MBA or MSC for supply chain professional?

[user1489844432]

Hello

I am a Supply Chain Manager with over 15yrs of professional experience last 6 as a manager.

My employer offered to pay for my further study but I am stuck with what to choose. I can either go for MBA at University of East London or MSC Logistics & Supply Chain at Cranfield.

My heart says Cranfield as I know I would enjoy it a lot but my head says MBA as it is more prestigious and potentially would have bigger impact on future career development.

Am I right with my assessment? Also would be good to hear from MBA graduates if this degree had significant impact on career development but not thru graduate scheme as I can't afford pay cut.

Any post graduate qualification is a door-opener, whether it's an MBA or an MSc.

I would opt for the MSc Logistics & Supply Chain at Cranfield, because Cranfield is a great Institution and the qualifications is very sought after in most organisations. Supply Chain Management is never been such a relevant and important skill for U.K. industry.

Look at how important SC & Logs have been for the vaccine roll-out - the Brigadier who has led the effort is one of the top Logisticians in the Army Logistics Corp!

I am an Operations Director (though not with that education background) and I must say that Cranfield, internationally (I don't even work in the UK) has a fantastic reputation. You would be better off with a MSc from one of the top SC schools in the world than an MBA from just an OK school. The fact is business-wise you'll be up against MBAs from some really prestigious schools, but you won't be up against many from schools as good as Cranfield. Seriously. I am jealous. I would jump at the chance to go to Cranfield paid.

Then again - lots of companies redact the names of educational institutions - so a big name may have less of an impact. On a recent recruitment we had quite a few applications from MBA graduates (we had asked for undergrad degree) - it wasn't in logistics, supply chain or operations management. I was really surprised by their inability to read and respond to a job description - they seemed to have a love of jargon and a very narrow view of business needs, not sure whether it was arrogance, over inflated confidence, a lack of interest or something else but I got to the point where my heart sank when I saw the qualification on a CV.

I'm with @redswinger on this. My heart also sinks when I see MBA. In my experience people with MBAs unless they have many years of work/corporate experience also (to back it up) have an incredibly inflated sense of their own abilities. It's almost painful.

My DH has an MBA and he self-declares himself as Manager of Bugger All, but that's beside the point .

Logs, Logs and more Logs if you ask me!

DH would agree with you @Alonelonelyloner! MBA is theoretical unless you've been in business and have the hard knocks of life to apply to the academic stuff to make it meaningful.

and @redswinger too.