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Major Question: What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will Columbia Business School help you achieve these goals?
Working at a Salvadorian apparel manufacturing company for the past six years has given me invaluable insight into the dynamics of a growing organization. When I joined the company in 1998, there were fewer than two dozen employees and our focus was on the importation of fabrics from Central America. Today, Intradeco Apparel supplies $200 million of merchandise to the three largest mass retailers in the United States: Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target. The company has 3,400 employees in two countries and controls most aspects of the supply chain, including sourcing, design, manufacturing, logistics, and sales. Through this growth, I have built my career by integrating technologies that promote synergy across geographic boundaries and reduce operating costs to maintain our competitive advantage in an increasingly aggressive industry. I have enjoyed the benefits of sustained periods of growth, experienced the excitement of two acquisitions, felt the effects of globalization, and thrived under the pressures of supplying the leading retailers in our country with just-in-time inventory. This exposure has led me to my present role reporting directly to the president as manager of a diverse team of technologists. Consequently, it has also helped me develop a clear vision of my goals and what I must do to achieve them. My short term goal is to make the leap from manufacturing to retail in the apparel business. Making this transition will be essential to my career for three key reasons. First, the elimination of Chinese apparel import quotas in 2005 as a result of Chinas entry into the World Trade Organization will make it increasingly difficult for Latin American manufacturers to sustain profitability given Asias far cheaper labor costs. It has been estimated that Chinese manufacturing labor cost is $0.64 per hour, less than half El Salvadors $1.30. Second, retailers direct access to customers allows them to focus on leveraging their knowledge of consumer trends to maximize profits while passing many of the risks, and associated costs, to manufacturers. One example of this is inventory management. Retailers are increasingly requiring manufacturers to self-manage their inventory, delivering only enough merchandise to meet customer demand. If a particular color or style does not sell, the manufacturer is then forced to keep this inventory or sell it at a loss. Third, retailers are able to establish powerful brands like Bloomingdales, Calvin Klein, or Louis Vuitton that differentiate their products and build a loyal customer base a luxury that is simply inexistent in the increasingly commoditized apparel manufacturing industry. In the long-term, my goal is to become a senior executive at a major apparel retailer such as Federated Department Stores or LVMH. Achieving this goal gives me the opportunity to leverage my leadership skills while making a positive impact on the industry by driving emerging economies forward through the creation of jobs. Thus far, my experiences at Intradeco Apparel have helped me gain a solid grasp of the technology and manufacturing aspects of the business while exercising my leadership skills. Yet, to truly gain a holistic understanding of the industry and differentiate myself as the best person to lead such a corporation, I need to strengthen my knowledge of core business skills and the retail industry, cultivate a strong network of contacts in the business, and gain a deeper understanding of Chinese commerce. In light of these goals, the Columbia MBA provides an ideal environment where I know I will flourish. It is ideal not only because of the schools outstanding reputation and center-of-the-retail-universe location, but more specifically, because of its Retailing Program led by Professor Alan Kane. Learning from Professors Kane and Feiner, along with the many leaders of retail who are guests in their courses, perfectly fits my ambition of gaining the skills I need to succeed in the retail business. It is also a unique opportunity to forge relationships with others who are, or will soon be, leading retail organizations in an atmosphere where my professional background will enhance class discussions and group exercises. Beyond the classroom, New York provides the perfect setting where I can gain hands-on experience during summer internships at a major apparel retailer. This combination of academic and applied knowledge, coupled with my past experience, will be a powerful force for jumpstarting my career in the apparel retail industry. Also key to my time at Columbia is pursuing a better understanding of emerging Asian markets, and particularly China, since it represents the largest growth opportunity for the retail industry. Chinas more than one billion citizens provide not only a huge supply of cost-effective labor, but also the chance to capitalize on a market with virtually unlimited potential. Consequently, a deeper understanding of Chinese commerce is crucial to my short-term and long-term success. During my last term at Columbia I plan to take full advantage of what I consider to be one of the greatest strengths of the Columbia MBA: The ability to spend a semester at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) through the Chazen Institute MBA Exchange Program. HKUST has one of the leading Asian MBA programs where apparel retailers like LVMH and Christian Dior frequently recruit. While there, my primary goal is to combine my experiences in the Columbia Retailing Program with those provided by HKUST to further differentiate myself as an ideal candidate for a major apparel retailer. Studying in one of Hong Kongs premier universities will also diversify my network of contacts to include executives in the Asian continent. Having such contacts will be key to my success as apparel retailers increasingly source their manufacturing from the Asian continent and look to Asia for expansion and growth. Ultimately, my goal is to get more out of an MBA than just an understanding of business. I want to lead the world of retail in an increasingly global marketplace by capturing the opportunities that only Columbia can provide. As such, the combination of my upbringing in the Dominican Republic by a Cuban family, my technological expertise, and my professional experience in Central America make me uniquely suited to succeed at Columbia and beyond. Further, I know I will work hard to make the next two years as memorable for my classmates as they will be for me by being an active member of the Columbia community. It is precisely because of these reasons that there simply no better place in the world than New York, and no better school than Columbia for me to pursue an MBA.
