Additional Information
Book Details
Abstract
‘An absolutely vital resource for anyone doing an MBA. It will help you at every stage: before, during and after your MBA.’
Alex Elferink, MBA Graduate, Cass Business School, City University Praise for previous edition
‘The MBA Handbook appropriately introduces theoretical concepts and real-life examples to underpin practice-based exercises and thinking.’
Jayne Mothersdale, Governor and Principal Lecturer, Learning & Teaching, Leeds Beckett University
New edition of the definitive text for business students.
Undertaking any postgraduate management study is a big investment on many levels. The MBA Handbook is the definitive text in this area and explains what will be expected from you on a personal, professional and academic level. Designed to prepare and support you throughout your studies and your career, the book is clearly structured and simply written around the following sections:
- Understanding the MBA and postgraduate study – covering self-management, time-management and planning as well as common challenges and how to overcome them;
- Transferable learning skills – covering professional development, diagrams, numbers and data analysis, teamwork and leadership, and crucially, case studies and problem solving;
- Skills for assessment – covering preparation for the unique assessments that await in MBA and PG study, including speaking and presentations, writing, exams, projects and theses;
- Afterwards – how to start and shape your career.
This successful text has been thoroughly updated to include:
- New and updated activities, examples and exercises in every chapter to help evaluate your progress and put ideas into practice.
- Mini-cases and real-life study and business examples integrated throughout the book.
- Support for distance learning students and extended coverage of issues relating to EFL and ESL students.
Visit the companion website at www.pearsoned.co.uk/cameron for worksheets and self-assessment
exercises.
Sheila Cameron has worked for the Open University Business School since its inception. She has been involved in its MBA programme since its earliest design stages in a variety of roles, including a period as MBA Director. Sheila is also the author of The Business Students Handbook.
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover | Cover | ||
| Title page | iii | ||
| Copyright page | iv | ||
| Brief contents | v | ||
| Contents | vii | ||
| Preface | xiv | ||
| Acknowledgements | xvi | ||
| Part 1 Understanding the territory | 2 | ||
| 1 Management, leadership, learning and this handbook | 4 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 5 | ||
| Introduction | 6 | ||
| Management and leadership issues and learning | 6 | ||
| Management and study challenges addressed in the handbook | 8 | ||
| How to use this handbook | 14 | ||
| How the book is structured | 16 | ||
| Planning your work on the handbook | 21 | ||
| Further information | 22 | ||
| 2 The challenges of MBA and postgraduate study | 24 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 25 | ||
| Introduction | 26 | ||
| Educating senior managers – a short history | 26 | ||
| Challenges to the traditional model | 28 | ||
| Reflection and professional practice | 35 | ||
| Setting your own learning objectives | 37 | ||
| Developing objectives | 41 | ||
| A hierarchy of objectives | 42 | ||
| Summary | 43 | ||
| Further information | 44 | ||
| Notes | 44 | ||
| Part 2 Transferable personal skills | 46 | ||
| 3 Managing yourself and other stakeholders | 48 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 49 | ||
| Introduction | 50 | ||
| Stakeholders in your learning system | 50 | ||
| Assessing your personal management skills | 52 | ||
| Managing your emotions | 54 | ||
| Managing stress | 56 | ||
| Coping with unavoidable stress | 59 | ||
| Developing assertiveness skills | 63 | ||
| Managing organisational stakeholders | 68 | ||
| Managing your relationships with family and friends | 71 | ||
