Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experiences of other Kellogg students. (minor: one to two pages double spaced)
When I left Paris in June 1996, after having spent nine months studying in France as an exchange student, I made the promise to myself that I would return one day to live. Five years later I boarded the plane for Paris, French contract in hand. My experiences over the past three years have shaped me as a person, and I believe that they will allow me to bring a unique perspective to the Kellogg community. Although I work for the same company as in New York, I was not transferred. I have a local French contract, and had to overcome hurdles to find and succeed in my position. I believe this sense of risk and determination would make me a valuable asset to the Kellogg community. To my knowledge, I am the first Publicis USA employee ever to move to headquarters. There was no system of exchange in place, and finding a position took initiative and persistence. I applied to several advertising agencies in Paris, and surprising even myself, landed multiple interviews. At Publicis, I made contacts with high level managers based in Paris, ensured I was involved in international projects including an important new business pitch, enlisted the support of the US managers including the New York CEO, and gave a new definition to the words follow-through. Not only did I manage to land a job in Paris, but with great difficulty, was able to change positions after one year and negotiate salary raises for myself each of the last two years. Accustomed to an American system that coddles its employees, I quickly learned that only I would be responsible for my own success. Compensation was not an automatic reward for good work; rather it was something that required determination, confidence, negotiation, and persistence. As a foreigner on a local contract, this was to prove even truer. More importantly, I have gained an amazing education in international business and learned first-hand the importance of understanding the global marketplace. I believe this professional background gives me a unique outlook that will further allow me to contribute to the Kellogg community. I have learned how a multi-national builds a global brand, and how international necessities are balanced with local realities. I have worked according to different business models, and have been able to personally judge the effectiveness of diverse methods. One of my principal responsibilities is managing communication implementation for Nestli Pure Life and Nestli Aquarel, two Nestli branded waters. Pure Life exists in diverse markets around the world, while Aquarel is only present in Europe. Yet, Pure Life's advertising is controlled centrally, while the Aquarel markets are allowed control over most of their creative, provided they work according to an international positioning. I have been able to personally judge the benefits and disadvantages of each method. I have also had the opportunity to delve deeply into local market situations, and have learned how vital it is to understand the native culture. Just as a sound business plan is ineffective if it does not take into account how the local consumer thinks, an executive must comprehend how a company functions in another culture. I work closely with several countries in the Middle East. Until approximately a year ago, I had a very difficult time connecting with my colleagues there. Last year, I attended an in-store visibility seminar in Egypt, and was able to meet representatives from each of the markets. I quickly learned that my method of communication was ineffective in this part of the world and had blocked my ability to create a relationship. My American habit of ensuring everything was in writing actually ran contrary to the work customs. I have since changed the way I liaise with these markets, and have been able to build a solid relationship with each of my colleagues. I believe these experiences distinguish me as a candidate, illustrating both my values and unique professional background. Hopefully the persistence and determination I bring to projects, combined with my international perspective, will allow me to make a contribution to the Kellogg community.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
You have been selected as a member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Please provide a brief evaluative assessment of your file. (major: one to two pages double-spaced)
I have just finished reviewing Pamela Jaffe's file, and would like to recommend her for admission to the Kellogg Class of 2006. Two elements in particular caught my attention and lead me to believe she would make a unique contribution to the incoming MBA class. First, Pamela's experience is atypical within the advertising field. She has developed her knowledge in this domain from both the macro and micro perspectives. Pamela's successful career evolution at Publicis New York assures me that she will have the skills inherent to an advertising account manager: most notably project management. However, it is her current position that makes me think she would make an interesting addition to our community Working from a global and regional perspective, Pamela has acquired a big picture view of promotion's role within the marketing mix. She has learned how a brand positioning is built globally and developed into a total communications plan locally. Working closely with senior Publicis executives including the International Head of Strategic Planning and Worldwide Nestli Account Director, she has witnessed the development of international tools and strategies, helping markets implement them locally in a variety of media. I believe Pamela's experiences have given her a true understanding of communication's role in building a brand, one that is often difficult to achieve within the typical account management structure that focuses on the details of one brand in one market Secondly, Pamela's international experience and outlook will certainly add to our class. Having worked extensively both in the U.S. and abroad, Pamela will not only be able to provide an international outlook, but will be able to critically examine both the American and European systems. Yet at the same time she realizes how much she needs to learn, and plans to take advantage of our programs. I draw your attention to these two factors because I believe they clearly show how Pamela can add to our community. However, I would not recommend her for admission if she did not also possess the basic skills and attributes fundamental to a Kellogg student. Pamela has a clear career focus and has considered how Kellogg will help her to achieve her objectives. As her future goals are based on her current experiences, I am confident that Pamela has clear professional direction and will benefit from our program. Furthermore, she shows both leadership potential and teamwork skills. At Publicis New York, Pamela received two promotions in four years, and was managing two direct reports by the time she resigned. In her current position, she oversees local account teams around the world. While not a traditional supervisory role, this virtual management requires similar abilities. In fact, Pamela is currently scheduled to go to Beirut in January and lead the local Publicis office in a major photography shoot for the Middle Eastern region. This assures me that she is seen as both a manager of authority and someone who can be relied upon to work independently. I have no doubt that Pamela has the teamwork ethic that is part of the Kellogg culture, as this skill is inherent to advertising. The very definition of an account executive's position is to manage the needs and expectations of each department and Client. I did have see one cause for concern in Pamela's file. Although she attended a top college, her GPA is significantly lower than our average student's. A review of her transcript, however, assuaged my doubts. Setting aside the typical low GPA freshman year, most of her poor grades were received during her Junior Year Abroad. As she took all her classes at the French University with local students, I would guess that her performance might have been more related to a weakness in French than pure academic ability. (Her grades in sophomore year French classes would confirm this for me.) Obviously Pamela has overcome her French hurdle! In any case, her strong senior year GPA and high GMAT convince me that Pamela has both the academic ability and desire to perform well at Kellogg.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying for an MBA and how will they contribute to your professional career? (major essay). This was written for an MBA program.
I plan to develop a career in international brand management within consumer product companies. Working in advertising has provided me with a first-hand view into life on the Client side. L'Orial especially included their agencies in many of the processes not traditionally considered 'advertising,' sharing their marketing plans and consulting with us on new product concepts. Communications is an important building block for brand development, and my experience to-date will no doubt provide me an advantage. Since working on the Nestli Central Team, I have been exposed to the heart of strategic communications. Because we are removed from day-to-day market issues and short-term profit considerations, we focus on the big picture. Working with top-level clients and Publicis managers, I have learned how to develop a durable brand positioning, how to connect with the consumer, and how to develop a total communications plan. However, I wish to be a part of the larger picture. I am currently working on a project to improve in-store communication for bottled water. Although my input pertains to the medium and the message, the work is to a certain extent incomplete. Without understanding key account negotiations and the functioning of the sales force, I am unable to propose a realistic implementation plan. While we are hired as communications experts, I am interested in managing a brand in its entirety. I also wish to work in a more analytical field. While I initially chose advertising for the creative aspect, my strength lies in business, and I would like utilize more 'hard' skills. Communication is highly strategic, but based on creative intuition. While I appreciate creativity, and will certainly need to understand it as a brand manager, I am a businesswoman at heart. Working internationally and on global projects is important to me. I took the position in Paris in order to realize my dream of working in France for a few years and to gain some international experience before pursuing my MBA. Instead, my career direction changed. I have learned the importance of understanding the global marketplace. A sound business plan is ineffective if it does not take into account how the local consumer thinks; likewise, the executive must comprehend how a company functions in another culture. To operate in the international arena, it is vital to arrive at a balance between international necessities and local realities. This is the ideal school for me because it provides a global management education. While other top programs can provide the marketing skills, the general management focus, and the access to high-level faculty and business people, only this MBA program provides a true international education. Furthermore, the graduates land internationally focused positions worldwide, not only at conglomerates such as LOrial, but also expanding companies such as Nars Cosmetics. Globalism has become a catchword, and international opportunities are becoming more and more prevalent at MBA programs today. While I think these have merit and would certainly take advantage of all offerings at another school, only this MBA program truly infuses globalism throughout the curriculum. I recently had the opportunity to visit the school and sit in on a class, and felt the same vibe as at an international seminar for Nestli. No one culture is prevalent; nobody is providing the international viewpoint. The education was truly global.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Describe an ethical dilemma that you faced and how it was resolved? (Two to three double-spaced paragraphs each)
Working at a professional firm, individuals are bound by the code of conduct. However, ethical dilemma still arises occasionally, often as a result of cultural differences. People from different cultures can draw the line between right and wrong quite differently. In these situations, I rely on my personal values to make a judgement call. I encountered an ethical dilemma in my first consulting project. I was responsible for gathering competitor information. Since there were very limited information sources, I had to get details by cold calling a competitor. My supervisor from the China Office suggested that I should position the situation as a private equity firm looking for an investment opportunity. From his experience, it was the easiest way to get insider information. However, it is against the consulting ethical practice to mislead interviewees. Although I was under performance pressure in my first task, I refused to compromise on professional standard. Instead, I communicated skilfully but honestly that I called from a consulting firm to understand the industry operations. I received some resistance from the competitor in the beginning, but managed to get answers to key questions. I also explored alternative ways to understand the competitor's practices and verified the findings e.g. I called a few industry associations to get additional information and perspectives. Success should not come at the expense of ethical values ethical principles should be abided by in achieving the goal. By upholding my principles, I felt good about the job I do and the value I add. The experience seems to be an insignificant one, but throughout my business career and leadership experience, I will face similar challenges. I am confident that I can handle ethical dilemmas in the future.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
I wish the Admissions Committee had asked me (Two to three double-spaced paragraphs each)
I wish the Admissions Board had asked me 'what are your motivations in life?' I believe that what drives people in life is fundamental to how they will develop as people and as leaders. I am motivated by challenging and improving myself, while at the same time helping people around me to develop their talents. I continue to challenge and improve myself, even if it involves taking risks. I chose to study social sciences as my undergraduate degree, which was a big shift from my previous academic background. I had specialized in science subjects since the forth year of my secondary education. While I enjoyed the fact-based scientific approach to problems, I felt that I lacked the appreciation of wider global issues, which is essential for making informed decisions in a constantly changing world. After graduation from secondary school, I decided to study social sciences. Being one of the top students in science subjects, changing my academic focus to a new field was considered to be a huge risk in Hong Kong. I was willing to bear the risk. Although I did struggle in the beginning, I was able to get up to speed quickly to emerge myself in the discussions of social issues. The ability to take a high level view of issues while keeping a strong discipline of scientific rigor is the reward I reaped from taking an academic risk. I strive to help people to develop their talents. At work, I invest in others' successes. I have extensive experience of supervising temporary consulting staff members in China. Despite their status as temporary hires, I take their developmental needs into account during work planning and schedule discussion sessions to understand their goals. One of the temporary hires I had worked with later turned into a full time staff as she had developed important skills during the project, which she was able to demonstrate in the interview. In a broader context, I would like to contribute to helping children get access to education through achieving my career goal. These two motivations drive my career decisions. An MBA is a unique opportunity to challenge oneself with advanced business concepts and stimulating individuals. I will make full use of the education to prepare myself for the next stage of my career. Through interacting with fellow students, I would like to contribute to their personal and career development, while gaining new insights and perspectives from them at the same time.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities, and/or leadership skills will enhance the experiences of other Kellogg students. (630 words)
I have three unique qualities that can contribute to the experience of other Kellogg students: I am ready to take initiative and make a difference, I am a strong team player and I aim to create positive changes in the society. I take initiative and make a change without formal authority I worked for Hong Kong Democratic Alliance for Betterment (DAB) before university. After working in the headquarters for a month, I quickly built up management's confidence. I was then put on a challenging project to set up a new regional office with two senior members to increase recognition of the party in the area. Traditionally, the party reached out to residents through organising meetings. The first meeting had very low attendance. I was not satisfied with the status quo. Although my responsibility was purely administrative, I realised that I needed to step up and introduce change. I suggested that we were targeting the wrong 'customers'. Since the office was located in the city centre, very few residents were interested in lengthy meetings. Rather, I suggested we should organise activities to cater for specific needs e.g. dance classes for young professionals, day trips for the elderly. To avoid one-off interactions, I suggested adopting a membership scheme to build a local network. By the end of summer, we had organised four activities with overwhelming attendance and signed up over 200 members. One year later, this regional office became an important base for supporting district election. This model remains an important tool to reach out to local residents. I am ready to grasp the opportunities to make a difference in the Kellogg community. I am a strong team player. Consistently rated as 'exceeding expectation' on teamwork in my half-yearly appraisals, I enjoy my work and make it enjoyable for others. I am proactive in organising case team events and facilitating informal knowledge exchange between different modules. In my opinion, the definition of teamwork extends well beyond a single team. Despite my heavy travel schedules,I volunteered to organise office events every quarter for the Hong Kong office in an attempt to break down the implicit barrier between the services team and the consulting team. Morale has improved significantly the office is livelier and people feel that they are part of a bigger team. More importantly, office members communicate more openly as they understand people better on a personal level. Recently, I extended my effort to building a 'one-team' culture in the newly established Shanghai office. Only mutual understanding can bring about positive results. Other than pursuing business knowledge, I am committed to creating an open team dynamic in Kellogg. I aim to achieve a higher goal other than developing my career. Success should lead to positive changes in the society. I seek to achieve something bigger than just building a business. Through achieving my career goal, I hope to create a sustainable and socially inclusive economic environment. I have always been compassionate about children in rural China not getting adequate education due to poverty. Born in Hong Kong, I was fortunate to receive free basic education and I also had the opportunity to further my undergraduate studies overseas on a scholarship. A lot of children in Mainland China are not as lucky. Getting access to knowledge, I believe, is a basic human right. Through achieving my career goal, I want to improve the situation by alleviating poverty in the local community and investing part of the profits into children's education. Education is the only way to sustain long term economic growth, ensure social mobility and breed future leaders. Other than attaining personal fulfilment, I am committed to contributing to the success of our society. I am excited to involve and inspire fellow Kellogg students to make a positive impact in the society.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Essay 3: You have been selected as a member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Please provide a brief evaluative assessment of your file. (600 words)