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At Michigan, we believe the key to effective leadership is the ability to transform theoretical concepts and ideas into action that can change the world. Given this perspective, please describe your most significant leadership accomplishment. Address how you transformed a theory or idea into action, the challenges you faced, and the impact your leadership had on your team or the organization. (500 words)
One of my job responsibilities is to organize and plan special events. The Walk for the Animals had been held twice before I was hired. It had raised $10,000 and attracted fifty participants each time. My first day on the job, the Board President told me that I was expected to double the event's revenue. It was April and the event was scheduled to take place the following October. The board president also told me that the volunteers who organized the event the previous two years were burnt out and not interested in helping again. Also, the board members were busy and unable to help with the planning process. Nevertheless, I was expected to raise $20,000. I started by contacting other organizations that had held similar, successful events and asking them about committee structures, planning timelines, corporate sponsorship strategies and event logistics. I evaluated the capacity of our organization and set a goal of $50,000 and 500 participants. In order to accomplish this, the entire event had to be restructured. In less than two months I recruited twenty-five new volunteers to serve on the planning committee. I changed the date of the event in order to give us a full year to plan and I moved the event to a more central location (Duke University). No one in the organization had ever set such a goal or articulated such a vision. The board members laughed at me and said that they would be happy if I could get 100 people to attend. I did not allow their skepticism to dissuade me. Instead, I recruited volunteers who had great abilities and passion. I provided them with the training they needed and motivated them by telling them about the organization's mission and the tangible benefits that would result from their hard work. The volunteers gradually began to trust that the goal was achievable. In fact, our goal was more than achievable. Despite pouring rain the day of the event, 500 people attended and we raised $65,000. Restructuring the Walk for the Animals is one of the steps I have taken to transform the Animal Protection Society of Durham into a functional, successful nonprofit organization that strives to use good business practices in order to maximize its effectiveness. A new standard has been set and it has given the volunteers and the staff the confidence to accomplish more in the future. This experience taught me that informed, calculated risk-taking is necessary in order for an organization to grow. It also taught me that worrying is counterproductive and that determination can offset the doubts of others. Every day, I embrace risks as opportunities to accomplish great things in order to improve our organization and the lives of the animals we help.
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2a. Describe how you achieved professional growth over the past two years. (300 words)
When I began my job search after college I knew that I wanted a career in nonprofit management but was not sure how best to achieve this goal. I could not find any entry-level management positions at nonprofits so I decided to look for a job that would give me a feel for nonprofit culture and allow me to perfect my quantitative skills. I found several such jobs and decided to accept a position at Research Triangle Institute (RTI). While at RTI, I actively pursued volunteer opportunities at a nonprofit animal welfare organization, the type of organization I would ideally like to manage. While there, I assumed leadership roles such as committee chairperson. I also socialized with the other leaders of the organization and learned from their experiences while listening to their advice. I then started to look for full-time careers that would allow me to use my new skills and experiences in a professional setting. When the Development Director position at the Animal Protection Society of Durham was listed, I applied immediately. I was chosen to fill the position over several experienced candidates, and was put in charge of a brand new development program. I had the assistance of a fundraising consultant for three months. Otherwise, it was up to me to build the program and to attain the skills I needed in order to do so. I took classes at Duke University's Nonprofit Management Program in fundraising, finance, and marketing. I also joined the Association of Fundraising Professionals in order to network with professionals with years of experience in many different types of nonprofits. I have attended every conference possible and communicate regularly with development professionals at other local animal welfare organizations. I also communicate regularly with organizations that have implemented successful fundraising programs and ask for their advice when it is needed. These actions have helped me grow from someone with very strong quantitative skills and a lot of initiative into someone with a strong foundation in professional fundraising and nonprofit leadership.
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Major 2b. Describe how you will approach co-creating your Michigan MBA: What career goals have you set and what objectives will you establish for your Michigan MBA experience? How will you utilize the opportunities at Michigan to achieve your objectives and create an MBA experience that is right for you? How will you and your approach benefit other members of our community? (500 words)
When I was in the fifth grade I decided that I wanted to be the president 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 abilities to understand complex business operations and lead effectively. My aspirations have expanded since the fifth grade, as I would also be happy to serve as the president of one of the other major national animal welfare organizations. My path to becoming president of such an organization will include leadership positions in smaller nonprofits, nonprofits that are not animal-related, and possibly serving as a nonprofit management consultant. The next step in my career is to manage an entire nonprofit, not just the development program. In order for me to do this, I need the breadth of knowledge acquired from an MBA program. I have learned some of the skills I will need to manage a nonprofit, but to become a well-rounded leader with the credentials necessary to assume a top management position in the nonprofit sector, I need an MBA. The general management skills that I will learn while at Michigan and the alumni network that Michigan offers will enable me to make a powerful contribution to the organizations I lead and to the nonprofit sector as a whole. I want to be a strong, effective leader in the nonprofit sector and Michigan will provide me with the best preparation to do so. In order to gain the most benefit from the Michigan MBA program, I plan on being an active participant in the academic and social communities. The flexibility of the Michigan MBA curriculum will allow me to take electives that best suit my career goals. Taking classes offered by the Nonprofit and Public Management Center and participating in its Board Fellowship Program will provide me with skills and experiences necessary to manage a nonprofit organization. Becoming an active member of Net Impact, the Global Citizenship Club, and the Community Consulting Club will give me the opportunity to interact with other students and community members that share interests similar to mine and will allow me to give back to the community. The spirit of camaraderie and the emphasis on teamwork at Michigan will develop my personal character and my interpersonal skills. My experiences in the nonprofit sector, particularly one without an executive director and with a brand new fundraising program, give me a different perspective than many of the students from corporate backgrounds. I will share my perspective during class discussions and group projects. My current position has required me to work with a very large and diverse group of employees and volunteers. I will use the skills I have acquired while building these teams to build strong teams with my fellow Michigan classmates. My passion for community service will be of value to the Ann Arbor community and to the University of Michigan. I also look forward to adding to the social consciousness of the student body while also upholding the strong academic standards that have been set for the Michigan MBA program.
