A reader recently asked my advice about best graduate school direction for someone interested in pursuing a marketing research / business strategy career in the manufacturing sector. This particular reader had a BS degree in Chemical Engineering and a couple of years of marketing experience in the chemicals / plastics industry.
The question is “MS or MBA?” to complement an undergrad engineering degree – and the answer is not an easy one. It boils down, I think, to making some subjective judgments about which degree will confer upon you the most credibility and stature among the industry audience you’re trying to influence. In US industry, I sense that (predominantly MBA educated) managers have a substantial bias against the technical degree. Perhaps in other geographies – India, for instance – the MS might carry more prestige.
In a large sense, my experience and intuition suggest that the degree is ultimately less important than the would-be marketer’s curiosity, openness to new ideas and new approaches to business, and sensitivity to the motivations and intentions of key players in the marketplace.
What do you think about the MS vs MBA issue? I’m prepared to be proven wrong on this, but I think those of us in the MR trade should pass on some of our hard-earned wisdom to those entering the profession.