Karen has three key strengths: She has strong awareness about her strengths and weaknesses; she has the ability to understand other people, their strengths and their limitations; and she is visionary and aims for the higher goal. Karen understands herself and is determined to overcome her weaknesses. She developed into a successful debater after 3 years of hard work. She started debating in the 5th year of secondary school. After a few rounds of internal competition, she was chosen as one of the school debating team members. It was an honour for a fresh debater, and she discovered her strengths and weaknesses quickly. She was a natural stage performer, but debating also requires tight logical thinking and quick responses. Her performance in external competitions was mediocre, but she was determined to improve herself. To develop logical thinking, she read classic debating scripts to learn how to build and substantiate strong arguments. To improve real-time response, she attended high quality competitions to observe how to formulate effective and articulated rebuttals. In addition, she organised joint school competitions to practise what she has learned. She led the Cambridge team to win an Oxbridge debate in 2000, where she was voted the best debater. Karen shows her ability to understand and work with people from different backgrounds. Understanding the clients perspective was the key to generating actionable strategy. The clients backgrounds are usually very different from hers industry-based and more experienced. In order to communicate effectively, she needs to speak in a way that they could understand and show empathy for their positions. For example, in discussions with the regional CFO of a chemical logistics company, she explained the methodology of the financial model in a clear and concise manner, and responded well to his concerns and suggestions. The manager stated the following in her review: Her interactions with the clients have strengthened our client relationships, and generated significant buy-in in her piece, such that the CFO actually presented her work as if it was done by the client themselves in the final workshop. Karen has a vision for the group and is able to inspire and motivate her team towards that goal. She motivated her team to organise the annual China conference despite failure in the previous year to materialize the event. At first, the team was reluctant since there was no success story to learn from. She communicated the challenges to her team honestly, but also expressed her view that the difficulties were not insurmountable with better planning and group process. She drafted the work-plan to lay out a clear roadmap and delegated according to team members' skill sets and interest levels. She motivated her team by pointing out that they should aim to make the Conference a sustainable event by creating their own success story. With passion and perseverance, they invited nine speakers from U.K., U.S. and Hong Kong to share their views with more than 100 participants in a two-day conference. Since then, the annual conference has become a society tradition. Karen lacks sufficient appreciation of the general management perspective. Having worked in consulting industry since graduation, she has limited experience of seeing how a business works day-to-day. Concentrating on an individual module of a project, it is difficult to see how different elements fit together. In addition, since she has only worked in one firm, she has only seen one single way of working, limiting her ability to comprehend internal problems a manager could face in a complex organisation. Studying an MBA will enable her to make more informed business decisions by understanding what it takes to deliver results in dynamic business situations.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
What have been your most significant leadership roles to date? What was the most valuable lesson learned? (400 words)
I transformed 15 singing team members into leaders of a 200-person group. After graduation, I joined the 'China Synergy Programme' (a 20-day travel exchange programme in China) with 200 students from different countries. I volunteered to organise a group singing performance, while the organiser promised to find 15 other qualified members. It turned out that only five members were secured, and only one of them had music training. The first practice was unsatisfactory. I knew that I could not conquer this alone - critical mass of trained singers was the key to improving overall performance. We agreed to find more members, specifically those with performing experiences. Using our network, we formed a group of 15 singers, five of them with extensive experience. I assigned roles so that experienced singers could coach others effectively. The team built up confidence quickly in this setup. Rather than my dictating the flow, I encouraged members to refine arrangements to make the performance more interesting. The group shifted its mentality from getting things done to taking ownership. The performance went very well, but our teamwork did not come to an end. On the following day, while we waited for group photos, I was asked to lead the group to sing together. I asked my team members to be leaders in their small groups. They showed so much confidence and ownership, encouraging their group to participate and helping out the weaker members. 200 students sang in harmony without prior coordination. It was magical - team members were transformed into leaders, making an impact on the extended organisation. After the performance, participants complimented my leadership. Reflecting upon the experience, what made me a successful leader was not my individual strengths, but my ability to unleash my team members' full potential. No matter how capable one is, it is impossible to achieve large-scale success without a strong team. To build a lasting organisation, it is crucial to cultivate a pipeline of motivated leaders - the only way to generate success again and again. At work, I consistently witness the power of coaching and investing in future successors. I would like to contribute my perspective of leadership to the Kellogg community.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at the Kellogg School. (800 words)
After graduation, I was determined to return to Asia to develop my business career. I joined a global management consulting firms Hong Kong office as an Associate Consultant in September 2002. As a social science graduate, I got up to speed quickly in consulting assignments and was able to grasp the key business issues and acquire the relevant analytical skills rapidly. Over my career, some of the most interesting case experiences include working with a chemical logistics company to project financials and estimate capital requirements for its China expansion plan. In my current project, I am helping an IT services company to identify opportunities in their core customers. I need to work seamlessly with the clients to develop their sales, account management and delivery strategy. As I get more senior, my role evolves and I take on more significant responsibilities that requires more profound understanding of the broader business issues. Instead of asking myself 'what I need to do to complete the analysis', as my experience accumulates, I am now more concerned with questions like 'what the client needs to do to succeed in China'. During the past two years, I had the opportunity to work in locations outside of Hong Kong - I spent 12 months in Beijing and Shanghai and also completed a six-month transfer to the London office. Not only have I developed language capabilities to communicate effectively in various locations, I have also become more sensitive about cultural differences and built up the flexibility to work with people from different backgrounds. Through my extensive consulting experiences in different industries in China, I have acquired a deep understanding of the local market and established my status as a China expert. My global perspective, coupled with my local capabilities and expertise, is a critical strength which I believe will help achieve my career goal. Building a socially conscious travel business in China is my long term goal. This is because of my professional aspiration to run a successful enterprise and my personal passion about economic development. My interest in tourism began when I joined the HK Ambassador Programme before university. Visiting tourist sites and listening to industry experts' views, I was amazed by the power of tourism in promoting economic development and enhancing cultural exchange. Numerous cultural sites in rural China suffer from lack of development. I see the potential of providing alternative offers to travellers while improving the local economies. Asian resorts have experienced significant growth as people look for an escape from big cities. Following the trend, I can market the tourist spots as cultural experience packages e.g. Be a Mongolian for three days. To minimize the disturbance to the local environment and maximize the cultural appeal, I would engage the community in planning and execution. Equipped with international exposure and local knowledge, I am in an advantageous position to introduce foreign best practices. Before starting my business, I plan to stay in consulting for three years to apply my leadership skills as I take on more project ownership. After spending two years abroad, intensive business experience in China is also instrumental for me to build a network and acquire solid market understanding. An MBA from Kellogg provides me with a firm foundation to reach my career aspirations. With a first degree in social sciences, an integrated understanding of business fundamentals (e.g. finance and marketing) is crucial for me to build my own business. Focusing on general management, Kelloggs education, I believe, will best equip me for my entrepreneurial goal. Kellogg's proactive culture is also an important element that I treasure. The Global Initiative Management, for example, enables students to take the lead to introduce local business culture to the class. Through talking to recent Kellogg's graduates, I realise that the collaborative learning is what they enjoy most. Immersing myself in such an atmosphere will definitely grow my leadership skills. I am confident that Kellogg can provide me with the right environment to further develop my business acumen. I am committed to a long-term business career. My experience in consulting is the best testimony of my commitment and it also reflects my ability to succeed in a team setting. Given the right opportunity, I do believe I can make an impact to the Kellogg community. I will have completed the Associate Consultant programme by August. My experience in China paves the road for my entrepreneurial goal. In addition, my transfer experience to London proves that I can succeed in different cultural and economic environments. Studying an MBA will be the natural milestone for me to build full toolkits for the next stage of my career, to share my international experience and to learn in a diverse leadership environment.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Major 1. Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg. (one to two pages double-spaced)
"Paul G. Irwin, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States."
I remember seeing that signature at the bottom of the letters I received each
year. I dreamt about the day that I would sign my name at the bottom of a
similar letter: "Julia Wing, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the
United States." I have always had a strong connection with animals and have
always wanted to be in a management position that would allow me to combine my
passion for improving animal welfare with my ability to understand complex
business operations and lead effectively.
The time I spent at Research Triangle Institute (RTI) allowed me to
strengthen my quantitative skills by applying my mathematics background to real
world problems. My job at RTI also gave me a glimpse into the consulting
industry. My supervisors often involved us in the proposal process and discussed
the contract bidding process. I enjoyed the relevance of our work to
environmental policies and the fast-paced environment after several contracts
were won. However, I wanted more responsibility and I was more interested in the
management process than the research and analysis processes.
I wanted to find a position that involved management responsibilities. I also
wanted to be more closely connected to my passion for helping animals. My
volunteer work at the Animal Protection Society of Orange County helped me
pinpoint the next step in my career. I had originally signed up for hands-on
work
with the animals but shortly after starting to volunteer I was asked to chair
two
fundraising committees: the Capital Campaign Committee and the Benefit Concert
Committee.
I thrived on leading and motivating these committees, organizing events,
talking to members of the community about the campaign, analyzing budget
figures, and designing marketing materials. I enjoyed it so much and was so
successful that I decided to pursue a full-time fundraising position.
Fundraising seemed like an appropriate entry point into a nonprofit management
career because it includes a wide variety of responsibilities: finance,
marketing, operations,
and general management.
In April 2002 I was hired as the first ever Development Director of the Animal
Protection Society of Durham. I became a development entrepreneur and
began building a fundraising program from the ground up. This included hiring a
staff (in my case this meant recruiting volunteers), establishing a budget,
analyzing financial information, establishing a marketing plan, designing all
materials that were part of this plan, and designing and implementing a
strategic
development plan. I had the work ethic and determination needed to do so but I
needed to learn more about specific fundraising and nonprofit management skills.
I enrolled in the Certificate Program in Nonprofit Management at Duke
University
and earned my certificate ten months later. I also worked with a fundraising
consultant for three months. She advised me on the best actions to take and
offered her expertise when I needed it.
Six months after I was hired, the board fired the Executive Director. The
board subsequently decided not to fill the position. Without an Executive
Director, I soon began to take on executive duties such as finance and
publicity. I also began to fill the role of visionary leader and set the
organizations
programmatic and financial goals. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to
take on these executive responsibilities. This experience expanded my skills and
re-confirmed my desire to serve in an executive position at a nonprofit.
The time I have spent in my current position has been invaluable. It has
given me a wealth of knowledge about nonprofit culture, fundraising, and
management. However, in order to attain my goal of becoming the leader of a
national nonprofit animal welfare organization, I need to learn more about
general management, marketing, finance, and business operations. I could
continue to do this in an ad hoc fashion, but in order to attain these skills
and
experiences in a timely and high-quality manner, I need to attain an MBA.
An MBA from Kellogg would be the most beneficial to both my personal
and professional development. The Kellogg culture would most closely match my
personal interests and strengths while also providing the highest quality of
instruction. The nonprofit management curriculum is the most extensive and is
world-renowned. The Career Management Center's support in helping to find
internships and careers in the nonprofit industry through the MBA Nonprofit
Connection is also unique. It is also important that the student body be
interested in nonprofit management and this is evident in the highly active
Social Impact Club.
The Kellogg alumni network is also a great resource that I
will use. The high caliber students and faculty at Kellogg are unique in their
social consciousness and team spirit. Being immersed in this environment will
allow me to build on my strong team building and interpersonal skills, which are
necessary in order to be an effective leader.
It is important to me to feel as
if I can play an active role in my own professional development and the feedback
that Kellogg encourages and the responsiveness of the administration to the
students' needs will enhance my business school experience. These attributes
make Kellogg the ideal place for me to pursue my MBA.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Major 2. Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experiences of other Kellogg students. (one to two pages double-spaced)
A three-time convicted murderer out on work release, a seventy-five year old politician, a thirty-year-old housewife, and a forty-year-old PhD are some of the co-workers and volunteers that I have worked with in the last three years. Most of the staff members I work with are minorities with no college education and are from a very different socio-economic background than I. However, we all have a common goal: to help animals. It is through this common goal that our team is built. In addition to ten different staff members, I also come into contact with more than 100 different volunteers each year. Their backgrounds are as diverse as their ages (16-85). I rely on them to help me accomplish the objectives for the development program and for the organization. Leading and interacting with so many different people with so many different backgrounds has provided me with strong teambuilding skills and the ability to relate to many types of people. I will use these skills while working on group projects in class or while participating in extracurricular activities. Working for a nonprofit that is struggling to build a successful development program and increase revenue during economically challenging times has given me entrepreneurial skills and has increased my ability to think outside the box. To be successful in this economy, nonprofits need to be innovative and persevere despite many obstacles. The innovativeness that I have developed during these challenging times will provide a different perspective to other students who might only see one solution to a problem. My experiences with small nonprofits have required me to take on a variety of roles such as volunteer coordinator, fundraiser, visionary, accountant, bookkeeper, graphic designer, and spokesperson. Being a visionary, I help others see the vision and give them the tools and confidence to accomplish what is needed to get there. I do this by leading through example and applying a personal approach to motivating each person in the most effective way possible. I have taken risks when there was little room for error and I have assumed leadership roles when the organization was going through drastic structural changes and needed a strong leader. This combination of experiences has allowed me to build upon my interpersonal skills, strengthen my creativity, and act as a leader. These real-world experiences and my personal character will be valuable additions to the Kellogg community. I look forward to the experiences I will have while at Kellogg and am sure that my fellow students will contribute as much to my learning as I will to theirs.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
1.A. Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at the Kellogg School.
Career progress to date My career to date has been marked by two very different but tremendously enriching job positions in two companies: Investment Promotion Bureau (SEPI) and Roland Berger. SEPI is the Spanish governmental holding of public companies whose mission is based on four main pillars: to restructure public companies, make them profitable, privatize them, and rebuild industrial areas and sectors through the attraction of foreign direct investment to Spain. My work in attracting foreign investors and assessing them throughout the investment process, allowed me to develop in a very entrepreneurial environment, apply my analytical skills, and last but most importantly, be a witness to the results of my own effort through the creation of real businesses and job positions (Managed more than - 7 million investments and created more than 500 jobs). However, after a year at SEPI, and due to my desire to learn more about the internal functions of companies and the challenges they face in the global environment, I made the decision to work at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. For the last two years, Roland Berger has helped me understand these issues and has contributed to my business education in a very analytical and goal oriented way, allowing me to assess real strategic issues of multinational companies and work in international assignments across Europe in very diverse project teams. Future career plans As Roland Berger Strategy Consultants plans to sponsor my MBA studies, I hope to return there as a Project Manager for a period of two to three years. The business knowledge, the international scope and the network acquired at Kellogg together with this position as Project Manager at Roland Berger are the basis for the achievement of my long-term goals. In the long-term, I plan to establish my own consulting company whose mission will be to contribute to the economic development of Spain through both the assessment of multinational companies looking to invest in Spain and the redefinition/restructuring of the business operations of companies already in Spain which face the threat of delocalization. Hence, my true objective is to create employment and help the Spanish society undergo the current industrial change. Motivation for pursuing an MBA at Kellogg I mainly have three reasons that strongly motivate me to pursue an MBA at Kellogg: -Kellogg's unique culture: the marketing material I've reviewed and the feedback from Kellogg graduates has made me feel that Kellogg is the right place for me. Kellogg's stress on team work and community as well as the high degree of student involvement both in curricular and extra-curricular activities coincide with my views of an ideal learning environment. Moreover, the extreme excitement and passion that current students such as Ruben Lupiaqez and Cezary Jarzabek or alumni such as Manuel Arias (KG'94 1Y) transmit when talking about the program and their experiences at Kellogg, make the MBA program really stand out. -Educational and personal development: the Kellogg MBA is the optimal way to enhance and complete my educational background. I hope to explore the fields of Management & Strategy, International Business and Entrepreneurship and, in doing so, take advantage of the international and widely experienced faculty. In addition, Kellogg's stress on extra-curricular activities, such as sports or professional clubs, is very important to me and will allow me to share my experiences with my fellow students. I strongly believe that a good portion of our learning is done outside the classroom and I hope to take part in the greater community. -International focus: the outstanding group of students that I will find, with different backgrounds and cultures, will give me the chance to familiarize myself with a wide variety of world views. I hope to use these different perspectives in order to learn how to look at problems from a different angle. Moreover, the original and practical focus of the International Business Major combined with activities such as the Global Initiatives in Management or the possibility to develop my language proficiency in German match my needs and expectations. However, I realize that an MBA is not only about what I can get out of it, but also about what I can give. I believe that I am a very well-rounded person and that I can offer a different perspective to my classmates through my personal and professional background, international experience and open-mindedness. I truly believe that Kellogg's approach to education will benefit me, while at the same time teach me how to be a benefit to others.