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Major 3. When and how should personal or social values influence the decisions of business leaders? Please explain how personal or social values have influenced a business decision in which you were involved. Alternatively, evaluate a recent decision of a business leader and how it aligns with your own personal and social values. (500 words)
Personal or social values should influence the decision of nonprofit leaders when those values align with the mission of the organization. Decisions that do not benefit, and perhaps even harm, an organization are made when they are based on values that do not agree with the mission on which the organization is founded. I have had to struggle with this problem continually with board members while working for the Animal Protection Society of Durham. Each year, we must decide how best to allocate resources in order to accomplish our mission. I develop the organization's annual budget and the board has final budget approval. It is the organization's mission to ensure the humane care, treatment, and well being of all animals, but the animal-care staff does not receive the training necessary in order to do this. However, the board has never supported the professional development of the animal-care staff. I requested that $2500 be allotted to staff training so that these staff members could learn the skills necessary to offer the animals in our shelter a higher quality of care. I value professional development and education but the board members, many of whom have not pursued many educational opportunities themselves, do not. They ultimately rejected my request. I also value democracy and teamwork. In order to achieve these two objectives, communication needs to be effective and efficient. I encourage open communication and teamwork between staff members, volunteers, and donors. I encourage the board members to include staff input in their decision making processes and encourage members of our organization to attend our annual meeting, something they had been discouraged from doing in the past. In order to accomplish the organizations mission, I feel it is necessary to take these steps. The board has not yet agreed to implement some of my suggestions, but I continue to request that they do so. These are two examples of situations in which personal values influenced decisions. When personal values support the goals of an organization, it is appropriate for them to enter into the decision-making process because the best decision for the organization and for the leaders will be made. It is also much easier and more productive to implement decisions that do not betray personal values. This is why in order to be an effective leader, it is important for the leaders values to align with the organizations mission. This is why it is my goal to lead an organization that seeks to change the world in the same way that I do.
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Describe a failure or setback in your life. How did you overcome this setback? What, if anything, would you do differently if confronted with this situation again? (Minor Essay)
I have been successful by external measures throughout my life. This fact rendered me unprepared when I received a mediocre rating after my first year in consulting. Ratings are based on three primary criteria: project performance, non-project related firm activities, and utilization, a ratio of hours billed to a client relative to total hours. My project performance had been strong, as detailed in my engagement performance reviews. Clearly, development areas were identified, but none of these eclipsed the positive tone of my evaluations. I had been involved in firm activities, such as recruiting and the community service steering committee. In addition, I contributed to firm research efforts and client proposals. Utilization was my weakest area, but also, I deduced, the area least in my control. I was first in my start-group to begin client project work, and since joining my first project, I had moved expeditiously from one project to the next. However, contracts for my first two projects were such that analyst-level team members were free to the client to give new analysts the opportunity to do client work while maintaining competitive project pricing, which adversely affected my utilization. Although my year-end utilization was lower than the target, I thought it would be largely attributed to the poor economy, and that my areas of strength would compensate for decreased utilization in year-end ratings. As it turned out, my rating proved disappointing. At first, I felt the firm did not value my skills and hard work. Upon further introspection though, I recognized that I was invited to work at the company because of my skills and hard-working nature. The challenge was to apply those skills, and add new skills, to perform at an advanced level, while meeting firm metrics and expectations, such as the utilization target. I realized that my peer group was not just my start class, but also those analysts more senior and experienced, which naturally elevated the standard of measure. Simply working hard and gradual improvement would not advance my career. Thus, I began to closely address my development needs and sought regular performance feedback to become a stronger consultant. I maintained my networks to assure that I would promptly find a new project at the close of my then-current project, one which would allow me to maintain high utilization. Lastly, I determined that my year-end rating was not a measure of my career potential or intelligence, rather a baseline from which to grow. If confronted with a disappointing review again, I would use my enhanced perspective to see matters objectively, allowing me to gauge the relevance and accuracy of the review and to draw out potential lessons learned. I would then be methodical about improving the situation, by enhancing my skill sets, my working style, and/or other performance metrics. If I truly felt that I had put forth my best effort, I would reassess the fit between my abilities and my position to ensure that my career continues on a successful trajectory.
