My Experiences at Toan Phu Construction Company - Admission/Application Essay Example

Question One I consider my experiences at Toan Phu Construction Company, Azizi Life Inc in Africa, and Middle East as an Army Finance Officer as the three most substantial achievements insofar as the business and leadership realms are concerned. I was the Interim strategic planning department head at Toan Phu Architect and Construction Company, located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. During the tenure at the company, I was assigned with initiating and temporarily leading the newly established Strategic Planning Department in the mid-sized construction company. My greatest achievement in the company was manage to institute changes in the development of new working models, new methods of financing projects, and initiating strategic plans to minimize overhead costs. Specifically, I introduced new development models that were very effective in urban development projects restructuring, improved the inventory control management system and cost structure, introduced the concept of equipment acquisition and the subsequent maintenance scheduling. Furthermore, I initiated advanced technical and technological training programs for the workers in order to reduce overhead costs and construction time such to optimize the return on assets. The other significant achievement at the company was incorporating a new method of financing projects through equity issuance and debt securities. At Azizi Life Inc in Gitarama, Rwanda, I attained some very important experience as the leader of the project team. My team was responsible for the development of innovative and sustainable proposals for streamlining financial models, strengthening weak local infrastructures while developing cultural sensitivity for application in the handicraft industry business functions, as well as global marketing strategic plan and global competitive analysis for the clients in the developing global economy. One of the enriching experiences during my tenure at the company was the field experience in January 2012. Our team spent four weeks working with indigenous villagers, local Rwandan startup businesses, the Ministry of Finance in Rwanda, the Development Board, and Ministry of Education of Rwanda in developing strategies to boost the sales revenue of the country by 250% in the coming fiscal year. In addition, the other central focus of the team project was laying down strategies to assist the local citizens of the country to eradicate poverty and regain some degree of economic freedom (Daylife). My role as the finance management officer in the United States Army serves as my greatest achievement of all times. I served in several important capacities in the force, including as an Army Company Commander responsible for the effective operation and life of 200 other army officers. After the exemplary performance, I was allocated the responsibility of overseeing the cash budget and equipment of a frontline company worth more than $120 million of military asset wile under deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq. In my capacity as the financial management officer, my duties involved designing policies, coordinating, and performing all the Army Finance and Acquisition functions of the force for a battalion of more than one thousand soldiers. In additional, I was tasked with the duties of a micro-finance loan officer for villagers of Tikrit Province, Afghanistan, by the Department of Defense. After displaying competence in the duties allocated, the Army command elevated my duties to the quality control inspector and finance facilitator on the Afghanistan and Iraq rebuilding projects, including construction of irrigation systems and bridges in Northern Tigris River during Operation Tropic Lightning, and farm and elementary school projects in Falluja during Operation Wolf Hound Delta. I consider the three experiences as great achievements since the working environments were relatively extreme. However, these achievements, and an MBA from your esteemed institution, are the stepping-stone to my future endeavors (Business Quotes). Question Two The experience and achievement at the three organizations was great, but they also served some of the most significant challenges and setbacks in my life. At Toan Phu Construction Company, I faced regular challenges and setbacks in the course of disseminating my duties. Being located in my home country, the cultural beliefs had a severe impact on my ability to perform assigned duties effectively. The cultural beliefs in Vietnam hold that a senior is always right in opinion and decision-making. This was a major setback in accomplishing some of the strategies that I felt the company required. As the head of the relatively young strategic planning department, I faced challenges from senior members of the company based on their experience. Since the cultural beliefs favored their stand, most of my proposals did not pass through to implementation. However, this served as a good lesson, as the other proposals were entirely evidence-based (Quick Sprout). The major setback at Azizi Life Inc in Rwanda was language barrier and the abrupt wrap up of the projects assigned to my teams. Language barrier had the most significant setback, as a translator was required to liaise between the local community and our project team. Regardless of the great service by the interpreter, the project team felt a bit distant from the local communities, as elaborations of important concepts and point became difficult. The most important concept of communication is to understand the other communication party without the assistance of interpreters, as the latter may incorporate some form of communication bias (Knewton). The need to incorporate an interpreter reduces effectiveness of the policies and strategies presented forth, as well as elaboration of the important aspects of the project of the team. The other shortcoming was the abrupt closure of the project before the implementation of all the proposed policies. This was a major setback, as the project team did not have the opportunity to make a comprehensive follow-up on the implementation of the policies. Consequently, the policies may end up failing. However, the setback was a great indicator for the need of incorporating control mechanisms in all policies designed such that the follow up procedure is not necessarily important. In addition, the project ended when the team had a better understanding of the financial forces in the region. Therefore, we did not have enough time to restructure the policies to suit the new knowledge. My duty as a financial management officer in Afghanistan and Iraq had some significant setbacks too. This is because of the numerous and seemingly random deployments that affected my performance capability at any given designation. Despite the accomplishments as a micro-finance loan officer in Tikrit Province, Afghanistan, I did not have the opportunity to optimally utilize my experience in assisting the villagers. This was because of the involvement boundaries set by the military command in the region as well as the risk of attack. Another reason was the attitude of the local villagers towards the American forces, thus creating some