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2. Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experiences of other Kellogg students.
I expect to contribute to my fellow students' development by sharing my experience and knowledge and trying to make our Kellogg experience unique for everyone. During these four years of full-time work experience, I have been able to develop in two very different environments that have given me a broad business scope: SEPI and Roland Berger. SEPI made me understand the point of view of governmental agencies and public-owned companies and gave me the satisfaction of creating jobs and improving economic development. This job helped me realize that business is more than selling products or obtaining benefits, it is about using our knowledge and skills to benefit society as a whole. This important lesson and the special pride that you get from helping in the creation and retention of job positions is something that I hope to transmit to my fellow students. I believe true leaders are those who take all consequences of a business decision into account before making that decision, social percussions being one of them. On the other hand, Roland Berger gave me the opportunity to test my skills in a completely different environment - that of strategic issues. At Roland Berger I have been able to delve deeper into many different industries such as banking, consumer goods, automotive or steel, and contemplate business functions such as strategy, operations and sales. I expect the diversity of these experiences to be of interest to my fellow students, and hope I can offer them valuable insight. However, I think the real uniqueness of my professional experiences lies in the balanced understanding of business that I've been able to achieve by working in two contrasting "business worlds". I hope my classmates can take advantage of this unique mixture and that we can use my experience with these different business approaches when working together. Furthermore, the international exposure I have had, first as an exchange student and later at work, has allowed me to develop in different environments and has helped me to understand the importance of diversity and respect for other cultures. In the face of globalization but at the same time combined with a growing fear factor, societies, countries and races will have to learn how to respect each other and remember that our differences are what prompt our growth. I hope to be able to bring tolerance and cultural awareness to the classroom; sharing ideas with my classmates, promoting cross-cultural learning, and making of Kellogg a unique world hub recognized for its social tolerance and commitment to community. Also, more specifically, I am extremely interested in the Business With a Heart club. I think these types of initiatives are very necessary in today's world and I look forward to encouraging others to get excited about them as well. Moreover, my experience as a professional team handball player sets me apart from others and has served to shape my personality and leadership skills. Playing professional team handball has helped me grow as a person, I learned how to deal with and balance two very demanding activities in my life (university and professional sport), to be a strong team-player, to learn from failures, thrive for challenges, and become a leader - lessons that I have later been able to apply to many situations at work and in life. Apart from this, playing professional handball gave me a glimpse into another lifestyle. It was very tempting to drop my studies and continue playing the game I love (and getting paid for it) but, in the end, I made the difficult decision to concentrate on my studies. This decision has motivated me to try and take full advantage of all of the opportunities that arise and I expect to transmit this attitude to my fellow students. Selecting a Kellogg MBA is an important decision that will shape our future and it is my intention to ensure that we make full use of our time whether in class, participating in clubs or organizing other types of events that can contribute to our education and future commitment to Kellogg. I think it is necessary to take a proactive role in education and I sincerely look forward to doing so at Kellogg - working together with colleagues to improve our stay. I have had previous experience in contributing to the education of others and am convinced of its effectiveness. After presenting my final thesis on B2B markets my tutor offered me the possibility to contribute to the Information Systems curriculum through the design of a new subject based on Electronic Markets. This offer was an incredible opportunity to share my knowledge and work that has left a huge mark on me. Hence, I hope to actively contribute to the Kellogg experience by helping Kellogg shape its curriculum and make it more unique not only for me and my fellow students, but also for classes that might benefit from our effort in the future.
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3. You have been selected as a member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Please provide a brief evaluative assessment of your file.
After reviewing X's application, I strongly support his candidacy for admission at Kellogg's two-year MBA program. X is a match for what we here at Kellogg are looking for. I base my recommendation on his academic, professional and personal background. On the academic side, Lluis has excelled in very different as well as demanding academic environments, being able to achieve exceptional grades in universities in Spain, the US and Germany. Since he plans to complete the International Business major at Kellogg, I believe these great international experiences will tremendously benefit his fellow students and will contribute to the betterment of the class. Furthermore, I am convinced that he will add significantly to Kellogg student-life and activities by getting involved in clubs and probably even leading one of them as he previously did at his home university. Lluis's professional development and achievements are uncommon among Roland Berger Consultants. Lluis is a very balanced professional who combines outstanding analytical skills, developed through many analytical projects, with clear leadership and interpersonal skills that he has acquired through the management of investment and consulting projects. Also interesting is the fact that Lluis has participated in many assignments across Europe, which demonstrates his ease to integrate himself in foreign environments and work effectively in cross-cultural teams. However, Lluis's most valuable asset is the combination of his current consulting experience with his previous job at the government in which he attracted foreign direct investment, a mix that I am sure has contributed enormously to his development and that can make his contributions to case studies and to class very unique since he has had real business experience in two very different environments. Moreover, Lluis's past performance suggests not only a clear upward trend in his career, but also shows me that he has strong potential for the future. Lluis's short and long-term goals are ambitious, clear and supported by his past work experience first at SEPI and later at Roland Berger. Furthermore, his future plans show a well-defined value system and willingness to benefit society as a whole with clear intentions to give back to community some of what he has received. On the personal side, again, Lluis is a very balanced person. Throughout his life, he has combined the main activities of his life, namely university and work, with other activities such as sports, running a university club, or engaging in professional clubs within his company; showing his commitment to community. Moreover, it is apparent that he is very devoted to his family and girlfriend. He seems like a very down-to-earth guy who, despite his international and fast-paced life, makes an effort to spend his free time with loved ones. I believe Lluis would be a very fun and easy person to work with and I would enjoy having him in my class or study group if I were a student. I honestly think Lluis would be an enormous contribution to the student body here at Kellogg and believe we need someone like him to remind us of the personal and social side of business. In conclusion, I feel that the teamwork skills, leadership, and initiative demonstrated throughout his life and in very different settings, makes Lluis a perfect fit within our Kellogg culture and spirit. Moreover, I can really sense that he is excited about enrolling in our two-year MBA program where I believe he will put all his effort into making a difference; not only do I expect his participation to contribute to the other students experiences, but I am convinced he will continue to be an active member in the Kellogg community after graduation.
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4.B. Describe an ethical dilemma that you faced and how it was resolved.
The situation While working at the Investment Promotion Bureau (SEPI), I went through a situation that was against my business ethics. Although one of the functions of SEPI is to attract investments to Spain and help investors make educated decisions about where to locate their business based on real business criteria, sometimes the government tries to influence such investment locations in order to favor less developed areas and meet its political interests. The dilemma Personally, I was affected by this situation in the case of an Israeli combat helicopter manufacturer that was interested in establishing a production plant in Spain that could lead to an investment of , 15 to 20 million and the creation of more than 500 jobs. Although the business logic suggested that they should install operations near Madrid in order to benefit from the proximity to the aeronautics cluster in the region, a high-skilled workforce, and the access to military airports, I was pressured to try to convince our client to establish their plant in one of the less appropriate "target regions". This move, not concerned with the true needs of the investor, implied a sure loss for the Israeli company and was against my business ethics. The decision and final resolution After deliberating this situation with my direct supervisor, we came to the conclusion that I could not honestly deceive the Israeli company and put the reputation of the Investment Promotion Bureau at risk. Moreover, by misleading the Israeli company into choosing an unsuitable location for its investment I would have compromised my integrity. In the end, I advised the Israeli company that the best investment location for them would be near Madrid but that they would have to forgo the government subsidies and assume the total investment on their own; since the Spanish government was only willing to provide funding if they went to a "target region". Having understood this, our client decided to cancel its investment plans in Spain and unfortunately we lost the deal. By making this difficult decision, I worked against the short-term interests of my employer and the Spanish economy, but I believe that the possible consequences of a failed investment in the future would have been a lot worse. Although some people may have criticized this decision, I felt it was the only ethical and just thing to do.
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4.C. Outside of work I...
...&like to do more things than I have time to do. However, when I do have free time I try to spend it with my family. When I have a chance to visit my hometown, I like to spend as much time as possible with my mother, my two younger brothers and my grandparents. Whenever possible, but at least once or twice a month, I spend the weekend at home. I especially enjoy going to watch my brothers' team handball games on Sundays and then spending long hours talking at the table after lunch with my mother and my grandparents. However, my concept of family has a second side, and that is Alysia. Alysia and I have shared the last four years of our life together and we plan to create our own family in the future. Due to the constant traveling I do for work, when I am at home I always try to spend most of my time with her. We enjoy going out for dinner, watching movies, practicing sports together, and just relaxing at home. Another one of my great passions is traveling. As a child, my parents used to take me and my two brothers around Spain in a caravan and sometimes around Europe. Later, as an adult, I have further developed this passion for traveling and am always looking for new places to explore. What I enjoy most about traveling is seeing new places, meeting new people and, especially, trying to understand the different cultures by learning their languages. Apart from this, sports are a very important part of my life. I have always tried to balance my academic and work life with the practice of sports, especially team handball, because I think it helps me relax and wind down after a long day. Although I used to play professional level team handball (before consulting) now I have to settle for more individual sports such as jogging or skiing. For me, the important thing is to disconnect from work or the academic life and try to lead as balanced a life as possible, something that I hope to continue to do while at Kellogg and also after graduation.
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4.D. Describe a situation in which you provided a solution that met with resistance. How did you address this situation?
In June 2004 I was appointed to manage a project module as part of the three-year Strategic Plan (2005-2007) for an important Spanish Bank which Roland Berger was working for. My objective was to come up with an innovative business plan and implement it. Although this challenge presented a great opportunity for me to add value in a very specific and complicated function of banking, I had to keep in mind the huge impact the new business plan model would have on the organization's culture and hence, the resistance to change I would have to face. Since the bank had so far established its business objectives from top-down, I proposed to introduce a new method based on a more structured framework in order to establish the future objectives bottom-up. My proposal radically changed the traditional approach, forcing managers to think of their business in a different way, and obliging them to develop an in-depth sensibility for resources, future goal planning and achievement. Since the bank employees had been working with the "old system" for so long, they were not willing to get out of their comfort zone and from the beginning, many employees strongly opposed this change, arguing that the bank business could not be modeled the way I was proposing and that the system would not work. However, in order to deal with the resulting opposition to change, the first and most important thing I did was to involve "final users" in the process. Since each division required a customized business plan model, we started several rounds of workshops and meetings in order to make them feel "owners" of the process. This involvement, which I found essential for solving the problems of resistance, was done through continuous and effective communication throughout the process in order to demonstrate that the use of frameworks, tools and creative thinking can substantially help organizations when structuring problems and analyzing business situations. It was also very important to show the bank employees a high level of commitment on my side so they would believe that the new business model could succeed. In the end, we completed the business models and the bank was able to successfully structure the future business plan on them.
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Essay Question:
Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at the Kellogg School.
8:30 AM September 2015. A news reporter waits in the reception area of an Inc 500 company for an interview with the CEO - Sridhar Parameshwaran. When several executives emerge from a meeting room, she overhears the following exchange: Person A: 'Sridhar (our CEO) was great in there! He deconstructed our operations report with such panache. I had no idea the inventory overhead or unused assets contributed so negatively to our bottom line.' Person B: 'That's actually just one of Sridhar's skills. You should have seen him suavely negotiating a multi-million dollar deal last week with our primary materials vendor.' Person C: 'That's not the half of it. Guess who was the keynote speaker for 'Next-generation Supply Chain Technologies' seminar I attended last month? You guessed it: Sridhar.' Yes, that 'Sridhar' the reporter hears being described so glowingly is the executive I hope to be ten years from now - effective, involved, and admired, but on a first-name basis with my employees; this is a goal I am proud of. A management education from Kellogg will empower me toward a career first as a management consultant in operations and subsequently start my own professional services firm in Asia centered on operations and strategy. My academic training in engineering gave me the analytical skills to start my career as a Consultant in Sabre Inc.'s Flight-Planning Department. By solving complex operations research models, developing several key modules on my own, and writing sophisticated algorithms for calculating optimal flight plans I was able to cut down the defects in the product by 25%, as well as aid in garnering high-profile customer wins. My desire to successfully challenge myself earned me a promotion after only a year, faster than an average progression. However, this very desire compelled me to work in the industry (supply chain management) and for the company (i2 Technologies) that was closest to my heart. I believe in the philosophy of there being two general kinds of people: those who generate wealth through adding efficiency into processes and those who move wealth. I enjoy falling in the former category. I had been fascinated by i2 from the first day of my junior year in engineering - the same day that i2, then a fledgling startup, announced its first customer win in factory planning. I was astonished by the ingenuity of their central idea to automate the entire sequence of product manufacturing. The marvel of seamless factory operations was compounded by the fact that coordination and visibility across partners in the supply chain was considered ludicrous at the time. In 2000 I therefore joined i2's Collaborative Commerce division. Serving first as Applications Engineer and then as Product Manager in i2's innovative 'skunk-works' operation instilled within me several key principles. These included dynamic risk-taking through development of unprecedented functionality such as repair planning, spearheading initiatives such as performance benchmarks and user-interface redesigns that increased our sales pipeline fivefold and a collaborative we-can-do-it attitude that permeated through every project. These very same tenets have allowed me to gain promotions and advance in a competitive environment. Today, as Senior Product Manager with the Service Parts Management division, I specialize in bringing to market a two-million dollar supply chain product line, driving the product definition through a 25 member strong development team and providing sales-support to a multi-functional sales team. Though my career has enabled me to do everything from create new technology to develop new business opportunities and market new products, I have not had opportunities to develop entrepreneurial assets of a strategic or financial nature. Though I have interacted with numerous global clients, I have not yet learned the organizational issues associated with running a multinational firm's global procurement system or near- zero inventory assembly-line using a cross-continental supply chain. I frankly still do not know how to answer such fundamental questions as how do I market and sell my company's services? How can I manage my finances cost-effectively? Moreover, since my post-MBA career will be focused internationally, how can I keep abreast of the unequal pace of technology adoption across the world? I strongly believe that a specialization in Entrepreneurship coupled with a core general management focus offered by Kellogg's MBA program would uniquely qualify to help me overcome these deficiencies and realize the ambitious scenario with which this essay began. Drawing from the school's core strengths in general management, this dual major will enable me to gain soft leadership skills through core courses like 'Leadership in Organizations' while immersing myself in a plethora of relevant electives. Moreover I will gain a full understanding of the complexities of international, especially Asian, markets through 'Global Initiatives in Management,' Kellogg's cornerstone offering, and such courses as 'Emerging Economy Operations' and 'International Business Strategy.' Similarly, I can gain hands-on entrepreneurial experience through the Larry and Carol Levy Institute for Entrepreneurial Practice and develop my own entrepreneurial wings through fascinating courses like Dr. Rogers' 'Entrepreneurial Finance.' Likewise, I am equally drawn to Professors Sawhney and Kotler for 'Technology Management' and 'Marketing,' whose visionary perspectives have been widely adopted by many conglomerates. Learning how to better integrate teamwork into my career pursuits is also an educational goal that Kellogg can satisfy better than any competing program. My consulting and entrepreneurial career goals will demand dynamic motivational and collaborative skills, which I can hone through such team-building resources as LEAP and CIM along with my diverse and exceptional pool of fellow classmates. Kellogg also offers me a staggering number of resources for indulging my passion for community involvement and ethics, and I intend to take full advantage of my participation in the 'Business with a Heart' and 'Honor Code' Committees. In addition, I look forward to enthusiastically sharing my views and interests through such student organizations as the Asian Management Association, Culture Connection, and the Tennis Club. Superbly rounded and effective leaders like the fellow glimpsed at the beginning of this essay are not the stuff of fiction. But they are made, not born. To make myself into such a leader I need to immerse myself in the curriculum, community, and character of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
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What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in a leadership role?