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Describe your post-graduate career plans. How will your education, experience and development to date support those plans? How will an MBA from the University of Michigan help you attain these goals? (Major Essay)
I intend to pursue a position with a strategy consulting firm once I obtain my MBA. I would like to continue to consult for several years until my strategic reasoning skills are sufficiently honed and I further broaden my exposure to business scenarios. Eventually, I expect that my competence in strategy will naturally converge with one particular industry. Once my expertise in that industry matures to complement my skill set, I will transition to an executive-level position where I will be responsible for strategic guidance of a business unit or department within an organization. The University of Michigan's curriculum will enable me to pursue electives with a strategy focus as well as deepen my functional knowledge and management skills. Consulting has, thus far, afforded me the opportunity to examine the organizational structure and management aspects of several companies, industries, and ways of conducting business. I have been able to draw upon my undergraduate business background in my work experiences, and I have come to understand the distinctions between business theory and business in practice. From a strategic perspective, I have observed and contributed to business decisions and project execution on each engagement. Functionally, I have grown my skill set with each new role through formal training, informal coaching, and day-to-day experience. I have remained cognizant of management skills and emulated the traits and style of strong managers with whom I have worked closely. I have also consistently enjoyed the basic breadth of knowledge and exposure to organizations, resources, and locations that consulting offers. However, the tight economy has curtailed the strategy practice of Big Five consulting firms, often forcing non-technical people to adapt to technical roles. As these companies move forward, I suspect their focus will increasingly be on technology implementations and outsourcing, areas that don't impassion me the way strategy work does. Thus, I intend to seek out a smaller, more strategy-focused consulting firm in my post-graduate career, one in which the people are considered invaluable for their analytical and decision making abilities. The University of Michigan will complement and round-out my undergraduate business studies and my consulting experience to make me increasingly marketable to strategy consulting firms. The core curriculum will reinforce and extend my functional knowledge. The varied electives will give me the chance to explore some areas of interest that I have not seen first-hand in the workplace. The extracurricular activities and events, such as involvement in the Women in Business Initiative, will provide me with role models and a sense of belonging, and allow me to serve as a mentor to other young females pursuing ambitious careers in the business world. The strong reputation that the University of Michigan carries, the superior education it offers, and the insight of the diverse and accomplished students and faculty will propel my career forward and assist me in achieving my goals.
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Describe your post-graduation career plans. How will your education, experience, and development to date support those plans? How will an MBA from the University of Michigan Business School help you attain your goals?
My long-term career goal is to build market-leading global enterprises, either as a senior executive or in equity partnership with outstanding management teams. It is becoming increasingly difficult to be an effective CEO or successful investor without possessing a fundamental knowledge of the interdependency among world economic markets. Through my academic and professional experiences thus far, I have seen firsthand the increasing influence of this dynamic on companies in Europe and the US. I look forward to the intellectual and cultural challenges of identifying and growing businesses that serve as benchmarks for global enterprise. An MBA from UMBS is the next logical step towards attaining my goals. I plan to attend business school to broaden my understanding of the complexities of international business, to develop relationships with future business leaders and to enhance my skills as a global manager. After earning my MBA, I would like to return to private equity to gain additional experience building multinational service businesses in sectors such as health care or telecommunications. I will carefully consider options including returning to XX or joining a US firm seeking to build an investment practice in Europe or Asia. Regardless, I am determined to capitalize on the opportunities presented during these next few years to learn and grow as a student, as a business leader and as a person. Having a specialized background in finance, it is critical that I establish a fundamental understanding of other aspects of business to accomplish my goals. UMBS' reputation for academic excellence across all business disciplines and the broad perspective and flexibility inherent in the overall curriculum would enable me to become a more well-rounded professional. At XXX, we work in teams to evaluate investment opportunities from multiple angles and perform rigorous analyses to make a decision. UMBS' emphasis on academics with practical business situations and commitment to team-based learning ensures that I would continue to benefit from this type of experience. Nowhere is this balanced approach better represented than with MAP / IMAP. I would welcome this unique opportunity to develop my managerial, analytical and leadership skills by collaborating with my classmates to tackle real-world business challenges. As important as my classroom education are the relationships I would forge both within and beyond my section. At UMBS, I would have the privilege of working with and learning from talented students from diverse backgrounds. The collaborative environment at UMBS ensures that this diversity is both accessible and embracing. I believe this kind of communal diversity will help me as I learn to work together with people who may not always share my viewpoint. My sense of the Michigan community was first influenced by conversations with several current students and Ambassadors, and more recently by my campus visit. These firsthand experiences - ranging from witnessing first-year students collaborate to solve the fundamental issues of the case presented in Corporate Strategy to speaking with a student considering a WDI summer internship - leave little doubt that UMBS would best help me develop the skills necessary to become a more effective international business leader.
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What has been your most significant professional achievement? What has been your toughest professional challenge and how did you address it? (500-word limit)
My recent promotion to Associate is my most significant professional achievement. By joining Doughty Hanson, I was setting new and unique challenges for myself. Not only was I moving to a smaller firm in a new industry, but I was also committing to a professional environment that was culturally very different than the environment to which I had grown accustomed. As the youngest and only non-European member of the London team, I knew the learning curve ahead, on many levels, would be steep. I was immediately thrust into a complex acquisition requiring that I quickly come up to speed and assume control of financial modeling and due diligence. With this effort, I established myself as a hard working and resourceful member of the team. In the process, I pacified my initial cultural self-consciousness and gained the confidence to seek out more responsibility in the firm. My progression in responsibility at Doughty Hanson is best exemplified on a more recent transaction that was executed relatively quickly and required extensive due diligence and a complex financing structure. During this effort, I demonstrated the ability to lead and manage a wider variety of processes and succeed under challenging conditions. A few weeks after delivering our investment recommendation, I was awarded the Associate promotion - the fastest such promotion in firm history. This promotion really meant a lot to me. It demonstrates that I have developed the comprehensive analytical and leadership skills necessary to become a successful investor. Moreover, it validated my decision to join an investment firm with predominantly European roots and market coverage. My toughest professional challenge relates to my first transaction with Bear Stearns London. Soon after arriving, I was making regular trips to Belgium to advise our European client. Due to the small size and top-heavy organizational structure of our London banking team, I worked directly with a Vice President. However, as the only non-fluent French speaker amongst the key members of the transaction team, I initially felt inadequate in fulfilling my role - important discussions on bid strategy and structuring were held in French and most of the company information was in French. Against these constraints, I risked being marginalized early on. I reassessed where I could immediately add value. I first focused on working with the CFO to develop the company forecast. After some long nights and joint presentations to the CEO, I gained his professional respect and solidified an important relationship on the team. With his support, I felt confident taking more ownership of the financial and valuation deal mechanics. From that point forward, I was viewed as an integral member of the deal team. Two months later, the transaction was announced and soon after we were awarded a second advisory mandate. By reverting to common functional ground with my Belgian counterpart, I was able to achieve a larger cultural breakthrough that ultimately legitimized my role on the team. It was a powerful early lesson in the practicalities of conducting international business that continues to serve me well.
