[Student Interview]

"Enhance Analytics Skills and Business Insights 

with a Business Analytics MBA."

Junho Kyung, Business Analytics MBA class of 2024

I'm Junho Kyung, working in the finance team of a major logistics company in Korea. I oversee fund management, fund system management, and company performance management. In August 2022, I began a Business Analytics MBA at SKK GSB, and I completed the course about ten months ago.

Why did you choose our Business Analytics MBA?
First of all, I wanted to learn the latest trends in management technologies, such as AI and big data, and to be able to create new business values. As I studied the cases of various innovative companies, I thought that future businesses would accelerate in discovering new values through big data and AI, and I wanted to learn more about this field.
When I decided on my focus and looked for courses from various schools, I found that SKK GSB's Business Analytics MBA curriculum applies recent industrial trends such as AI and big data well to practical work. If I had the ability to analyze data and insight into the overall business, then I could become an extraordinarily competitive and necessary person in this era. I was impressed that the entire curriculum was designed in detail from beginning to end. While listening to the detailed guidance of the professor at the admission briefing, I felt that I would experience active discussions and "living learning" centered on hands-on excellence, not theory-based learning.
Top class professors recognized at home and abroad are also one of the reasons for my choice. Furthermore, as SKK GSB’s MBA has been selected as the No. 1 MBA course in Korea every year in the Financial Times MBA evaluation, I expected the faculty and learning resources to be the best. Lastly, this course was taught only on Saturdays, so it was easy to manage time working in my office during the week.

What did you learn in the MBA Business Analytics course that was helpful for your work?
I often applied what I learned to my work so I could work more efficiently. For example, after learning about Data Management and its advantages, I worked with an in-house developer to generate an automated report to update corporate card user data (which used to be in the form of Excel files) in real-time on the cloud system. Thanks to this report, our corporate card management time has been dramatically reduced, and the number of problems due to missing data has also decreased. I used to be an "데알못(someone who doesn’t know data)," but I lost my fear of dealing with data by learning about business analytics in my MBA. We now entirely use systems and data to contribute to our business efficiency.
Thanks to my MBA classes, my decision-making skills are also improving. For example, I worked on a business forecasting project calculating optimal prices by applying supply–demand graphs and economic concepts. This entailed accurately understanding the problem, modeling, interpreting the results, and making decisions. This taught me how to make scientific and reliable decisions based on clear evidence and appropriate predictive models.

Did the MBA course help you develop your career?
Of course. First, it is rare for a company to have an understanding of both data and domain knowledge. But on the other hand, data-related departments continue to emerge in the company, and there’s increasing demand for people who can handle data. Throughout the industry, AI and big data industries are growing. However, it's still early, so there will be more opportunities.
Furthermore, being an administrator with analytic and modeling capabilities will be a significant advantage for my career growth. More than half of my MBA colleagues are at the manager level. They are currently learning about big data and AI models even though they don’t manage data analysis departments or relevant work. Yet in the future, companies will want managers to be skilled in this field. When employees work on projects using AI models, there will naturally be a big difference between managers who understand the model and suggest directions and improvements, and those who don’t. Opportunities don't come to us: we make them. We must therefore be one step ahead.

What did you like about SKK GSB's Business Analytics MBA course?
SKK GSB actively provides ways for students to get help. Business analytics is an unfamiliar field for typical office workers, so it is often difficult to solve problems alone. Furthermore, I was busy at work, so it was essential to solve problems quickly. SKK GSB helps with these difficulties by assigning assistants for each subject. The school’s global culture is also an advantage, so we could freely communicate with professors directly with messengers and e-mails to solve problems. Of course, I am always grateful for the environment and atmosphere where I could solve problems while cooperating with my friends.

What was the biggest challenge you faced while studying?
I had to work and study simultaneously, and there were subjects in unfamiliar fields, so at some points, I felt like it was too difficult. However, the Business Analytics MBA course is for more than just learning I had a healing time with my joyful colleagues, and I enjoyed various social events organized by the school, interacting with students from other courses at SKK GSB, so I regained my positive outlook. In addition, the school’s Career Development Center (CDC) helped us develop our careers, and the CEO Lecture Series hosted by famous domestic and foreign CEOs helped us grow.
While actively taking these opportunities, I listened to the motivations and advice of leaders who had gone through the same process and overcome various problems. I could therefore focus my efforts on overcoming my current crises while recognizing that these problems were not only mine.

Please advise those who are worried about taking an MBA.
Don't be afraid to challenge yourself. Through the MBA process, I tried many things, and thanks to that, I could clearly understand what I am good at and what I need to enhance in the future.
SKK GSB provides an optimal learning environment and gives students the best feedback while they’re working on various projects that are difficult to implement in their company. These were priceless experiences.
When you enter the school, don't just focus on your studies, but participate in various programs and opportunities the school provides. If you broaden your horizons and build up your human network, you will not only stimulate your growth but also develop your infinite potential.