'Can he pull this off?' 'Who hired this cowboy?' 'This project is doomed.' These were some of the skeptical comments heard from fellow i2ers when I took on what I consider to be one of my most significant professional assignments to date. Immediately upon joining i2 Technologies as a supply chain engineer, I was entrusted with designing a next-generation BusinessToBusiness (B2B) cataloging and procurement solution. My module was to be a horizontal layer that would sit atop other modules such as auctioning, web-storefront, inventory listing and order collaboration, each of which had vastly experienced product managers responsible for their definition. The goal of the entire group was to provide an integrated, multi-functional application within four months, making my horizontal module the super-glue that everyone needed to stick to. Rumors abounded about my ability to pull this off. Moreover, given that my groupa bleeding edge outfit--had executive-level visibility, anything short of a huge success would spell disaster. I had to quickly digest B2B concepts as well as procurement industry terminology, and was aided by my manufacturing background and strong interest in web commerce. Once conversant and having done adequate research, I called for a counsel meeting to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each team member. I outlined how a common architecture and data model could be effectively used as the binder for the application. I initially ran into some resistance either due to the hard-nosed attitude of some folks experiencing a classic case of a diminishing sphere of authority, or differing opinions based on each one's expertise. I had to quickly channel all resistance into a creative force and restore healthy dialogue, hence I resorted to active cross-participation forming a cross-functional development team with all-around expertise in architecture, modeling and user interface design. The team's creativity resulted in the creation of 'BLITZ,' a game plan wherein each product person rotated and comprehensively tested and critiqued the other modules for soundness. The result was a near-flawless application with modules that integrated and functioned seamlessly. I was proud to be honored for this effort by i2 senior management, receiving the 'Against All Odds' award for outstanding achievement in product delivery. My success demonstrates my ability to lead far more experienced people, which, being on a short schedule, called for a 'sharp shooting approach' rather than a 'relationship building' one. I most importantly learned the essential skill of delegation once an initial impetus has been provided. By building team members' roles around their strengths and by utilizing these same skills towards cross-rotational testing, we were able to accomplish our goals with great success. I have had immense success applying this lesson in all my future undertakings such as a recent 'Fast Track' initiative that involved not just cross-functional but cross-company teams. Furthermore, this experience fostered respect among the group for each other and for the incredible value of solid teamwork, helping me hone in on the keys to becoming a mature leader. I truly look forward to expanding these skills in the Kellogg MBA program.
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Describe an ethical dilemma that you have faced and how it was resolved
There are a dozen slogans and truisms in sales, various and general enough to cover most any situation, but all ultimately coming down to the same thing: be trustworthy, know your client, and sell your product; the trouble is that they cannot always coexist. The supply-chain planning software industry is more complicated than many, and our product is more arcane; but the slogans apply and the questions are universal. And the occasional ethical dilemma 'sales or honesty?' was once made most acutely my own. My first assignment after being promoted to Senior Product Manager for the Service Parts Product Line was to respond to a request for a quote from an important prospective client. As I reviewed the solution proposal prepared by our sales department, I came across misleading and faulty information about the capabilities of our product. My conscience did not allow me to pass on the documents I was reviewing, but I knew if I admitted our software's shortcomings, we would lose the customer. It seemed to me that all of the sales slogans in the world applied only to those rosy situations where the product really was what the customer wanted; if not, honesty and accommodation lead to lost business and income. A white lie may garner business, attract clients, and boost market share. Of course, lying is not easy; while one can mislead a prospective client with superficial descriptions of the software, it does require the company to move quickly in development to fill in a reality behind these claims. Exposing the existing gaps in any product - specifically, in my company's software - carried an enormous risk of creating a negative image for our product and company. A discovered lie could lose business; an undiscovered one would, at best, rush us through the development process and leave the client with a reduction in software quality. I was torn. I consulted carefully with my superiors and colleagues, ultimately arriving at a compromise: we could allude to non-existent capabilities, and indulge in some exaggeration so long as we did not falsify information. Our conversation led to the notion of a Software Development Service Model, wherein a client would help to fund the development of any additional functionality they needed in the software, after which they would retain intellectual rights to those new functions. My dilemma thus led to a new practice, which introduced more customizable and flexible software development dedicated to each customer's needs. I am extremely proud that our business unit has adopted this service and adhered to it in all of our sales, and it has had a great influence on our business roadmap. There are many people in business who believe in lying for a good cause, or at least for a desperate one. I have found, through soul-searching and fortunate experience that the challenge of honesty can pay off. Sometimes in an excellent new business plan, and sometimes simply in building up trust, and creating a healthy environment for positive change.
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Outside of work, I...
...am a complete addict and I admit it. I am addicted to collecting colorful shaped pieces of gummed paper. At the same time, I'm also a connoisseur. I enjoy examining and critiquing the art that appears on those colorful shreds. What is this paper thing I am referring to? In case you are wondering, it's called the Stamp and the art, Philately. To love philately is to love knowledge: be it history or geography, folklore or sport, music or culture, fact or fiction. In short, just about any topic capable of being visually depicted on the minutest of spaces. This brings me to the very essence of why I collect; continuous learning, a passion shared by most of the other serious philatelists. An equally fascinating aspect of philately is that it provides me with so many channels to get as diverse and multi-cultural as I can get. Through philately, I have explored various countries' social, cultural, artistic, scientific and historical heritage. The Universal Postal Union (UPU) calls the postage stamp 'a roving ambassador' and believes stamps can contribute to strengthening the bonds of international friendship and I can't agree more. My forged friendships with pen pals ranging from Scandinavia to New Zealand have provided an entirely new dimension to my learning experience. Contrary to the Indian Engineer stereotype I have also nurtured a literary and verbal bent from an early age. Seeing my younger sister excel in dramatics sparked the competitive spirit within me enabling me to transform from a near introvert to a lover of debates. This same spirit enabled me to win first prizes in elocution, election to the post of literature secretary at my college: arranging literary events like crosswords and acting as lead organizer of literary competitions for my college socials. These interests of mine have persisted in daily life as well through my love for solving crosswords, reading novels and watching spelling bees. An idle mind is indeed a devil's workshop and I steadfastly believe that inactivity is the bane of creativity. When I am not involved in any community activities or avocation pursuits, I enjoy spending time with my fellow members from DFW Outdoors (a fun & frolic group of people with a common theme - do any and every thing that outdoor life provides). Right from partying on a barge in Lake Texoma to having a blast in Six Flags, my penchant for both socializing and outdoor activity has grown by leaps and bounds. All through my life, I have always treated work and non-work activities as mutually educative. Camaraderie, trust, team spirit, coaching, leadership are traits that one can just as easily learn and apply in either setting. Such non-professional activities for my part provide avenues to both relieve stress as well as enjoy the lighter parts of life. Life is too short and I intend making the most of it.
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Why do you want to pursue an MBA at Kellogg?
After completing my mechanical engineering studies at Washington University, I dove into the manufacturing world. I was hungry to learn about this exciting, fast-paced, 24-hour-a-day industry. As it turns out, I could not have chosen a better place than Motorola to get the experience I was seeking. I've been exposed to all aspects of manufacturing operations, from forecasting and inventory management, to capacity analysis and quality. Initially, my responsibilities were very focused. I was in charge of several specific manufacturing processes. As I built experience, I took ownership of larger sections of the factory. Before I had been at Motorola for a year, my role expanded to include responsibility for all processes on a product line. Then Motorola gave me the opportunity to shift my focus from manufacturing processes to operations as a project manager. First, I managed the cross-country transfer of an entire packing and shipping operation of a major factory. Second, I led a construction project to overhaul a shipping facility. Third, I founded and led a team to improve packaging. This project management experience laid a solid foundation for my understanding of operations in general. I completed all three of these projects successfully. With the smooth transfer of the packing and shipping operations, I established myself as a capable project manager. The shipping construction project was completed by a critical deadline, again showcasing my organizational skills. My packaging improvement team was so successful that I received praise from the office of the CEO. In 2002 I was promoted to Senior Manufacturing Engineer and appointed quality team leader for Motorola's largest factory in Schaumburg. My team includes ten engineers and factory line workers. We have met all quarter-end goals, improved factory yield by 12% and reduced defects by 18%. My performance during my three years at Motorola has established me as one of the top performers in my organization of 150 people. This year I was one of four people to receive the Award for Outstanding Performance from the Sector Vice President. My long-term career goal is to be the general manager and owner of a manufacturing operation. I want to enter an MBA program now because I have extensive manufacturing experience and an MBA is the next necessary step toward my goal. I need to develop my management skills and understanding of business operations before I can effectively lead a manufacturing operation. Presently, I want to focus specifically on developing my business skills in a program with other ambitious, business-minded people. This total immersion in an exclusively business program will enable me to develop expertise in areas I am now a novice. During my first year at Kellogg I'll build the core of my business knowledge through coursework in accounting, finance, and marketing. Second-year electives, such as Leadership in Organizations, will give me the social science skills necessary to be a successful manager. Logistics and Supply Chain Management and Operations Strategy are among the courses I will use to strengthen my operations foundation. The breadth of Kellogg's elective courses and the freedom to explore specific interests will enable me to design a curriculum that will prepare me to run a manufacturing operation. When I visited Kellogg this fall, I experienced the legendary team spirit immediately. Everyone was friendly, encouraging and willing to answer all of my questions. The atmosphere was energizing. I sat in on Professor Hennessy's Marketing class and observed the camaraderie between students. My experience confirmed the Kellogg atmosphere is one I can excel in and contribute to. After completion of Kellogg's MBA program, I'll be prepared for the next step in my development: operations consulting. Exposure to different operations will build invaluable experience I will reference when I run my own operation. After two years of operations consulting, all components of my formula will be in place: engineering education, manufacturing and design experience, Motorola Six Sigma Certification, top-quality business and operations education at Kellogg, and broad operations experience. At that point, I'll be prepared to lead a manufacturing operation.
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Essay Question:
Briefly assess your career progress to date. How does the MMM Program meet your educational needs and career goals?
After finishing two-year training in Taiwan's top one graduate program of Mechanical Engineering in National Taiwan University, majoring in manufacturing system modeling and conferred an M.S. degree, I served my country as a Second Lieutenant Armor Officer in R.O.C. Army for two years of compulsory military service. During that time, I experienced and learned substantial leadership and interpersonal skills to be part of my fundamental portfolio of traits to thrive on my first and only one full-time industry job in China Motor Corporation. I had decided my career path due to my enthusiasm before entering university, and I never hesitated to be recruited as an engineer in the Engineering Design Division, responsible for power train system design and a quality assurance team engaging in improving vehicle performance. Six months after entered CMC, I was transferred to Marketing Division as a product planner for three years and four months, received three consecutive annual top performance rankings and two successive annual promotions in merely two years and promoted as a Product Planning Manager, the fastest promoted one with engineering background in CMC consisted of approximately 2,900 employees or 240 managers. Product Planners in CMC are responsible for plans and development of new products in both Taiwan and Mainland China markets. During those years before promoted as a manager, I had conducted and introduced eight programs of new products. In those programs, not only did I compose and implement plans of specifications, costs and timing, but I also played a role of hub and central coordinator, organizing crucial international business meetings between CMC and our partner, Mitsubishi Motors, bridging business and engineering activities, and integrating efforts from up to thirty different functions in CMC. As a manager, I lead four staffs, supervising numbers of programs of three current and three future models. I am also responsible for Maker Option system project, plans of advanced technology development, budget, and recruitment interview. I have managed and led four launches of new products since I was promoted, handling a complex array of performance from my hubs, brilliant product planners in my team, by fusing connections and works among them. Figuratively speaking, the job of a product planner is like a flat Plane, two-dimensional considerations of links and dilemmas between business and engineering, while that of the manager of product planners is like a solid Space, added interpersonal and decision-making management to construct a three-dimensional definition. After these working experiences, strengthening my practical skills as a hub manager by a theoretical approach and charging myself by a rigorous training toward a leader of an automaker are my short- and long-term career goals respectively and the reasons why I am pursuing Kellogg MMM program, which provides not only a unique connection between strategic business analysis and practical product development disciplines, but also intense trainings to be a prospective good manager and leader. Although I have had substantial experiences involving business activities such as market survey, marketing research, marketing strategy, and advertisement, I merely learn by practice and know few ideas about the theory behind those practical works. Consequently, to complete myself with what I am lacking and to realize my short-term career goal as a hub of a global automaker toward great China market, I am planning to focus on Marketing and International Business fields as my main objectives to establish in MMM program. Meanwhile, basing on my current responsibilities like General Management covering multi-functional activities, I am willing to strengthen and share my insights in General Management by interdisciplinary trainings in MMM program. With integrated learning in MMM and dedicated participation in the GIM program around the world, I am sure that I will be eligible to broaden my perception and experience into a more theoretical, thoughtful and global spectrum covering all product-driven activities. Otherwise, in my observation, becoming a carmaker leader requires a great breadth of corporate management strategy, far-sighted perspectives on markets and products, global insights, strong leadership, efficient and precise decision-making styles and intuitions, and the most important one, strong enthusiasm and persistence to direct the future. Except that I possess enthusiasm, background, and years of experiences, I believe Kellogg MBA also provide a breadth of diverse curriculums and a set of professional opportunities to forge myself strong enough in areas of leadership, corporate strategy, finance, or decision science to reach my long-term career goal, a position in the corporate management level of a global automaker. Conclusively speaking, I am convinced that, among all top MBA programs in United States, Kellogg MMM is the best educational training that perfectly meets my definite life passion, planned career path and prospective career goal to be involved in a highly product-oriented industry: automobile.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
How will you be able to contribute to the Kellogg community?