barriers. However, this does not implicitly base the setback on the US forces as they facilitated the opportunity. The setback is purely circumstantial. The regular deployments and redeployments created a sense of temporality such that there was some development of reluctance to develop long-term policies and strategies concerning financial management decisions, primarily because of the technicalities resulting from perpetuation of these policies. Similar to the others, this setback was also a lesson and a challenge to learn how to develop sustainable and effective short-term financial management policies. This, however, requires expert training that your prestigious offers to its students through a competent curriculum and technical training programs. Question Three Hailing from a third world country, Vietnam, I have first-hand experience on how inequality and poverty affects humans. The rich and diverse experience in serving as a military officer in the US Army has also added to my growing interest in assisting the people in poverty. My experience in Rwanda, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan has ignited a passion within my inner self to pursue efforts of bridging the seemingly huge disparity between the rich and poor in disadvantaged communities. The suffering of Africans in Rwanda and the residents of the war torn Iraq and Afghanistan are my most profound motivations. I draw my ambition from historical figures, such as Mahatma Gandhi and US president Barrack Obama and their believe in achieving anything as long as you put your mind to it. With the mind set on my desire, I need some technical competencies that I hope to receive from your institution by way of attaining an MBA. My short-term goal is to study about community development and the global economy. With the knowledge gained from the MBA curriculum, I plan to carry out comprehensive research projects on the factors that affect communities, primarily through involvement with charitable organizations in Vietnam and other regions. Through the interaction with the lower classes of the poor communities, I will achieve a clearer idea of needs of these communities and merge them to the growing trend of the larger global community. To be specific, I plan to volunteer my services to World Vision International and UNICEF International, as these organizations reflect my ideal business model by focusing on poverty and illiteracy eradication (Quote Garden). My long-term career goal is to assist the disadvantaged communities in Vietnam and reduce the gap between the developing and developed countries (Resource Nation). From the analysis of my achievements, I believe I have an entrepreneurial mind with which I plan to found a non-profit organization to assist the poor communities in the under-developed regions in Vietnam. The decision to change my career from finance to non-profit management arises from my career experience, which has been a great impulse to my true passion and my inner realization. The most rewarding outcome of doing business would be to serve human purposes (Brainy Quotes). However, none of this is possible without the necessary operational and entrepreneurial skills from an MBA program like yours. Harvard Business School produces confident candidates capable of excelling in any economic condition, which is what I require. Question Four The questions by Harvard Business School are standard, but there are omissions on some important aspects, such as the benefit of the applicant to institution and community, as well as previous efforts to make the community a better place. Having served in the US Army and other capacities, I have a rich experience of living in multiple, cross-cultural communities and fitting in their societies without much difficulties. I am a Vietnamese national, born and raised in Vietnam. In 2005, I landed into the United States as an international student, and blended well with the diverse American cultures. After my undergraduate degree, I volunteered to serve in the US Armed Forces to change the global community at large. My central focus as a US Armed Forces officer was improving the living standards of communities in war torn in the Middle East, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have a strong belief that all humans are equally important, and thus none should suffer from controllable circumstances such as poverty and discrimination (Think Exist and Pielow). As a student in Harvard Business School undertaking an MBA program, I will offer my diverse culture and experience to my fellow colleagues, with emphasis on improving the community. Through setting example as a disciplined person, I set to raise the discipline levels of the institution to an epic height. With the successful enrollment at the prestigious institution, I serve to set a practical example of your quality curriculum programs in my home country, Vietnam, setting the pace for other Vietnamese candidates in the future who may seek excellent educational programs such as those offered in your institution. It is my strongest belief that I have served my home community, as well as other communities well in the past. My service in the US Armed Forces took me to the remote communities in war-torn areas in the Middle East, including assisting villagers of Tikrit Province, elementary school, and farming projects in Falluja, and bridges and irrigation systems in Northern Tigris River in Afghanistan. My tenure as the project team leader in Gitarama, Rwanda, was of great service to the local communities. The project team, under my leadership, provided the communities with innovative and sustainable recommendation to assist in streamlining their financial models. We also sensitized the indigenous communities and local start-up businesspeople on the effective business strategies and tactics that promote growth and perpetuation of business settings, as well as long-term profitability (Slide Share). Works Cited Pielow, Christian. 4 Reasons Why Ivy League Executive Education is Good Value. Web, April 6, 2012. (https://www.bluesteps.com/blog/4-Reasons-Why-Investing-in-Ivy-League-Executive-Education-is-Worth-It.aspx) Resource Nation. 26 Best Motivational Business Quotations. Web, April 6, 2012. (http://www.resourcenation.com/blog/26-best-motivational-business-quotations/3209/) Quick Sprout. 101 Motivational Business Quotes. Web, April 6, 2012. (http://www.quicksprout.com/2009/12/07/101-motivational-business-quotes/) Slide Share Inc. 50 Motivational Business Quotes. Web, April 6, 2012. (http://www.slideshare.net/insideview/50-motivational-business-quotes) Daylife. Ivy League. Web, April 6, 2012. (http://www.daylife.com/topic/Ivy_League/quotes?__site=daylife) Brainy Quotes. Brainy Quotes. Web, April 6, 2012. (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/ivy.html) Think Exist. Ivy League Quotes. Web, April 6, 2012. (http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/ivy_league/) Quote Garden. Quotations about Business. Web, April 6, 2012. (http://www.quotegarden.com/business.html) Business Quotes. Business Quotes. Web, April 6, 2012. (http://www.businessquotes.com/) Knewton. Top 25 Business Quotes. Web, April 6, 2012. (http://www.knewton.com/blog/gmat/b-school-life/2011/01/04/top-2-business-quotes/) Read More