Short-Term and Long-Term Post-MBA Goals - Personal Statement Example

Essay Required What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals How will Columbia Business School help you achieve these goals (Recommended750 word limit) "Two roads diverged in the woods, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made the all differences." These infamous words of Robert Frost resonated in my heart. Influenced deeply by my father who is a senior governmental official, I have long been passionate about public administration. Recognizing that trend of globalization and market economy, I realized that being geared with the adequate knowledge and skills in managing business organizations will enable me to make meaningful differences. Thus, instead of directly plunging into the government career I embarked on the quest in furthering my business management skills. Having worked as an executive assistant to the mayor of Pingyao after serving three years in the information technology industry, I was given a chance to transplant business practices, methodologies, and skills into public management. With this, I increasingly understood that government needs a new generation mayor in the rapid changes-just as a business needs a new generation CEO in the transformational economy. Thus, I set my long term goal to become such a mayor-a leader of change, devoting myself in refocusinga service government which fulfills its responsibilities on economic regulation, market supervision, social management and public welfare based on service. Furthermore, I aspire to bridge my city from landlocked West China to the global stage. To get prepared for such a vision, I set my short-term goal to become a strategist, stepping up to senior executive assistant after completing my MBA. I will serve as the chief strategic officer in my hometown and a strategic partner to the mayor, creating, communicating, executing, and sustaining the city's strategic initiatives. For me, strategy is more than forging new city developments, working relationships, and synergies across government functions; it also involves establishing greater transparency and accountability. The Chinese government thirsts for a new generation of government officers who master the modern government management tools, global perspectives and change leadership. To catch this trend and grow up to such officer, I identify it the best time for me to pursue an MBA education in Columbia Business School. My step up into government requires further preparation to learn to balance my business philosophy with my government mission. In this regard, Columbia Business School serves as the best venue to achieve both as it offers holistic education. I admire the educational institution's innovative approach to learning because I believe that the latter should evolve in order to accommodate the emerging needs of students and the international business arena. By becoming a venue for active learning, entrepreneurial training, and bridging research and practice, I believe that Columbia Business School will equip me with the necessary knowledge and skills which will enable me to attain both my short term and long term goals. The commitment of the university to allow us to grow through the application of theoretical concepts through case studies and other activities will enable me to become a refined strategist. After establishing a solid foundation across business disciplines through Columbia's core curriculum, I will major in strategic management. Competitive Strategy and Industrial Structure will help me position my hometown city among many other peer-cities in our competition for industries. Multinational Business Policy will inspire me in staging the city for international markets. Field Application Project and Global Consulting Practicum will enable me to address my current weakness: my lack of hands-on strategic experience, especially at the international level. Moreover, I will expand my vision in the Seminar in Corporate Strategy. The knowledge and skills which I will acquire in these diverse fields will mold me into an individual of character, able to lead through the more challenging economic times. In China's ascent as one of the leaders in the global economy, Columbia Business School will furnish me with the unique set of competencies together with the strong character that characterizes the efficient leader in the years to come. The university will not only broaden my knowledge and skills but will enable me to develop my social skills through my interaction with culturally diverse colleagues, topnotch faculties, and business partners. I have indeed taken the road less travelled as I head toward my ultimate goals. I know that Columbia will help me continue along my journey, as it is a force that aims to create global economic and social value. In this era in which the line between public and private sectors blurs, the endeavor for the common good has become our ultimate purpose-whether in business or government. Essay 2 (Required): Master Classes are the epitome of bridging the gap between theory and practice at Columbia Business School. View link below. Please provide an example from your own life in which practical experience taught you more than theory alone. (Recommended 500 word limit) When topics are presented inside the classroom, I have always anticipated that techniques and theoretical concepts will work efficiently when applied in the real world. However, one recent experience showed me that appreciation of theoretical concepts is inadequate but application takes on more challenges and greater opportunities for learning. Greater than the knowledge I've acquired inside the classroom, my participation in the reformation of the tourism industry opens my eyes to the fact that managers lack the ability to put everything in ceteris paribus and apply their theoretical understanding of management techniques. More often, they learn more from the challenges and setbacks encountered along the way. At the beginning of 2008, as one of the cities of World Cultural Heritage, Pingyao badly needed to reform its tourism industry to achieve a triple-win in cultural inheritance protection, financial returns, and city development. The first reformation project began with the Ancestral Hall Tour Company-a state-owned tour company in a severe financial deficit due to limited government appropriation and lack of business. As the executive assistant to the mayor and leader of this reformation project, I had an immediate inspiration from the venture capital practice in the business world. Looking back at my previous lessons in the university, I concluded that it is most logical to create an original, profitable, and feasible business model to entice a venture capital to invest in this tour company. However, this idea has been met with disagreement by more conservative government officials. Because of the Chinese culture, they were extremely guilty of using our ancestors in order to raise