeats the purpose of your MBA essay.

You might be surprised but Ivy League admission officials actually claim that the best essays they've read (read: those they accepted) often talks about a key memory, an important experience, a hobby - things the authors felt passionate about. The topics seem like the kinds people use in writing a college admission essay but they are highly effective for MBA application essays. The two are similar to each other although at varying levels. A college admission essay shows universities what a student wants to achieve and how they are influenced by the people around them. The same goes for the MBA; the board wants to see how you've matured because of your experiences. They are not interested in your high marks but how you achieved them. Or more likely, how you managed to have a life while performing excellently in academics. So take a deep breath and erase all resume info in your MBA essay. After all, the resume is already part of your application.

For more valuable information on MBA Essay and College Admission Essay, please visit http://www.admissionsessays.com

MBA And Tertiary Education Programs in China

With China becoming the 6th largest economy in 2004 and likely to rank 4th in 2005, this is likely to fuel further anxieties over the impact of China`s rising economic might for the world economic leaders. But for company executives and aspiring young entrepreneurs, it has become imperative to understand China so as to explore the increasing business opportunities in China.

One of the usual route for this is to study and build social networks at the leading Chinese universities. Latest available figures show that there were about 85,000 foreign students studying in China in 2002. Almost 500 Chinese universities, mainly in Shanghai and Bejing, accept foreign students. The top 5 universities with the largest foreign students are Beijing Language and Culture Center, Fudan, Peking, Tsinghua and Shanghai universities.

If you are planning to do a post-graduate MBA program while working in China, there are many learning organizations to choose from.

The University of Maryland`s Smith School of Business offers a degree, custom and certification programs at learning centers within Beijing and Shanghai. Smith`s first executive MBA program class started in Jan 2003 and graduated in spring 2004.

The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee`s School of Business Administration has recently launched an EMBA program in Beijing in partnership with Motorola for staff of Motorola`s China operations.

Together with the top-ranked Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, the University of British Columbia is also offering an International MBA in China. Besides having the same curriculam as its Canadian MBA, professors from the University of British Columbia teach all of the courses.

Another EMBA program is the Cass EMBA 2-year part-time off-campus program by City University from Britian which has been launched in collaboration with Bank of China and the Shanghai University of Finance & Economics.

Britain`s Nottingham University is the first foreign university to establish a physical campus in Ningbo in September 2004. Nottingham Ningbo`s degree is comparable with its degree from the British campus with all courses conducted in English.

The Chinese government is actively promoting more educational tie-ups in China to develop university graduates who will be better geared for the many multinational corporations operating in China and spearhead economic growth. Currently, there are about 700 such jointly managed educational programs in China.

With the many future and current leaders and managers in China enrolling in the many tertiary education and post-graduate MBA programs, it makes good career sense to take up these courses and build a social network which will be useful for operating within Chinese business community for the future.

Author Ken Yap is a director of Suwa Precision Engineering in Singapore and represents niche manufacturers of metal stamping, swiss screw machining, pcb fabrication and gear hobbing from Suwa, Japan.

A College Degree or an MBA is NOT NEEDED to be Financially Free

Look at Forbes’ top 10 United States wealthiest people. Notice the top five “self made” billionaires (excludes the Waltons who’s net worth is due to inheritance) are college dropouts. If MBA/college degrees were the answer, this would not be true.

1. Gates, William Henry III (drop out)

2. Buffett, Warren Edward

3. Allen, Paul Gardner (drop out)

4. Walton, Alice L.

5. Walton, Helen R.

6. Walton, Jim C.

7. Walton, John T.

8. Walton, S. Robson

9. Dell, Michael (drop out)

10. Ellison, Lawrence Joseph (drop out)

Education can get a job with good income. Your understanding of your Money Strategy can make you “Financially Free.”

