Is the whole process of getting an Master of Business Administration (MBA Degree) worth the effort?

Is the whole process of getting an Master of Business Administration (MBA Degree) worth the effort?

That's an obvious opening question for anyone pondering the relative <a href="http://www.lsbf.org.uk/programmes/postgraduate/management/global-mba" target="_blank" title="London School of Business and Finance Homepage">merits of different career paths</a> and for increasing numbers of people the answer seems to be a resounding "yes".

On the one hand ploughing personal resources into extra study while already fully committed to work, or some other further education avenue, may seem a bridge too far - a commitment that could be exacting without offering any finite return.

But on the other there's ample evidence from others who have taken the plunge to suggest that an MBA, properly used can lead the way to impressive benefits on several different levels.

The business knowhow it can provide can prove literally invaluable for anyone running their own company, as there's simply no substitute for cogent and up-to-the-minute decision-making techniques as they are applied in the real world.

The student is tapping into a wealth of relevant methodology that, properly applied, will ultimately yield major benefits in terms of enhanced business performance and, by extension, actual profits.

It's invaluable, too, for anyone involved in a business start-up, taking the entrepreneur through the whole process of applying for venture capital - saving time and probably money by cutting through the obfuscation and red tape to get the optimum result.

Then there's the unquantifiable but nevertheless real benefits to be gained from simply having an MBA, because it immediately puts the graduate in the mainstream of a broad business community concourse - one which sets considerable store by the commitment and achievement implicit in gaining the degree.

Another advantage following on from this is the wealth of contacts to be gained from being part of the MBA Degree set because networking - often at a relatively advanced level - is a significant corollary of solid commitment to advanced business studies.

Far from being some arid "bolt on" optional extra to a student's main endeavour, it seems business studies is seen increasingly as an essential component of what might be a multi-faceted but thoroughly organised career.

It has the capacity to enhance success by providing a clearly signposted route to "smart" ways of boosting personal operational performance in any relevant setting, and at the same time is implicitly responsive to major market changes and developments - in a way that's virtually impossible for someone not involved in business study to replicate.

Meanwhile there's the prospect of using an MBA to develop a proven speciality in some niche field where a particular expertise will always be in demand - and to promote that ability through all the communication channels that degree will open up.

For those already fully committed to employment there may also be the option of paid study, because go-ahead employers also recognise the value of people who are committed to personal development and building career strength - and in many cases are prepared to invest in these individuals accordingly.