“Sweden” was my reply.
He further inquired, “I hope you are not going for an MBA?”
And I said that I intended to pursuit an MS in Dependable Computer Systems from Sweden.
He seemed to digress, “Do you think this is a fascinating building?” The year was 2004, and this was my first and only interaction with Kewan that lasted for around 20 minutes. Techlogix had newly established its office in The Forum, Karachi, where we were sitting. He went on to say, “Don’t you admire the systems that are functioning within this building? This is made by an engineer. Compared to that, what can an MBA do? An MBA just blabs.”
I was reminded of this conversation by a recent post on a similar topic by Adnan.
Kewan Khawaja was fully against doing an MBA at least for a young software developer with only 4 years of professional experience.
My plans of not wasting time on MBA were further endorsed by this sermon from Kewan. In fact, I was always shocked when a US or UK scholarship advertisement specifically targeting Pakistanis omitted “doctors” and “engineers.” Instead most of the scholarships I used to come across were for the fields of “administration”, “management” and “policy making.” I used to think, “how on earth do they not consider engineers to be important if they want to help stabilize Pakistan’s economy?” After all, aren’t the engineers who build stuff the most important for growth? How wrong I was!
If computer science schools continue to produce a few extra ordinary software and several average developers every year, why do software companies get shut down? Despite the claims that the standard of education is falling down every year, the number of “extra ordinary” graduates injected into the industry is still not zero. But can you go through these two lists where companies rose to fame and then disappeared within the last 10 years:
List 1: Neovision, Connect2Web, CresSoft, Progressive Systems, Pixsense, etc.
List 2: ITIM, Kalsoft, 2B Technologies, Clarus, etc.
It’s not engineers which are in shortage—the quality of computer science education at undergraduate level is not bad in Pakistan. A good software engineer who has graduated from a reputable local university is not very far behind graduates from foreign universities. But do the same comparison at the “management” level, and the differences are huge. Add to that the extremely fragile working environment of the country, the need becomes more critical.
As highlighted by the scholarship ads I mentioned above, here in Paksitan, there is shortage of people who can make good policies and can manage things. In fact, there is a dire shortage of good techies who make into management, and are given decisive powers (or looked at in another way, the techies never rise up to the occasion and show their potential to take up management responsibilities). The steering wheel, unfortunately, remains in the hands of either non-technical CxO’s or techies with no management skills—both are extremes.
While doing an MBA might not be a solution—-after all the business school’s program cannot create a leader out of a follower—there are things that techies should learn. Just like a PMP doesn’t ensure that the person is a good “project manager,” an MBA won’t certify that for a manager either. But the reason for writing all this is to highlight the need for good managers—whether they get molded by doing MBA or learn tools of the trade on job. The bare minimum includes communication and negotiation skills, making strategic plans, a belief in “process” instead of “heroics”, and being proactive.
Any company where the pioneers have reached the break even level, and would now want to expand needs to think on these lines. Otherwise, within 10 years you would either be in List 1 or List 2.
When the question “Should I enroll in an MBA program to further boost my career?” is thrown at me, my reply is that “If you are asking this, the answer is already a no.” An MBA makes sense only when you understand your shortcomings as a manager, and can yourself relate how an MBA degree would help.
Can you please get your facts straight first! Itim has not disappeared, it is still operating and is doing very well.
I fail to understand why on earth is this news of Itim’s demise is circulating in the local industry?
Hi Faraz, List 2 companies are still working but right now they are not what they used to be. This includes ITIM. There was a time when these companies were the most preferred by fresh graduates…I don’t think that’s the case now. If you have more accurate information, please don’t hesitate to post here.
In my point of view, it depend upon your goals and objectives. Yes, i am 100% agreed that MBA is not for the software engineer with upto 4 years of experience. I don’t think so that you will wast time if you do MBA degree. You will learn management science that you cannot learn by technology degree. As i said earlier, its depend upon your objectives, how, if you want to earn more, be the part of management team and looking yourself as a COO/CEO of the company then MBA is the degree that will give you all these. And if you want to excel your career in technology then go for advance degree related to technology.
