UCLA Wins Deloitte Consulting Award For Nigerian Export Field Research
While most business school programs require a master’s thesis, the UCLA Anderson School of Management takes a different approach. Students at Anderson do a field study as New Company Founders or Applied Management Research (AMR).
Big Data and Business: An MBA vs. Masters in Business Analytics
2016 was the “Year of the Data Analyst.” According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for various data analyst positions is growing far faster than average—around 27 percent annually. In fact, 85 percent of Fortune 500 companies have either launched big data projects or are planning to do so.
Big data, which refers to the practice of analyzing extremely large data sets to reveal trends and patterns, is reshaping the business world—and it’s here to stay. Companies like Google and Amazon have dedicated significant resources to big data, and a report by PWC estimates that the big data market for financial services is expected to increase to $53.4 billion in 2017.
As for the job market for data analysts, the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that by 2018, the U.S. could face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 workers with “deep analytical skills,” and 1.5 million managers and analyst with the necessary “know-how” to interpret and apply big data.
In sum, the increasing emphasis on big data in business translates to a growing need for workers who are able to analyze data and communicate the results effectively. Because employers want graduates who can do this work, many business schools are rethinking their curricula and integrating data science.
First Ever Smith Analytics Conference Coming April 21
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is hosting the first ever Smith Analytics Conference on April 21, 2017. The day-long forum is set to feature speakers from industry, government and academia who will discuss topics such as big data, business intelligence, predictive analytics, key performance indicators, risk analysis and marketing research. Continue reading…
Hot MBA Jobs: International Business Consultant
International business consulting is one of the world’s fastest growing industries. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hiring rate of management consulting (the overarching job category) is increasing much faster than average, with an expected rate improving around 14 percent until 2024.
And there’s no doubt that the international side is growing even more quickly due to the globalization of the world economy, the emergence of new markets and explosive economic growth in countries such as India and China. Not to mention the fact that the world is smaller than ever and that almost every business across the world conducts business internationally—even many small and medium-sized companies. So, as more and more companies embrace the global mindset, international business consultants will be more valuable than ever.
As for MBAs, consulting is still one of the most sought-after career fields. According to the 2015 Prospective Student Survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), consulting topped the list of intended industries for both millennial and Gen X respondents (41 percent and 27 percent respectively).
But before you make the decision to become an international business consultant, let’s take a look at what your career would look like. Continue reading…
Looking For Consulting And Strategic Management MBAs in Atlanta
As a prospective MBA, you probably already know that while an MBA degree provides students with a strong business foundation, many programs also offer students the chance to specialize their education. For students who have a sense of the career path they would like to pursue after earning their degree, earning consulting and strategic management MBAs can provide a competitive edge in the job market.
Students looking to pursue a career in strategic planning may find it useful to earn a specialized MBA with a focus on strategic or organizational management. Given the role of a strategic consultant—helping a company to grow and plan for the future through the consultant’s expertise and analysis—gaining direct experience in consulting and strategic management can be an important step in preparing to enter the field.
Students looking in Atlanta will find a number of schools offering consulting and strategic management MBAs. With these programs, students can still obtain the strong foundation of business knowledge that comes with an MBA degree, while simultaneously strengthening the specific skills needed for a career in strategic management.
We’ve rounded up some of the top Consulting And Strategic Management MBA programs in Atlanta below.
Goizueta Business School – Emory University
The two-year MBA at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School allows students to concentrate their degree in a number of fields, including Strategy Consulting. With a combination of business fundamentals and elective courses, the Goizueta MBA allows students to truly create their own educational experience without forsaking the development of a strong business foundation.
Below are just a few of the recent electives offered for students in the Strategy Consulting concentration at Goizueta:
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Marketing Intelligence & Customer Insights
- Corporate Governance & Firm Value
- Consumer Behavior
- Negotiations
- Strategic Decision/Analysis
- Marketing Channel Strategy & B2B
- Forecasting & Predictive Analysis
J. Mack Robinson College of Business – Georgia State University
The Robinson College of Business at GSU offers an MBA in Organization Management through the Department of Managerial Sciences. The Department has a number of faculty members within the field of Strategy Management, who work with students at all levels of education, from undergraduate students to Ph.D. candidates and everything in between. The faculty work to help students “develop their understanding of how competitive advantage is created in firms, and the decision processes, analytical frameworks and organizational systems and structures that support the creation and maintenance of advantage.”
Below are just a few of the electives offered as part of the Organization Management elective:
- Problem Solving
- Consulting Practice and Theory
- Management Studies Abroad
- Comparative Business Systems
- Organizing to Compete
Scheller College of Business – Georgia Institute of Technology
The Scheller College of Business at GIT offers students the chance to earn an MBA in Strategy & Innovation as part of the full-time MBA program. The program focuses on developing each student’s understanding of how an organization gains and sustains competitive advantage. The program also aims to show the natural intersection between innovation and strategy.
The Strategy & Innovation MBA at Scheller centers around two core courses in Managerial Economics and Strategic Management, along with several elective courses for students to choose from, such as:
- Venture Creation
- Technology Strategy
- Current Thinking in Strategy
- Qualitative Research for Business
- Managerial Economics and Strategic Behavior
Terry College of Business – University of Georgia
UGA’s Terry College of Business offers an MBA with an emphasis in consulting, one of the most popular career paths for Terry graduates. The consulting emphasis at Terry employs both an interdisciplinary and experiential approach, combining classroom experience with hands-on, project based learning. The program develops student’s skills in a variety of areas, building the necessary analytical and practical skills for a consultant to effectively improve their client’s operations. Terry graduates in consulting have gone on to work in management consulting roles at top companies like Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, KPMG and more.
Terry MBA students in consulting have two required courses in Competitive Strategy and a practicum in Innovative Business Projects. Several additional electives are available, including:
- Economics of Management Organizations
- Critical Design Thinking
- Marketing Analytics and Decision-Making
- Business Process Management
The Top Consulting And Strategic Management Chicago MBA Programs
While industries such as investment banking may be attracting fewer MBAs, that’s not the case for consulting. Year-after-year it continues to be the top draw for MBA graduates. The 2015 Prospective Student Survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) revealed that a job in consulting services or management consulting upon graduation topped the list for both millennial (41 percent) and Gen X (27 percent) respondents. Continue reading…
