Instant MBA: Think, perform and earn like a top business-school graduate (52 Brilliant Ideas) [Paperback]

Nicholas Bate (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1905940831 | ISBN-13: 978-1905940837 | Publication Date: August 31, 2008

The benefits of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree can be massive: fast-track career advancement, a big fat wage packet, the whole high-flying top-notch executive lifestyle. But studying for an MBA isn't something to decide to do lightly - it's a big investment to take a year or more out of your career path or commit endless week-ends to a part-time version, and for many the cost of either of these options is prohibitive. "Instant MBA" is the must-have guide to making the most of yourself and your career prospects, whether you're studying for an MBA or just out to improve your prospects while you work.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nicholas Bate runs Strategic Edge Ltd, a consultancy that has a simple vision: to "enable individuals to realise and release their potential." He works extensively with individuals and teams in organisations as similar and different as Microsoft, Marks & Spencer, Philips Electronics, Hudson Global, Intel - as well as many non-corporate organisations, even primary schools. Nicholas is the author of Unplugged, Beat the 2008 recession and Have it your way.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Infinite Ideas (August 31, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1905940831
• ISBN-13: 978-1905940837
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #662,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Better information is available elsewhere, February 17, 2011

By 

John Gibbs (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Instant MBA (52 Brilliant Ideas) (Kindle Edition)

"Those who invest in thinking differently, in pulling ahead from the crowd, in constantly seeking fresh brilliant ideas are not just those who survive, but also those who thrive," according to Nicholas Bate in this book. The book contains the author's ideas of the essential parts of an MBA course, arranged into 52 short chapters, which could be studied at a rate of one per week for a year.

The book briefly covers a number of important ideas from Michael Porter, Peter Drucker, Jim Collins and other well-respected thought leaders, as well as some ideas from voices a bit closer to the lunatic fringe. Seven of the chapters are on concepts which the author describes as New World of Work Drivers: acceleration (increasing rate of change), automation, alternative shores (outsourcing), abundance (of choices), ambiguity (making the future unpredictable), anarchy (power is back with the people), and adrenaline (all of this causes fear). I found these chapters the most interesting.

The author makes an impossible promise in the book's title. It is simply not possible to obtain the knowledge and skills of an MBA graduate instantly. I was hoping that each chapter would act as a starting point for a topic, with an extensive list of books and other resources that the reader could consult for further information on each topic. Instead, most topics are presented in a manner which is likely to be too brief for the reader fully to comprehend the topic's value and significance, and at the end of the book there is a list of just 17 books, more than half of which are unlikely to be on any real MBA course reading list.

Finance, economics and managerial accounting are frequently core subjects in MBA courses, but this book does not mention economics and has very little to say about finance, and as a result the reader does not even get introduced to much of the distinctive language that MBA graduates speak. In chapter 14 the author says that there is a lack of understanding about mission and vision statements, and then proceeds to demonstrate his own lack of understanding by completely confusing the concepts.

The book does contain some interesting material, and it is short and easy to read. However, if you are looking for a book that gives you a good overview of what people typically learn in a real MBA course, you would do well to look elsewhere.

38 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars your personal mentor, December 15, 2009

By 

Reka-Zsuzsanna Szanto "Reka-Zsuzsanna" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Instant MBA: Think, perform and earn like a top business-school graduate (52 Brilliant Ideas) (Paperback)

Yet another remarkable book from Nicholas Bate.

If you are wanting to do an MBA one day or just want to be better in whatever you do, this book will give you direction, and guidance. As unlikely as it may sound, I found this book to be like a mentor. Your own personal one, whom you can turn to anytime... See, you can read it from cover to cover, but since it's logically divided into topics, you can just use it as a reference and flip it open at the topic you are wanting some direction in. And whenever you do so, you will find yourself motivated and acting upon brilliant advice.

Not only is this book an enjoyable read, but also a very useful one. Highly recommended.

4.0 out of 5 stars keep coming back to this!, November 6, 2011

By 

JamesH (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Instant MBA (52 Brilliant Ideas) (Kindle Edition)

i continue to keep coming back to this to get some MBA Common sense. I enjoy it - not to complex, just straight forward..simple read.