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MBA books are an important source of knowledge for business professionals and students who want to expand their education. If you’re a student, they help you take on the challenges of the MBA program, and they increase your chances of acing your exams.
On the other hand, MBA books are also useful to people who don’t have any prior business education. For example, entrepreneurs and start-up founders can learn about applying basic business principles to real-world scenarios.
Either way, if you want to succeed in the highly competitive world of business, MBA books are an absolute must.
Quick Look: The Best MBA Books
- The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business by Josh Kaufman - Get this book
- The Ten-Day MBA 4th Edition by Steven A. Silbiger - Get this book
- Everything I learned at $200,000 MBA about Marketing by Ritesh Chaube - Get this book
- The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management by Eric Verzuh - Get this book
- The Portable MBA in Finance and Accounting by Grossman, Livingstone - Get this book
- The Portable MBA by Eades, Laseter, Skurnik, Rodriguez, Isabella, and Simko - Get this book
- MBA in a Book: Mastering Business with Attitude by Kurtzman, Rifkin, and Griffith - Get this book
- An Entire MBA in 1 Book by Chris Haroun - Get this book
- The Vest-Pocket MBA, 4th Edition by J.K. Shim, Siegel, and A.I. Shim - Get this book
- The Franchise MBA: Mastering the 4 Essential Steps to Owning a Franchise by Neonakis, Rambhia, and Rengaswamy -Get this book
What You Should Look for in an MBA Book
Like in the case of economics books, an MBA book should provide you with a good combination of theory and practical knowledge. Plus, the author needs to be a reputable expert in his or her field. The following sections delve deeper into what makes an MBA book excellent.
Author History
It’s important for the author to have years of experience in business administration, consulting, or other related areas. He or she should be involved with successful companies, though you also won’t go wrong if you choose an MBA book written by a college professor.
Take a closer look at the author’s professional background before you decide which book to buy. Check out any past publications or awards.
Story vs. Skill
It’s easier to read MBA books with a compelling narrative. However, don’t neglect the importance of practical advice. You’ll reap the most benefits from a book that offers a combination of hands-on advice and captivating storytelling.
Target Audience
Some MBA books are perfect for beginners who are about to step into the business world. Others are written for professionals who are already well-versed in consulting.
Remember that you can complement MBA books with other texts that fit your area of expertise. For example, aspiring start-up founders can benefit from reading and comparing MBA books and entrepreneur books.
Our Picks for the Best MBA Books
We’ve created a list of the best MBA books based on the principles outlined above. Entrepreneurs and students alike will find these books useful and illuminating.
1. The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business by Josh Kaufman
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
The Personal MBA teaches you about fundamental market laws and creating value for the customers.
The book also provides details on pricing strategies and various techniques to increase company revenue.
Josh Kaufman takes a multidisciplinary approach, teaching you about systems design, negotiations, operations, and more.
2. The Ten-Day MBA 4th Edition by Steven A. Silbiger
- Who’s it for? Intermediate students
- Price: On sale
This book distills all the latest discussion topics from prestigious US business schools into a single volume. You’ll learn about compliance, negotiation, and leadership. Some chapters are dedicated to corporate ethics and financial planning.
The Ten-Day MBA comes from Steven A. Silbiger, who works at Plymouth Direct as the senior director of marketing. He provides the reader with the tools they need to excel in business. His research comes directly from the notes of MBA students who take courses at top American business schools.
3. Everything I learned at $200,000 MBA about Marketing by Ritesh Chaube
- Who’s it for? Beginners
- Price: On sale
Ritesh Chaube carefully curates the knowledge he obtained at Northwestern University to create a compelling MBA volume. The book focuses on proven strategies that increase profitability, improve the brand’s image, and attract customers.
Chaube uses real-world examples from companies like Amazon and Coca-Cola to explain the book’s brand positioning statement. He also covers analytics to determine campaign effectiveness, viral marketing, and product distribution principles. Overall, this book is to the point, descriptive, and really fun to read.
