The Ten-Day MBA 3rd Ed.

In the interest of full disclosure, I hold an MBA and was very skeptical when I acquired this book. To get to my point, this book exceeded my expectations and is an excellent refresher for those who hold an MBA, and a great preview for those about to start an MBA program. The book would also be very beneficial for those individuals interested in possessing an overview of the material covered in MBA programs. STRENGTHS -- The book is comprehensive. You will receive an overview of the content covered in MBA programs. The major courses of study are all included from Finance to Operations to Strategy. GREAT STRENGTH -- I wish I had read the chapter on Quantitative Analysis prior to entering my MBA program. WEAKNESSES -- As I mentioned, the book is comprehensive but a bit superficial and definitely inadequate. To be fair, the author concedes, I believe, at least the second point above. In particular, the title is a bit pretentious, to be forward. That is, no one can really learn (or earn) an MBA in ten days. Nevertheless, in ten days, one can certainly have a well framed concept of the material under study in MBA programs. And, as I said, this book is an excellent and highly recommended refresher for those holding an MBA. I finished the book in two days. MAJOR WEAKNESS (touches on cources in ethics in MBA curriculum) -- I think the focus on ethics is great in theory but of little --indeed if any-- pratical benefit. I am not sure if taking a course in ethics can make one ethical or even more inclined to be ethical in her/his decision-making. To be forward, ethics should not be a separate course but integrate into the program, perhaps into each course. People should be ethical in all of their behaviors and decisions (business, personal, or otherwise), and an entire course focused on "business ethics" is of, seriously, little value. MY PERSONAL COMMENTARY ON MBA EDU. (you have been warned!) -- I think of particular importance for MBA students today is attention paid to "international business." I would encourage anyone considering entering an MBA program to consider studying abroad for a quarter (if you can) or attending a seminar with international students and business leaders overseas. The benefits from this will be long-lasting and fulfilling. By no means am I advocating attending an MBA program outside of the USA, although there are truly great programs. I am suggesting taking a course or attending a seminar in an international environment among students, participants from all over the world. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION -- The book is engaging, easy-to-read, and very beneficial in terms of presenting the language of business and MBA concepts. The book does not waste your time, and the mini-courses at the end are quite inadequate but do present important areas of study. I confidently recommend this book, and please keep in mind this is at least one reader who was initially skeptical but has definitely benefitted fro

I'm a software developer who's always had a mind for business. I've worked for a few start-ups and even started a few myself. My wife has an MBA and I had been thinking of going to school for an MBA when I found this book. My wife read parts of it and confirmed that it is the same material in an MBA program. Now I won't claim this book will teach you everything you'll learn in an MBA school (obviously), but I will claim this is a great book for anyone considering an MBA as well as for anyone who has one and wants to brush up on the material. The author presents the most important information tought in business schools, at a high level although full of real examples. What I liked most was how he gave specific real life examples, sometimes true and sometimes ficticious. For example, one that I remember off the top of my head, he explains how Quaker bought Snapple when it was popular but couldn't win the battle against Coke and Pepsi and ended up selling it at a huge loss. There's tons of real life examples like that. I like the style of the book, because he presents the material at a high level and if you want to go into detail you can pursue the subjects that interest you on your own. I also like his touch of humor, which keeps the book interesting. Overall I cannot recommend this book enough!

Highly recommended. Gives the reader a good working knowledge of management concepts, tools, and formulas. This should be mandatory reading for any new employee, regardless of industry or expertise. Some highlights:1) Break even unit volume (how much to produce to break even) = fixed costs / selling price of product - variable costs2) A balance sheet is a snapshot of the company's holdings at any time. Assets = Liabilities+ Owner's equity. If the records do not balance, then there is a mistake.3) Overview of quantitative analysis: how to calculate EMV (expected monetary value), cash flow modeling, net present value, IRR (internal rate of return), and probability distributions.4) A major drawback of the corporation is double taxation: taxation as an entity, and also taxation on dividends.5) CAPM (capital asset pricing model) determines the rate of return necessary to compensate for that inherent risk of a particular investment. (e.g. is that stock worth buying)6) Even if you do not work in operations, it will help you to understand the meaning of key acronyms: MRP (master resource plan), BOM (bill of materials), SPC (statistical process control), CPM (critical path methodology), EOQ (economic order quantity)7) Good history of economic thought: Keynes (positive effect of government fiscal spending), Friedman (government should only focus on money supply), Smith (invisible hand), Schumpeter (creative destruction), Laffer (supply side)8) "Strategy is the most exciing course in the MBA curriculum because it gives you the chance to put all your new skills to work. Strategy classes place students in the chairman of the board's chair, and MBAs love that feeling." (pg 297)9) The author recommend these two books as compulsory business reading: Michael Porter's [Competitive Strategy] and [Competitive Advantage].

I have read the Ten Day MBA book and found it a great refresher on many, many of the topics that I covered years ago at Columbia Business School. It was very easy and fun to read, and brought back a lot of valuable information to me. There were also many new topics that I had never covered back in B-School, especially in the strategy chapter. Each topic was clearly presented, had real world examples, and didn't overcomplicate the subject. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn quickly what it takes two or more years to learn at business school.

There is a major development now underway in the publishing world (eg "Chicken Soup for Dummies Who Want to Make Billions in E-Commerce") which explains my apprehension as I began to read Steven Silbiger's book. In fact, it is an excellent piece of work. He organizes most of the material within ten "daily" segments. For those unwilling and/or unable to earn an MBA degree but who wish to strengthen their business knowledge and skills, I highly recommend this book. From my perspective, it provides at least three major benefits:First, the quality of writing is quite high: Silbiger does NOT "talk down" to his reader. Dim-wits and knuckle-draggers will derive little (if any) benefit from this book.Second, as thoroughly as time and space allow, the material is presented (exactly as promised) as a "step-by-step guide to mastering the skills taught in America's top business schools."Third, however long it takes to absorb and digest the information provided (ten days, ten weeks, or ten months), the reader will gain a sound working knowledge of subjects which include marketing, ethics, accounting, organizational behavior, quantitative analysis, finance, operations, economics, and strategy. Silbiger also includes several "MBA Mini-Courses" and then brief discussions of research, public speaking, negotiating, international business, and business law. In his Introduction, Silbiger observes: "My goal is make you familiar with the significant MBA tools and theories currently being taught at the leading business schools and to help you understand and develop the MBA mind-set." He achieves his goal. Can this book take the place of an MBA degree? Of course not. Can this book increase substantially a reader's business knowledge and skills? You bet. It has already done so for more than 200,000 readers and it will continue to do so for many others in years to come.If you decide to purchase this book, take very seriously the learning opportunities it offers. (Why else buy it?) Proceed with rigor and focus. Highlight key points and take notes along the way, then review them at the conclusion of each "Day." Stick to the study schedule you deem most appropriate for you. Maintain a journal in which you record your reactions and reflections as you learn. Perhaps one day Silbiger will write a "Fieldbook" to accompany this one. Meanwhile, let a journal become your own "Fieldbook." Record in it your experiences when applying what you have learned. In doing so, you may well create for yourself a decisive advantage when competing with those who so proudly possess an MBA degree from one of "America's top business schools."