Mega Business Simulation Undertaken by My Team - Coursework Example

Reflective Report Executive Summary This assignment is about Mega business simulation undertaken by my team and I during the first semester. The simulation was done as from October 2014 to the end of 2014 December. The assignment will therefore involve a reflective report on the whole experience. The report will strive to equip myself, my team and other students reflect, and transform the whole experience into a useful knowledge. Reflective practice techniques involves the usage of relevant academic theories and concepts, and critical incidents of the whole event to be analyzed. This report applies the same technique in order to achieve a good reflection of the Mega business stimulation. Among the techniques applied includes analyzing my groups behaviour through several incidents that occurred during the game and then make a recommendation of what we could have done better or otherwise. In addition, the report also discusses and analyses skills and knowledge I gained through the whole event. In conclusion, the report outlines how I found the whole procedure as an experience, working in multicultural team. The report also indicates problems the whole five members experienced especially at the beginning of the game given that we were from different countries. Introduction Learning is one the processes said to know time and boundary (Flanagan, 1954). In every day experience we learn a thing or two. In experiential learning theory, learning is referred to as a process where knowledge is created through the transformation of experience (Clamp, 1980). According to this definition, therefore, knowledge results from combination of grasping and transforming experience. Reflection plays a very significant aspect of learning. Reflection involves exploring and explaining events that have occurred by processing our memories and feelings of the same (Dewey, 1993). Reflection can therefore help in identifying better possible solutions to problems that have occurred in a given event. Reflection can be either reflection-in-action or reflection-on-action(Schon, 1983). Reflection-in-action is where a reflection is done while working on a project. Reflection-on-action on the other hand means reflecting by evaluating the whole project. Schon et al. 1983 defines reflection-on-action as thinking back on what we have done in order to discover how our knowing-in-action may have contributed to an unexpected outcome (Keugh& Walker, 1985). In the report I am going to reflect-on-action by discussing my experience of working in a group. In this this reflection I will apply relevant theories in order to be able to reflect upon my group progress in a more rational way of thinking. Reflective theories therefore makes a part of this report in order to achieve the most out of experience I had during the mega business stimulation. Reflection will be based on various aspect such as leadership and team roles, human relations, multicultural teams and team’s adaptation to challenges. First Critical Incidents Critical incident analysis is a technique that consists of different ways to that can help collect and make observation as per human behaviour. These techniques will help in assessing an individual’s potential as far as solving practical problems are concerned (Flanagan, 1954). First, introducing people from different culture background and experience as a team was a bit hard. The most visible first experience was the urge every member showed in participation and being there for the team. The much evident differences on how far we can go posted a great tumbling block in our aim make a bond between us even though my team and I tried our level best. These differences led the team to be divided into two parts. One group was made up of those members who cared about the game while the other group was not so concerned about the situation. The team was like a fail. It was hard making decisions meant to apply to everybody as one of the group members left the University for Family Reasons in week 2,and the other one did not participate and did not attend the meetings since week 3. This was a really frustrating situation for me and the rest of other cooperating members as we knew we had to complete the work for them aswell. As far as I am concerned, I believe that taking advantage of the kindness of your group’s members is really annoying and that’s a major reason that I don’t like working in groups. This experiences had to do to with the ‘storming’ age of the team formation. This stage is supported by Tucker’s theory. Tucker’s theory indicates that there is a process of joining a team which involves getting to know the members and start to open up to each other. A mid the confusion I had to face the reality because the game had officially started. I must confess at a personal level I was confused because I had no idea about how to play the simulation as I was doing such a project for the first time. I was a bit lucky though because the rest of the group got the point from the very beginning and they helped me get into the mood quickly and effectively. The effect of the meeting we had before the game officially started manifested itself through communication. Notably, communication between me and the other two members, who were all present in the meeting, was incredible. After a little while the whole team overcome the ‘Storming’ phase and moved on to ‘Norming’ phase. From that moment, we were able to exchange information, ideas and thoughts, as well as working as a group which was evidently our new main aim. Second Critical Incident Many people fond it had to define leadership. Most people view it as the attribute of a position, as a characteristics of a person or as a character of behaviour. Leadership however is a relationship concept which involves two terms. Leadership involves an influencing agent and the person being influenced. Taking leadership as