Failure or success of a home-based business is all a function of your internal “Money Strategy.” says Tax Mom’s Vice President, Coralee LaFresnaye. “If your ‘Money Strategy’ is not set for success, no product, no business, or not even an MBA degree will make you Financially Free,”

Your ‘Money Strategy’ is the inter-twining of your “DNA Strategy” and the money messages you receive throughout life about money. Ms. LaFresnaye believes that it is the person’s lack of understanding of their “Money Strategy,” not the product; search engines, business plan, or capitalization is the reason for business failure. This is the reason Tax Moms are sponsoring a FREE 9-week experience called the “Be Financially Free with Ninergy – the Experience.”

Each week for 9-weeks the participants will have the opportunity to take part in a chat, talk and video tele-conference with exercises to help them understand what is meant by DNA Strategy and how the money messages the participant receives throughout life effects their “Money Strategy.” At the end of 9-weeks they will understand how their “Money Strategy” can cause their failure or lead to their success. It is now their choice.

The 9-week tele-conference is free and does not promote any product, franchise, service or business, but provides a life changing experience about money. During the 9-weeks the participants have to spend 3.6 million dollars on anything their heart desires. For 9-weeks, the participants receive 2 money-emails a week. The first one is for $5000 and the last one is for a $1,000,000. Each week they have to spend their virtual money before the next money-email arrives.

They will experience their “virtual dollars” turn into “real dollars by focusing and purchasing every desire of their heart, and understanding their “Money Strategy.” The purpose of the 9-weeks is to change their “real world” money consciousness. It is not a just a tele-conference or a workshop, it is a real life Experience

How do the Tax Moms know that a person’s “Money Strategy” is the secret to success? Since all Tax Moms have participated in this experience and since they prepare thousands of client’s tax returns, they see over and over that it is not the product or the service that causes the success or failure, but the client’s Money Strategy.

Registration is limited to 500. There is no cost to participate in any part of the experience. The first money-email arrives on July 4, 2005, your Financial Independence Day.

Coralee LaFresnaye is the Vice President of Tax Moms. She handles the daily operations of a nationwide network of CPAs, IRS Enrolled Agents, and State Certified/Public Tax Preparers that work at home. She has been a Entrepreneur and Tax Professional for 34 years specializing in small businesses.

Distance Learning for Your MBA

In today’s job market, a bachelor’s degree often isn’t enough to give you the edge over other job applicants. However, getting your MBA at a local college or university may be just too much for a full-time breadwinner with a home and family to care for. There are still ways to advance your education, though, and one of the most popular is getting your MBA through distance learning.

Distance learning via internet is a relatively recent phenomenon. Usually, a student will enroll in an online university and take the all of the classes online. Sounds like a great deal, right? There are many pitfalls for the distance learner.

Be sure to choose the right school. As with every other category of business, there are good and there are not so good distance learning programs. Don’t waste your time and money on a school that is not accredited by a nationally recognized agency. Your diploma needs to be from an accredited university or school to help you advance, so do some homework up front and check the credentials of the school. They should be accredited by one of the nationally recognized agencies (New England, Middle States, North Central, Northwest, Western and Southern). These are the valid accreditation agencies.

Verify that the classes are all online. Don’t enroll in a distance learning program across the country, only to realize later that you’ll need to attend one or two sessions in the classroom.

Check out the technical capabilities of the classes. Are the classes available through technology that you can access, like websites, email or bulletin boards? Will you have to use complicated, proprietary software? Steer clear of programs that are not simple and easy to use. After all, isn’t that why you want an online degree program. Just in case there are problems, make sure that technical help is available when you’ll be working.

Look for programs with a proven track record. Even though the idea of internet learning is new, you should look for a program with a good success rate an satisfied graduates. Ask if you can email or talk to some of the graduates, or read recommendations. Ask about the school’s completion rate.

Does the school offer adequate financing? If the school is accredited, they should be able to participate in the federal student loan programs and offer financing to distance learners.

Finally, investigate who is teaching the classes. Do they have experience in online teaching? Managing a virtual classroom is different that teaching the typical college course, so the teachers should be experienced in this type of learning.