My educational and professional background will be uncommon at Kellogg. I will be able to provide technical insight and draw from my engineering and manufacturing experiences when such a perspective is relevant and helpful. I've studied many different operations and even spent time at multiple plants in southeast Asia. Between my global understanding of the manufacturing industry and extensive operations experience, I will have unique ideas to share with my classmates. I have experience in designing and optimizing manufacturing processes that can be applied to any business process. I have studied and practiced many different process improvement methods. Recently, while examining my uncle's failing business, I fully realized how well I could extrapolate from my manufacturing experience for business analysis. I broke his operation down and analyzed the efficiency of each of its parts as if they were manufacturing processes. In the end, I was able to make suggestions that my uncle acted on, maybe saving his business. I will make similar connections in my approach to problems my classmates and I will face together. Also, I will bring my passion for accomplishing goals through teamwork to every one of my projects at Kellogg. Since I can remember, I have thrived on team camaraderie. I think one of the best ways to develop teamwork skills is participation in team sports. Some of my most challenging team experiences were on the soccer field, and that is where I developed my fundamental understanding of the true meaning of teamwork. Without confidence in the team members, belief in a common goal, and doing my part, the end result will be failure. Whether I am a member of an engineering team at Motorola, a sports team, or a study group, I have the skills, experience and desire to make the team successful. My understanding of teamwork fundamentals will enhance the experiences of those around me. Lastly, I've found one of my assets to be my ability to find balance between intensity and levity. While I have the intensity to get something done, I also make the work enjoyable because I am an amiable, good-natured person. I'm often told that people's first impression of me is that Im one of the most laid back people they have ever met. I take such an assessment as a compliment because that aspect of my personality makes me approachable. It doesnt take much to turn on my intensity, though. For example, a project deadline, or a big test will trigger my intense, competitive drive. Because I can be optimistic without losing sight of reality, and aggressive without being overbearing, my classmates at Kellogg would find working with me a positive experience.
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Essay Question:
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in a leadership role?
My leadership experiences early in my career were mostly positive. I tackled each project with ambition and urgency, motivating my team members to complete critical tasks and contributing incredible amounts of personal effort. Management responded to my success by assigning me projects of increasing complexity. One particularly difficult project during my first year at Motorola - consolidation of several factory lines - taught me a valuable leadership lesson. I attacked this problem in my regular manner: quickly assembling a team, discussing the problem and assigning actions to team members. Unfortunately, I underestimated the scope of the project and the necessary amount of preparatory work and research. After a few weeks of hard work, it became apparent that my team did not have the knowledge and experience necessary to complete the project. I was forced to abandon the project because I had focused too much on moving fast and not enough on ensuring I had the resources to succeed. I learned that following time-tested processes is critical to leading projects efficiently and effectively. (As I write this, it seems very obvious to me now, but it wasn't three years ago.) Motorola encourages project managers to invoke the DMAIC method (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control). Following these steps gives a rigid discipline to the project. The process reminds team members of the critical questions they should be asking themselves at each point in the process. This experience taught me to take the time to step deliberately through a project's defining phase to lay a solid foundation for success. I learned the importance of establishing a clear project plan and executing proactive actions. Although the best way to attack a problem is sometimes the creative, out-of-the-box way, the DMAIC method is always a good place to start. I understand that as an effective leader, I must precisely define the problem, set a clear goal, select the right team and solicit input from others in an effort to identify roadblocks early on. I have had great success by incorporating this discipline into my subsequent projects.
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Essay Question:
Describe an ethical dilemma you have faced and how it was resolved.
In January of 2002 I founded a team to improve the packaging used in our factory. I set two goals for the team: reduce cost and eliminate environmentally harmful packaging. The team's first target was a package used in high volume and made of non-recyclable, non-biodegradable foam. Soon after beginning the time-consuming iterations of design and testing, the team had a breakthrough. I discovered an existing package being used by our warranty department that could replace the current packaging. This package cost only $3 - cheap compared to the $12.80 my factory was paying for its version! Implementation of the replacement packaging could now be streamlined because the three-dollar package was tested and already existed in the Motorola system. Unfortunately, the new packaging was also made of non-recyclable foam. This package only met one of my two criteria. It was cheap, but it wasnt recyclable or biodegradable. With the path to such substantial cost savings so clear, my concern for the environment was suddenly fading. Why bother with redesign when the solution already exists? Why concern myself with the environment when the rest of the corporation appears to support foam packaging? Motorola has been shipping foam for years. Why would I feel guilty if I didnt fix it? To be clear, the project was mine. I defined the objectives and encouraged my team members to support them. We could easily redefine our mantra to be something like: save money and help the environment - if possible. In the end, I decided I would not let the cost savings overshadow the importance of environmental improvement. My options were: 1) abandon my social responsibility and original goal, or 2) sacrifice cost savings in the near term in order to make a positive, long-term impact. I chose the second option. Expediting the testing and administrative processes as much as possible, we converted to a new design in only two months. My team ultimately saved Motorola $3.5 million and prevented the shipment of 96 tons of foam last year. My commitment to sustaining the environment made my team one of the premier environmental teams in the corporation. We are expecting to be honored with the Motorola Environmental, Health and Safety CEO Award in December.
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Essay Question:
Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg.
'Learning is always related to doing and wanting to do something'. I will always remember this phrase by Peter M. Senge from his book The 5th Discipline. I have tried to be continuously learning by doing something all the time. I am confident that the basic premise to become an outstanding businessman and entrepreneur is to prepare myself the best possible way. So far, I feel I have gone through the right path. I have attended excellent schools and universities in Mexico and the US. By combining a Montessori environment as a young child and a Mexican-Japanese Institute for my high school preparation, I learned values of initiative, discipline, hard work and leadership. I became profoundly interested in other people and cultures, respecting and learning from diversity. Due to my high interest in sciences and mathematics, I chose to study Industrial Engineering. This important step in my career allowed me to obtain a broader perspective of business in general and to strengthen my skills in quantitative methods. After receiving my university degree, I had the long-term goal of starting my own business. I knew I had to obtain experience and training in different business subjects, management skills and personal abilities through professional practice in a top performing corporation. I had different job opportunities, but I was fascinated with the chance I had to join a select team of young professionals in Satmex: the "Entregas". The emphasis the company gives to the accelerated development of this special group, would serve me as a springboard towards an MBA. Now I have worked for almost three years in one of the leading telecommunication companies of Latin America. This has given me the opportunity to be in daily contact with extraordinary people, extremely talented and highly qualified in their areas of expertise. With the "Entrega" program in Satmex, I have rotated through different areas of the company while having a significant exposure to top management. Consequently, I have had a balance between the strategic perspective of a consulting firm and the implementation of operational activities, being able to view the results of my work. I have undergone a mixture of incredible experiences: working in multidisciplinary and international teams, being part of start-up and established business units, transcendental decision-making processes, diverse managerial styles, technical and business issues, leading and supporting various projects. Now is the time when I feel all this preparation is pushing me to take a step forward in order to keep evolving and growing, combining a learning environment with a professional perspective. An MBA is therefore a perfect fit. I am looking for an experience that will allow me to structure in a better way how I work. I have learned how to execute ideas, but I need to know how to build an entire business process, combining communication and organizational skills. I want to develop my knowledge and understand complex business topics such as corporate finance, marketing, strategy, and technology industry management. I enjoy learning new topics and consider myself a very inquisitive person. In recent times, changing business conditions have been a constant in the world. I want to gain the tools and knowledge that can support me to respond quickly and decisively to these rapidly changing conditions. To some degree, I want to learn how to adequately manage uncertainty. It is a difficult task, but I am sure that learning how to structure and base my decisions under uncertainty will be very helpful. How? By understanding what is valuable for different persons and organizations, either by provocative case studies and theoretic lessons or by the daily communication and contact with colleagues that share something in common with me. I am looking for a university that would provide me not only applicable business knowledge but also opportunities to enhance my personal qualities by working in teams with people of different backgrounds and cultures. I want to be in a place where I can find learning opportunities everywhere, not just in the classroom. With access to an environment of cultural diversity and an international network of well-prepared individuals, I can gain insights of different business perspectives and personal opinions when looking for new ventures. It is difficult for me to think of a better place to achieve this objective than a well-rounded business program in a highly prestigious school as Kellogg. The Kellogg MBA is especially appealing to me because: it is one of the world's premier business programs, with a high-quality and international recognized faculty. Its long history in management education, coupled with its innovative, integral and flexible curriculum fit ideally into my key areas of interest, for example, its focus in entrepreneurship, global management and leadership. Through its demanding academic program, it is distinguished as a collaborative program rather than a competitive one. It stresses the importance of teamwork to get results. In addition, its dynamic cultural atmosphere, its close relation to some of the most important business centers in the world, and its activities (social and extracurricular) and installations all add to make Kellogg my first choice for studying an MBA. I have met and am in touch with some of its alumni and current students. They are people I truly respect and feel identified with, for example, Rodrigo Manzano (class of 2002), who used to work in Satmex and is a brilliant, fun and successful businessman; or Manuel Mondragon (class of 2004), a close personal friend and an entrepreneur who is continually opening new own businesses. Finally, I had the privilege to meet with Associate Director Carla Stewart in Mexico City during her visit to Satmex's offices last December 5, 2003. After my MBA I would love the idea of working in another country for some time, discovering different business best practices. I would like a multinational company focused on technology and telecommunications, sectors that have amazingly grown in recent years and which will develop further on. Put at the service of society, telecommunications can serve as a bridge to the future, especially for the poorest sector. I want to work in a top management position involved in the strategic planning and marketing areas, where I have developed and enjoyed very interesting projects in my professional experience and where I can turn my ideas into reality. In the long-term I am convinced that I want to live in my country starting new businesses, looking at emerging ideas and applying the knowledge gained during my professional and academic experiences. Mexico is the country I know better and that has given me more valuable things, thus the place where I can contribute the most to help narrow the gap between rich and poor societies. I have the responsibility to make improvements in my country and to develop better job opportunities for my countrymen/women. In conclusion, I wish to keep learning and creating new things during my whole life, but I want to be sure I am doing all my best and what is within my reach to attempt it. An MBA experience at the Kellogg School of Management is certainly an impulse forward to achieve this goal.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
I wish the admissions committee had asked me: What makes you stand out from all of the other engineers with 4.0 GPAs?
Yes, many of my interests are technical. However, my intellectual curiosity only begins with engineering, astronomy and science in general. I spend much of my free time reading about everything from anthropology, to history, to politics. My personal development is a daily process I am passionately committed to. I am always seeking education through conversation, reading and traveling (so far I've been to fourteen different countries on four continents). This, combined with my love for athletics, music and my personal relationships has made me exceptionally well-rounded. My unique family history formed my insatiable desire to develop all of my talents. When he was a teenager, my father immigrated to the United States from Slovenia. He came here to escape government oppression and violence, which included the murder of his father. My father persevered through extraordinary circumstances to create opportunities for his family. I inherited his discipline and determination and vowed not to waste a single opportunity he provided. My mother and older sister also influenced my compassion and vivaciousness. I lost my mother to cancer when I was seven, and my sister has been severely mentally handicapped since birth. Although these circumstances have been difficult, they've added a unique dimension to my character. They have given me strength and a perpetual sense of urgency. I feel like I'm living for more than just myself. So, I think it is clear I am not your stereotypical engineer. With my family background and diversity of experiences, I am far from fitting any stereotype. I was valedictorian of my high school class and number one among my mechanical engineering peers in college, but I'm not a nerd. I was captain of my high school soccer and volleyball teams and a leader of my college soccer team, but I'm not just a jock. I play the piano and the guitar, but I'm definitely more than just a musician. I've become well-rounded because throughout my life I've been intensely competitive and feared wasting my potential.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in a leadership role?
My leadership experiences early in my career were mostly positive. I tackled each project with ambition and urgency, motivating my team members to complete critical tasks and contributing incredible amounts of personal effort. Management responded to my success by assigning me projects of increasing complexity. One particularly difficult project during my first year at Motorola - consolidation of several factory lines - taught me a valuable leadership lesson. I attacked this problem in my regular manner: quickly assembling a team, discussing the problem and assigning actions to team members. Unfortunately, I underestimated the scope of the project and the necessary amount of preparatory work and research. After a few weeks of hard work, it became apparent that my team did not have the knowledge and experience necessary to complete the project. I was forced to abandon the project because I had focused too much on moving fast and not enough on ensuring I had the resources to succeed. I learned that following time-tested processes is critical to leading projects efficiently and effectively. (As I write this, it seems very obvious to me now, but it wasn't three years ago.) Motorola encourages project managers to invoke the DMAIC method (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control). Following these steps gives a rigid discipline to the project. The process reminds team members of the critical questions they should be asking themselves at each point in the process. This experience taught me to take the time to step deliberately through a project's defining phase to lay a solid foundation for success. I learned the importance of establishing a clear project plan and executing proactive actions. Although the best way to attack a problem is sometimes the creative, out-of-the-box way, the DMAIC method is always a good place to start. I understand that as an effective leader, I must precisely define the problem, set a clear goal, select the right team and solicit input from others in an effort to identify roadblocks early on. I have had great success by incorporating this discipline into my subsequent projects.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experiences of other Kellogg students.
