The Ten-Day MBA: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering the Skills Taught in America's Top Business Schools

by Steven Silbiger

Now totally revised -- the 3rd edition of The Ten-Day MBA includes the latest topics taught at America's top business schools, including leadership, corporate ethics and compliance, financial planning, and real estate. This internationally acclaimed guide (more than 200,000 copies sold in the United States and around the world) distills the material of the most popular business-school courses taught at Harvard, Stanford, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, Northwestern, and the University of Virginia. Silbiger's research comes straight from the notes of real MBA students attending these top programs today. You will learn how to:

Read and understand financial statements Develop effective and comprehensive marketing plans Understand accounting rules and methods Manage your relationship with your boss Develop corporate strategies Understand the present value concept Use quantitative techniques to evaluate projects Value stock, bond, and option investments Understand the language of business law Master the most-used MBA jargon

At the rate of one easy-to-understand chapter a day, this classic business book enables readers to absorb the material, speak the language, and acquire the confidence and experience needed to succeed in the competitive global business world of the twenty-first century.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Management, Self Help, Finance, Economics, Entrepreneurship

450 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1993

Reviews

[Sleepless Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

In many ways, reading this book feels like acknowledging a truth that I'm not 100% comfortable with. I'm doing an MBA (or at least, starting one). It's so weird. There's still that part in my brain that thinks the acceptance letter is a scam ("what do you mean, I've been accepted to a program I've never applied to?"). 

Anyways, I picked up this book so I'd understand a little bit more what I'm getting into. In casual and clear prose, Silbiger highlights the basics of nine business fields: marketing, ethics, accounting, organizational behavior, quantitative analysis, and finance, operations, economics and strategy. He uses simple language and manages to clarify terminology while also not being too overwhelming. The usage of examples makes the topics understandable and engaging. 

As I haven't started studying Business yet, I can't speak for the accuracy of the content. I will say that the Internet part was horribly outdated (there's a part of me that's considering taking courses in Data Science and I know that's a bad idea but I'm so curious). However, the other parts felt like a solid introduction.  I felt the marketing chapter was especially strong (which makes sense, as that's Silbiger's field). I also admire Silbiger for being able to write such a clear chapter on quantitative analysis, it was like a summary of everything that I didn't understand in Statistics.
  
All in all, despite the somewhat annoying title, I think this is a good book for people who are curious about MBA programs and want a taste of the subjects without dealing with too much academic heaviness. Silbiger does his best to make the information accessible and provide resources for people who want to learn more.

What I'm Taking With Me
- Seriously, the accounting chapter was like 50 pages while the ethics chapter was barely 10, this is exactly the problem with Business. 
- Did you guys know queueing theory is a thing?
- Honestly, when you see how this guy writes about economics, it becomes painfully clear why my MBA program wants Economics students so badly. I mean, yes, we willingly put ourselves through understanding Micro. We can no longer feel anything after the suffering we have chosen for ourselves. 
- MBAs apparently really like using terms for everything. It's so condescending, ughhhh.
- Apparently some parts of finance are more glamorous than others?

This feels like a good space to write some predictions for my MBA so let's do this! (And yes, it's a little sad that this is way longer than my actual review but hey, what better place to put notes for your future self than on the internet)

MBA Predictions & Thoughts
- I haven't decided what my degree focus will be. That is, the question is between strategy and entrepreneurship or marketing. I'm taking courses in both so hopefully I'll understand more what's right for me. I think deep down I know picking marketing makes more sense, considering my graphic design background and the fact that marketing MBAs are well known. That said, I feel like strategy is new and exciting and that's also very appealing. Ahh, decisions.

- There's a part of me that wants to do a minor in Asian studies despite the fact I've never really been into Asia and I'm not sure what you do with a marketing/strategy MBA with an Asian studies minor.    

- My mom says I'm going to hate Human Resources. I, however, think that I'm going to enjoy the theoretical elements but would be a total catastrophe in real life. 