Of course, distance learning is not for everyone. In order to succeed at this type of coursework, you will need to be self-motivated and dedicated to getting your MBA. You will need to be organized and disciplined. Procrastinators have a difficult time working at their own pace, because they can always finish an assignment “tomorrow”. Of course, this can turn a 2-3 year program into 6-8 years.

Investigate online distance learning to pursue you MBA, but first, make sure that you are ready to commit to self-directed learning.

Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.distancelearningreviews.info a website specialized on Distance Learning, resources and articles. This site provides updated information on Distance Learning. For more info visit his site:Distance Learning

How to Choose Your MBA Specialization

Most students getting their MBA in popular fields such as finance, marketing, and management, but these are not the only the specialization of MBA programs offered by colleges or universities. There are far more specializations in MBA offered for individuals in various industries; any fields that you can think off, there will be an MBA specialization for it. By knowing the full range of MBA options, you have better chances to pick the best MBA that best fit your career goal.

In most career paths, people are planning to achieve their highest career achievement in managerial positions or become entrepreneurs who are going to run their own business. Although an MBA is not the ultimate requirement for managerial positions, employers generally prefer to promote or hire people with an MBA degree for higher position because MBA degree holders generally have better leadership and communication skills which are important in managerial position. MBA programs also prepare students to have the ability to think analytically and strategically. Hence, if you are combining your undergraduate degree or non-business degree with an MBA in your career field specialization, you will sure obtain higher marketable skills that are desirable to employment of your career field.

Let's look at some of common MBA specializations:

MBA in Health Care Management

Health care industry is one of highest growth fields with 2 digits growth rate projected toward 2010 by US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This indicates a good career opportunity if you are interested to start your career in health care field.

An MBA specialized in health care management will prepare you for mid- to upper-level management positions in health care facilities, pharmaceutical firms , insurance companies, long-term care facilities, and public health agencies.

MBA in Marketing

If you are working in marketing, advertising or public relations, you know that these fields are very competitive. You need to have good marketing knowledge and skills in order for you to be success in this challenging career. MBA with marketing specialization can increase your knowledge and enhance your skills so that you are well prepared to face the challenges along your marketing career path.

MBA in Communication

If you work in communication fields such as media & advertising, journalism, public relations and you are looking to advance your career to next level, an MBA that specialize in communication will prepares you for mid- to upper-level management positions in these communication career fields.

MBA in Entrepreneurship

You don't miss understood that MBA in Entrepreneurship is only for people who want to be an entrepreneur. Many organizations especially companies in dynamic industries such as technology and media require degree holders with MBA in Entrepreneurship for their managerial positions to lead the companies toward continued development. Basically, this MBA courses will focus on business administration strategies that encourage innovation and flexibility.

MBA in Hospitality & Tourism

Beside the health care industry, service industries such as hotels, restaurants and tourism focus areas are booming as well. The high demands in these fields require people with expertise that can employ management techniques in all levels to lead the industries to go inline with the boom. MBA in Hospitality & Tourism can be your open door to move your hospitality or tourism career to a higher level with better earnings.

MBA in Human Resources (HR)

Employees are the most important asset for an organization. HR department is responsible to select, recruit, train and cater to the needs of employees. Hence, management personnel in HR department require to good management of people, effective communication with employees, and good labor relations.

An MBA in Human Resources will combine the generic MBA with specialized human resources training such as employee training & recruitment, planning and mediation. You will also learn how to integrate HR strategies with the company overall human resources allocation plan.

Summary

You must select the right specialization in your MBA program in order for your MBA degree to carry the most value that can help in your career move. By knowing the options of MBA program's specialization, you will have better chances to select the best MBA program that best fit into your career goal.

Amelia Turner, an educational article writer for http://www.your-online-degree.info You can find more details information and free resources about online MBA programs, distance learning universities, financial aids and other online education programs that can help you to make decision to earn your degree online.

What's More Important: an MBA or Experience?

Experience is definitely one of the most important factors in a recruiting process. Actually, enough work-experience is also a requirement for all good MBA programs.

