A business school graduate, believing himself to be an exclusive breed of specially trained professional, exuding an air of exclusivity and superior knowledge, is often faced with a paradox. He is the object of spite and is sneered at by skeptics and cynics (especially non-MBA people) for being too didactic – for being too hung up on theory. ‘Theory does not prepare you for real life’, they say! ‘Manager are born and not made – experience begets competence, not trimesters’! Well, I beg to differ!Although I must confess that my first day at office was a trifle unnerving. I suddenly found myself in an alien environment and couldn’t make sense of anything. I despaired. I panicked. All I wanted to do was to get out of that place which seemed to be mocking my ignorance. I even thought I saw contempt in the peon’s eyes.
Probably I was imagining things. I had to calm down. I was a premier B-school graduate after all. Wait! Did I just hear a familiar refrain? Hey, someone out there is talking supply chain and logistics. Comprehension dawned. I know all about that! One term and a full credit paper! I could tell them a thing or two about supply chain. I felt elated! Suddenly I saw my B-school in an entirely different light. No longer was it just a passport to the corporate world. It had actually equipped me to survive in this world as well. Somewhere it had brought about a transformation without me being aware of the process. I had made the transition. I was suddenly at peace with myself. It may be that experience cannot be substituted, but it doesn’t hurt to have a head start either – right?
Director
Quatro Travel & Cargo (P) Ltd.