| Managing relationships with your university | 73 | ||
| Managing your emotions | 74 | ||
| Summary | 74 | ||
| Further information | 75 | ||
| Note | 75 | ||
| 4 Managing your time | 76 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 77 | ||
| Introduction | 78 | ||
| Planning skills | 79 | ||
| Control | 80 | ||
| Making time for study | 81 | ||
| If the time simply is not there . . . | 86 | ||
| Basic time-management principles | 87 | ||
| Putting principles into practice | 97 | ||
| Summary | 98 | ||
| Further information | 99 | ||
| Part 3 Transferable learning skills | 100 | ||
| 5 Managing your learning | 102 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 103 | ||
| Introduction | 104 | ||
| Creating an effective work space | 104 | ||
| Developing a study plan | 106 | ||
| If things go wrong | 115 | ||
| Summary | 117 | ||
| Helpfile 5.1: Exercises that can be used during study breaks | 118 | ||
| 6 Professional development | 120 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 121 | ||
| Introduction | 122 | ||
| What is learning? | 122 | ||
| What is management theory and why is it useful? | 125 | ||
| Learning models and metaphors | 129 | ||
| Learning styles | 130 | ||
| Multiple intelligences and sensory preferences | 136 | ||
| Single- and double-loop learning | 136 | ||
| Critical engagement | 138 | ||
| Reflection and professional learning | 140 | ||
| Self-authoring | 143 | ||
| Reflective writing | 153 | ||
| Organising your file | 157 | ||
| Summary | 159 | ||
| Further information | 159 | ||
| Additional resources | 160 | ||
| Notes | 160 | ||
| 7 Critical use of ideas and information | 162 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 163 | ||
| Introduction | 164 | ||
| Efficient eye movement | 164 | ||
| Selecting reading material | 167 | ||
| Choosing your reading speed | 171 | ||
| Reading critically | 173 | ||
| Taking notes | 180 | ||
| Academic referencing | 183 | ||
| Summary | 185 | ||
| Further information | 186 | ||
| Answers to Exercise 7.1 | 186 | ||
| 8 Diagrams and other visuals | 188 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 189 | ||
| Introduction | 190 | ||
| The importance of visual representations | 190 | ||
| The magic management box | 193 | ||
| Brain patterns or mind maps | 196 | ||
| Relationship diagrams | 199 | ||
| Rich pictures | 200 | ||
| Systems maps | 203 | ||
| Multiple-cause (and other causal) diagrams | 205 | ||
| Other diagramming techniques | 207 | ||
| Diagramming hazards | 207 | ||
| Summary | 210 | ||
| Further information | 210 | ||
| Answers to Exercise 8.1 | 211 | ||
| 9 Teamwork, leadership and learning | 212 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 213 | ||
| Introduction | 214 | ||
| Key communication skills | 214 | ||
| Active listening | 218 | ||
| Talk and text | 222 | ||
| Dialogue | 224 | ||
| Effective teams | 226 | ||
| Task and process | 227 | ||
| Behaviours seen in groups and teams | 228 | ||
| Choosing team members | 232 | ||
| Team development | 235 | ||
| Practical aspects of team effectiveness | 237 | ||
| The dangers of group work | 238 | ||
| Becoming a skilled team member | 239 | ||
| Leadership and influencing skills | 241 | ||
| Negotiation skills | 243 | ||
| The role of informal groups | 244 | ||
| Action learning sets | 245 | ||
| Virtual teams | 247 | ||
| Summary | 254 | ||
| Further information | 255 | ||
| 10 Case studies, complex problems and consultancy | 256 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 257 | ||
| Introduction | 258 | ||
| The place of case studies | 259 | ||
| Coping with cases | 265 | ||
| A method for approaching cases | 266 | ||
| From cases to consultancy | 277 | ||
| Summary | 278 | ||
| Further information | 278 | ||
| 11 Seeing stories in numbers | 280 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 281 | ||
| Introduction | 282 | ||
| Diagnosing your current skill level | 283 | ||
| Causes of difficulty | 285 | ||
| Descriptive equations | 286 | ||