The MBA is the certification that you have also learned all the important tools that are necessary for a management position. Of course, through years of experience, through self-documentation, failures and successes you might have learned what others learn during 1 or 2-year MBA programs. And, of course, one can become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company without an MBA, or even without complete studies (see Mr. Gates).

In the end, it all depends on the person. For a person which is less entrepreneur and not planning to start his/her own business but to apply to a large company, I would definitely recommend doing an MBA.

The HR departments get hundreds of applications a day, many of them are automatically selected by using database searches, so for certain jobs, CVs not containing "MBA" might not even pass the first recruiting step. We're living in a global world with thousands of applications, from everywere and world ruled by technology, where people are often preselected by a computer.

On the other hand, MBA without experience, is also not the ideal candidate which companies want, maybe for an entry-level management position or traineeship.

So, as always, balance is the solution, but it is recommendable to first have the experience before deciding upon the strategy of an enterprise or the faith of hundreds of employees.

Ioan Hepes - Technology Consultant, Hamburg, Germany

Five Ways To Excel In An MBA Program

Like most graduate school programs, business school can be difficult. You must find ways to excel. This will help you get top grades in your courses and lead to that high paying position you desire. There are several ways to excel in an MBA program.

Manage your time. This is an important point to remember when going through an MBA program. MBA programs take anywhere between one and two years to complete. If you decide to go into a part-time MBA program, it will take you a bit longer.

Students entering an MBA program usually have a few years of work experience under their belt. Working in a real business environment will help you prepare for the MBA journey. You probably already know how to prioritize your schedule and learn quickly.

Managing your time is even more important when you’re still working. Many students cannot afford to miss work for a couple of years to further their education. Working and going to school can be a difficult task. Take time to organize your schedule and try to make as much room for study as possible.

Utilizing good study habits can lessen the time it takes to prepare for you essays or exams. Attending lectures and taking good notes is always helpful. You can take notes by jotting down key points in your spiral notebook or take your computer to class if you have a laptop. Research good note taking habits. There’s no need to try to write down your teacher’s lecture verbatim. Learn to summarize information as you listen.

Working with other people can help you through the program. Join a study group so that you will have the support of peers while you study. Study groups are great places to engage more fully with the course materials. It is a good place to ask questions about certain topics or participate in debates. It’s also a great way to make friends and network.

If you feel like you’re falling behind, consider getting a tutor. Many programs provide free tutoring services for anyone who seeks help. A tutor can help you get through hard subjects. Sometimes your classes can be so large that there are too many distractions throughout the lecture. Maybe you just don’t like your teacher’s presentation style. These factors can hinder your ability to learn the course material. A tutor will help you become interested in the subject matter and set academic goals.

Mastering the art of group work will also help you excel in an MBA program. You cannot run a business on your own. Business is a collaboration of many minds. Business schools understand this. You’ll have many group projects throughout your education. Learn to be patient and work with other people. Even if you don’t have the same views, you can still find a way to ace the presentation. Make sure everyone has a duty and set a deadline.

Lastly, have some fun. Go out with friends and family as much as you can. Taking little breaks will help you come back to your studies refreshed. Pretty soon the two or so years will fly by and you will be in the position you want.

Catherine Zandueta is a frequent contributor to CareersandEducation.com Catherine Zandueta is a feature writer that covers topics relating to MBA Programs and online colleges

Life After An MBA Program

Life after an MBA program is an exciting time. You will see opportunities open up for your future. In the past, you may have been rejected by employers for lack of experience. Now you are embraced as top candidates for many positions. There are different paths you can take after graduating with an MBA.

You can attain a new position in your present company. Many workers go back to school to get their MBA while they are still working. Some companies pay for your schooling. Once you’ve graduated with your MBA you can apply for positions in your company that you weren’t qualified for before. You will be able to rise to the upper echelons of your present company.

You can also leave your present company and apply for a new position. An MBA gives you the professional know-how to succeed in many different industries. New employers value your MBA and you will earn much higher salaries than you’ve previously experienced. Now you can apply for those jobs that you never thought you were qualified for in the past.