If you see current leader of software industry, you will see that this is due to good management team who brought business. Most of pakistani software houses shut down their operation because they don’t have business even they have good software engineers.
One more thing, why india is far ahead from pakistan in IT, not because they have good software engineer than pakistan, because they have good management people who are bringing huge business for their engineers. Pls see Indian export for 2009 is $54 bln whereas pakistani export for 2010 is US$169 million.
In short, we need good people who can bring business from the competitive international market and if software engineer with 5+ years experience having a MBA degree will do IT business development more effectively. I would suggest that people like you should go for management degree instead of technical degree.
I seriously think that the comparison made by Khawaja sahab was totally wrong because MBAs are not meant for building Systems or buildings , he is comparing oranges with apples . I guess if some MBA asks you that “Do you know Shah , who made the Federal Budget 2010 , this was made by an MBA and a group of economists , An engineer jut blabs” , you should immidiately ask him that what have engineers to do with Federal Budgets or running economy of the country , you see both engineers and MBA have there own role , none can exist without another and the question that is MBA worthwhile for Software Engineer than the answer is YES and the answer is also NO , it all depends that in what kind of Systems development is an engineer involved , if he is more into Financial Management Systems and banking application (like Core banking domain , Symbols , MiSYS , Temenos , iFlex kind of stuff) than an MBA will be much beneficial than MS , but if he is involved in building Content Management Systems , Supply Chain Application , Telecom Applications , CRM Applications than he has better options than an MBA , this is a never ending debate with no absolute answer.
Taqi Raza !!!!!!!!
http://pk.linkedin.com/in/taqiraza
In my point of view, it depend upon your goals and objectives. Yes, i am 100% agreed that MBA is not for the software engineer with upto 4 years of experience. I don’t think so that you will wast time if you do MBA degree. You will learn management science that you cannot learn by technology degree. As i said earlier, its depend upon your objectives, how, if you want to earn more, be the part of management team and looking yourself as a COO/CEO of the company then MBA is the degree that will give you all these. And if you want to excel your career in technology then go for advance degree related to technology.
+1
I agree with the point that failures or below full potential performance of software industry is due to lack of management/business skills instead of lack of technical skills.
I further divide the business skills in two areas namely “Operational Acumen” and “Vision”. By Operational Acumen I mean capability to run the finances/cash flows, ability to sell/negotiate and ability to deliver on commitments; in a nutshell it means minimum skills to keep the business running. Some of the companies you mentioned and many others lack this basic skill, mostly technical gurus run the affairs.
Other companies which have Operational Acumen lacks Vision. They don’t know where they are headed to, what they want to achieve even in next 2-3 years. Primary focus is on revenues and cash flows. Mostly run by non technical businessmen these companies for the sake of revenues adapt “jack of all and master of non” strategy. Instead of planned growth direction is set by random environmental events.
In my view to run a successful business both skills are required. If you lack “Vision” it means your tomorrow is insecure and if you lack “Business Acumen” your existence is under threat.
I seriously think that the comparison made by Khawaja sahab was totally wrong because MBAs are not meant for building Systems or buildings , he is comparing oranges with apples . I guess if some MBA asks you that “Do you know Shah , who made the Federal Budget 2010 , this was made by an MBA and a group of economists , An engineer jut blabs” , you should immidiately ask him that what have engineers to do with Federal Budgets or running economy of the country , you see both engineers and MBA have there own role , none can exist without another and the question that is MBA worthwhile for Software Engineer than the answer is YES and the answer is also NO , it all depends that in what kind of Systems development is an engineer involved , if he is more into Financial Management Systems and banking application (like Core banking domain , Symbols , MiSYS , Temenos , iFlex kind of stuff) than an MBA will be much beneficial than MS , but if he is involved in building Content Management Systems , Supply Chain Application , Telecom Applications , CRM Applications than he has better options than an MBA , this is a never ending debate with no absolute answer.
+1