HN Books @HNBooksMonth

The author of this article wrote a interesting book chronicling his experiences at HBS. It's a quick read and helpful for anyone considering B-school (skip over the technical chapters and focus on the anecdotes). I don't agree completely with his assertions, but it's another useful datapoint to take into consideration.

http://www.amazon.com/Ahead-Curve-Harvard-Business-School/dp...

This would be a good place to mention a book I enjoyed reading recently:

"Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School" https://www.amazon.com/dp/1594201757?tag=dedasys-20 (yes, it has my affiliate link)

It's written by a pleasantly cynical, yet curious Englishman. It's pretty interesting to hear about the whole experience, the mindset, and some of the people involved. A particularly relevant (for me) passage:

"Rubenstein looked like any other Wall Street elder statesman, in a blue pinstriped suit and owlish tortoiseshell glasses. But the moment he spoke, eh revealed a droll, self-deprecating wit. The difference between corporate leaders and those who start their own businesses, I had observed, was startling. The latter come across as so much smarter and independent-minded, so much less prone to platitudes, so much more comfortable in their own skins. There seems to be an anarchic streak in anyone who has taken a real risk in his life. And even when it has to burn its way through a pinstriped suit, it shows."

That sort of hints at one of the "problems" with teaching business - there's lots of useful stuff you can learn, but there is also some natural, innate talent there, that doesn't necessarily correspond to doing well at an MBA course. So perhaps it's best to get out there, get some experience, and then just do it.

HBS = Case Studies overload, the corporate type of cases....

1. It is really how for driven and greedy, (please don't neg me), people to channel their energy into money making, as that is the emphasis.

2. The brand power. It will unlock you doors just b/c of the name, especially in the corporate world. Think of it, nobody will get fired b/c they hired a Harvard grad, just as as nobody will get fired b/c they use java, or xml.

3. Connections. Lot of smart people, and some of them will be bound to be somewhat important one day, so they can help you out. the proverbial old-boys-club kinda of thing. This was true, especially during the wall street's financial bubble madness.

To get a inside look, check this out. It is a good read. http://www.amazon.com/Ahead-Curve-Harvard-Business-School/dp...

If you are looking into technology/mobile/internet companies, I am not sure I could recommend it. HBS doesn't quiet get tech. Since you are working with case studies, you by default are looking/studying the past, and not the future. For traditional businesses, yes. Fedex was started there (as a class project), so my favorite dessert place (Finales).

Disclaimer: I haven't gone to HBS, but I know people that have, and have been to few of their classes as an observer, and took some classes at Harvard Extension. (part of fas, not hbs), but who were taught by HBS professors..