A number of MBA graduates go on to do consulting work especially if you already have years of working experience. Consultants can do business with small organizations or large Fortune 500 companies. People will pay for insight into their current business practices and ways to work more efficiently. In this area, you have the ability to set your own fee. When you have successfully built consulting relationships with businesses you will see the demand for your services rise.

Another path after business school is to start your own. Starting a business is difficult but you now have the education to think beyond the fear of failure. You have learned accounting skills, marketing skills, management skills and other important skills you need to start your own company. You’ve read countless cases of businesses that have succeeded beyond anyone’s imagination and cases that have shown how promising companies have gone bankrupt. You are more prepared than most to start your own project.

Some students enjoy the life of academia and go on to get their PhD in business administration. This can lead to a career in teaching or research. Further education can take five years or so depending on the program. If you have great research and analytical skills and want to contribute to the subject of business and its practices, consider acquiring a PhD.

Many opportunities present themselves after you graduate from an MBA program. If your desire is to work in top managerial positions, then you have taken the right path. Be confident that you have the skills to work at a high level. Your learning and experience will be a great asset to any company

Review more industry related articles by Catherine Zandueta at CareersandEducation.com. Catherine Zandueta is a feature writer and often covers topics related to Campus Degree Programs and Career advice.

The MBA Conundrum

A colleague on my MBA programme here at the BI in Oslo questioned me somewhat aggressively the other week: “You seem very relaxed about the process of studying. Is this something you really want to do?”

Over the last few years, there has been a lot of scepticism surrounding the true value of MBAs once inside an organisation. As the first term of my MBA programme comes to a close, and I begin to look forward to a week absent of work and full of long Mediterranean dinners and hot evenings, I can’t help reflect as I sit in class now on the validity of all the scepticism. First of all, I am sympathetic to the cynics. For a long time I was a cynic myself of the validity of MBAs – after all, they are usually twenty-somethings like myself who think they know all the answers based on what has to be a fairly limited amount of real, practical experience.

From my experience on this MBA programme here at the BI in Oslo, the scepticism is not unjustified but it is misplaced.

When I chose to study an MBA, it was predominantly for the intellectual process of reasoning and studying that I wanted to do it. Unlike some, for me graduating in the top ten of the class is not an all-consuming goal – it is rather the acquisition of knowledge and the opportunity to be back in one of my favourite places, the classroom, again that are the pivotal reasons I am studying for this degree. It seems I am part of a minority, however. I may be fortunate in not finding the task of getting high grades overly demanding and actually enjoying the process of studying, but putting it diplomatically, there are certainly a number of less than congenial individuals on the programme who are clearly studying an MBA for one sole purpose: because they can’t rise any higher in their careers without one. The problem with these individuals is that studying an MBA is not what they need: what they need is a lesson in how to get on with people. Most of the types I am speaking about ironically have quite outstanding qualifications already; it is certainly not for lack of academic kudos that they have encountered a limit to how far they can rise within their respective organisations.

The problem is in the classification of “MBA’s” as a general categorical statement. It is immediately evident on this programme at least that those who are going to climb the ladder in an organisational context would do so anyway, without an MBA. All the programme does is to sharpen the intellectual process so that those who have been “winging” subjects like accounting for the past four years, like myself, can now talk about it with a sense of meaning. On the other hand, an MBA won’t teach those who have a personality disorder how to acquire a personality. Ironically, it is these students who are the most “grade” focused, and who therefore immediately, at least, come across as the most ambitious: because they have found themselves in the unenviable position of having to be. However, once these individuals assume management positions, they quickly find themselves at square one.

Management is more of an intuitive process than an intellectual one. The problem with studying an MBA for the students who are doing it with the sole purpose of advancing their careers in mind is that, while being somewhat more intuitive perhaps than most degrees, it is still predominantly an intellectual pursuit. MBA’s are great degrees, they are just being used for the wrong purpose.

Daniel M. Harrison is currently studying for a MBA at BI, Oslo. Prior to this he was Head of Private Client Services at St. Helen's Capital, and has been responsible for a number of small company fundraisings and IPOs in the U.K.