- My Strategy class falls on Friday morning which is technically the weekend here and also my best studying time. I'm not happy about this and imagine it's only a matter of time until I stop showing up.

- I'm going to be awful at finance, I can already tell, and the class average is 70 so I'm definitely going to have to work a lot in order to protect my own average. Also, I already despise accounting so that's going to be a delightful course.

- This is me promising myself that if it get too intense/ if I don't feel that it's working for me, I'm going to quit and I'm not going to feel bad about it. The fact that there's an opportunity doesn't mean you always have to take it and well, if it's not right for me, I really want to believe I'll leave.

- That one year after I finish my Bachelors when I fully focus on my MBA is going to be so weird and I very much want to believe I'll have a plan for what's next after that (hopefully that plan will be more thought out than traveling in New Zealand). 

- Like wow, imagine telling people you're doing an MBA. I didn't think there was a more arrogant academic choice than PPE but it turns out I was wrong. 

- Honestly, I'm more scared that it'll take me more than a year to finish the degree than I am about not finishing it. I know I'll beat myself up if it ends up taking me two years to finish an MBA when I could have done a Politics degree instead (which is dumb, considering I'm definitely young enough to do an MBA and then do a Masters in Politics without it being a catastrophe). 

- Right now, the idea of me being a manager in a serious adult space is laughable and doing an MBA makes me feel like I'm taking the step towards being Donald Trump but at the end of the day, NGOs are also in need of CEOs and I hope I remember that during my studies, management doesn't equal blindly chasing a profit.    

- I hope I'll find a way to combine the things I care about with this degree. Next year seems incredibly intense academically so I realize I'm going to have to focus but after that, I want to use this degree for projects that I'm passionate about, to find a way to make this knowledge mine.

- With covid, I'm not sure how much of a chance I'm going to have to actually meet my classmates but I hope I'm going to find people with a similar mindset. I am somewhat terrified of career people who want to be rich and blindly support capitalism with no government intervention.
-------------------------------------
I read this book so I can totally skip over the next two years of doing an MBA. Review to come!

[Thomas Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have my MBA and this book is a great reference source. Courses are taught in an MBA program in a way that feels like you are trying to drink from a fire hydrant. There is so much information thrown at you that retention is at a minimum. You do not need an MBA to read or understand this book. Written for a broad audience with differing academic backgrounds.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Days with exercise for:
1 - marketing (consumer analysis, market analysis, competitive analysis, distribution channel analysis, develop marking mix, determine the economics, revise)
2 - ethics (relativism and stakeholder analysis) to make aware of ethical implications of business decisions
3 - accounting (rules and concepts, financial statements, ratio analysis {liquidity, capitalization, activity and profitability}, managerial accounting)
4 - organizational behavior (problem-solving, motivation, leadership, creativity, office procedure, power, org models, systems, evolution, change)
5 - quantitative analysis (decision tree, cash flow, net present value, probability, regression and forecasting)
6 - finance (risk, markets, pricing, growth, budgeting, structure, mergers)
7 - operations (flow, linear, gantt, queuing, inventories, etc.)
8 - economics (basics - supply & demand, micro & macro, opportunity costs, marginal utility, elasticity, gnp, international, Keynesian, etc)
9 - strategy (models, strategies, etc.
10- research, public speaking, negotiating, international business and business law
Then print out your diploma.

[Stephen Heiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I was reading the book, I thought to myself, is this boring because it's MBA stuff, or am I bored because I'm an MBA and I already studied this stuff? Conclusion: it's both.

You can't make MBA material interesting. I've written elsewhere that there are just certain required courses you have to take (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201407...) and only a few that are really inspiring. And if you want to take those inspiring classes, just take them. Skip getting the expensive degree.

I also think this book is a really solid investment if you want to dissuade someone from getting an MBA. Tell them to read it and if they like it, then sure, maybe they can go on to get one. If they don't like it, you just saved them $20k+. And if they hate it, well, maybe business isn't their gig.