I truly believe I can contribute to enhance the experiences of other Kellogg students. My personal interests and values, professional background, and community service activities are some of the most significant aspects of my life, and I will explain why they could contribute to Kellogg's diversity. First, it is extremely important for me to have a social conscience and an ethical behavior for the long-term well-being of my society. I come from Mexico, a beautiful and unique country but that still has to overcome numerous difficulties. Poverty has not decreased in recent years, adequate health and educational institutions are scarce for the vast majority of my Mexican countrymen and employment opportunities are difficult to get. For my Social Community Service, I organized and prepared informational materials for a drug rehabilitation institution and imparted drug abuse preventing courses in public high schools. Additionally, I participated in a nature related project for the Casa de la Tortuga (House of the Turtle). The goal was to protect and raise awareness for the extinction of sea turtles that live along the Mexican coastline, and to raise revenues from tourism in order to benefit the local people. I spent one month camping near the shore where sea turtles breed, counting and registering their offspring, as well as guiding information tours for visitants. I have been involved in different charitable and community activities. I am part of a monthly fund raising program for the Casa de la Amistad para Niqos con Cancer (Friendship House for Children with Cancer), a non-profit organization that provides housing, food, transportation and financial aid for medical treatment to low income children with cancer. For more than 5 years, my main collaboration has been to create and promote monthly donation packages, which range from a simple needle a month to a complete chemotherapy treatment for a child. In my company, I have co-organized the annual 'Entregathon' event since 2001. It is a charity auction of Satmex and Globalstar, aimed to raise funds for the health care and medicine supply for HIV positive children in Mexico. On the professional background front, I have witnessed how telecommunications have a remarkable impact on the public development of Mexico and Latin America, mainly in the vast isolated regions which lack a communications infrastructure. While working in Satmex, I have learned the wonders and advantages of satellite technology, the role it plays in social programs, how it can be used for so many applications such as government educational and health programs, media and entertainment, and access to the Internet in remote areas. I have seen how these technologies have boosted progress in science, technology, and culture by diminishing the digital divide and cutting times in which new discoveries and their applications are disseminated. I was especially attracted by the "Unete" project (unite in Spanish) I was co-leading a short time ago. Satmex was selected to build a wireless network to communicate and give Internet access to 450 educational institutions in extremely poor regions of the southern Mexican states Guerrero and Oaxaca. I personally went to the little towns to identify and select some of the schools, where equipment was to be installed. At the beginning, even schools' directors were impressed because they had barely seen computers and satellite equipment before. Four months later, all schools have a 90% utilization rate of the bandwidth assigned to them. In addition, more than a fourth of them have also implemented a rural telephony service. Based on Internet protocol, it provides communities with connectivity to the national and international public telephone network, at very low costs. By leading and participating in this kind of projects, I am sure I really have an impact in what I do. I also want to address my recent entrepreneurial initiative. I organized with two partners the creation of a new company to trade and commercialize South American textile products in Mexico. My primary responsibilities have been to obtain international importing permits in Mexico, put into practice quality control procedures, design and implement distribution strategies, and create basic accounting books for the company. We have sold more than 3,000 pieces in less than three months. However, above all things, it has been a great learning, teamwork and professional experience. I have had the chance to apply to my own organization some of the business knowledge I have gained in Satmex, measuring my own results. On the personal side, I feel passionate about sports and music. In both activities I have experienced many satisfactions. I have always participated in the sports and music clubs of my schools and I am currently the responsible of Special Events and Sports Committee at Satmex. The 15 years of playing guitar have forged me with discipline and, at the same time, have taught me the importance of expressing yourself as uniquely as you can. Anyone may know the chords of a song but the expression and personal feeling one gives while performing it, is what distinguishes you from others. By practicing sports I clear my mind and help me maintain a physical and mental balance. I specially love soccer, biking and running. At my university I was member and co-captain of the soccer team. I trained daily and coordinated tournaments against other universities. We achieved four inter-university finals and two championships. But what I like the most is to practice sports with my friends, particularly during weekends, just for the fun of it (we once rode on our bikes 180 kms to enjoy a glass of Mezcal - a delicious regional liquor - in the town of Tequila, Mexico). I have also learned a great deal by traveling. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have traveled around many places of my beautiful country and to have visited more than 45 countries in all five continents of the world. I have matured and gained independence while visiting stunning cities and places, and learning from very interesting people and their perceptions about what is important to them. In my trips I am always looking for the ways the past and present blend to make each culture distinct. Each and every trip is illustrative and enlarges my perceptions of the world: I realize and appreciate the diversity and the similarities that contrast in what separates and unites the cultures. I have the deep conviction that the best way to really understand and care about the world in all its dimensions is through traveling. I am confident that my social, international, cultural and professional background and my personal interests would make my MBA project a productive and enhancing experience for both myself and other students. I am anxious to share work, results, pastimes and happiness with other Kellogg students and contribute to enrich Kellogg's 2004 MBA Program.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
You have been selected as a member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Please provide a brief evaluative assessment of your file.
I perceive a good number of attributes in Mr. X' file. First of all, X's work experience is relevant, in an interesting and developing industry. His professional experience can be rounded by our MBA program. Second, he has a strong academic background and excellent test results, which demonstrate his solid analytical, reasoning and language skills. And third, his extracurricular activities make him a well-rounded candidate, who shows qualities sought by Kellogg. Although up until now X has been involved in only one full-time employment, his three years work experience seems very interesting. He has obtained a holistic view of his organization, working in several areas of a high-tech company on the satellite communications industry, which provides an innovative perspective for class contribution. He has gained the tools to effectively manage information with a business vision within a context of a competitive, international environment and with a top-management perspective. I believe X's professional experience is very significant, considering his key participation in projects with substantial impact (multi-million dollar) in a high-performance organization. He has also participated in the commercial start-up of a value added services unit of his company, being able to apply his leadership skills, by coordinating new business proposals and social initiatives. I am sure that X will bring interesting discussions to the class and that he will take advantage from being part of Kellogg's community. X's performance has likely been in groups, so I assume he has solid teamwork skills. His high level of interaction with top management entails strong communication skills and responsibility. It is clear that he identifies a structured and solid management program as a key factor to make his future career more successful by acquiring the necessary tools to make it into higher management and business entrepreneur. With regard to his academic credentials, X has the profile that we look for at Kellogg. His undergraduate record is very attractive and his international exchange program in the University of Massachusetts at Amherst speaks of his enthusiasm and interest in studying abroad. The ITESM in Mexico City, where he did his undergraduate studies, is a well renowned university, whose engineering program is very competitive and gives the foundations to focus on quantitative and qualitative methods for an accurate and timely decision-making. The fact that X finished as one of the best in his class speaks about his commitment to dedicated study and demanding programs. Additionally, he participated actively in student organizations and sports activities. X mentions several out-of-class interests. I perceive him to be quite active and ambitious in terms of non-work related activities. He projects special interest towards the social improvement of his community, traveling and meeting new people, and participating in different cultural and sports activities. His passions and hobbies sum to a rounded individual, which translate into experiences that can add not only serious work and energy, but also fun and entertainment to his colleagues. All these attitudes can perfectly fit to the Kellogg environment. With respect to community service, I liked the fact that X has been involved in social work since his undergraduate studies, teaching high school courses, protecting marine life in his country, and helping a non-profit organization with valuable contributions, such as financial health care opportunities to Mexican children. I believe X is in line with Kellogg's pursuit of international representation and with the profile and purpose of the program. In summary, I find X to be a solid candidate for a Master of Business Administration program at Kellogg. I think his work experience, academic background, social work and his essays clearly speak of an outstanding candidate. His experience in the satellite industry and his extracurricular goals coincide with Kellogg's philosophy, and thus can potentially take advantage from and contribute to other students' experience. I am sure X can be in a rigorous program and excel. Kellogg's expertise in different fields could undoubtedly add value and eventually shape him into a leader of which Kellogg would be proud.
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Essay Question:
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in a leadership role?
I have learned that the quality of any given result and particularly how it transcends, is related with the passion of the group involved in the task. When I share experiences and do things that I am really convinced about, that I am really looking for, I try to transmit this passion to my peers in order to center on a common goal. In my work I have testified how leading a correct team execution, with unity, dignity, and hard work translates to outstanding results. I lived a clear example in the start-up area of Satmex where I have lately been working, the Value Added Services Unit (VASU). It is the area I like to call the terrestrial side of our space service. Compared to Satmex, that has been operating for more than six years as a private company and thirty years as an established corporation, the VASU started commercial operations one year ago. As a result, clear commercial processes were not clearly stated. Within three weeks, I had to integrate a telecom bid for the largest retail store in Mexico, using concise and reasonable arguments to justify a significant investment. We elaborated a complete solution for retail services, combining point-of-sale hardware, data and help desk centers, and satellite provisioning. I needed to lead different teams and members' contributions and support, assuring that all the information was consistent and presented on time. I understood that in order to obtain effective results from a complete team, all members should drive towards a focused goal. I presented the initial requirements to all team members in a clear and straightforward way, which, at the end, allowed us to develop a very attractive proposal that is now under the client's final revision. In addition, this process of defining clear objectives and expected results from the beginning of each project has now been established as a model for future proposals that require such integration from diverse business areas.
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Essay Question:
Outside my work, I...
...like to spend my free time with my girlfriend and my friends. They are a very important source of happiness in my life. I love to have the chance of meeting and knowing incredible individuals as well as sharing and expressing my beliefs, emotions, fears and ideals with them. This makes me grow and teaches me what other people think and how other people feel inspired. I like to communicate with others, to meet new friends and to share different pastimes with them, either in social activities, traveling, sports, music and cultural events, or at work, where it is not my initial goal to socialize but where I have met incredible people. Their friendship has influenced and encouraged me to try new activities, to experience new ways of having fun and to face problems with confidence and a mature attitude. They motivate me to be aware of my goals and to understand what I need to reach them. All this becomes critical when it comes to relating with your partner. I have been happily related to my girlfriend for more than 6 years. She is an intelligent, ambitious and loving person, who likes challenges and has a great sense of humor.
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Essay Question:
I wish the Admissions Committee had asked me...
...about my family and how they have influenced my life. I want to stress that I consider myself extremely fortunate to be part of my family. I was given three incredible companions since my first day in this world. I did not even have to choose them and they are and will continue to be the best friends I will always have. They have taught me how to extract the beautiful things in life. My father, through his professionalism, sound judgment and integrity is a successful businessman who I admire. Being honest and optimistic, he is always responsible for his actions and the results they have. My mother is a true example of love, perseverance and support to others. Her capacity to clearly understand and communicate with people has made her win the respect and confidence of people who know her. As a couple, my parents esteem and complement each other. Finally, my two-year older brother is very close to me. We foster and enjoy having common projects and helping each other reach our goals. He is an action-driven individual who supports his loved ones all the time. All three of them have been exceptional examples and have guided me to be an active individual. We as human beings have the wonderful freedom and responsibility to choose from an infinite number of alternatives and opportunities everyday. My parents and brother have taught that the greatest choice I make everyday is to avoid being indifferent, to care about what is going on around me. I think life is valuable as long as we are touched, moved, influenced and impressed about whatever is important for us. Not everything in life has the same value, so if we care to distinguish between what is significant and what is not significant for us, and if we are conscious about our decisions and responsible for their effects, we are really living.
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Essay Question:
Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities, and/or leadership skills will enhance the experiences of other Kellogg students.
Overall speaking, I am an enthusiastic catalyst with substantial knowledge about the automotive market and industry of great China area, a solid hub manager possessing experiences to manage three dimensions of business, engineering, and interpersonal decision-making activities in an automaker, and an experienced coordinator having conducted numbers of complex product programs. Moreover, in terms of academic history, I will also be a rare student with continuous six-year undergraduate and graduate trainings of Mechanical Engineering, major in graphical mathematics modeling of manufacturing systems and proving strong quantitative skills more than seven years after graduated. Otherwise, in terms of activities, I can share my experiences and deep insights as a Volleyball team player winning champions with teammates. With over five-year experiences as a product planner and manager in a leading automaker conquering both Taiwan and China markets, I am having the precious opportunity to deeply understand and continuously review the automobile market of great China area. As an auto enthusiast on the other side of the Taiwan Strait, I could never understand the market in Mainland China if I had never been on-site, even though I am a Chinese as well. As a matter of fact, I have visited Mainland China nine times during these years. I would like to recall these personal experiences, especially the most impressive one, a ten-day business trip covering seven big cities, including Chongqing in mountains and Hohhot in Inner Mongolia near the Gebi Desert. I can also share the policy and intricate regulations, such as the discrepancy of regulation phases between major metropolitans and rest of the country, or how significant of a citys local code of 'bridge' is that we must even modify the engine to satisfy the local code. It would be rare that there is a manager in the class. In my opinion, leadership consists of innate traits of personality and long-term acquired experiences and beliefs, and is presented as a unique style. I can prove my innate traits according to my history that I was assigned to be the Class President many times and Captain of School Volleyball Team once during my elementary school. I can also prove my acquired experiences by resume of elected Class President four times in junior high school, elected two Managers and the President of NTU Motor Club in university, and current promoted manager position. The ways I can affect other students in terms of leadership are possible impacts of my stories to handle three-dimensional tasks mentioned in Essay 1 & 4, my innovative 'dependent team' concept mentioned in Essay 4, and my leadership style and belief that a manager is a thoughtful mentor proposing visions and directing perspectives of peers and subordinates. As a high-responsible coordinator conducting important product plans with up to thirty functions in my company, I can share enormous stories of how to present your thought, hold meetings, induce discussions, convince people, negotiate conflicts, overcome obstacles, coordinate efforts, and move forward. I am glad that because of its special organizational definitions and culture, CMC has given me the unusual opportunity to be at a position handling all product-oriented business and engineering processes. The most precious part is how to organize and coordinate such a great number of different functions and how to surmount the natural reluctances or disagreements shown by other departments to kick-off and implement a new program. Over seven years after graduated, I felt comfortable to get the 99% score of quantitative in my only one GMAT test. I am convinced that it is most likely attributed to my rigorous six-year training of Taiwans top one undergraduate and graduate Mechanical Engineering programs. Moreover, in my thesis, 'Structural Analysis of Manufacturing Systems by Hierarchical Colored Petri Nets,' I developed a quantitative analysis methodology for hierarchical colored Petri net (CPN) models in manufacturing systems. Written in English, a matrix approach was proposed to transform high-level CPN models into numerical matrix forms. With these experiences, I believe that I can support classmates with modeling methodology and skills. As a volleyball team player of Mechanical Engineering Department of NTU, I won consecutive two champions of 'National College Championship of Mechanical Engineering Departments' with my teammates, having learned precious experiences of solid and virtual teamwork perception, the importance of training myself to reach team goal, the significance of being a key role and encouraging one another, and the necessity of observing performances of other teammates and taking counter actions to cover one another. In a word, I will be a versatile international student of a Chinese auto enthusiast, a real-world manager, a seasoned coordinator, a researcher of modeling methodology, and a willing team player. By my diversity, influences and actions to share deep insights of my experiences, I am convinced that Kellogg classmates can be captivated, and I can tremendously learn from them as well.
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Essay Question:
Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg.