Daniel has written and lectured in the United Kingdom on Corporate Finance in the small company market as well as on cultural issues including the literary and music scene.

He has a blog at http://danielmarkharrison.blogs.com

What is an MBA Worth?

This is purely and individual question. You can look at the pros and the cons as well as the personal and lifestyle factors, but one of the most important issues is the financial impact. That is, the cost and the return on investment (ROI) related to the MBA.

Costs of the MBA

What is an MBA worth? First you need to look at the costs. There are both "hard" and "soft" costs involved with pursuing an MBA. The soft costs include the many personal and lifestyle factors involved. Sometimes, these can be the biggest costs. However it is difficult to quantify soft costs.

There are two types of "hard" costs when it comes to the MBA. See the following explanation:

* Direct Costs - tuition, fees, books, and supplies (such as a laptop). These costs are derived by the school. That is, the costs are directly incurred as a result of the your MBA program. These costs are often the most visible too.

* Indirect Costs - travel, relocation, living expenses, and opportunity costs. These costs are incurred indirectly as a result of pursuing an MBA. These costs are not always as visible and make up "the rest of" the costs.

MBA Return on Investment

What is an MBA worth? You also have to look at the return on investment (ROI). ROI simply means that invested resources (such as MBA costs) should return an even greater amount of resources. Financially speaking, ROI should be considered in any investment decision.

There is really one "hard" return on investment involved with the MBA. See the following explanation:

* Greater Earning Potential - This is usually what MBA students are after in one form or another. A graduate degree will often prompt a promotion or enable you to move to a better job. While often expensive, an MBA degree can greatly increase the graduate's earning potential. The earning potential should be viewed in the long-term rather than the short-term (it is likely that you will be working for a long time).

There are "soft" returns on investment also. These may include greater prestige, enhanced knowledge, or even the sense of accomplishment. But because these are hard to quantify, I have not included them on the ROI list.

What is an MBA worth? Add up the costs and see what kind of future earnings it will bring. If this result is favorable, then the MBA may be worth it for you.

Christian LeCheminant is an advocate of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. He holds an MBA from Southern Utah University (SUU). For more MBA information, visit http://www.mba-options.com

What Exactly is an MBA Degree?

 

An MBA (Master of Business Administration) is a graduate degree obtained at a university or college that offers both theoretical and practical training to provide graduates general knowledge about general business management functions. The MBS degree may have a specific focus as: accounting, marketing or finance.

An MBA degree represents a level upward from an undergraduate business course and its achievement places the graduate far above other candidates owning just an undergraduate degree.MBA programs has become to be offered by most universities and colleges during the past two of years. For instance, only in the UK, 116 business schools are currently offering MBA courses and the number of students graduating this form of education has risen from 4,000 in 1990 to over 10,000 in 2000.

In order to be accepted in an MBA program, an applicant must take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) - for the US education system. The GMAT is a standardized test that aims at determining the aptitude of a candidate for an activity in business management studies. It is presently made up of an essay section containing two free-response essays of 10 minutes each; two multiple choice sections, one mathematical section and one verbal skills section.

Apart from the GMAT test, other admission criteria focus on significant work experience, academic transcripts, references and personal interviews. Extra-curricular and community service activities represent an interest for the admission boards.

The MBA degree courses offer students knowledge on economics, organizational behavior, marketing, international business, finance, government policy, accounting and information technology management.

The traditional MBA degree offers students a broad range of general courses in the first year of studies, followed by a specialization in the second year.

Specialization in particular areas as: technology management, accounting, strategy or specialized business, marketing and finance is being offered by many MBA degrees.

There are several ways of attending MBA courses.Nowadays MBA degrees can be accessed through online, distance learning or e-learning as the program offered by the Open University Business School. Due to the large variety of MBA degrees offered worldwide, the elite business schools are being accredited by independent bodies as the Association of MBAs. This association acts as a global network for the MBA community: MBA students, MBA graduates, schools, businesses and employers.

Consequently, the MBA degree represents a leading management qualification that creates highly competent professional managers.

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