an ability is for this reason a misled perspective. I would say such a proposal is misled since leadership depends too much on the properties of a situation and of the people to be led. I experienced a sense leadership in an interesting way during the whole team work.From the beginning,and from the moment that I personally realized that one of our group members I was familiar, capable and ready to play the game and win, in my eyes he became our leader. I also realized that whole team concentrated much on the ability aspect on an individual before making him a leader. Realizing that a person might know more than you do, and can give good ideas and make the right decisions, he was instantly chosen as our leader. This however doesn’t mean that the rest of us didn’t pay attention while we were trying to make decisions about the simulation game. Once a leader was chosen all team member would the help in decision making as a pact. Our mode of operation would there meets a standard definition of having a leader. Leadership can therefore be seen here as a process whereby a person can be able to influence a given population or just an individual with an aim of attaining some already defined tasks (Barron & Greenburg, 1990). Having a leader doesn’t however guarantee smooth sailing. This means that eve picking a leader, the whole team should still keep their heads up and get involved as much as possible. So in our team as much as we were a bit relieved that there is one of us that has a clear view , is confident and ready to succeed in the game, we did not stop worrying and thinking of ways to improve our performance as a group. Being a good leader that we all expected him to be His push and dedication, motivated all of us in the group in order to deliver the maximum possible we could week in week out. Third Critical Incident Effective communication was another dimension which manifested itself through the stimulation process. Good communication can be defined as the process of sharing information between two or more individuals or groups to reach a common understanding ( Jones and George, 2007). As much as we ended up being a group of three instead of the initially intended of five,the bonding between us was just wonderful and this I experienced at very early stage of forming the group.There is a communication process in virtually in all real life examples. Throughout the whole process for example for instance I was ready to listen to suggestion, understand, evaluate the other group members by my own and make decisions. That is also how the rest of the group were thinking too, and so this made it very easy in order to come to the right decisions as a team.Personally, I appreciated every word of my fellow group members and I always tried to empathize,analyze,and understand their point of view before rushing into any judgment. In every setting though there is always a threat of misunderstanding and miscommunication. This could have resulted from the fact that we were a group ofdifferent personalities from different culture.Even though, as a multicultural groups we had to face with cultural diversity and language issues. Personally I always felt that there is no difference between any of us. The understanding and appreciation from team members showed a lot of maturity in executing our plans. Finally I realized that having such effective communication increased our performance. Critical Evaluation Working in a multicultural team made me realize that I don’t need to be with people I know, or with people same as me,in order to achieve a goal and succeed in a working environment, and at the end you might strike new friendships. The magic that effective communication amid the language barriers and cultural difference gave a totally new insight of working with people. Like in my group,and the most of times,there are always people who will not cooperate or even people who don’t care and are absent.I believe that at the beginning I was affected by my fellow group members and their position, but afterwards I realized that the right decision to make was to move forward and don’t pay attention. I was told that leadership in team work might bring many fights and misunderstandings within a team however, I am glad that we had a leader who was always discrete enough to make sure that we understand,communicate and participate by giving ideas and making decisions. Communication is a very valuable issue,and by now with the simulation,I can say that I have worked enough to learn how to react and respond in real life problems. Conclusion Concluding with this reflective report, I believe that my group and I delivered the maximum we could.I am able to say that I have developed my transferable skills such as improving on my communication, my interpersonal skills and progressed on decision-making.Personally I found the simulation game very interesting and I did enjoy it as I got to learn how things work within a company by playing myself, rather just learning in theory. I realized after the small experience I had,that know I am ready to take responsibilities and be sure for the decisions I might need to take in the future.Overcoming my fears and taking risks under a specific strategy-scope,is what every company expects from an employee. In addition, I survived how it is to feel the competition and how stressful it can become when in real life examples. I am keen though to think clearly, act wisely under a strategy and achieve a better results. If I was going to experience again such a simulation game I would be more prepared and know from the beginning what is going on.I believe that we could have been given more explications and advices from our tutors at the first stages of the game,as we were kind of lost!I wouldn’t do anything differently as I believe we did a very good job as team. Bibliography Boude D et al (1985). Reflection Turning Experience into Learning. 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