| Modelling | 287 | ||
| Understanding probability and statistics | 288 | ||
| Making data more meaningful | 289 | ||
| Distributions and histograms | 293 | ||
| Bar and column charts | 298 | ||
| Pie charts | 301 | ||
| Graphs | 302 | ||
| Estimating | 311 | ||
| Rounding | 311 | ||
| Fractions, percentages and ratios | 312 | ||
| Using equations | 319 | ||
| Working with brackets | 323 | ||
| Differential calculus | 324 | ||
| Statistical software | 326 | ||
| Further skills development | 326 | ||
| Summary | 327 | ||
| Further information | 327 | ||
| Additional resources | 328 | ||
| Helpfile 11.1: Cracking the code | 329 | ||
| Answers to exercises | 335 | ||
| Part 4 Skills for assessment | 346 | ||
| 12 Understanding your assessors | 348 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 349 | ||
| Introduction | 350 | ||
| Challenges for students from different educational backgrounds | 350 | ||
| Assessment in context | 352 | ||
| common causes of failure | 355 | ||
| Assessment as communication | 361 | ||
| Summary | 364 | ||
| 13 Writing to impress | 366 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 367 | ||
| Introduction | 368 | ||
| Assignment planning | 368 | ||
| Define or refine structure | 373 | ||
| Developing your material | 377 | ||
| Drafting written assignments | 382 | ||
| Using report format | 386 | ||
| Writing essays | 393 | ||
| Writing clear English | 394 | ||
| Writing for the screen | 399 | ||
| Summary | 400 | ||
| Further information | 401 | ||
| Helpfile 13.1: Glossary of terms used in examination and assessment questions | 402 | ||
| Helpfile 13.2: Spelling (the right word) | 406 | ||
| Helpfile 13.3: Punctuation and grammar | 410 | ||
| Helpfile 13.4: If English is not your native language | 414 | ||
| Answers to exercises | 417 | ||
| 14 Speaking to impress | 418 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 419 | ||
| Introduction | 420 | ||
| The risks of presenting | 420 | ||
| Structure | 422 | ||
| Delivery technique | 423 | ||
| Visual aids | 425 | ||
| Handling questions | 429 | ||
| Dealing with nerves | 430 | ||
| Preparation | 430 | ||
| Virtual presentations and podcasts | 431 | ||
| Group presentations | 432 | ||
| Poster presentations | 433 | ||
| Summary | 436 | ||
| Further information | 437 | ||
| 15 Examinations and other forms of assessment | 438 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 439 | ||
| Introduction | 440 | ||
| Objectives of different ‘examinations’ | 440 | ||
| Types of written examination | 443 | ||
| Common causes of failure | 444 | ||
| Exam preparation | 448 | ||
| During the examination | 453 | ||
| Summary | 456 | ||
| Further information | 457 | ||
| Part 5 Integrating your skills and going forward | 458 | ||
| 16 Projects, theses and dissertations | 460 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 461 | ||
| Introduction | 462 | ||
| Characteristics of management research | 463 | ||
| Stakeholders in your dissertation | 464 | ||
| The importance of topic | 469 | ||
| Generating possible topics | 474 | ||
| Topic selection | 480 | ||
| Responsibilities and ethics | 483 | ||
| Your formal proposal(s) | 486 | ||
| Literature search | 488 | ||
| Primary data collection | 493 | ||
| Focus groups | 497 | ||
| Questionnaires | 498 | ||
| Research methodology and approach | 500 | ||
| Project management | 505 | ||
| Writing up | 512 | ||
| Summary | 514 | ||
| Further information | 515 | ||
| Additional resources | 516 | ||
| Note | 516 | ||
| 17 Managing your career | 518 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 519 | ||
| Introduction | 520 | ||
| Lifelong learning | 521 | ||
| Reassessing objectives and options | 523 | ||
| Developing your ‘brand’ | 528 | ||
| Networking | 529 | ||
| Making an effective job application | 532 | ||
| Keep looking | 537 | ||
| Going forward | 537 | ||
| Summary | 537 | ||
| Further information | 538 | ||
| Additional resources | 538 | ||
| References and bibliography | 540 | ||
| Index | 550 |