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What makes work fulfilling? Describe a situation where, as a team member or project leader, you have made work more interesting or enjoyable for your group (500-word limit)
Every day my job requires that I communicate with and provide direction to a wide array of professional advisors and financiers. While both stimulating and challenging, these responsibilities do not compare to the fulfillment I receive from helping to improve the conceptual understanding of my work colleagues. In the past, this has taken the form of guiding an industry-focused Principal at XXX or a portfolio company executive through the intricacies of a leveraged buyout structure. It has also meant instructing first-year analysts at XXX in financial modeling and valuation techniques. Since college, I have participated in various mentoring programs in the hopes of using my 'acquired' knowledge to not only improve skills but also to hopefully kindle a greater curiosity and appreciation for learning. While perhaps not directly comparable, I nonetheless try to seize the opportunity to replicate these aspirations in my professional community whenever possible. A recent situation in which I made a positive such influence was in re-training our research assistant at XXX. We have one research assistant supporting our execution team of nine investment professionals in London. Given the lean organizational structure, the assistant usually keeps active. Nonetheless, during my first year-and-a-half at the firm, we had to rehire for this position three times. As we only hire university graduates for this position, the problem was clear: the assistant was being underutilized. Our team resolved to leverage up the responsibilities of this position for our next hire. The next assistant we hired again had stellar credentials and was excited by the prospects of the position. However, within weeks I noticed a relapse of past trends as we became increasingly busy, we utilized the assistant only in those ways least demanding of our time. In this respect, I was no less culpable than my colleagues. Parallels to lessons from past mentoring activities suddenly became evident - a modest investment of time on our part could produce tremendous results (for her and us). I therefore resolved to reverse the status quo. The first step was to determine the assistants current level of job satisfaction. Next would be to design a training program better matching her skills with the needs of our team. I outlined my proposal to my immediate colleagues. A few group discussions later, we had a refined training schedule covering such things as comparable companies analysis and understanding a SWOT analysis. We collectively made our proposal to a Principal, who then spoke to the assistant. She was thrilled - and surprised - by the proposal. Over the past year, the assistant has progressed considerably in her expanded role. Not surprisingly, her job satisfaction has followed a similar trend. My colleagues and I are now able to spend less time conducting analysis and more time drawing conclusions and proposing new investment ideas. Personally, it has been fulfilling for me to witness the realization of the assistants true capabilities. I look forward to doing likewise at UMBS whenever I witness a situation I believe I can positively impact.
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Describe your most significant leadership accomplishment. Address how you transformed a theory or idea into action, the challenges you faced, and the impact your leadership had on your team or the organization.
When working as Channel Development Manager for Pepsi Cola, I took the initiative and a leading role to build the multi-functional selling team model in the organization. This practice has been proved as an efficient way to serve sophisticated accounts and has achieved satisfactory outcomes. Two months after joining Pepsi, I sensed the urgency of integrating resources of different functions. Pepsi is famous for its successful product distribution in traditional sales channel. However, this practice gained no advantage when dealing with the modern trade retailers, because merely putting products on the shelf could not meet with the customers' requirements. The 'One-to-All' business model used in Pepsi required the Sales Representative to tackle various problems by confronting with people from different departments of the customer. But the limited competency in other functions disabled sales people to provide practical solutions to those issues. Thus problems arose. I believe that an all-rounded cooperation is what really counts for long-term win-win relationship with customers. So I started to introduce the 'cross-functional selling team' concept, a brand-new idea that has never been imagined in Pepsi. The toughest part was to get the alignment with the General Manager who took it as a minor issue and would keep it as it was. So I leveraged some successful practices to demonstrate the necessity. For example, the company once had an overdue account receivable of 1.3 million in Wal*Mart and our Customer Representative failed to collect it back by purely pushing Wal*Mart's buyers to negotiate with their Finance Department. Realizing that it was beyond selling capability, I invited our Finance Manager to participate in a Wal*Mart meeting which he had never attended. I raised the A/R issue to the Finance managers of both sides. In a face-to-face manner, they came out with a much efficient communication and practical solutions were gradually dug out. As a result, we collected 1.1 million and greatly improved company's cash flow. This success established a case in point of how efficiently a multi-functional team would work. The next step was to build up my credibility and motivate people of other departments to contribute to the team. I held a meeting with functional department heads and presented my ideas on improving the overall service standard. My detailed plans won me their acknowledgment of my role as the project leader. Then I started to motivate people from functional departments. To do so, I made people feel deeply involved and foster their sense of duty on the shared goals. For instance, usually a Brand Manager would concentrate on general brand development rather than specific account issues. But I encouraged the Marketing Manager to join our promotion discussion with customers and listen to feedbacks. Thus he felt an interest and obligation to it and provided his professional insights. Also, I timely updated the project progress to department heads, which in turn, further ensured their support to the project. Up to now, four selling teams have been set up and are running smoothly in Pepsi!
