---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What you get out of an M.B.A. programme…"
description: "\"What you get out of an M.B.A. programme, no matter how much experience, is functional tools and understanding in disciplines: you'll understand economi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/henry-mintzberg-10810_accounting_what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-n_1675630.jpg"
---

#  What you get out of an M.B.A. programme, no matter how…

![“What you get out of an M.B.A. programme, no matter how much experience, is functional tools and understanding in disciplines: you'll understand economics, you'll understand marketing, finance, accounting. That, M.B.A. programmes do very well.” quote by Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/henry-mintzberg-10810_accounting_what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-n_1675630.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/henry-mintzberg-10810_accounting_what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-n_1675630.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/henry-mintzberg-10810_accounting_what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-n_1675630.jpg)

> “What you get out of an M.B.A. programme, no matter how much experience, is functional tools and understanding in disciplines: you'll understand economics, you'll understand marketing, finance, accounting. That, M.B.A. programmes do very well.”

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

MBA programs teach practical tools across economics, marketing, finance, and accounting, regardless of prior experience.

**In simple terms:** MBA gives functional business knowledge.

Key Takeaway

Leverage MBA skills for career growth.

Themes

business education skill development practical knowledge

Mood

informative practical

Type

educational professional advice

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- business strategy

Key Concepts

economics marketing finance accounting

Questions to Reflect On

- What MBA skill will you apply first?
- How does practical knowledge impact your work?

A Different Perspective

MBA value varies by individual goals.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/)

## Related quotes

> [“So what were your favorite subjects in school?" "School?" He leaned back in his chair as though he needed the extra space to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janette-rallison/so-what-were-your-favorite-subjects-in-school-school-he-leaned-back/)

[Janette Rallison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janette-rallison/)

> [“Do you understand economics? I mean big-time, prewar, global capitalism. Do you get how it worked? I don't, and anyone who says they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/do-you-understand-economics-i-mean-big-time-prewar-global-capitalism/)

[Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/)

> [“Wide reading is important. You don’t have to like it, but it’s important to grapple with things you don’t understand. I’ve been spending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/wide-reading-is-important-you-don-t-have-to-like-it-but-it-s/)

[Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/)

> [My fellow economists and academics fail to understand the economics of trade in the real world. Traditional models of academia respect free trade without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/my-fellow-economists-and-academics-fail-to-understand-the-economics/)

[Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/)

> [We do not need to understand economics in order to experience the benefits of freedom of exchange and production. But we may very well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boettke/we-do-not-need-to-understand-economics-in-order-to-experience-the/)

[Peter Boettke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boettke/)

> [I think it's hard to understand in economics. It's easier to understand on psychology.It's a kind of panic or a sense that the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/i-think-it-s-hard-to-understand-in-economics-it-s-easier-to/)

[David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/)

> [I understand marketing. I understand licensing. I understand the business side of our business. That comes from paying attention and wanting to do better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-henry/i-understand-marketing-i-understand-licensing-i-understand-the/)

[Mark Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-henry/)

> [If you think of the typical Herbalife distributor and their level of sophistication, to this day I still don't understand the marketing plan -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ackman/if-you-think-of-the-typical-herbalife-distributor-and-their-level-of/)

[Bill Ackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ackman/)

> [“if we as consumers do not understand what marketing does to us, we are not defining what is enough; we are letting others determine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-shinabarger/if-we-as-consumers-do-not-understand-what-marketing-does-to-us-we-are/)

[Jeff Shinabarger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-shinabarger/)

> [I can't understand marketing. I think it's because I never looked at what I do as a job. I've rebelled against that and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelly-furtado/i-can-t-understand-marketing-i-think-it-s-because-i-never-looked-at/)

[Nelly Furtado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelly-furtado/)

> [Now, if you truly understand how marketing works today, you know there is no individual six-month campaign; there's only the 365-day campaign, during which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/now-if-you-truly-understand-how-marketing-works-today-you-know-there/)

[Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/)

> [“Most important, though, is the flow of the thought process: understand the marketing business problem you are trying to solve and the questions you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jeffery/most-important-though-is-the-flow-of-the-thought-process-understand/)

[Mark Jeffery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jeffery/)

> [Teaching 23-year-olds in an MBA programme strikes me as largely a waste of time. They lack the background of experience. You can teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/teaching-23-year-olds-in-an-mba-programme-strikes-me-as-largely-a/)

[Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/)

> [The great myth is the manager as orchestra conductor. It's this idea of standing on a pedestal and you wave your baton and accounting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/the-great-myth-is-the-manager-as-orchestra-conductor-it-s-this-idea/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [By measuring the proportion of children living with the same parents from birth and whether their parents report a good quality relationship we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-duncan-smith/by-measuring-the-proportion-of-children-living-with-the-same-parents/)

[Iain Duncan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-duncan-smith/)

