Blogging Round 1

Are management graduates meant to be corporate servants or corporate masters? As a responsible member of the student community, what steps would you take to promote entrepreneurship among B-school students? Suggest implementable solutions.

A very pertinent question in todays times and I think it is important to begin by differentiating between what is traditionally interpreted as entrepreneurship aka corporate master and a corporate servant. An entrepreneur is one who builds his own organization or runs his or her own business, reports to no one and works and lives on his terms. A corporate servant on the other hand is not the owner, promoter of the business and works in an established culture and environment.
As MBA graduates are we responsible for the innovation, creation and well to quote Schumpter – ‘Creative Destruction’; Definitely yes. However can we achieve those aims under the leadership, guidance and vision of another one of our pedigree (and often one not from it). Definitely yes again. We have often seen great ideas; achievements, profits and individual greatness emerge from people who might be termed as corporate servants. However this does not to any degree diminish the significance of their work. Jack Welch and Iacoca Lee are just among the few illustrious names who are the creators of such legacy.
Now coming to the twist in my argument – I strongly believe that all these individual – Mr Welch included have a strong sense of entrepreneurship, of vision and of creation. And to a large part their success can be attributed to this sense of entrepreneurship.
Having thoroughly confused you on the importance of entrepreneurship – Let me state it simply – I believe that an MBA or a campus or an experience that can develop those traits in you is the best opportunity that an individual can obtain. I have had the opportunity to go through some such experiences and that’s where I would like to source my implementable solutions from.
1. Guidance and Support – There is often a large gap between the desire to take initiative and the act of doing it. The gap is largely filled by risk, chance of failure and lack of support. A campus can encourage its students by giving them this guidance. The concept of holiday placements is one such tangible measure taken by some of the IIM’s to encourage entrepreneurship in the business creation sense. Faculty guidance and support to such endeavours, as well as creating a healthy environment among the community for students who walk down this path would enable a burst of such activity.
2. Opportunity on Campus – To me, entrepreneurship is much more a hands on activity. At campus I have started my own business along with a classmate and that to a large extent has instilled in me those very useful traits. Active student participation in campus activities, organizational and planning responsibilities, and campus centric small businesses, according to me is some of the greatest and easiest learning mediums.
3. Association – Working along with entrepreneurs and learning from their experiences and perspectives, their failures and victories can create in students a desire for such activity. Having first hand information will also go a long way in helping them make an informed decision. Providing students to intern with start-ups during the summer as well as during the academic session as against the traditional recruiters would be a perfect platform to create in them these abilities.