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Essay 2a. Describe how you achieved professional growth over the past two years.
I have been working hard to close the gap against my career goal. During the first four years in my career, I mastered leadership skills, communication tactics and gained self-confidence when working in different sales regions with increasing responsibilities in Colgate. My continuous outstanding performance then entitled my promotion to National Wal-Mart Team leader. In the new assignment, I came to realize that analytical and planning skills were extremely crucial in dealing with the most sophisticated retailer in the world. I started to cultivate what I lacked of in the previous years. When building the joint business plan for Wal-Mart, I began from a blank paper, thinking of our shared goal, objective scorecards, actionable monitory methodologies, and implementation guidelines. I also set up detailed incentive programs to stimulate goal achievements with cost-and-benefit analysis for each incentive tier. After two weeks of day-and-night hard working, the joint business plan came out to gain accolade from senior management of both parties. Thus I gradually built up my credibility for this leading role. As I kept exploring development space in this position, I acknowledged that dealing with one specific account would limit my perspective within a small range. Then I made the most difficult decision to leave Colgate for Pepsi, where I got opportunities learning channel strategic planning, overall execution monitory and deeper multifunctional cooperation. Here I focused on mastering skills of managing overall pictures, balancing resource allocation among channels and tackling with deeply rooted issues in the organization. I also devoted to building up sales people's competency by conducting professional trainings. In the past two years, my determination to become more mature in the business world has served as a momentum for me to take every challenge that I was exposed to and cultivated my expertise and confidence to even greater change.
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Essay 2b. Describe how you will approach co-creating your Michigan MBA: What career goals have you set and what objectives will you establish for your Michigan MBA experience? How will you utilize the opportunities at Michigan to achieve your objectives and create an MBA experience that is right for you? How will you and your approach benefit other members of our community?
My short-term career goal is to practice as a corporate management Consultant in a renowned consulting firm, focusing on General Management, Supply Chain, Sales & Marketing and Corporate Finance. In the long run, I will pursue a leading role in a manufacturing company that operates internationally. I wish to successfully lead the company towards sustainable development and achieve winning edge over competitors in the globalization market. I look for a high ROI and a balanced life in Michigan: solid foundation of business fundamentals, skills and expertise for my goal, wide exposures to various functions, companies and industries, involvement in student clubs and network building, and devotion to society. I will spare no efforts in gaining this high return and contribute my part to the community. Surely I will make full use of the various opportunities and facilities in Michigan. After taking the Core, I will enroll in the IMAP in Asia. Not only to test the learning and gain real world experience, but also, I would like to evaluate my real interest and career aspiration at that moment against my preset career goal, to see whether an adjustment is needed. Furthermore, I will leverage this opportunity to build a strong network in Asia. And I will apply for a Dual Degree in TMI program during the first year. I find out that it can offer me a deep insight into the manufacturing management field, which fits with my long-term career goal as a business leader in manufacturing companies. When time comes for me to select from the elective offerings, I will focus on cultivating knowledge and skills in Business Administration, Corporate Strategy and Operations & Management Science. Also I wish to gain extra credits in Law and Public Policy. To acquire a balanced and beneficial life, I will actively participate in the student clubs and organizations. I am pretty interested in Consulting Club, General Management Club, and Global Citizen Club. Besides practicing all the leadership skills and learning, I would like to make my mark on both academies and the community through contributions. I had experience with volunteer groups in China. So I want to extend my effort in another culture and become a real global citizen who will do his part in every corner of the world. My past experience will add value to other students in Michigan. I can provide plenty of solutions to retail issues in the fast growing China market. I have solid leadership skills as well as teamwork-promoting attitude, which are crucial in achieving team objective. In addition, from my certified sales trainer experience, I can show people how to deliver ideas in a persuasive logic. The co-creating plan for my Michigan experience will devote my commitment to the success of other students by sharing my expertise in moments of setting new records with our joint effort, such as winning a case competition and founding new clubs. With this aspiration, I am envisioning a mutual beneficial experience in Michigan.
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When and how should personal or social values influence the decisions of business leaders? Please explain how personal or social values have influenced a business decision in which you were involved. Alternatively, evaluate a recent decision of a business leader and how it aligns with your own personal and social values.
Personal and social values play a critical role in decision-making. However, to what extent and how they will influence the process vary in different circumstances. Naturally, business leaders place shareholders' interest and profit maximization in the first place. But immediate profit is not all business about. Long-term impact of personal and social values on sustainable development should be taken into consideration when making decisions. And integrity should never be sacrificed. I confronted with a dilemma when working as the National Wal*Mart Team Leader. Colgate once had a product named Protex. Two years after its launch, the company was forced to phase it out of the market due to the wrong market positioning strategy and the bad performance followed. In order to clear the warehouse inventory as fast as possible, the company offered a 50% price discount uniquely to Wal*Mart. However, the suspension plan of production was not delivered to the customer together with the promotion. Knowing such a significant discount, the buyer was much delighted and urged me to arrange a huge order immediately. Instead of feeling assured, I found myself lost in an ethical dilemma. If I told her truth, the buyer would cancel the order, leaving me not able to meet the company's expectation and have an unsatisfactory mark on my career record. On the contrary, if I kept the suspension plan under secret, the oversized order would tremendously increase Wal*Mart's stock, which would affect performance of not only the buyer but also that of the whole HBA department, thus do harm to our long-term cooperative relationship and my integrity, both commercial and personal, would be destroyed. Since either choice would have adverse consequences, I turned to find a way from internal. I proposed to include more customers to the stock clearance plan or allow goods return from Wal*Mart at end of promotion. But my suggestion was turned down due to company's refusal to operational complication. I was asked to go as planed. After all, Wal*Mart was the best seller for Protex. I struggled very hard, trying to justify the two choices. Which is more important, personal record in the company or credibility in my customer, long-term relationship or short-term interest? Under the pressure from the boss, I had almost picked the second choice and prepared to arrange shipment for Wal*Mart, for the sake of my career future. But when the buyer expressed her gratitude for my cooperation regarding this promotion, I found it difficult to proceed in all conscience. Finally I decided to tell her the background and Wal*Mart did cancel the order. Surprisingly, the later results came exceeding my expectation. Wal*Mart highly appreciated my firm stand on personal value and deemed Colgate as a supplier of high priority. Consequently we capitalized on the increasing resource allocated to Colgate for our mutual growth. Also, the buyer made a good reputation for me to my boss. What I learned is that there is no absolute right or wrong, but one should look further before deciding on the direction.