My work experience spans from being a summer intern for Indonesia Smelting Corporation and a consultant for Accenture to being the partner and co-founder of a small garment import business, Urban Accessories. Through these experiences, I have gained wide international and intercultural exposure as well as acquired expertise in the technological, business and entrepreneurial arenas. As an intern in Indonesia in the summer of 1998, I had a tryst with the South East Asian economic crisis. As a side project, I analyzed the effects of the crisis on the Indonesian manufacturing industry. This introduced me to the concepts of international currency trade and foreign investments. These challenging and intriguing subjects sparked in me a strong interest for international financial markets and paved the way for my career plans. After joining Accenture in November 1999, I chose to focus on the financial services industry to combine my interest in the financial markets with my technology background. I joined a $100 million project at a large options clearing house where I worked for three years in a variety of roles. Initially, I took the initiative to get up to speed with the clients business which helped me design settlement processes for new financial products. As a part of the Trade Processing team, I helped revolutionize options trading and clearing in the US by designing an innovative Real-Time trade receipt process. Having developed a strong rapport with the client leadership and demonstrated increasing subject matter expertise, I was subsequently rewarded with roles of increasing responsibilities. I led a client team and utilized my problem solving skills to guide them to an innovative design for the mission critical Risk and Margins module responsible for managing $30 billion in assets. I also led a development team to identify and resolve critical issues in the integration of a new technology with the options clearing system. Having been promoted twice in three and a half years, my responsibilities in Accenture have continuously increased. In July 2003, after leaving the OCC project, I led a team to create and present a business case for developing a Sarbanes Oxley financial compliance solution to Accentures senior leaders. Presently, I am managing a $300,000 project thread to redesign business processes at a Japanese automotive company where I am leveraging my expertise of the transactional processes and systems in the financial services industry. In March 2003, while still employed with Accenture, I co-founded a garment import company, Urban Accesories, to satisfy my growing entrepreneurial urges. Through this company, I introduced a radical product line to the higher end market in Chicago which has now started a fast growing trend. Through perseverance, exceptional team-work, and on-the-job learning, I have grown this venture into a $60,000 business within 8 months of inception. My negotiation skills and ability to forge relationships have helped secure a financing of $20,000 from the companys Indian suppliers for funding initiatives to grow the business further. My long standing interest in foreign investments, experiences in the financial services industry at Accenture and the success of my entrepreneurial venture has shaped my career goals. My long term goal is to establish a company that provides Indian expatriates in the US a direct platform to invest and trade in the Indian financial markets. The 2 million strong Indian expatriate community, with a combined investment potential of over $50 billion, has traditionally invested within the US. However, strong economic growth, improvements in the basic structure of Indian financial markets and tax incentives announced by the Indian government has spurred a strong interest in investments in India. Although this has created a huge potential for retail brokerage houses, no company has sought to tap this market, creating a vacuum which I aim to fill through my company. My short term goal is to work in the business development group of a large brokerage house. Here I shall create strategies for business expansion and brand development for retail brokering, experiences that will be crucial for my long term goal. I shall also build a strong network and create opportunities to form partnerships for my future venture. To bridge the gap between my existing capabilities and the skills I require to achieve my dream, I now need a flexible and well rounded MBA. Kellogg offers a balanced MBA program that is strong in all disciplines. The nine core courses at Kellogg will allow me to build a strong foundation in general management and business principles. I shall major in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and International Business and round out my education through courses in strategy, marketing and finance. Although I am experienced in financing of small businesses, courses such as Entrepreneurial Finance with Professor Rogers will help me gain the skills necessary to secure and manage financing for a big enterprise. Courses like International Business Strategy with Professor Spulber will be crucial for me to gain grounding in foreign direct investments and understand intricacies of forming strategic alliances. Courses such as Strategy and Organization will help me effectively manage and grow a successful business, while Marketing Strategy will enable me to evaluate the product market and develop a pioneering brand strategy for my company. Furthermore, the Kellogg faculty's emphasis on complementing theoretical concepts with real-life cases will be crucial for me in the practical application of management principles. I also look forward to the experience of the high-octane Kellogg clubs like PEEK and KEMC. Through the strong team-oriented environment of these clubs, I shall build a strong network with like minded peers and learn from their successes and mistakes. Programs like GIM will enable me to work with my colleagues to enhance our combined awareness of the emerging financial markets and investment opportunities in India. I will also benefit from the vast Kellogg alumni network and through events like the Private Equity Conference, build relationships with business leaders and gain valuable insights on transforming business ideas to successful ventures. Kellogg offers a challenging yet collegial environment and emphasizes team-work which is exactly what I am looking for. I believe that such an environment is highly conducive to learning and to the uninhibited exchange of ideas and knowledge. During my visit to the school, I experienced this environment first-hand through my interactions with current students, who were very enthusiastic about answering all my questions. Sam Jones, co-chair of PEEK and Sudheer Patel, co-chair of KEMC, explained the scope of activities and provided insightful details about their respective clubs. Susheel Undhyu, a married student himself, highlighted the active involvement of spouses and partners in Kellogg activities through the Joint Ventures club. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn about the unique provision under which spouses are able to audit courses in the school. This will help my wife develop a strong sense of belonging in the Kellogg community which is really important for both of us. Kelloggs MBA program is an ideal match for both my personality as well as my career goals. I am confident that my experiences and abilities, combined with an MBA from a renowned institution like Kellogg, will accelerate my career and enable me to realize my dream of building a successful venture.
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Essay Question:
Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experiences of other Kellogg students.
In today's highly interdependent economies and multicultural work environments, it has become imperative for successful business leaders to understand and respect the cultures of their partners and colleagues. Having lived in three different countries - India, Indonesia and US, I have had the opportunity to meet diverse people and to develop a sense of objectivity towards ideas, beliefs and values different from my own. This exposure has allowed me to understand the differences in the professional conduct and communication style among different cultures. As a result, I have been able to effectively manage and build strong rapport with people from varied backgrounds. Through my international experience, I will be able to bring a unique perspective to the Kellogg student body and be able to contribute my positive beliefs to our collective development as tomorrow's business leaders. Diversity has its benefits, but it also creates its own unique challenges, especially for foreign nationals. Utilizing my own experiences, I have worked with individuals and groups to help them face the challenges of living and working in a foreign land. In only my second year with Accenture, I co-founded the International Affinity Group in the Chicago office. This provided a support group for international employees and a forum to address common issues. As a part of the India recruiting team, I supported the recruiting process and mentored new recruits helping them acclimatize to and succeed in their new surroundings. At Kellogg, I shall work with the international student office to help new students coming to the US resolve common issues like immigration, housing and work permits. I shall also work with the international clubs to conduct cultural assimilation and training for students coming to the US or leaving for other countries to work, study or just visit. While I have always been a risk taker and have valued perseverance and team-work, creating and capitalizing on new opportunities is an ability I learned from the corporate culture in America. In March 2003, I co-founded a garment import business, Urban Accessories, with my wife, who being a fashion designer has the technical expertise in this field. In a market saturated with contemporary fashion, we created an entirely new segment by launching a radical product line of garments that had a western look but were produced using age old Indian techniques of weaving and dyeing. The idea was extremely successful and we were able to meet the annual sales target in only eight months. Through my experiences from creating and building a successful business, I bring a unique pragmatic perspective to Kellogg. I will be able to share my entrepreneurial experiences with my peers in PEEK. My practical insights and real world examples will be invaluable in the 'Beers and Idears' brainstorming sessions. One of the current hot topics in American business is outsourcing to India and having the experience of running a business based on offshore production in India, I will also be able to contribute a lot to classroom discussions by bringing the inside information on the advantages and challenges of this model. I firmly believe that sports and outdoor activities are great developers of leadership and team-work skills and builders of camaraderie and friendship. As a member of teams, I have learned how important it is to understand my role in the team and to stick to the game plan and to my position on the field. As a leader, I have learnt to identify my teams strengths and weaknesses and to lead as much by action as by words. I played field hockey both for my high school and college team and also captained my hostel team in college for two years. I developed a passion for adventure sports through white water rafting and hiking in college and sky-diving after moving to the US. At Kellogg, I look forward to creating life long friendships and sharing my passion with peers through the Kellogg Outdoor Adventures and the Hockey Clubs and develop an overarching team spirit that extends well beyond the classroom. A value that I have held since high school has been that of working towards the betterment of educational opportunities for under-privileged children. It all started when I worked with my 10th grade English teacher, an avid social worker, to donate a library and provide career counseling to the children of a poor village near New Delhi. In college, I founded a students group, Education for All, which supported a not-for-profit school and day care named Prayas - meaning endeavor, for children living in the slums surrounding IIT-Delhi. After moving to Chicago, I continued to pursue my passion in this arena, working to improve conditions in Chicagos public schools. As a Project Site Manager for Chicago Cares 7th annual Servathon in 2000, I co-led 40 volunteers to paint and sanitize a west side public school. As a Coordinator for the Chicago Cares Partners in Technology Program in 2002, I put together a team of 5 volunteers and prepared the curriculum to train 20 public school teachers in the basics of Microsoft Office and web publishing. Recently, I co-led the 2003 fall campaign for United Way, raising $13.4 million to fund human services organizations, including those that provide facilities to under-privileged children with special needs. Over the last four years, I also worked on multiple Accenture initiatives including spending a day with public school children and running craft workshops for kids with AIDS. Through the BWAH club and the Kellogg Service Initiative, I shall share my beliefs with my peers and work with them to improve the educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Chicago and Evanston. Working together to make a meaningful impact to the society will enable us to create strong bonds with the Kellogg community as well as amongst each other. I am certain that my values, beliefs and positive attitude will enable me to further the spirit of Kellogg. My exposure to diverse cultures around the world and my ability to connect with people at all levels as a friend, colleague or leader will allow me to succeed in, learn from and contribute to Kellogg's collegial and team oriented environment. My varied experiences as a consultant and a successful entrepreneur will undoubtedly be extremely valuable to the learning process of my peers. I look forward to being a part of the longstanding tradition of global business leadership that is Kellogg.
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Essay Question:
You have been selected as a member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Please provide a brief evaluative assessment of your file.
If I were selected as a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee, I would conclude that, after a thorough assessment of six aspects as follows, X's file presents an experienced, diverse and rare candidate of Kellogg MMM program. First, I would find out that no matter prior to or after MBA, X possesses a very clear and long-term enthusiasm, product-driven career path and career goal, a trait not so many students possess and to which MMM program is looking forward. I would realize that he '...had decided my career path due to my enthusiasm before entering university&(in Essay 1).' Not only did he study the top one Mechanical Engineering programs to meet the strong connection with his interest: automobile, but he also joined the NTU Motor Club to keep pursuing his enthusiasm. His plan of career path was so definite that after his two-year military service, he '...never hesitated to be recruited as an engineer in the Engineering Design Divisi...(in Essay 1)' by Taiwan's leading automaker. I could also understand that he rarely did not changed his job for over five years to date, proving his enthusiasm, ambition and persistence. Second, I would recognize X's best advantage of his working content and quality as '...a role of hub and central coordinator, organizing..., bridging..., and integrating... (in Essay 1).' X's seasoned experiences as an intense coordinator to deal with '...a flat Plane, two-dimensional considerations of links and dilemmas between business and engineering... (in Essay 1)' are rare yet life ones in a product-driven industry and business, experiences that will be profoundly beneficial to the Kellogg class and community with '...of how to present your thought, hold meetings, induce discussions, convince people, negotiate conflicts, overcome obstacles, coordinate efforts, and move forward...' and '...how to organize and coordinate such a great number of different functions and how to surmount the natural reluctances or disagreements shown by other departments to kick-off and implement a new program (in Essay 2).' Third, because Asian companies in traditional industries usually consider age, experiences or loyalty much more important than performance or outcome, a staff in those companies often maintains long experiences before promoted as a manager. However, X became a manager in less than four years, demonstrating not only his strong personal traits and leadership potential & skills, but also his outstanding working performance such as '...three consecutive annual top performance rankings and two successive annual promotions in merely two years...(in Essay 1)' and his salary raise, proving that not only does he have motivation and ambition, but he also has done his job well. I could also find out that in the answer A. of Essay 4, he elaborates his ambition as 'prior to being promoted as the manager, I had been thinking about how to be a good manager...' and his manager experience of '...introducing innovative ideas of management skills..., proving that he is ambitious, willing and innovative to be a better manager. Fourth, I would be surprised that X also had colorful military experiences. Not only did he 'ead thirty sergeants and soldiers,'and suffer an '...unforgettable experience, I learned how to control the situations and make correct and precise decisions under serious psychological pressures...,' but he also experienced a headquarter staff officer and '...practiced and learned efficient communications and interpersonal skills with supervisors or peers senior to me in ranks. (in Additional Information)' Despite his multidisciplinary military experiences and outstanding performance, I would be curious about why X could be assigned the Intern Captain out of all rookie Cadets? Fifth, rather than leadership performance, I would realize that X is also a good team player. The most impressive part of his file would be that he '...learned precious experiences of solid and virtual teamwork perception, the importance of training myself to reach team goal, the significance of being a key role and encouraging one another, and the necessity of observing performances of other teammates and taking counter actions to cover one another...' in his Volleyball team experiences and champions. Concerning X's potential to be a successful student, I would find out that he had average GPAs similar to that of Kellogg's student body, and especially his academic performance was going up. Although his only one overall GMAT score is merely about the average, I could recognize that his quantitative sub-score is perfect 99%, which guarantees his performance in MMM program. I would be a little worry about his English skills as an international student, however, considering his flat TOEFL score taken just once and the fact that his thesis was written in English, I would be convinced that X has the potential and will be comfortable if given the environment to speed up his language skills. Conclusively, X is an experienced, rare and versatile candidate of MMM program. I would endorse his admission, while recommending that he advance the timing leaving his job and entering United States in 2005 as early as possible to be familiar with the environment and language before entering Kellogg.
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Essay Question:
Complete three of the following five questions or statements.