I'm not saying business is boring. It's one of the most exciting components of my life. But there are elements of business that I find boring (and others may not) that you *have* to get through in order to understand how the entire machine works. And this book is excellent at giving you this kaleidoscopic view.

[Gyuri · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great quick overview of MBA studies. I recommend this book to everyone who wants to get closer to understanding how business works.

[Christopher Litsinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh.
I’m pretty sure I’m not going to retain much of what I read; it’s simply too fast. A 30 page summary of quantitative analysis? Nope. Silbiger only has to make the space to make super quick statements without follow-up, such as when describing the Keynesian relationship: “It was especially true in the period between 1950 and 1985, but it has not been consistently so over time, such as the period since 1985.” What exactly is that saying? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ You’ll have to find your own answers to many such questions when reading this book.
The book also suffers from being an older book that has been updated over time. A section recommending the internet as a really good way to do research, which lists a few useful search sites including yahoo and google as really good resources? You might get a headache from the speed at which your eyes roll into their sockets. And that worries me about other advice in the book which I know less about.
I quickly realized this was going to be useful in the same way that books like “Teach yourself C++ in 21 Days” were useful in the age of dial-up networking and terrible internet searching — the book gives you a general overview of the topics, gets some key words and concepts in your head, and you can refer back to it whenever you need to. When you do that it will give you a quick overview,

[Lori Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A should-read book on systems and planning for knowledge workers, managers, executives, and entrepreneurs.

[Ahmed Abdelhamid · Rating 3 out of 5]

ليس الأفضل، ولكنه و جبة سريعة تكفي ك "مقدمة" في كل باب...

[Oleksandr Golovatyi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zettelkasten: Храните и систематизируйте свои знания (promo)

Заметки из книги:

“Покупатели часто отличаются от пользователей.”

“Сегментация рынка выполняет следующие функции: - выделение сегментов достаточно крупных для обеспечения рентабельности; - выделение сегментов на которые можно эффективно воздействовать маркетинговыми мероприятиями; - разработка маркетинговых программ.”

“При сегментации потребительских рынков используются четыре основных подхода: 1) по географическому признаку; 2) по демографическому признаку; 3) по психографическому признаку; 4) по поведенческому признаку.”

“Анализ потребителей - это серьезное “вложение средств” перед тем, как сформулировать детальную стратегию маркетинга”

“Пять основных факторов конкурентоспособности…: 1) качество; 2) цена; 3) реклама; 4) исследование и развитие; 5) обслуживание.”

“В чем SWOT вашей компании отличается от конкурентов?”

“Аббревиатура SWOT означает Сильные стороны (Strengths), Слабые стороны (Weaknesses), Возможности (Opportunities) и Угрозы (Threats)”

“Метод построения карт восприятия - это способ графического представления вашего продукта в сопоставлении с продуктами конкурентов”

“Маркетологи называют каналами сбыта пути, выводящие на потребителя.”

“Дифференцирование - широкое понятие, включающее любые способы, которыми маркетолог будет выделять свой продукт на фоне других. А таких способов множество: характеристики; адаптация; стиль; надежность; упаковка; размеры; сервис; брендинг.”

“Место, занятое продуктом на рынке, часто называют нишей.”

“Рекламное сообщение, его текст и структуру специалисты по рекламе называют креативом.”

“Схема разработки стратегии маркетинга: 1) Анализ потребителя; 2) Анализ рынка; 3) Анализ конкурентной ситуации; 4) Комплекс маркетинга; 5) Оценка экономических параметров”

“Чтобы вникнуть в деятельность компании, вы должны разбираться в трех основных финансовых отчетах: - балансовый отчет; - отчет о прибылях и убытках; - отчет о движении денежных средств.”

“Балансовый отчет представляет активы компании, ее пассивы - обязательства компании перед третьими лицами - и накопленные инвестиции владельцев компании. Балансовый отчет отражает баланс на конкретную дату.”

