MBA Online Writing Failures

Posted by Daniel Workman Mar 30, 2009

An MBA would make a very weak candidate as an online International Trade author, at least according to Toronto Star columnist Carol Goar.

Goar cites three major complaints about MBA graduates from Andrew Kidd, vice-president at the world's largest commercial real estate and property management firm CB Richard Ellis.

First, MBAs don't know how to present researched information in a clear and readable form. So while they can research information competently, MBAs generally lack the skills to analyze the data then effectively communicate their findings to an audience with an urgent need to know.

Second, immature MBAs haven't learned how to intelligently deal with adversity. Failure paralyzes them, so that they give up far too quickly instead of using setbacks as lessons learned for self-improvement.

Finally, MBAs have bad attitudes. They try so hard to look confident that most end up projecting arrogance and false bravado.

Of course, each of these 3 weaknesses show a lack critical skills necessary for credible online journalism these days. For example, rule number 1 at Suite101 is to walk the talk by consistently producing high-quality, well-researched articles that are Search Engine Optimized (SEO).

Back in 2005, an MBA from a Florida university ran this International Trade site. She averaged about 500 page views a month. Her articles and blogs were far too theoretical and scattered to attract and retain a growing but time-stressed global audience.

Since then, we've written over 400 articles for Suite101, and grown our International Trade audience to 200,000 page views monthly. Yes, we have had challenges including unsuccessful articles with meagre page views and stinging criticisms. Yet we used those speed bumps to write some of our most popular articles, including World's Richest Countries and Top Internet Countries.

That's not to say that education isn't important. To the contrary, this author continuously studies practical and inexpensive courses at community college night school.

Ironically, some of my best professors are moonlighting university professors from countries from around the globe.

And they all enjoy reading our Suite101 articles.