## More by Henry Mintzberg

> [Everyone is against micro managing but macro managing means you're working at the big picture but don't know the details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/everyone-is-against-micro-managing-but-macro-managing-means-you-re/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [To 'turn around' is to end up facing the same way. Maybe that is the problem, all the turning organizations around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/to-turn-around-is-to-end-up-facing-the-same-way-maybe-that-is-the/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Never set out to be the best. It's too low a standard. Set out to be good. Do Your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/never-set-out-to-be-the-best-it-s-too-low-a-standard-set-out-to-be/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [“being a manager’ means not merely assuming a position of authority but also becoming more dependent on others,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/being-a-manager-means-not-merely-assuming-a-position-of-authority-but/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Basically, managing is about influencing action. Managing is about helping organizations and units to get things done, which means action. Sometimes, managers manage actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/basically-managing-is-about-influencing-action-managing-is-about/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Leadership, like swimming, cannot be learned by reading about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/leadership-like-swimming-cannot-be-learned-by-reading-about-it/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Empowerment is what managers do to people. Engagement is what managers do with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/empowerment-is-what-managers-do-to-people-engagement-is-what-managers/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [“A good part of the work of managing involves doing what specialists do, but in particular ways that make use of the manager’s special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/a-good-part-of-the-work-of-managing-involves-doing-what-specialists/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Why does every generation have to think that he lives in the period with the greatest turbulence?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/why-does-every-generation-have-to-think-that-he-lives-in-the-period/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Management is a curious phenomenon. It is generously paid, enormously influential, and significantly devoid of common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/management-is-a-curious-phenomenon-it-is-generously-paid-enormously/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [So technologies, whether it is a telephone or an iPhone, computers in general or automobiles, television even, all individualize us. We all sit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/so-technologies-whether-it-is-a-telephone-or-an-iphone-computers-in/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Data don't generate theory - only researchers do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/data-don-t-generate-theory-only-researchers-do-that/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Effective managing therefore happens where art , craft, and science meet. But in a classroom of students without managerial experience, these have no place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/effective-managing-therefore-happens-where-art-craft-and-science-meet/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Corporations are social institutions. If they don't serve society, they have no business existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/corporations-are-social-institutions-if-they-don-t-serve-society-they/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

> [Corporations are economic entities, to be sure, but they are also social institutions that must justify their existence by their overall contribution to society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/corporations-are-economic-entities-to-be-sure-but-they-are-also/)

[Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

[Explore all 63 Henry Mintzberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/)

## More Accounting quotes

> [We do not know enough about how the present will lead into the future. We shall never be able to say, "Ha! My perception,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-bateson/we-do-not-know-enough-about-how-the-present-will-lead-into-the-future/)

[Gregory Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-bateson/)

> [“Outer happiness has Diminishing Marginal Utility; the more it grows, the satisfaction decreases. Resort to inner happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/outer-happiness-has-diminishing-marginal-utility-the-more-it-grows/)

[Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/)

> [Regulations for international accounting and funding will have to be examined to identify policies that inadvertently discourage institutional investors from putting their resources into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-angel-gurria/regulations-for-international-accounting-and-funding-will-have-to-be/)

[Jose Angel Gurria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-angel-gurria/)

> [There is no business like show business. There is also no business like certified public accounting, but that doesn't rhyme as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-shaw-gardner/there-is-no-business-like-show-business-there-is-also-no-business/)

Craig Shaw Gardner

> [“With great goals, comes the high costs; both fixed and variable. Time is the fixed cost; efforts, variable. Spend passionately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/with-great-goals-comes-the-high-costs-both-fixed-and-variable-time-is/)

[Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/)

> [The reaction of weak management to weak operations is often weak accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-reaction-of-weak-management-to-weak-operations-is-often-weak/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [“Financial statements are my novels, I am a Chartered Accountant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/financial-statements-are-my-novels-i-am-a-chartered-accountant/)

[Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/)

> [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/)

[David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/)

> [Accounting consequences do not influence our operating or capital-allocation decisions. When acquisition costs are similar, we much prefer to purchase $2 of earnings that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/accounting-consequences-do-not-influence-our-operating-or-capital/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/by-their-victory-the-3rd-4th-and-5th-marine-divisions-and-other-units/)

[Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/)

> [“Invest in self-improvement, be it for learning, be it for earning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/invest-in-self-improvement-be-it-for-learning-be-it-for-earning/)

[Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/)

> [“In the race to scale a startup, overlooking financial planning is like to building a skyscraper on shaky ground. True growth stems from decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-hishmeh/in-the-race-to-scale-a-startup-overlooking-financial-planning-is-like/)

Jason Hishmeh

> [One of the things that we're missing from our political dialogue right now is the idea that the United States is a home. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-miller/one-of-the-things-that-we-re-missing-from-our-political-dialogue/)

[Stephen Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-miller/)

> [There's no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-s-no-business-like-show-business-but-there-are-several/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [“Debit the knowledge; credit the books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/debit-the-knowledge-credit-the-books/)

[Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/)

Browse all 352 Accounting quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What you get out of an M.B.A. programme, no matter how much experience, is functional tools and understanding in disciplines: you'll understand economics, you'll understand marketing, finance, accounting. That, M.B.A. programmes do very well.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry Mintzberg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-no-matter-how-much-experience/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Accounting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-no-matter-how-much-experience/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/henry-mintzberg-10810_accounting_what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-n_1675630.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/henry-mintzberg-10810_accounting_what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-n_1675630.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/henry-mintzberg-10810_accounting_what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-n_1675630.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What you get out of an M.B.A. programme, no matter how much experience, is functional tools and…” — Henry Mintzberg",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Henry Mintzberg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What you get out of an...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-no-matter-how-much-experience/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/what-you-get-out-of-an-m-b-a-programme-no-matter-how-much-experience/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