“Собственный акционерный капитал - это накопленные инвестиции в стоимостном выражении… Сюда относятся: обыкновенные акции - вложения владельцев; эмиссионный доход - вложения владельцев; нераспределенная прибыль - реинвестирование доходов владельцами.”

“балансовый отчет - это отчет, в котором две его части уравновешивают друг друга.”

“Активы (А) = Обязательства (О) + Собственный капитал (СК)”

“EBITDA - прибыль до вычета процентов, налогов и амортизации, чтобы подсчитать доходность компании.”

“Мотивация = Ожидания, связанные с результатом работы х Ожидания, связанные с вознаграждением за результат х Ценность вознаграждения”

“Дэвид Макклелланд предполагает, что люди имеют три основные потребности: потребность в достижениях, потребность во власти и потребность в присоединении к какой-либо группе.”

“Удовлетворенность работой на языке МВА называется качеством трудовой жизни (QWL)”

“три основные характеристики лидера: способность к предвидению; преданность делу; умение управлять.”

“Источников власти пять: принуждение; награды; авторитет; законные полномочия; знания.”

“Власть, основанная на принуждении, держится на страхе. Невыполнение какого-либо требования может стать причиной наказания.”

“Власть, основанная на знаниях, подкреплена умением, компетенцией или опытом.”

“Стратегия. Стратегия представляет собой сформулированный или подразумеваемый план достижения успеха на рынке.”

“Политика и процедуры. Политика - это совокупность формальных правил, которые во всех компаниях, кроме мелких, обьединяются в справочник, а процедуры - это принятый в компании способ ведения дел.”

“Культура - это совокупность поведенческих стереотипов, мыслей, убеждений, символов и артефактов, которые с течением времени усваиваются людьми, работающими в организации.”

“Самое главное в МВА - думать, прежде чем действовать.”

“Парадигма - менталитет компании и типичный способ действий.”

“Анализ движения средств выявляет денежные потоки, а анализ накопленной стоимости оценивает эти потоки в сегодняшних долларах. Таким способом можно сравнивать разные проекты независимо от распределения денежных потоков во времени.”

“Запомните: чем выше ставка дисконта, тем ниже стоимость наличных средств сегодня и тем выше уровень предполагаемого риска.”

“Опционы - это возникающие из договора права на покупку или продажу какого-либо актива по фиксированной цене в установленный срок или до его наступления.”

“Суть опциона - возможность контролировать финансовый актив с помощью инвестиций, значительно меньших этого актива. Результат - большая прибыль, как при использовании финансового рычага, или полная потеря инвестированных средств, если стоимость актива падает.”

“Опцион - это “право” купить или продать акции: - по обьявленной цене (цене исполнения, страйк-цене); к определенной дате (дате истечении срока); право приобретается за определенную сумму - цену опциона.”

“Опционы являются высокорисковыми инвестициями, однако уровень риска можно снизить посредством хеджирования. Хеджирование - это покупка опциона для компенсации возможного снижения стоимости уже сделанных инвестиций.”

“Деривативы - финансовые инструменты, ценность которых зависит от других активов и переменных. Помимо опционов к числу самых популярных производных финансовых инструментов относятся фьючерсы и свопы. Деривативы могут быть привязаны к таким активам, как акции, товары, валюта или процентная ставка.”

“Краткострочный лизинг называется операционным.”

“Долгосрочный лизинг, по существу, представляет собой способ финансирования покупки оборудования, а не покупки права временного пользования. Долгосрочный лизинг называется капитальным.”

“Если акции компании не продаются публично, акционерную компанию называют закрытой.”

“Изменения в выплате дивидендов - это мощный сигнал для инвесторов.”

“Микроэкономика имеет дело с уравнением спроса и предложением в жизни индивида, семьи, компании или отрасли.”

