Jazzing MBA Programs

Why Improving MBAs matters

The Problem with MBAs Today

The Blind Spot: Beyond Quick Fixes

TBMM excels at “doing things better”—streamlining costs, tweaking prices—but stumbles when the game shifts to “doing better things” or answering “who are we?” Snap’s 2023 ad focus lost 20% market share to TikTok’s creator ecosystem [Statista, 2024]—TBMM kept chasing numbers while SSM could’ve redefined its identity. Zillow’s $881 million iBuying flop [Zillow, 2022] optimized home flips, missing a chance to rethink its role—tech or real estate? PayPal’s 2022 fee hike ignored user trust, shedding 4.5 million active accounts [Reuters, 2023]—a classic TBMM misstep. Meanwhile, Revolut’s 2023 super-app shift—blending finance, travel, and crypto—grew users 25% [Revolut, 2024] by asking bigger questions. MBAs train grads to tweak, not transform, leaving them blind to the deeper shifts post-industrial chaos demands.

The Stakes Are High

Interventions shape system outcomes, warns Cuijpers (2008)—TBMM’s rigid fixes falter where SSM’s “experiential learning with real customers in real time” could thrive [Cuijpers, 2008). Bed Bath & Beyond’s 2023 bankruptcy [CNBC, 2023] clung to store tweaks as e-commerce surged—SSM’s real-time adaptability might’ve pivoted it. Gig workers, 52% seeking stability [Pew, 2021], bolt from rigid platforms—PayPal’s user loss proves it [Reuters, 2023]. Firms stagnate, economies wobble—McKinsey’s 70% AI winners rethink to win [McKinsey, 2023]. Society loses when needs go unmet—experiential learning could reshape outcomes, unlike TBMM’s inertia.

The Fix:

Upgrade the MBA Playbook

MBAs need more than TBMM’sstiff notes—they need SSM’s jazz spark to riff through chaos and redefine purpose. McKinsey’s 70% stat [2023] isn’t a fluke—rethinking wins, and grads must lead it. Here’s how to upgrade the program:

1. Add a “Conversational Complexity” Course
Teach grads to ditch monologues for dialogue—SSM-style stakeholder huddles can turn messes into maps. Airbnb’s $100M pivot [Airbnb, 2021] tapped host ideas—why not train MBAs to do the same? A course on conversational skills—listening, sketching problems, asking “what’s broken?”—bridges TBMM’s gaps. It’s about adaptability, not just analysis.

2. Launch Real-Time learning
– Why:
Static case studies can’t mimic today’s chaos—gig strikes, AI disruptions, market flips demand real-time adaptation. WeWork’s $2.2 billion flop [Forbes, 2020] optimized coworking—grads need to reframe such messes. Zillow’s $881M bust [Zillow, 2022] could’ve been a tech pivot— Learning together in real-time situations builds the muscle to rethink under pressure, merging TBMM’s rigor with SSM’s fluidity via real-time learning shaping outcomes as Cuijpers (2008) and Cuijpers (2009) suggest.

– How: Swap paper cases for live simulations—e.g., a mock gig worker strike with shifting demands, or an AI-driven market crash. Grads sketch rich pictures, huddle with virtual stakeholders, and pitch reframes—like turning WeWork into a community hub. Add a debrief: what worked, what flopped? It’s hands-on, messy, and real—SSM in action. InterActLearning™, is the engine inspired by Cuijpers (2008, 2009), to introduce “experiential learning with real customers in real time.” It’s hands-on, messy, real—It’s the engine, inspired by Cuijpers (2008, 2009), to boost the dialogue, learning, and engagement sessions. In a city of 125,000—sprawl, commercial buzz, green patches, old and new—a PPP froze on street art costs, risking millions. Traditional MBAs flopped with sheets; we had folks sit apart or on the table to experience willingness, then asked, “Urban dev’s goal—people-stone chemistry?” Solved in one session.

3. Embed Stakeholder Immersion
Send grads into the field—talk to gig workers (52% crave stability [Pew, 2021]), customers, suppliers—not just CEOs. Revolut’s 25% growth [Revolut, 2024] came from hearing voices beyond the boardroom. Immersion teaches “who are we?”—not from spreadsheets, but from people—blending TBMM’s data with SSM’s human lens.

4. Blend TBMM and SSM in Capstone Projects
Replace profit-only capstones with remix challenges—use TBMM to nail basics (e.g., Uber’s 10% gain [Uber, 2022]), then SSM to reframe and redefine. Imagine grads tackling Snap’s 20% loss [Statista, 2024]—optimize ads, sure, but also rethink identity as a creator hub.

It’s a Toolkit for chaos, not just calm.

Why it Works?

These upgrades marry TBMM’s strengths—fast, precise fixes—with SSM’s depth—reframing and redefining. Peloton’s $1.2 billion lesson [Bloomberg, 2022] shows tweaking fails in flux; Airbnb’s $100M win [Airbnb, 2021] proves conversation adapts. McKinsey’s 70% [2023] demands grads who rethink—chaos labs and immersion build that muscle. Gig workers’ 52% stability need [Pew, 2021] won’t wait—MBAs must hear it. Bed Bath & Beyond’s collapse [CNBC, 2023] warns: optimize-only dies—SSM’s tango keeps firms alive.

The Payoff

Upgraded MBAs turn grads from zombies into leaders—e.g., one jazz riff cut gig churn 20%. Snap could’ve held its 20% [Statista, 2024], Zillow saved $881M [Zillow, 2022]. Economies grow when firms adapt—jobs stay, platforms thrive. Society wins when businesses meet real needs—52% of gig workers get stability [Pew, 2021], not crumbs. McKinsey’s 70% [2023] sets the bar—MBAs must rise or fade. Blend TBMM’s precision with SSM’s spark—lead in chaos, not just calm—or the post-industrial jungle moves on.

Shape Chaos with Us

Why wait? Jazz up your MBA program or lead the next generation of MBAs in your firm. Our InterActLearning™ engine swaps classical training’s rigid scores for jazz improv—real-time wins that reveal what works. It’s hands-on, messy, real—boosting dialogue and engagement to shape outcomes fast. Ready to riff through chaos, unveil the new wave? Interested? Let us know.