Half Way Through
One year ago right now, I was getting ready for my trip to New York for Thanksgiving, where I would spend a few blissful days with my friends Tom and George seeing plays and eating delicious food. I was mulling over the idea of applying to grad school, but was frankly a bit frightened that they'd laugh at me when they saw the application. But I took my laptop with me anyway and I sat on Tom's couch working on the essays. I knew I'd never actually get in, but figured I had to try.
Little did I know. As of 4PM yesterday, I am officially half way through my MBA. And I'm good at this. My right thumbtip is still numb from the pressure on my pen for three days and I'm not able to actually focus for long on the screen because I'm freakishly tired, but all in all things went relatively well. I was as prepared as I could realistically be, and I figure I had an alright answer for most things. I may not have lit the sky on fire with my eloquence and ability, but I think I held my own.
Here are the sorts of things I've been writing about. Many of you will find this amusing, as these are not typical topics of Mindy conversation.
macroeconomics (3 hours) - the multiplier and accelerator principles regarding injections into the economy; the Phillips Curve (regular and augmented) and why there isn't actually a tradeoff between inflation and unemployment; comparing and contrasting endogenous and exogenous growth; Balance of Payments, the US trade deficit, and the potential consequences for both us and for the rest of the world.
Strategic Management (3 hours) - customer strategic matrices, culture webs, Porter's five forces, VRIN resources, causal mapping, and various permutations thereof
People Management (2.5 hours) - analysed the effectiveness of Starbucks' HR policies and how they must/must not change in the future to accommodate exponential growth; international HR policies and how to manage expats; appropriate methods for performance appraisal and why they work
Finance (3 hours) - did discounted cash flows for two possible plans for manufacturing a new product, and made a recommendation as to which one the company should implement...and then I calculated stock prices, company value and made various investment recommendations
Supply Chain Management (2 hours) - Value-added time and time based compression; activity- based costing; procurement policies and potential gains from the RFP process; and then discussed the causes of amplified demand how companies can deal with it (the bullwhip effect).
When exams were through, we had a nice little party at a place here in MK where we ate and drank heavily and danced. We had a great time. I could actually drink this time because it was taxi-distance from my house. Many shots of tequila and sambuca were consumed. (Seperately, because simultaneously they would be vomit-inducing.) Got home around 130 last night, slept until noon, and have done nothing of consequence today. I started watching things I've been tivoing over the past two months and made a run to Tesco so I had food in the house. Unearthed the Christmas tree and decorations and will likely put them up tomorrow night. Had intended to do it today, but it's more fun to sit here and feel lazy/sleepy. (Note - I get to put my tree up early because a) there is no Thanksgiving here to mark the season, and b) I leave for home in the middle of the month so I wouldn't have enough time with the pretty lights if I didn't.) Intend to continue to listen to the iPod on shuffle while I read some FICTION and maybe drink some tea.
I have an incredible sense of achievement right now. I've been talking about my MBA for years. I really wanted this. A year ago, I figured people would forget I'd mentioned it eventually and I wouldn't have to be a failure in their eyes forever if I didn't get in. But I did. And in a year I'll be done.
Little did I know. As of 4PM yesterday, I am officially half way through my MBA. And I'm good at this. My right thumbtip is still numb from the pressure on my pen for three days and I'm not able to actually focus for long on the screen because I'm freakishly tired, but all in all things went relatively well. I was as prepared as I could realistically be, and I figure I had an alright answer for most things. I may not have lit the sky on fire with my eloquence and ability, but I think I held my own.
Here are the sorts of things I've been writing about. Many of you will find this amusing, as these are not typical topics of Mindy conversation.
macroeconomics (3 hours) - the multiplier and accelerator principles regarding injections into the economy; the Phillips Curve (regular and augmented) and why there isn't actually a tradeoff between inflation and unemployment; comparing and contrasting endogenous and exogenous growth; Balance of Payments, the US trade deficit, and the potential consequences for both us and for the rest of the world.
Strategic Management (3 hours) - customer strategic matrices, culture webs, Porter's five forces, VRIN resources, causal mapping, and various permutations thereof
People Management (2.5 hours) - analysed the effectiveness of Starbucks' HR policies and how they must/must not change in the future to accommodate exponential growth; international HR policies and how to manage expats; appropriate methods for performance appraisal and why they work
Finance (3 hours) - did discounted cash flows for two possible plans for manufacturing a new product, and made a recommendation as to which one the company should implement...and then I calculated stock prices, company value and made various investment recommendations
Supply Chain Management (2 hours) - Value-added time and time based compression; activity- based costing; procurement policies and potential gains from the RFP process; and then discussed the causes of amplified demand how companies can deal with it (the bullwhip effect).
When exams were through, we had a nice little party at a place here in MK where we ate and drank heavily and danced. We had a great time. I could actually drink this time because it was taxi-distance from my house. Many shots of tequila and sambuca were consumed. (Seperately, because simultaneously they would be vomit-inducing.) Got home around 130 last night, slept until noon, and have done nothing of consequence today. I started watching things I've been tivoing over the past two months and made a run to Tesco so I had food in the house. Unearthed the Christmas tree and decorations and will likely put them up tomorrow night. Had intended to do it today, but it's more fun to sit here and feel lazy/sleepy. (Note - I get to put my tree up early because a) there is no Thanksgiving here to mark the season, and b) I leave for home in the middle of the month so I wouldn't have enough time with the pretty lights if I didn't.) Intend to continue to listen to the iPod on shuffle while I read some FICTION and maybe drink some tea.
I have an incredible sense of achievement right now. I've been talking about my MBA for years. I really wanted this. A year ago, I figured people would forget I'd mentioned it eventually and I wouldn't have to be a failure in their eyes forever if I didn't get in. But I did. And in a year I'll be done.
Comments
You should be very proud of yourself!
And hey, how DO you manage expats, anyway? I'd like to know, so I can prepare to be managed.
I'm almost done with my first of seven quarters. I feel like I've found my groove. I want to quit every other day, but I'm really happy I'm doing it. Time flies. Might as well make good use of it. After one aborted MA attempt, I also felt it calling to me, nagging me endlessly, knowing I would be miserable without it. I've always expected it of myself. Happy Halfway!