“макроэкономика охватывает экономическую жизнь города, страны или мира”

“Кейнсианцы. Без государственного вмешательства свободное предпринимательство не обеспечивает полной занятости. Безработица - огромная проблема, взывающая к решению. При разумной бюджетной и монетарной политике государства экономические циклы сглаживаются. Правительство всегда располагает информацией, нужной для принятия решений. Государственные дотации стимулируют экономический рост.”

“Монетаристы. Свободная рыночная экономика имеет столько преимуществ, что ради них стоит смириться с безработицей. Главная проблема - инфляция, она сказывается на всех. Вмешательство государства в конечном счете негативно отражается на экономике. Экономические данные, как правило, неточны и несвоевременны и потому не могут служить руководством для осмысленного вмешательства властей. Государственные дотации подавляют эффективность частного предпринимательства.”

“Ключевое понятие макроэкономики - валовой национальный продукт (ВНП). ВНП - это совокупная рыночная стоимость всех конечных товаров и услуг, произведенных экономикой за год.”

"ВНП = C + I + G + X,

где C - личное потребление;

I - частные инвестиции;

G - государственные закупки;

X - разность между обьемом экспорта и обьемом импорта."

“любое увеличение потребления, инвестиций или государственных расходов обусловливает рост экономики.”

“Деньги - это средство обмена для покупки и продажи товаров и услуг.”

“Запас денег делится на категории М1 и М2. М1 - наиболее доступные деньги, к которым относятся только наличность, остатки на текущих счетах и дорожные чеки. К М2, помимо уже перечисленных компонентов, относятся также счета денежного рынка и сберегательные счета.”

“Изменения в предложении денег напрямую обусловливают изменение номинального ВНП.”

“M * V = P * Q”

“Деньги * Скорость обращения денег = Уровень цен * Реальный ВНП”

“Предложение денег = Номинальный ВНП”

“Группа из семи человек, назначаемых президентом, составляет Совет управляющих Федеральной резервной системы (ФРС) в Вашингтоне. ФРС имеет в своем распоряжении три инструмента для денежно-кредитного регулирования экономики. Изменение учетной ставки… Торговые операции с государственными ценными бумагами… Изменение резервных требований для финансовых учреждений.”

“Располагая этими тремя инструментами, ФРС может изменять не только предложение, но и стоимость денег, а именно процентные ставки.”

“Адам Смит и его труд “Исследование о природе и причинах богатства народов””

“Йозеф Шумпетер и “созидательское разрушение”… в книге “Капитализм, социализм и демократия” (Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, 1942) он определял капитализм как процесс “творческого разрушения”. Предприниматели создают новые отрасли, которые в мучительной борьбе вытесняют старые.”

“Джордж Гилдер “Богатство и бедность”, Wealth and Property, 1981 и Джад Ванниски (“Как устроен мир”, The Way the World Works, 1978)”

“Страна не может делать со своей валютой все, что угодно. Концепция несовместимой триады утверждает, что любое правительство может одновременно добиться лишь каких-либо двух из следующих трех целей: независимая кредитно-денежная политика, фиксированный курс валют, отсутствие контроля над капиталом.”

“Томас Питерс, прославившийся своей книгой “В поисках совершенс��ва” (In Search of Excellence), создал модель “7S”, показывающую, как стратегия вплетается в ткань организационной структуры.”

“Структура (Structure), Системы (Systems), Профессиональные навыки (Skills), Стиль (Style), Служащие (Staff), Высшие цели \ Общие ценности (Superordinate Goals \ Shared values), Стратегия (Strategy)”

“Фридман Т. Плоский мир. Краткая история XXI века. 2007”

“На быстро меняющихся рынках отсутствие гибкости равнозначно стратегическому провалу.”

“информация - это власть. Именно поэтому будущих МВА учат собирать информацию”

“Google Scholar - база данных по университетским публикациям.”

Набор упражнений для скорочтения (промо)

[Andrii Tymchuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, the book gives you exactly what it promises. At least it felt so to me. I would have been bitterly surprised unless I had already known that business schools don't teach some sacred knowledge, but rather let the people with other degrees to skim the material of typical Bachelor's program and start applying it quickly.

