This is an old post…now reposted to be in tandem…

One assignment that an MBA class likes (loves) is to do projects. It better be projects which are easy to do of course! One MBA class where I suggested that they go out meet IFAs and a few customers to find out how the investing process works was greeted with shock by everybody including the principal.

So it has to be ‘Index fund vs. Active management strategy’ or ‘Analyze the past performance of Icici Prudential Discovery Fund’…easy to find on the net, cut copy and paste. In a extra effort even change the font. Look at the predicament of the ‘teacher’. Imagine reading 89 reports which say EXACTLY THE SAME THING!!

When I give the MBA class an assignment I tell them a story.

One management expert was conducting a session. To cut ice he decided to tell them a story.

He said “I have spent a lot of time in the arms of another man’s wife.”….there was a hush and a gasp, and then he said ‘the other lady is my father’s wife – my mother”.

There was a generous applause…

One of the participants was sitting in a bar in the evening with his friends …and their spouses. He decided to do a repeat of the management experts joke.

So he said…”I have spent a lot of time in the arms of another man’s wife.”…there was a hush and gasp, and then he said…’Oh Shit! I forgot!!”.

Moral of the story: Do not do a cut copy, if you cannot paste.

So if you are an MBA do not do a project which is a C C P – it just wastes paper…and energy. Stop warming the earth.