4. The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management by Eric Verzuh
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
The Fast Forward MBA takes a practical approach to MBA and focuses on project management. It provides brief explanations of the key concepts followed by practical applications. There are numerous case studies that can teach you about the project management skills you need.
The author, Eric Verzuh, has years of experience with companies such as Boeing, Adobe Systems, and GE Capital. He offers proven strategies for keeping projects on budget, on track, and on time.
5. The Portable MBA in Finance and Accounting by Grossman, Livingstone
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
This book is in accordance with the curriculum from top business schools. It offers clear guidelines and examples for the accounting and finance industry. You’ll learn how to make strategic decisions and plan for the future. Other topics include ethical accounting standards, the Sarbanes-Oxley effect, and more.
This edition is also rich in web resources and downloadable spreadsheets. The fourth part of the book features advanced topics like the application of information technology in MBA careers and finance.
6. The Portable MBA by Eades, Laseter, Skurnik, Rodriguez, Isabella, and Simko
- Who’s it for? Beginners
- Price: On sale
The 5th Edition of the Portable MBA comes with up-to-date insights from professors at the University of Virginia. The book covers topics like operations management, marketing, leadership, strategy, and ethics.
You’ll also learn how to interpret consumer behavior and take advantage of emerging economies. The Portable MBA also provides you with tried-and-tested strategies for enterprise risk management.
7. MBA in a Book: Mastering Business with Attitude by Kurtzman, Rifkin, and Griffith
- Who’s it for? Intermediate students
- Price: On sale
In 10 information-packed chapters, this book takes you through an entire MBA course. It teaches you about sustainable business practices and the most effective business strategies. You’ll get a better understanding of human resource management and you’ll gain some important leadership skills.
The team of authors covers business communication, marketing, accounting, and finance. On top of that, you receive tips from top professors and professionals like Jeffrey Sonnenfeld (Yale), Bill George (Harvard), Peter Senge (MIT), and more.
8. An Entire MBA in 1 Book by Chris Haroun
- Who’s it for? Advanced students
- Price: On sale
This comprehensive business guide was penned by award-winning professor Chris Haroun. It takes you through the entire lifecycle of a company, from the start-up phase to initial public offering.
An Entire MBA in 1 Book is also rich in online resources. There are links to YouTube videos and other reputable sources to help you get a better grasp of the presented materials. Haroun utilizes his experience in the consulting and financial industry to give you a lot of practical knowledge, and he keeps theory to a minimum.
9. The Vest-Pocket MBA, 4th Edition by J.K. Shim, Siegel, and A.I. Shim
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
This book is an excellent source of the latest methods and techniques from top MBA courses. It approaches the topics in question-and-answer format. This makes it easier for you to understand all the rules, formulas, and ratios for evaluating and analyzing business problems.
The authors can provide you with in-depth knowledge about strategic cost management, target pricing, and balanced scoreboards.
You will also learn about the latest tools to determine a company’s financial health. Plus, there are many charts, tables, and graphs included, and these can all simplify business problems.
10. The Franchise MBA: Mastering the 4 Essential Steps to Owning a Franchise by Neonakis, Rambhia, and Rengaswamy
- Who’s it for? Intermediate students
- Price: On sale
The Franchise MBA is a comprehensive guide that combines real-world experience and applicable tools. By the end of this book, you should understand what kind of franchise fits your business preference.
The book offers tools to find the perfect franchise and deal with all the financial and legal aspects of this kind of business.
Neonakis, Rambhia, and Rengaswamy have years of experience with some of the biggest publicly-traded franchises in the world. They use that experience to present examples of good practice through case studies.
Finding the Best MBA Books
MBA books provide first-hand insights and up-to-date examples for business students. Additionally, they can teach entrepreneurs how to make informed decisions and be better leaders.
Many of these books follow the curriculum from the best business schools, and some go above and beyond that. By reading MBA books, you can get a top-notch education at the fraction of the price for an MBA course.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some outstanding qualities of an MBA book?
You should look at the audience, skills, story and author’s experience.
What are some great MBA books?
Benzinga recommends “The Ten-Day MBA,” “The Personal MBA” and “The Fast Forward MBA.”
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