So yeah, the author did a pretty good job in summarizing, to my mind. I was tempted to be offended and take out one star because of his tendency to make fun of economists in the corresponding chapter, but to be fair, he did so in many other parts of the book and he was mostly right in poking on the flaws of some disciplines anyway.

It's strange that this book is still so popular, even though it's a bit outdated. So don't be surprised when you read about Internet as something not very obvious and not ubiquitous. But still, it works. Most of fancy-name 4P or 7S business techniques do not go out of fashion.

[Yap · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best business book I have ever read! This book covers the essence of a MBA atthe world's top universities like Harvard and Stanford.Its content ranges from marketing to finance and even basic business law. Suitable for those wanting to pursue a MBA or even graduates who want to review what they have learnt in the fast-paced two year MBA course.

[Ronald Rajagukguk · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is a must read for those of you who still deciding whether to take a MBA degree or not. here Steven describe the 10 main thing that you'll learn on MBA classes. don't expect something deep inside this book. all the chapter in this book only talk about a topic in general. overall this book is excelent there is a lot of diagram and real world case study. so it will be easy to read

[Diego · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent prep review, fairly wide ranging on topics you likely will encounter during MBA courses. Not very in depth on examples though in regards to Finance and Accounting. Still a good start to get your head in the right place.

[Abdullah Almuslem · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're like me and don’t have a business background, this isn’t the kind of book you can just skim through, you’ll need to really study it. There are so many equations and concepts that don’t make sense at first glance.

Take the accounting chapter, for example, it’s practically a book on its own. Getting a handle on balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements takes serious effort. And finance? Just as tough. The rest of the chapters are packed with concepts that only really click if you put them into practice.

I also noticed that some parts feel a bit outdated, given how much global business has evolved. The marketing chapter, for instance, doesn’t even touch on social media—probably because it wasn’t a thing when this book was written.

That said, the book does a great job introducing key business terms like NGP, GDP, PLC,ROI, etc. Still, in my opinion, it’s no substitute for an MBA—there’s way too much theory. But it might help you decide whether pursuing one is worth it for you.

[R.Z. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned SO MUCH from this book! I got my MBA from Kellogg at Northwestern University in 1987 and lived close enough to audit classes over the years until they became so complex that I, sadly, felt it was better for my own sanity to stop. Author Steven Silbiger gave me a great review of things I remembered and a whole lot more to update me on what is being taught today. Even if you got your college degree in another discipline, this Ten-Day MBA will give you so much information that will round out your education. I'm keeping it for reference, and I know I will go back to it again and again for details about finance, accounting, organizational behavior, marketing, and all the rest. If you're a professional in any field, buy this book. You won't regret it.

[Daniel Sepúlveda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me tomó dos meses exactos leer este libro que resume muchos de los temas que se ven en un MBA. Me ha parecido un libro muy completo, lleno de teorías y herramientas que todo administrador debe conocer.
Si alguien no sabe NADA de administración le recomiendo este libro porque literal, habla de todo: Marketing, Operaciones, Finanzas, Gestión, Contabilidad, Estrategia, etc.

Puntaje: 4 estrellas.

[Hannah Visse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good intro to a lot of the subjects covered in business school. I am strongly considering getting my MBA and picked this up to get an overview on what I would be learning. Seemed like it did it’s job well enough. The book was written in the 1990s so not all parts are up to date, but the fundamentals remain the same.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to have a high overview of principles, equations, and formulas that are relevant to business and MBA knowledge. Very practical, easy to digest and skim for future reference.

[Kai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Passively read this as an audiobook. I had a physical copy sitting in my bookshelf for the past 3 years.. and I always dropped it in the first few chapters.

This was a crash course of what I studied in college and I have to re-read this again while taking down notes. I might revisit this book around September and be a more active reader the second time around.