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Essay IV Optional Questions. 1. Describe an experience or experiences you have had that highlights the value of diversity in a business setting.
Last March, Colgate China sent me to Miami, USA for a two-week global conference. About 30 people from all round the world attended the conference and I was the only Chinese there. I found that my presence highlighted the value of diversity. During the meeting, I presented the performance update of Wal*Mart China, analyzed the current SWOT for the customer in the fast growing China Market and provided a blueprint of further business development. I also shared many China's best business practices and offered some valuable suggestions to help solve similarly difficult cases in other countries such as Brazil, Germany and UK. As a result, I won the Global Award as 'Shining like a star to inspire other members' at the end of this multi-national conference.
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1. At Michigan, we believe the key to effective leadership is the ability to transform theoretical concepts and ideas into action that can change the world. Given this perspective, please describe your most significant leadership accomplishment. Address how you transformed a theory or idea into action, the challenges you faced, and the impact your leadership had on your team or the organization. (500 words)
Creating a T-shirt sounds like an easy task, particularly for an advertising agency accustomed to producing multi-million dollar TV commercials featuring helicopter shots. Yet it is amazing how quickly a simple project can turn into a complicated affair. The 'truth' campaign aims to reduce youth smoking rates by relaying honest facts and information and developing a brand that rivals Big Tobacco in terms of legitimacy, respect and cachi with teens. Distribution of edgy, sought-after T-shirts is a key part of our strategy. As the account manager for the 'truth' campaign, my responsibility was to corral the key players involved and, for the first time in the history of the campaign, deliver branded apparel on time. I faced three challenges in my effort to produce the shirts. First, our client was late in launching the project, cutting our time to design, approve, produce and ship apparel from four to two months. Second, our partner agency on this project was a vicious rival on all other accounts. I had to coax four sets of designers from two competing agencies, as well as a less-than-fashion-aware client, to reach agreement on the design of each T-shirt. Third, we had a new player in the mix. Our client had asked us to work with an outside print broker as the production manager for this project. This was a new set up for the agency, and the potential for miscommunication was high. I took some simple but important steps. I made a point of meeting with each person individually who would be working on this project to understand their concerns, set expectations, and reinforce our potential to, as always, do great work for the client. I recognized early on that with more people in the mix, we would need to establish trust and open lines of communication. I set up a system of daily status phone calls and feedback loops to address problems immediately and assign responsibilities for different parts of the project. To streamline the process and divide the workload, I handed off specific shirt designs to be managed directly by the second agency. Lastly, I adopted the new print broker as one of our own, involving her in every decision and setting her up to succeed in the eyes of the agencies and our client. Since this project, our partnership with the other agency and the print broker has thrived. We continue to adopt a 'division of labor' model, which has helped us to react quickly and build new skills on shared projects. The increased level of trust and collaboration makes us more nimble, cutting down on internal approval time and enabling us to apply resources more efficiently when the workload fluctuates. It goes without saying that our client was very pleased at our team's ability to manage all the changes and meet our deadline. In our client's eyes, we were saviors, and in a service industry like advertising, these victories set the stage for future business opportunities and growth.
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Describe how you achieved professional growth over the past two years. (300 words)
'You just don't understand.' During my first years in advertising, this was an all-too-familiar response. Often uttered to me by an art director or copywriter unwilling to bend to the will of a client suggestion, this statement was a strong signal that something needed to change. There is an inherent tension in advertising. Clients tend to be risk-averse, trusting what is tried and true. Creative teams push for what is new, trusting their instincts and industry expertise. To be effective in my job, I needed to understand the creative perspective to win the respect and support of my creative colleagues. In addition, I needed to help guide my clients, who may not appreciate the nuances of effective creative advertising. I made a conscious decision to focus my development on understanding the creative process and product, in order to both manage agency teams effectively and sell powerful ideas to my clients. I took two approaches. First, I spent a lot of time with the creative team and asked a lot of questions. I sat in on brainstorms, subscribed to the magazines they read and poured through the art books that provide creative inspiration, and I learned about the fears, motivations, and challenges behind a creative initiative. I became more confident in discussing creative ideas with the team, and I am now respected for my creative insights. Second, I enrolled in a graduate course on Creativity, Innovation and Leadership. After four months of reading case studies and sifting through methods and best practices, I gained a new perspective on the value of creativity and the creative process. I am now able to more eloquently convince our clients of the merits of a particularly risky or uncommon creative approach.
