Patrick Galig / Blogging about Marketing, Strategy and MBA.
Hi folks !
My name is Patrick Galig living in Switzerland in the surroundings of Zürich. I’m a passionate marketer with an affinity for Social Media. Currently, I have been working at Dun & Bradstreet (Schweiz) AG as a Product Manager. I’m responsible for the Risk Management Solutions product range.
Besides my work, I’m a MBA student with Henley Business School in Henley-on-Thames / United Kingdom which holds a tripple accreditation (AMBA, Equis, AACSB). My anticipated electives will be : Brand & Reputation management and Innovation management.
Ever since, I’m very interested in Marketing, especially in particular topics like:
Neuromarketing, Branding, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Strategy. You’ll find some insights about these topics on this blog. You’ll obtain also some information about my MBA.
In my spare time I like to spend some time on my motor bike, cooking, travelling, sports. I used to be a professional Ice hockey player with EHC Kloten (today they’re called Kloten Flyers) but thats a while ago.
So, thats all for the moment. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at:
pgalig (at) gmail(dot) com
Patrick,
How are you finding working and studying for your mba?
Hi Pat,
Well I must admit it’s hard and a lot of understanding’s required from your family, friends etc. Coming home every day knowing that there’s loads of materials to go through is quite demanding. What I have realized is that time management matters more than ever. Usually, I try to learn 6 days a week and have 1 day off. The amount of effort required for the Henley MBA depends on the topic but has never been less than 12-15 hours a week for me.
On the other hand, the materials are fascinating and powerful. I guess if they weren’t, I wouldn’t be able to put that much effort into it. However, I think it’s a really valuable experience albeit sometimes you’re required to get out of your comfort zone. But isn’t that exactly what one nowadays encounters at work? Being flexible and not only work harder but smarter?
To cut a long story short:
Yes it’s hard. Yes it’s demanding. In the end it’s valuable and a strong asset for any CV.
Patrick,
I have contacted you before about the MBA, I was wondering if I could speak with you about how much I am about to take on, and ask some questions about the course.
Pat Hinchin
Hi Pat
Sure, just ask whatever you want to know.
Regards
Patrick
Perfect,
How many hours study are you having to complete per week? And has this had an affect on your performance at work? My concern is after working a 50hrs week with another 10hrs commuting I will not have the time.
How are you finding the distance learning material, how does it actually perform?
Many thanks,
Pat
Hi Pat
The effort varies but hasn't been less than 10-15 hours a week for ME. It depends on the topic and how thoroughly you read all materials and take notes. You don't have to spend 15 hours a week if you “just” want to pass your assignment on each module. It's up to you whether you might want to read all core readings plus some of the supplementary materials or just go through the materials which are useful for your written assignment. In the end you have to pass all assignments and pass the year's end exam. I personally prefer to read at least all core readings and some of the supplementary readings if the topic is of interest to me.
The materials are quite good (a blend of readings, activities, short movie clips from 50lesson etc.) and are really recommendable. You have access to all kind of databases (e.g. Proquest, EBSCO etc) if you require in depth information. Actually, there is way too much information….you can't digest everything so you have to be selective, especially because you won't have much time to read around a topic.
However, you have to be fully aware that a MBA by flexible learning is really, really tough and requires a lot of self-discipline and commitment. Commitment is also required from your family / partner. Without appropriate support you'll fail for sure.
My advice therefore is: Consider the pros and cons and make sure you're ready for a MBA. If you figure out that it's too much then you'll have the possibility to exit after 1 year with a certificate in management.
If you have any further questions, just ask…I'm more than happy to help you.
Patrick
Hi Patrick,
Your blog is very informative! Thanks very much. I'm in the process of selecting a DL MBA program and I'm considering between Warwick, Henley and Manchester. I see you also thought about attending Warwick and was wondering what finally made you decide on Henley? I'm a senior manager for Real Estate developer and given Henley's specialized programs, I'm leaning towards this school. Warwick, however, seems a bit more price competitive having all the accreditations and good reputation. Manchester's probably last on my list.
Any feedback would be much appreciated.
Tom
Hi Tom
Warwick is definitely a very good school, it's triple accredited and a bit cheaper than Henley. Henley by the way is triple accredited (AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS) as well, so the quality of both programs are very high. What made me choose Henley was some discussions with Alumnis from Warwick and Henley. Whereas I had the feeling that Warwick is more like an “University” setting, Henley felt more like being a business school which in the meantime turned out to be absolutely true. Be aware that this was just my personal feeling.
As Henley has some advantages in Real estate programs I definitely would aim for Henley. The synergies with the University of Reading will pay off in the near future. By the way some investments have already been made into Henley's Greenland facilities etc. which is a very good sign.
If you have any further questions don't hesitate to contact me.
Cheers
Patrick