So many books, yet so little time! For students who are under a lot of stress, reading books is indirectly consuming a lot of research in a relatively short amount of time, and it is one of the best ways to improve their skills.
The list about to be shared is not one of a Google search, but a recommendation from some of EMLV ‘s business school students (MBA) who benefited a great deal out of these books on a personal, academic, and professional level.
Business School Students Love “Thinking, Fast and Slow”
This book by Daniel Kahneman is not only an international best seller, but a go-to book for young entrepreneurs, business people, creatives, and even anyone interested in discovering the complexities of the human behavior and what impact the decision making process in the human brain.
In the book, the author explores how the human intuition works as a way of having an advantage of persuasion. He says there are two systems that contribute to how we think: system 1, being fast, automatic, and emotional; and system 2 is rational thinking which is slow and systematic and is the reason for logical thinking. Which is why students who are interested in sales, communication, and marketing fields tend to use this book to understand better consumer behavior and what drives people to think and act the way they do.
“First, Break All The Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently”
This bestseller belongs to the management category, presenting data from a study of more than 80,000 managers at every level of business. What’s captivating about this book is its ability to showcase the different styles of management, and even with their differences share a common point of strength: that the most successful managers break some of the most ingrained rules in management to attract the right talent and optimal performance out of their teams.
“Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant”
By W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne; outlines the marketing theory created by Kim and Mauborgne, two professors at INSEAD and co-directors of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute. Basically it’s about how companies can succeed and last if they create demand in uncontested market space (blue ocean) rather than fighting rivals for demand in a competitive market space (red ocean).
In fact, at EMLV business school, the course of “Strategic Management” for MBA students relies on this book to explore concepts like value innovation and strategic alignment.
“When” for Business School Students
A book by Daniel Pink loaded with information on the best time to do anything. Whether it’s when to get things done, and how to distinguish between perfecting and procrastinating because the content isn’t about “How to” do something but rather “When” to do it. Students particularly enjoy it if they have an entrepreneurial spirit and are looking to start their own business but have been hesitating for a while.
Connect the Dots
This book by Rashmi Bansal tells the story of 20 true-life protagonists and how they’re linked because they’re entrepreneurs without having pursued an MBA degree. As controversial as it may seem, the author speaks to people from different parts of the country who have carved a niche for themselves in different areas of business. It’s about business-minded people who did things differently from the norm and from what others in their chosen industry normally do. The author also highlights the growth of seven entrepreneurs who were driven by a dream or a passion. The book is appreciated by readers because it taps into the emotional side of being a successful business person and how by not giving up on dreams, entrepreneurs can succeed in creating ventures that are not only unique but which successfully tapped a market that nobody even knew existed.