A. What have been your most significant leadership roles to date? What was the most valuable lesson learned? Reviewing my leadership roles to date, including assigned and elected Class Presidents, assigned Captain of School Volleyball Team, elected Chiefs of Committees in Student Union, assigned Managers and elected Vice President & President in NTU Motor Club, assigned Intern Captain of the Corps of Cadet in the Armor School of R.O.C. Army, honored Second Lieutenant Armor Officer of a Company in a Mechanized Division, and team leader and product planner in China Motor Corporation, I think the current position, a Manager of Product Planning in CMC, is my most meaningful one. Although I lead fewer members and have little authority in my manager position than those in my military positions, my present responsibilities are more influential in shaping life styles of tens of thousands of customers by appreciated products resulted from successful product plans. The most valuable lesson I have learned from my manager position is the process of introducing innovative ideas of management skills. Prior to being promoted as the manager, I had been thinking about how to be a good manager to solve problems. Our company sells numbers of vehicles in different segments. However, since market behavior and significance in each segment are quite different, discrepancies of work loading and performance of product planners exist because individual product planner is usually responsible for specific model so that it is easier to manage and evaluate performance of specific product or individual. For example, the vehicle I am responsible for, SAVRIN, is a high-loading model as a result from its restyling or reengineering frequency, high sales volume and high profit. After promoted as the manager, I decided to introduce a new concept I called Dependent Team, trying to eliminate the loading discrepancies. In dependent team, individual product planners are responsible for the same vehicle but different launch timing, for instance, plans of model year 2005 and 2006. To coordinate dependent teamwork rather than independent performance of single planners, it is my responsibility to direct them interactively, build tight connections among them, and integrate their harmonic efforts like an orchestra conductor. This is an innovation of management in my organization. Although my work loading under new job assignment policy is much higher than that under old independent one, I am glad that my staffs are happy about the elimination of loading discrepancy and the opportunities to be in charge of new programs while I can also practice myself to be a better manager conducting multiple connections among people. B. Describe an ethical dilemma that you faced and how it was resolved. I would like to elaborate a situation of fuel tank design in my working experiences. During my first half year in the China Motor Corporation, I was an engineer responsible for engineering of power train systems, including engine, transmission, and supplemental equipments such as radiator and fuel tank. At that time, a program of a brand new sedan had been kicked off and I had to release the drawing of newly designed fuel tank adapted on the model. The fuel tank was designed by engineers of Mitsubishi Motors to be manufactured by a cutting-edge type of sheet metal, which is more environmental-friendly and easier to be recycled than that utilized on the former model. However, after I had released the drawing, colleagues of Parts Development and Procurement discussed with me that because the plan to introduce new material by local sheet metal makers was several years later, it was costly to import the sheet metal material required on the drawing, and they proposed carrying over the old material utilized on the old model. Since a great portion of my enthusiasm in automotive industry is my belief that a car shall be made continuously friendlier for environment and be comprised of larger portion of recyclable parts, I tried to resolve the dilemma of cost and environmental protection by analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of applying such kind of new material. I provided evidences showing that how our environment could have benefited in a long-term perspective if we had introduced the new material. Moreover, since production of the new sheet metal is a global trend of sheet metal makers, I also suggested that the sheet metal makers in Taiwan advance their introduction schedule of producing new type of sheet metal, so that the cost issue would be just a short-term one before local sheet metal makers successfully introduce new facilities to produce new raw materials. After a series of intensive discussions and reports, I was regretted that the decision was made by senior officers to satisfy short-term cost considerations rather than long-term environmental risks. Although I had proposed some solutions to resolve the dilemma, the dilemma was 'resolved' in a way that I believed imperfect. This experience, during these five years, have been influencing me a lot to think about how to be a good leader making hard decisions in an automaker. In the automotive industry, there are too many dilemmas or difficult issues to make appropriate decisions. This is one of the challenges a carmaker leader will face, and, considering the complexity of proposing possible solutions and making such kind of hard decisions, I am convinced that vigorous and industry-related trainings of analyzing and decision-making skills are required for automaker leaders to reach any optimal solution. C. Describe a situation in which you provided a solution that met with resistance. How did you address that situation? Because of the nature of jobs of product planners, I have years of experiences dealing with daily conflicts or controversial situations, among which I would like to share the most serious situation I have ever met when I was implementing the new product program of major changed SAVRIN. Because of the severe competition, we were planning to launch the program as soon as possible. Consequently, the original version of timing plan was already tight. However, the styling process of this program had been delayed dramatically because it was not perfect enough to be fixed on time. Therefore, there were serious arguments over the issue: how to catch the timing plan to keep the launch schedule. All functions of the process following styling disagreed any compression into a shorter time to develop the product. However, we found that we could not postpone the launch timing because our major rival was about to launch their similar product at the same time. The earlier the product was pushed into market, the more business advantage we could acquire. As a product planner in the marketing division, I had to find any possible solution to break through this situation. After studied the original timing plan, I figured out an idea to reach compromises: 'Concurrent Engineering' I had learned in university and graduate school. By overlapping some works on the transitions of engineering design vs. parts development vs. trial production and utilizing CAD (Computer Aided Design) data and different stages of sampling parts, a great portion of time could be saved to catch up the original plan. However, although all parts were developed using CAD, related departments were still not proficient in concurrent engineering and they resisted my proposal to utilize this skill. Under this circumstance, I kept intense discussions with these departments and proposed my draft plan to introduce concurrent engineering methods, convincing them to accept this idea. I also discussed with senior officers to convince them that since the market would never hesitate to demand better vehicles in shorter time, we had to be proficient in any useful technology or skill to continuously shorten our leading time of product development. Finally, all departments accepted my idea and utilized the method, and the product was successfully launched on schedule this year, contributing to double sales volume. After continuously dealing with conflicts in these years, I recognized that by persistent energy and captivating confidence, I could somehow push the team and my company beyond boundaries we had never reached, the limitation of self-confidence and persistence.
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Essay Question:
Describe a time you had to take a big risk or make a life-changing decision.
The Christmas vacation of my sophomore year, it rained. At home, I sat before a bright computer screen in the shadows of my father's little library. I surfed the net looking at college web sites because, at the time, I had nothing better to do with myself - I already had eaten dinner. Though the setting seemed almost lugubrious, I was wired to my dad's new 486. I was analyzing colleges, so I could edit and make additions to my extensive list. I was more than interested in college: I was ready to pack my bags. I had practically read the Fiske Guide and the Princeton Review college books cover to cover. I do not remember precisely how it happened, but somehow I surfed into Andover's web page. The name Andover sounded familiar; I thought it was a small liberalset arts college somewhere in New England. As I read the heading Phillip's Academy - what was that? A preparatory school. I ran across the hall to my dad's bedroom. He was napping. 'Hey daddy, come here. Look what I found. Do you know about Andover?' Of course, X. It's a prestigious boarding school in New England. There's Andover, Exeter, Choate, and uhhh, well I don't remember. I have forgotten, but, there is a group of old prep schools in New England.' My dad grew up in Connecticut; I should have known that he knew about boarding schools. But then again, I did not know about them, so there was no way I could have asked him earlier. I always had asked my father questions. Probably, most of what I learned in middle school came from asking my dad a myriad of questions. I learned about the stock market and investing, Fannie Maes, mutual funds, loans, the Cold War, Judaism and the founding of Israel, Vietnam, Japanese business, Warren Buffet, dislocated shoulders, Oshgood Shlaughter's disease, the x-ray machine, total joint replacements, Alan Greenspan, Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin, Mark Twain, Hemingway, Stephen King, T.S. Elliot, Edgar Allen Poe, Einstein, World War II & the Holocaust, the Depression, the Roman Empire, Archimedes - I could go on and on; like I said, I learned more from him than from all my Turrentine Middle School teachers. My father and I talked about boarding schools for a long time. He mentioned that Mel Weinstein (his friend from Medical School) had a daughter who went to Lawrenceville in New Jersey. I found Lawrenceville's web site next. These prep schools were awesome! They were just like colleges. And boy, did I want to go to college. That was it: I made a big decision. 'Can I go to boarding school? He looked apprehensive: 'Sure, if that's what you want to do. But first, you have to get in. You know you have to apply, and then they have to accept you.' The application deadlines were soon, sometime in late January. Online, I requested an application for the two schools. Both required SSAT scores, so I went to the SSAT web site and signed up for the test, which I would take ten days later. On more than one occasion, even after I was accepted to both schools, my parents asked me, 'Are you sure this is what you want to do?' I was certain, regardless of all the sacrifices. Ranked first in my class at Williams High, I obviously would abandon the opportunity of being Valedictorian. Plus, I would leave behind all my neighborhood friends in Burlington, and I would lose my position as captain of the JV soccer team. My Sudanese soccer coach Habil would miss me, but I would miss him even more. He had coached me since I was four feet tall. I had learned a tremendous amount from him. Besides soccer skills, he taught about working hard, being disciplined, and being honest. His stories about life in Sudan shocked and inspired me. The man was unique: no coach in the world could replace the role Habil had in my life. Still, there were many more sacrifices. For instance, if I were at boarding school, I would not be able to spend weekends with my family at Smith Mountain Lake, the most beautiful place in Virginia. Away from my family, surrounded by books and strangers, I would have to start a new life, build new ties, reestablish myself. Next fall, Junior year - everyone said it was the toughest year in high school - I would adapt to a foreign environment, and take classes more challenging than anything I could fathom. No doubt, attending boarding school next fall would compound the difficulties of Junior year. But then again, I could not wait to be taught by Ph.Ds, to study with kids from all over the world, to play soccer up North, and to live on a campus where I would eat, sleep, and breathe school. My father said, 'Well X, I will miss you, but I believe an education is exceedingly important. It is a person's greatest asset. Once you get an education, nobody can take that away from you. As your parent, the best thing I can do for you is to finance your education and to support your endeavors.' I packed my bags for Lawrenceville!
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Essay Question:
You have been given $1 million to set up a philanthropic organization. What would it support and why?
I will set up a fund to support not-for-profit organizations providing educational facilities to under-privileged children with special needs. Children are the foundation of the world that we are building for our future. I believe that this foundation can be strong only if every child gets a good education and a competitive environment to grow in. Due to the high cost of education and necessary facilities, institutions focusing on under-privileged children with special needs are often under-funded and ill-equipped. There is also a gap between the number of such facilities needed and what already exists. To be able to make an impact on society, plans for this organization will include building a team of dedicated individuals and setting up sustained channels of funding. The approach will be to assess requirements and gaps one region at a time, equip and expand existing facilities and sponsor new ones. I have been working towards improving the education of under-privileged children since 7th grade. My English teacher was an avid social worker, and my efforts started from one of her projects. We adopted a small village near New Delhi and over a period of four years, built and grew a library and study center and expanded the local school through volunteer work and donated books and equipment. Once a year, we sponsored a trip to Delhi University and provided career counseling to 11th and 12th grade students. In college I continued to work to provide a better environment for children to grow in. I founded a students group, Education for All, which supported a not-for-profit organization Prayas, meaning Endeavor. Prayas runs a school and day-care within IIT Delhi campus for children living in slums surrounding the college. My group donated time to Prayas for administrative jobs like preparing tax returns, managing annual festivities and even installing safe electrical circuits and substituting for teachers in between our classes. Started with four students, Education for All tripled in two years and is now recognized by the National Service Scheme. After moving to Chicago, I utilized numerous opportunities to work towards my cause including leading a train-the-teacher program with Chicago Cares. It was a crafts camp for children with AIDS, which first exposed me to children with special needs. During the time spent with these children at this camp, I was amazed by their resolve and desire to succeed. In 2001, I volunteered for Illinois Special Olympics at Northwestern University and in 2002 I led a team of 30 volunteers at the same event. We helped in the organization of this event and spent the day with the participants providing them support and encouragement. Currently I am co-leading the United Way campaign at Accenture with a target to raise $13.4 million that will be used to fund institutions providing education and care to children with special needs, among other agencies. There are millions of under-privileged children with special needs who do not have access to the right facilities or the means to afford a special education. These children have the ability and drive to succeed if given an opportunity. A sincere effort made in this arena will make a big impact on the lives of these children and help build a stronger foundation for tomorrow's world.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
You have been selected as a member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Please provide a brief evaluative assessment of your file.
Based on the evaluation of his file, I strongly recommend that X be admitted to the Kellogg School of Management. He is a well-rounded individual and has the attributes of a successful business student and leader. He possesses an outstanding academic record and excellent work experience at a top consulting firm. Moreover, he has taken the extra step and progressed beyond his peers by founding and managing a successful business on the side. X has built strong goals for his future and has a compelling motivation for pursuing an MBA from Kellogg. Further, he will utilize his unique perspective and rich experiences to significantly contribute to the learning experience of his peers. His personality is a perfect fit for the Kellogg community and he will certainly be an asset to the school. X is sure to excel in the academic rigor of the Kellogg MBA program. He ranked in the top 0.5% of 150,000 students in the entrance exam for IIT which is India's best and one of the world's finest educational institutions. He continually improved his grade point average in an extremely demanding engineering program and graduated in the top 10% of his class. Despite the hectic 25-30 credit hours per semester, X not only excelled in his major but also rounded out his education by taking literature and economics courses. An apparent weakness in his application is an average GMAT Verbal score of 76 percentile. However, counter to what this may suggest, he has a strong command over the language and an ability to effectively communicate his ideas. This view is supported by a successful consulting career in the US for four years and a perfect grade on a Technical Communication course in college. Finally, a 97 percentile GMAT Analytical score and high grades in mathematics and science courses are indicators of his strong analytical and quantitative skills. X has been a top performer in his career as a consultant. He has clearly progressed quickly within Accenture and shouldered ever increasing responsibilities at client projects. At the options clearing house project, he contributed first as a team member and then as a team lead. He has also made a significant impact to the financial services industry through his innovative design for a ground-breaking options trade receipt process. Presently, he is managing an entire project thread with a budget of $300,000 at an automotive client. X has the qualities to succeed in an MBA program and in his future career. He has proved his leadership and teamwork skills in different fields time and again - from starting a students group, Education for All, and leading volunteers for Chicago Cares Servathon to creating the International Affinity Group, a professional group in Accenture. Through his experience with the technical architect at his automotive client, X has shown his exceptional ability to forge relationships with his clients and team members. Further, from his experiences at the options clearing house, he has demonstrated strong ethical integrity and an ability to preserve his core values in a challenging situation. In clearly articulating his learning from these experiences and by constantly improving himself, he also shows a great deal of self awareness and maturity. X has built a strong set of goals for his future and shows a compelling motivation for an MBA from Kellogg at this stage. He talks passionately about his vision for founding his own company to provide a platform for individual investment in the Indian financial markets. His foundation in the financial services industry, entrepreneurial instincts and experiences in India and US provide strong credibility to this vision. To further hone his existing skills and develop the ones he needs to realize his dream, an MBA from Kellogg is the next step in the right direction for him. In his application, X has precisely articulated his educational objectives and identified specific strengths of the Kellogg MBA program that will address his development needs. Further, his collegial personality is a perfect fit for the collaborative, diverse and team-oriented Kellogg environment. Such as environment will also be conducive to the development of his own personality as well as enable his spouse to adapt and grow with him. Moreover, by staying in Evanston, he will be able to continue his involvement with his current business which is established in Chicago. X will bring a unique perspective to the school and add to the richness and diversity of his class. He combines the strength of his engineering and consulting credentials with valuable entrepreneurial experiences from his garment import business, Urban Accessories, to stand out among the crowd. His experiences in different countries - India, Indonesia and US, and eagerness to embrace different cultures enable X to bring the balanced perspective of a truly global citizen. His social awareness ever since high school and commitment towards the education of underprivileged children brings out a unique quality of adapting to and improving every community he lives in. His expertise in white water rafting will add to the varied interests of his colleagues at Kellogg and provide another means of strengthening their bonds amongst each other. Through his experiences, values and varied interests, X will contribute to the learning of his peers in the classroom and beyond. He will also contribute to his community through his continued efforts to improve the conditions of the public schools in Chicago and Evanston. X has demonstrated himself to be a balanced and mature individual with a well developed personality. He has a strong career focus, exceptional abilities and a life-long capacity for learning. He has the potential to achieve his goals and succeed in a business environment. Admitting X to the Kellogg MBA program will be mutually beneficial, as he is sure to gain tremendously from this renowned institution as well as contribute significantly to his peers, school and community.
