End of week 3 - some thoughts

Hi all,

Week 3 is done. 2 more to go and Anni returns home. Bring it on!

We are descending slowly but surely into data analysis proper. Am slowly learning to get into the groove, so to say, of how to handle pure quant topics for a largely non-technical audience.

Usually, the section D class is the smoothest - am practised and ready, all the kinks have ironed out, the timing has been worked out, confusing subtopics have been better elucidated/ modified/ deleted etc etc. Lecture 6 was an exception, though. IMO, the class for section A was the best (or at least one I liked most) simply because it stuck to the original schedule of communicating Quant intuition - and had been well laid out a priori. In later sections, I tried to change course midway driven partly by content related feedback, focus on a real life survey response dataset etc and though I hope the students found the lecture useful, I myself didn't quite have much fun teaching it.

Have decided to go easy on the feedback thing. It seems to have outlived its purpose and was starting to get counterproductive, diversionary and confusing. Small, targeted, actionable suggestions are always welcome. Content related comments and feedback shall not be welcome anymore. For better or worse, I will take my own call on what the students would be better off covering in class, within the broad structure specified and bid upon in the course outline. End of story.

Now that we are getting into Quant anyway, let us though take a moment to look back. Hopefully, the efforts made in the first 3 weeks - the emphasis on careful, deliberate thinking-through of business problems that could involve MKTR solutions - has sunk in. End of the day, there is no substitute to calm, clear, composed thinking, period. As someone on the other side of the aisle, (in a manner of speaking), lemme assure you thoughtful work shows.

The AAs have started grading the questionnaires submitted. Am yet to get started on my portion. They tell me the students seem to have done a good job - lots of effort, thought and creativity. Am hajaar happy to hear that. Will soon see for myself, I guess. The project will be your best hands-on engagement, involvement and advertisement re MKTR. Give it your best shot!

On a more personal note:
Many of you folk remind me of what it was like during my own MBA days.... a crazy n hazy time in Joka, Calcutta. It was 10 yrs ago and I was young then. Hindsight is 20/20 and I can at least now pinpoint what I could have done better back then.

Its perhaps all too easy to get so caught up in the flow that the wood is missed for an unending series of trees. Sounds corny maybe, but my sincere advice to janta caught up in the non-ending adrenaline rush called 'surviving the MBA program' would be - Stop. Catch your breath. Breathe deeply. Step back. Look around....

Ciao and happy Halloween.