fund. Some worried about commercialization would possibly damage cultural heritage protection and mislead government operation. This is where I realized how hard it is to manage individuals. In school, I was adept in explaining how to win people, lead them, and utilize them for an organization's success. I was even well-versed in the theories on people motivation. However, it was more difficult than I envisioned them to be because I am dealing with people who have emotions, diverse beliefs and priorities. Even though I was the leader, I just can't impose what my people cannot back as it would lead to an ultimate downfall. Reflecting on this, I discovered that I was intellectually smart but emotionally blind. In fact, this renovation was more about changing people than changing the operational model. Thus, in another senior management conference, I began with the successful cases of Italy in protecting cultural heritage which opened their eyes. They began to foresee that it was possible to create the triple-win situation by venture capitals and are enlightened by my illustration. After the conference, I individually visited senior officials, helping them understand the new trend of applying business practices to public management and introduced them the corporate venture capital trend in today's business world. Gradually, the corporate venture capital model was accepted by most senior officials. My proposal ended with their high appraisal and final approval. Looking back, I have learned that experience really is the best teacher. Our knowledge of theoretical concepts remains futile unless they are utilized in order to accomplish great things in the real world. In fact, I strongly assert that lessons in the classrooms should always be complemented by hands-on applications which will enable the learner to be a participant and not just a mere observer in the business arena. Thus, my commitment in acquiring a master degree in Columbia is backed by my motivation to learn through theoretical appreciation and application. Essay 3 (Required): Please provide an example of a team failure of which you've been a part. If given a second chance, what would you do differently (Recommended 500 word limit) Yearning to be China's Bill Gates, I began my small startup as soon as I graduated from university. Foreseeing bluetooth technology's wide popularity in the subsequent five years, I quickly co-founded a high-tech company and raised investments to explore the virgin territory in the Chinese market. Our products, such as our wireless dish-ordering system which hoped to minimize the number of waiters needed by 80 percent came out soon after the company was founded. However, we had tremendous difficulties in selling the products as very few restaurants could afford the high price. The early passion for entrepreneurship in my startup team was turning into frustration over the financial setbacks. Pessimism prevailed in the workplace. However, being always strong-willed, I had a different viewpoint. Deadlocks have at least one advantage: they force us to think. I brainstormed with my team and decided to reposition ourselves at high-grade restaurants and strived to reshape our products. First, I motivated the staff to fight for success by perfecting our products and sell our products as well seek new business opportunities. Unfortunately, bluetooth entered the Chinese market at an unprecedented rate and model products similar to ours soon appeared and we failed to make a comeback. I felt guilty with my employees together with the investors but decided to stop the losses by closing the business altogether. I thought that continuing will only aggravate the situation and would lead to more disappointments. When I look at it now, I realize that a business should not only be dependent on one functional area. We excelled in product development but were inexperienced in marketing, raw material purchasing, sales, and negotiation. How could I break through the bottlenecks After carefully analyzing, I could have decided to reposition our company as the software provider by using our technology advantages. If given a chance, I would search for cooperation opportunities with several big bluetooth technology companies. By knocking on their doors, meeting their technology directors, and making presentations to their boards, we could have successfully sold our software codes to one company, enabling us to repay our investor's money. Our leading technology and business ethics could have won respect from our peers. We could have revived our company in the fierce market competition and would have continued to make contributions to bluetooth technology today. I value failure as much as my successes. I have never been regretful of the times that situations proved me wrong. These failures expose my weaknesses enabling me to grow into a better individual. Some people are blessed to be given opportunities called second chances to improve on and even correct their failures. But as for me, failures without second chances offer greater opportunities to strive to do best next time. Essay 4 (Optional): Is there any further information that you wish to provide to the Admissions Committee (Please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history.) "My son would be the same age as you if he were alive," a woman murmured to me, a volunteer teacher for the village in 2004. Her husband and son had died in a mine tragedy and-with no hope left-she chose to depend on local governmental relief. Her words touched me deeply. I tried to send her two sheep expecting that she would tend them enabling her to become self-sufficient, but she ate them! My shock and disappointment were overwhelming. Mother Teresa's words always inspired me: Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for-that is a much greater poverty than the person with nothing to eat. As a follower of the Mother Teresa, I choose to lead her to help herself. I found a hospital to remove her cataract and helped her find a gardening job at a property management company. With my encouragement, she worked hard and won homeowners' high praise. However, it wasn't until I asked her to help an orphan burnt in a fire, her motherly love shone through, and she devoted herself to this orphan. When the boy was discharged from the hospital, the village woman's kind eyes and smiling face told me I had rekindled a mother's passion for life. This experience taught me how to help others in a meaningful way. I understand that the government possesses more power than individuals. Fortunately, Columbia offers the systematic social entrepreneurship education. I admire the institution by instilling their students with the knowledge and skills that would enable them to run a successful business organization but I am also very much into their commitment of changing the lives of the community through social corporate responsibility. I believe I can help more people in Pingyao-and in China-after completing my MBA. Read More