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  • Big Data and MBA??
    From: thegentlegiant89  Jul 21, 2012 Posts 2

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    Good afternoon:

    My name is Eric Darling. I am a 28 and currently work in the product management area of a large US Broker/Dealer. I have developed a strong passion for Big Data analysis and the powerful customer and business insight that can be derived from it. My goal is to refine the skills and knowledge necessary to not only obtain meaningful insight from data, but also help other others who are looking to find insight from Big Data.

     Could someone help me better understand what concentrations, internships, and career tracks(continuing with Product Management/Marketing or exploring new options such as consulting) that current Wharton MBA candidates with similar passions and goals are pursuing?

    Also, does anyone know of any good resources, besides the WCAI, that would further assist in my research?

    Thank you all for your time and have a wonderful weekend!

  • Re: Big Data and MBA??
    From: victormlee  Jul 21, 2012 Posts 2,531
    In reply to

    Eric, 

    I think you are potentially asking the "wrong" question if you are trying to figure out what is right for YOU. More often you will be more successful if you iron out what your objectives are rather than trying to match a given student's approach.

    On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with learning from the experiences of others to get insight and inspiration. 

    First, note that the majors at Wharton are evolving. For the Class of 2014, the major choices are as follows: http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/academics/majors.cfm. The most natural fit for someone interested in big data would probably be Statistics. That being said, if one is truly thinking about "big data" in the modern sense (i.e. - exabytes of data), there really are no pre-formed majors specifically geared toward this subdiscipline or area of focus. "Big data" in this sense goes beyond the use of statistical software like JMP, Stata, SPSS, etc. 

    Career wise, you could work for a large conglomerate's internal research team to comb through massive data sets. Or you could work for a financial firm's data and analytics team. 

    Truth be told, though, your major will not have a major determinant factor on your career options in most cases, though. Unlike in undergraduate programs, a two year program can only afford so much degree of specialization. I would argue that it is more the rigor of the overall, broader education that makes a Wharton MBA particularly desirable and valuable.

    Regards,

    Victor 

    WG '11

  • Re: Big Data and MBA??
    From: victormlee  Jul 21, 2012 Posts 2,531
    In reply to

    By the way, if you are very interested in big data, you may want to consider pursuing a PhD in Statistics or a Masters in Information Systems Management.

    -Victor

  • Re: Big Data and MBA??
    From: thegentlegiant89  Jul 22, 2012 Posts 2
    In reply to

    Thank you for the quick response, Victor. You are correct - matching a students approach would not be appropriate. My intent is to understand the avenues current MBA candidates are pursuing to garner insight and supplement my research into the decision to pursue an MBA.

    Do you have any recommendations as to how to connect with current MBA candidates who are pusuing similar objectives?

  • Re: Big Data and MBA??
    From: victormlee  Jul 22, 2012 Posts 2,531
    In reply to

    Most welcome!

    If you have an opportunity to visit the campus, stop by or reach out to the Admissions Office to see if they can connect you with someone majoring in Statistics (or someone who is taking a more advanced class in Statistics). 

    WCAI is also a good place to start, but it sounds like you may have already explored that avenue.

    Truth be told, I don't think many MBA students will be focused specifically on big data, though; this seems to be more the purview of MISM or Stats PhD students. While being able to handle and make sense of large data sets is an important skill for many managers, most pursuing an MBA are probably looking ultimately to become higher level managers or equivalents - roles that typically do not involve the specialization that big data demands, as I understand it (though I am no big data expert).

    -Victor

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