It’s no secret that the world of online learning is evolving, and with that, so is the structure of business courses. With the ability to learn via smartphones and the internet, traditional MBA programs are changing in favor of online learning. In fact, many MBA programs have adopted a completely online structure, removing certain classroom requirements. This has opened doors to a whole new world of learning and MBA opportunities for students.
While the traditional classroom learning format still has its place, online learning has many advantages, and it’s safe to say that more and more business schools are moving towards online learning, or at least, hybrid learning.
Why Learn Management Online?
With the world of work changing as it is, learning how to manage your time more efficiently and learn new skills to complement your existing ones are all the more important. The most common argument in favor of online learning for business is that it allows you to fit more education into your schedule. In a time where busywork and competition for jobs are at an all-time high, why should you be bound to a physical classroom when you can instead focus on your studies?
Another important advantage of online learning for business is the ability to create your own schedule. While in a traditional classroom, you will typically need to follow a weekly schedule in order to progress, with online learning, you are able to study when and where you want. This flexibility is important for anyone who wants to get ahead in today’s world, and it makes online learning a better option for those who are working or have a full-time job.
Getting Started
If you’re interested in studying management online, then the first thing you need to do is decide which platform you’ll be using to conduct your studies. There are several different options available, so you’ll need to consider what’s most convenient for you. One of the more popular ones with current students is UMBA. The University of Memphis Business Agency’s (UMBA’s) business degree is one of the most respected and popular business degrees in the world, and it’s been around for more than 50 years. It comes with a 99% placement rate and is one of the few business degrees that offers a full tuition waiver.
Apart from the obvious perks that come with a full tuition waiver, there are also several other advantages to studying with UMBA. First, the learning environment is outstanding, with over 100 academic neighbors and more than 20 professionals in the field of business to encourage and help you along the way.
In addition, you’ll be joined by over 200,000 other students who are also taking part in the University of Memphis Business Agency online learning community. This is an important advantage for networking and getting support from others who are also learning to become business executives.
Last but not least, the curriculum is absolutely massive, with over 1,400 hours of learning a week, not including homework and exams. This is a significant chunk of time, and it will undoubtedly help you put the “man” in manager.
Deciding What to Study
Now that you know what advantages studying management online has to offer, it’s time to decide what to study. The key to successful completion of a business degree is knowing what to study. Luckily, that’s exactly what this blog post is going to help you with. We’re going to list the top 5 topics that are considered essential knowledge for managers and executives.
Marketing Management
In order to effectively run a business, you need to understand the fundamental principles of marketing. As a manager, it’s your job to analyze marketing campaigns and determine their effectiveness. You’ll need to know how to identify key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine how well a marketing campaign is doing and what needs to be changed to improve results.
You’ll also need to understand how to implement strategies for marketing a product or service. This may mean coming up with a unique pitch for your product or service, establishing pricing objectives, or creating compelling messaging to draw in customers.
In short, you’ll need to know how to plan, analyze, and implement a marketing strategy. To prepare for this, you can take a look at the Bachelors in marketing, which are focused on marketing management, or look at a Bachelors in marketing with a specialization in strategy, which will help you become a more well-rounded marketer.
Sales Management
As a manager, your role will frequently require you to interact with other businesses and organizations. Negotiating is an important part of most businesses, from the very small to the very large. You’ll regularly need to weigh in on pricing and scope of work and help establish the terms of the business agreement. This may mean negotiating with suppliers, intermediaries, and customers.
In order to be effective in your role as a manager, you need to have a working knowledge of sales. You’ll need to know how to close a deal with a customer, how to analyze sales performance, and how to forecast future sales. Alternatively, if you’re planning on entering the field of sales, then it would be wise to gain some work experience first.
Operations Management
Operations is all about managing the processes that lead to a product/service being delivered to customers. This means that you’ll be responsible for ensuring that all the pieces of materials needed for the manufacturing processes are available when they are needed, monitoring and reporting on the progress of the projects, and optimizing the flow of manufacturing work to increase productivity.
Depending on the size of the operation, you may need to manage multiple sub-processes and projects. You’ll also need to coordinate with multiple departments, such as finance, accounts, human resources, and information technology. To be effective, you’ll need to have a working knowledge of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software, which operations managers typically use.
Management Consulting
Management consulting is a field that bridges theory and practice, combining the conceptual rigor of academic studies with the practical application of strategic thinking. It’s an extremely in-demand field, especially as more and more businesses are turning to outside help to manage their operations.
A managerial consultant’s role is to assist a business in developing a long-term strategy and to guide the execution of that strategy. This typically involves meeting with senior management to discuss the current state of affairs of the business, identifying the critical areas of strategy that will affect the company’s future, and developing an action plan to ensure that the company progresses towards the stated goals.
The demand for management consultants is set to double by 2020, according to the global business consulting organization, ICM.