What Can You Do With an MBA in 2019?

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Nedda Gilbert October 1, 2018

The MBA continues to be a career-catapulting degree for many future entrepreneurs and business leaders. However, the value of the degree and its return on investment depends on many factors. Ultimately, an MBA is only necessary — and worth your time and money — if it is aligned with your career goals.

In this course, participants learn core principles, concepts, and methods of continuous improvement and explore the history of continuous improvement efforts. In a series of lectures, Master Black Belt in Six Sigma Shane Wentz, Ph.D., enables learners to enhance, optimize, and stabilize business processes and to augment quality control through varied methodologies. Participants gain the skills and knowledge to reimagine internal processes, engage in advanced problem-solving, and empower employees. The course covers high-level foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC processes before diving deep into Lean Six Sigma methods. Learners will analyze the tools of process mapping, Kaizen (a continuous improvement method/tool deemed a prerequisite for Lean transformation success), Lean (a continuous improvement philosophy that emphasizes streamlined workflows and reducing waste), and the process improvement methodology driving DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Entrepreneurs fostering new ventures outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley face significant challenges. These markets are unlike Silicon Valley, and they will likely remain so. That doesn't mean they can't nurture and sustain new businesses. In transitioning markets that lack abundant private sector financing, creative approaches from government officials, donors, and business leaders can fill the void to support entrepreneurial activity. Northeast Ohio (where Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University are located) has become a laboratory for such innovative solutions. During our time together in this course, we will explore some of these creative approaches to promoting regional entrepreneurship. Northeast Ohio has seen a massive infusion of government and donor resources for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has promoted regional development (including job creation and follow-on funding) through alternative methods of financing startups. It has not been easy. The region has made progress, but it remains to be seen whether it has struck upon an enduring formula. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government policymakers and donors typically seek quicker returns on their support programs, which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. This course includes case studies and first-person testimonials from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs discovered and procured resources from various programs and intermediary organizations. You will hear from business people still in the process of developing their companies as well as those whose ventures have flourished. Our focus will extend beyond Cleveland to selected markets around the world, including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China. You will learn about international incentives and other supports available to developing startups and small businesses across the globe. This course examines how different communities around the world approach implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. I will ask you to reflect on how to apply the principles we learn to growing entrepreneurship where you live. The social interactive features of the online platform will enable students from around the world to share ideas and learn from one another. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures; this course is different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length. They have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting. ## __What type of person takes the *Beyond Silicon Valley* course?__ - Active and aspiring businesspeople in communities looking to initiate new startup ecosystems or bolster existing ones - Current and prospective entrepreneurs who want to learn about funding sources, risk management, and the lifecycle of startups - Professionals who work in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic institutions, and various private funds that fund startups - Anyone curious about how to create and grow startup ecosystems outside the major tech hubs - The principles Beyond Silicon Valley teaches have been drawn from and applied to startups worldwide, from small villages to megalopolises. You'll study success stories spanning the globe from Vietnam to Kosovo to Botswana. ## __What will you learn in *Beyond Silicon Valley*?__ - How and where startups can find funding to get their businesses off the ground - What role government can play in encouraging startups and a healthy startup ecosystem - How anchor institutions such as universities and healthcare systems participate in startup ecosystems - How nongovernmental organizations support startups - How to raise funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerators - How to navigate challenging periods in the startup lifecycle - The importance of mentoring in successful startups

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Are you looking to switch jobs or enter a new profession? Perhaps you feel outpaced by rapidly changing industries and constant innovation. Whatever your motivation for seeking an MBA, you will need to ask yourself what you hope to do with the degree. If earning a degree with staying power and relevance is at the top of your list, read on to learn some of today’s hottest career options for MBA graduates.

What’s New In 2019?

For the longest time, mainstream industry and established MBA recruiters have grabbed the lion’s share of MBA grads. These have included consumer goods companies like Clorox, Procter & Gamble, and Johnson & Johnson, Wall Street heavyweights like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, and consulting companies like McKinsey and Bain. But as the digital revolution has continued to transform the business landscape, new players — and even entirely new industries — have been emerging.

With this in mind, it’s not surprising that tech has become one of the most popular industries for MBA grads. According to the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), the hottest new jobs for MBA hires are in the technology sector, particularly in Silicon Valley, and in the products and services industry. Given this explosion in tech, a new academic specialty has even emerged: financial technology (aka FinTech).

Another hot new pursuit for MBAs is in healthcare management. The world of medicine is shifting to a business model, so new roles are being created every day. Finally, other areas where MBA-holders are in-demand are marketing, operations, and data analytics positions.

Uncommon and Less Traditional Industries for MBAs

MBAs typically follow one of a few common paths (and expect those paths to be paved with riches). But this is not always the case. Wherever there is a business to run, or an enterprise to launch, there is a place for an MBA.

Here are some uncommon and interesting industries in which to utilize your MBA skills:

Guiding a tech start-up or entrepreneurial company
Nonprofit strategy
Entertainment
Real Estate
Sports Management
Pharmaceutical Industry (aka Pharma)
Museum Administration/The Arts

So — Is An MBA Worth It?

If advancing your skill set and emerging as valuable player in your workplace is important to you, earning your MBA may be a great career decision. And these days, MBA grads have more options than ever. Though the business landscape might look slightly different in 2019 than it did twenty or even ten years ago, it is filled with exciting opportunities and offers plenty of room for growth.