I'm someone who graduated below average. I'm relatively slow on the uptake. I don't fully grasp concepts from academe until I see it applied in real life. With the minimum 2 years experience qualification, I think pursuing an MBA might sharpen my skills and expose me to a vast network of professionals and experts in the business industry.

I also got interested in pursuing an MBA when a colleague in a similar age group discussed how much her knowledge expanded because of the discussions in her class. Professionals from various industries synthesize their ideas and share their experiences.

However, the personal decision is on hold until a year from now. Since I only have one year worth of experience so far. For now, my focus is to upskill, utilize my weak ties and tapping into my network, and just overall gaining more experience both in my career and personal life.

P.S.
- As usual, this book was a bit boring. The only thing that kept me listening is having a similar to my motivation during college: I want to be an expert in this field someday. I want to be smarter compared to when I graduated. My personal goal is to outgrow my past self along with my set of limiting beliefs.
-> I might have a better and objective review the next time I re-read this book.

[JD · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hooooooly crap did I hate this book. I gritted my way through it, out of a partial sense of duty (I mean, I started it, didn't I?), wonder (what can I learn?), and obligation (this was initially part of assigned reading for a leadership group I was a part of).

My first problem with the book is the smarminess about sounding like you're an MBA. Ugh.

My real problem with the book is that it really concerns itself with having the reader learn a pile of facts. Rote memorization. It's not about learning a way of thinking. It's not concerned with teaching principles or imparting practices. Just learn how to sound like an MBA. Sigh.

The one chapter that I found practical was the section on accounting. It covered the basics, and helped me better understand a part of my business world that I hadn't had much exposure to at the time I read it.

[Arnab Padhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

well, it's not a "step by step guide" to anything, rather it is 2 years of MBA teaching compressed into 10 pages, so don't expect much. At best it is an abridged handbook of MBA studies and at worst it is a 10 minute over the top introduction to what you are gonna learn in MBA schools.
If you are really serious about MBA then go for online videos which will have more to offer and if you just wanna know the different branches of MBA studies then this book might help.

[Heba Al Anzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a great book for those who don’t have a business background and plan on starting an MBA program. It summarizes the important topics in the simplest form. People who already have a business background won’t feel the value of this book.

[Kent]

Started 06.mar.2009

[Elaine]

Compendium of well-known theories and techniques of accounting, finance, operations, economics, and strategy.

This book is in the library.

[Marcos Martínez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Está bien porque aprendes bastante, pero desde luego no es todo el contenido de un máster. Y no te lo lees en 10 días si quieres profundizar lo más mínimo.

[Rashad Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative but Limited in Scope: A Solid Primer for Business Basics The Ten Day MBA by Steven Silbiger – Review

Steven Silbiger’s The Ten Day MBA delivers exactly what it promises: a brisk, accessible overview of core business concepts, packaged into a digestible 10-day framework. The 4th edition modernizes its content with timely topics like digital marketing, sustainability, and post-2008 financial regulations, making it a relevant resource for professionals and curious learners. However, while the book excels as a high-level introduction, its brevity often comes at the cost of depth and nuance.

What Works Broad Coverage: Silbiger efficiently distills MBA essentials—marketing, finance, strategy, ethics, and more—into concise chapters. The updates on e-commerce, CSR, and global business trends are particularly valuable. Practical Orientation: Real-world examples (Amazon, Tesla, Google) and actionable frameworks make complex ideas relatable. The inclusion of online worksheets and case studies adds hands-on value. Time-Efficient: Perfect for busy readers seeking foundational knowledge without committing to a degree. Where It Falls Short Surface-Level Analysis: Technical subjects like finance and quantitative methods lack the rigor needed for mastery. Concepts like valuation or lean operations are simplified to the point of oversimplification. Limited Critical Engagement: Case studies and ethical dilemmas are presented as resolved narratives rather than invitations for debate, missing opportunities to develop strategic thinking. Niche Gaps: While digital trends are addressed, topics like AI, blockchain, or modern entrepreneurship (e.g., startups, gig economy) are underrepresented. Comparison

Fans of Josh Kaufman’s The Personal MBA may find Silbiger’s structured approach more actionable, but Kaufman’s work dives deeper into behavioral economics and decision-making frameworks.

