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>I don't understand why so many people in startups feel the need to rip on MBA's It's because we've worked at startups where MBAs were brought in on the middle

by dice 16y ago

>I don't understand why so many people in startups feel the need to rip on MBA's It's because we've worked at startups where MBAs were brought in on the middle management layer and wasted our time polishing nuts and bolts in order to reduce drag when what we should have been doing was upgrading the suspension from a Watt's linkage to MacPherson struts.

mos1b 16y ago
Not every MBA is lousy and incapable of seeing the forest for the trees, even though lots of startup techs think so. Not every tech is lousy and incapable of understanding that IT needs to serve business needs, even though lots of MBAs think so. Broad brush hatred of all MBAs is moronic.
- ericd 16y ago
  It serves a useful purpose as a teaching tool for new initiates into the startup community. If they develop a phobia of MBAs, then they will know not to hire them into a brand new company without being very skeptical of that particular one's skills. If one checks out and is actually just a really good person for the job, sure, but on average, the stereotype is there for a reason.
  - mos1b 16y ago
    Most job applicants suck. That's true with techies, with salesmen, with everything I've ever hired for. I'll happily concede that small businesses often have trouble hiring outside their founders' core competencies just because it's hard for a CS geek to vet a CMO or VP of Sales unless they get some serious assistance with the candidate selection, but that really has nothing to do with MBAs being unusually bad. "My god, he decided to supplement his education by learning the basics of accounting, finance, marketing, and a bunch of electives! Fear him!" So lame.
  - arethuza 16y ago
    I'd agree with that - I've met some pretty decent people with MBAs but I've probably met more absolute scoundrels with MBAs than any other qualification (even more than law degrees). This has nothing to do with the concept of the MBA or the courses, but more to do with the type of people who feel drawn to a short cut to senior management or influence over senior managers.

by dice 16y ago

mos1b 16y ago

Not every MBA is lousy and incapable of seeing the forest for the trees, even though lots of startup techs think so. Not every tech is lousy and incapable of understanding that IT needs to serve business needs, even though lots of MBAs think so. Broad brush hatred of all MBAs is moronic.

ericd 16y ago
It serves a useful purpose as a teaching tool for new initiates into the startup community. If they develop a phobia of MBAs, then they will know not to hire them into a brand new company without being very skeptical of that particular one's skills. If one checks out and is actually just a really good person for the job, sure, but on average, the stereotype is there for a reason.
- mos1b 16y ago
  Most job applicants suck. That's true with techies, with salesmen, with everything I've ever hired for. I'll happily concede that small businesses often have trouble hiring outside their founders' core competencies just because it's hard for a CS geek to vet a CMO or VP of Sales unless they get some serious assistance with the candidate selection, but that really has nothing to do with MBAs being unusually bad. "My god, he decided to supplement his education by learning the basics of accounting, finance, marketing, and a bunch of electives! Fear him!" So lame.
- arethuza 16y ago
  I'd agree with that - I've met some pretty decent people with MBAs but I've probably met more absolute scoundrels with MBAs than any other qualification (even more than law degrees). This has nothing to do with the concept of the MBA or the courses, but more to do with the type of people who feel drawn to a short cut to senior management or influence over senior managers.