What They Teach You at Harvard Business School audiobook cover - My Two Years Inside The Cauldron of Capitalism

What They Teach You at Harvard Business School

My Two Years Inside The Cauldron of Capitalism

Philip Delves Broughton

★ 3.7 / 5(413 ratings)
Start ListeningDownload App
Categories:
EntrepreneurshipEducationCareer & Success

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

Listen to What They Teach You at Harvard Business School — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from What They Teach You at Harvard Business School

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from What They Teach You at Harvard Business School

Mind Map

What They Teach You at Harvard Business School
The HBS Environment+
First Year: Core Curriculum+
Second Year: Electives & Strategy+
Recruiting & Real-World Impact+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What was Philip Delves Broughton's professional background before enrolling at Harvard Business School?
  • A. A junior analyst at a prestigious private equity firm
  • B. A journalist working as a correspondent for a major newspaper
  • C. A technology entrepreneur who had recently sold his startup
  • D. An accountant looking to pivot into executive management
Question 2 of 8
According to the text, what is the primary teaching method utilized at Harvard Business School?
  • A. Collaborative group projects focused on building real-world startups
  • B. Traditional lectures centered on macroeconomic theory
  • C. Analyzing and discussing detailed business case studies
  • D. Semester-long internships shadowing Fortune 500 executives
Question 3 of 8
What does the term 'Beginnihana' refer to among older HBS students?
  • A. The tendency of first-year students to drop out after the intense first semester
  • B. A syndrome where students develop extreme overconfidence in their ability to reengineer any business
  • C. The intense, cutthroat networking process required to secure a summer internship
  • D. A popular negotiation tactic used to establish the Zone of Possible Agreement
Question 4 of 8
How did advanced MBA students at Harvard primarily measure and evaluate risk?
  • A. Through strict adherence to scientific accounting formulas and algorithms
  • B. By calculating the exact monetary value of potential corporate lawsuits
  • C. In terms of opportunity cost, which is the risk of missing out on something good
  • D. By relying entirely on the 'numbers game' to project future earnings
Question 5 of 8
In his second-year strategy and negotiation classes, what key concepts did Broughton learn?
  • A. That operational efficiency is always more important than having a competitive advantage
  • B. The importance of BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) and ZOPA (Zone of Possible Agreement)
  • C. That outright ownership of the supply chain is always the safest and most profitable business strategy
  • D. That all successful negotiators must adopt the aggressive 'poker player' persona
Question 6 of 8
What crucial lesson did Broughton learn when he and his friend Bo attempted to start a podcast company?
  • A. Venture capitalists are easily swayed by a passionate pitch, regardless of the business model
  • B. Digital media is inherently an unprofitable sector for new startups
  • C. Proper implementation is much more important than just having a good idea
  • D. HBS students are legally prohibited from launching businesses while enrolled in the program
Question 7 of 8
Which of the following behaviors by some of his classmates troubled Broughton regarding the ethics at HBS?
  • A. Stealing each other's case study notes before major final exams
  • B. Buying luxury cars like BMWs to reduce their liquid assets and secure more financial aid
  • C. Sabotaging the corporate recruitment interviews of their peers to eliminate competition
  • D. Falsifying their previous employment history and salaries on their resumes
Question 8 of 8
How did Broughton ultimately react to the corporate recruiting process near graduation?
  • A. He fully embraced it and accepted a high-paying job at a prestigious private equity firm
  • B. He felt alienated by companies demanding cult-like 'unlimited passion' and decided to pursue his own path as a writer
  • C. He successfully leveraged his journalism background to become a top-tier management consultant
  • D. He felt the university failed him and demanded a tuition refund because he couldn't secure a banking job

What They Teach You at Harvard Business School — Full Chapter Overview

What They Teach You at Harvard Business School Summary & Overview

What They Teach You at Harvard Business School (2008) is a candid insider's view into one of the world’s most prestigious business schools, providing insights into its curriculum, culture, and impact on students' lives. Through case studies, math, and unsolicited advice, it follows one unlikely student’s memorable experience obtaining this coveted MBA, revealing both the strengths and shortcomings of the HBS education along the way.

Who Should Listen to What They Teach You at Harvard Business School?

  • Business and marketing students
  • Those curious about the inner workings of the world-renowned Harvard Business School
  • Anyone considering doing an MBA

About the Author: Philip Delves Broughton

Philip Delves Broughton was born in Bangladesh, grew up in the UK, and has lived in major cities across Europe and America during his career as a newspaper reporter and writer. After graduating from Oxford and working for over a decade covering world events for the Daily Telegraph, Broughton received his MBA from Harvard Business School and has since held positions at Apple, the Kauffman Foundation, the Financial Times, and the American Academy in Rome.

🎧
Listen in the AppOffline playback & background play
Get App