Who Should Read This? Beginners: Ideal for professionals transitioning to managerial roles or entrepreneurs needing a business 101 crash course. MBA Curious: Useful for previewing MBA content before enrolling. Not For: Those seeking technical expertise or advanced strategic tools. Verdict

The Ten Day MBA is a worthwhile read for its clarity and practicality, but treat it as a starting point—not a comprehensive guide. While the 4th edition’s updates keep it relevant, its limitations in scope and depth mean readers should supplement it with specialized resources for true mastery. A solid 3.5 stars for delivering a functional (if fleeting) business education in record time.

[Юлія Крюкова · Rating 3 out of 5]

Загалом матеріал буде дуже корисним будь-якому менеджеру для кращого розуміння як взагалі працює його компанія.

Можливо якби автор залишив скромне "путівник" без претензії на "допоможе крок за кроком опанувати вміння, яких навчають у найкращих бізнес-школах США" - матеріал сприймався б інакше.
Бо саме як путівник матеріал цінний. Та це аж ніяк не курси і досвід.
Автор багато разів повторює тезис, що прочитавши цю книгу ви будете значно досвідченішим і це все одно що пройти курси МВА. Що ви можете використовувати професійні терміни і показати, що є фахівцем. Та нав'язування такої тези надто небезпечне. Бо навіть після поглиблених курсів МВА чи щось такого штибу часто менеджери розсипаються тими самими термінами, але не розуміють загальних процесів у компанії поза межами свого підрозділу і головне - не розуміють як застосувати на практиці те, що за термінами стоїть.
Деякі частини матеріалу просто передруковані статті і частини книг інших авторів.
У висновку - книгу прочитати однозначно варто. Саме для загального розуміння. Та не варто вважати, що це одразу зробить вас супер кваліфікованим менеджером.

[Doug McColgin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subheader promises a lot for this book, but in reality, the deliverable falls a bit short. The author himself even shares that the material isn't truly a substitute for an MBA, but rather a primer or reference guide for many of the concepts covered in business school.

I personally found the book useful, especially as a refresher for my business school undergrad classes, of which many are but dusty memories in the back of my mind. The usefulness of the book is in it's high-level explanations of many different concepts. It will be rare, after reading this book, to find oneself in a meeting with NO idea of what's going on. I think it enables someone to follow the action, but it leaves off long before mastery.

That said, I am guessing I will probably access this book many times in the future. The clarity and conciseness of the content makes it useful for boning up on topics ahead of critical interactions, and for framing presentation materials with the language and frameworks commonly used in business.

[The Keepers of the Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

2 years of MBA school can be exhausting and not all information taught is useful or absorbed. The basics of an MBA, however, can be easily taught to most people. It covers Marketing, Ethics, Accounting, Organizational Behavior, Quantitative Analysis, Finance, Economics, Operations, and Strategy as its main topics. It also covers additional concepts such as business law and writing, public speaking, negotiating, and investing.

The information provided is useful and matches up with what was learned in an MBA degree. The layout is easy to understand and easy to apply. The facts are well researched. Readers who need an MBA refresher, interested in getting an MBA, or who want to learn more about business will want to pick this one up Recommended for most library collections.

Please Note: A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own. No other compensation was received.

[Ram Pragadish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was procrastinating to read this book for full two months before finally settling down with it. Initially, I had a bias that the topics would be too complex for me to understand.But once i started with the book,it was relatively easy to get a grab at the topics. The experience was like one of my closest friends who graduated from a business school sat me down and gave an overview on the subjects and core skills crucial to a MBA.

Overall, i recommend that everyone read it to get an general understanding of what MBA has to offer.