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Describe how you will approach co-creating your Michigan MBA: What career goals have you set and what objectives will you establish for your Michigan MBA experience? How will you utilize the opportunities at Michigan to achieve your objectives and create an MBA experience that is right for you? How will you and your approach benefit other members of our community? (500 words)
After five years of working primarily on social marketing campaigns, I have become fascinated by the power of using traditional business tools to effect positive social outcomes. The work I do has contributed to such public health victories as the reduction of teenage smoking rates nationwide and policies to protect the health and rights of non-smokers. Although the campaigns have been a success, I believe I can have a greater impact working within a corporation that has made a commitment to social responsibility. Corporations are the most powerful institutions in the world. There is a tremendous opportunity for businesses to use their resources in collaboration with non-business stakeholders to contribute positively to their communities. Long term, I see myself in a senior management role, where I can champion business decisions that promote corporate social responsibility. Companies like Timberland and Starbucks have led the way in making a commitment to CSR, appointing top executives to oversee the socially responsible business practices of the organization. A position like this is a jump from what my skills and background have prepared me for to date. To reach this level, I need a more thorough understanding of key business functions and world economic issues. Business school is an essential next step. Michigan was the first business school I visited. At the time, my goal was to see a friend, and I had not considered getting an MBA. However, during my visit, I met a number of talented students who wanted to positively influence the world around them. I relished the thought of spending two years surrounded by people like these. In addition, I learned of programs at Michigan that align tremendously with my interests and values. In particular, I was struck by the number of international opportunities offered and by the schools commitment to corporate social responsibility. A subsequent visit to the school last spring confirmed all that I had already learned about Michigan Business School. This is the place where I want to spend the next two years of my life. To achieve my goal of becoming a champion of corporate social responsibility at the senior executive level, my approach at Michigan would be to take full advantage of the school's action-based learning opportunities in real business situations. In particular, I would like to take part in an IMAP and work with the William Davidson Institute to navigate complex international issues. Having lived in Europe, studied in Africa and traveled throughout the world, I will bring a multi-cultural perspective to the program. In addition, I intend to become an active member of Net Impact and volunteer my business skills to support local organizations. I look forward to courses such as 'Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility' and 'Strategies for Sustainable Development,' where I can share my non-traditional insights related to the fight against Big Tobacco, and where I can thrive in an atmosphere of idea exchange.
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When and how should personal or social values influence the decisions of business leaders? Please explain how personal or social values have influenced a business decision in which you were involved. Alternatively, evaluate a recent decision of a business leader and how it aligns with your own personal and social values. (500 words)
Business leaders must make a commitment not only to profits, but also to positive social outcomes. At stake is the sustainability of our communities and our environment, as well as the long-term sustainability of our businesses. To succeed in this dual mission, companies must adopt a set of values, such as integrity, regard for future generations, and respect for non-business stakeholders, and apply these values throughout every business function. When and how should values influence? At all times and in every decision. The tobacco industry is a wonderful example of what not to do. The industry's disregard for the health of its customers has led to a tremendous backlash in the United States, permanently damaging the reputation of the industry and ultimately resulting in lost profits. For example, through a settlement agreement with the state Attorneys General, the tobacco industry became responsible for over $200 billion in state payments and the financing of a $1.5 billion anti-tobacco campaign. As a member of the team responsible for the industry-financed campaign, I think about the influence of social values every day. The tobacco industry's lack of integrity is the core message in our efforts to reduce teenage smoking. To advance this campaign goal, it is part of my job to find the most egregious examples of bad industry behavior and to lead the development of advertising that strongly communicates our message. The temptation to exaggerate is great. The temptation to discount the nit-pickings of lawyers on the semantics of language is great. After all, we're in the business of saving lives. Why should we weaken or hold back a compelling message if it means more teens put down their cigarettes? A core principle of the campaign is to hold true to the promise we make to our intended audience by presenting factual, reliable information. The name of our campaign is 'truth.' Our integrity is extremely important. One simple misquote or failure to thoroughly substantiate a fact could weaken the campaign's overall effectiveness. With the powerful tobacco industry watching our every move, we cannot afford to give them any reason to discredit the work we do. For example, in the 'Crazyworld' campaign, where we wanted to communicate that tobacco companies get away with things that other companies do not, we wanted to use the phrase 'tobacco companies play by their own rules.' This sums things up quite nicely for a teenager. However, our lawyers assessed this language as a possible overstatement. Although this was a powerful line, we decided to leave it out and not put the campaign in a vulnerable position. The positive effects of maintaining a high standard for integrity are great. We have developed a powerful brand that has been proven to reduce teenage smoking rates. The 'truth' campaign has become a case study used by the agency to win new business. It has been recognized as an industry success story, winning awards for advertising effectiveness. It has been touted as one of the most effective public health initiatives worldwide.
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Describe your post-graduation career plans. How will your education, experience, and development to date support those plans? How will an MBA from the University of Michigan Business School help you attain your goals?
Whenever I think about the choices that I have made in my life, I remember a night many years ago during my last year of high school. While playing poker with some of my closest friends, we started talking about where we pictured ourselves in years to come. As we talked about our dreams, I thought seriously about my life goals. At the time, I had high ambitions; I was determined to do better than other people. When I went to college, I chose engineering as my major. I believed that four years' study of engineering would let me master the technical knowledge and theory of the field. With my excellent academic performance, I graduated from college and worked for the China National Electronics Import and Export Shenzhen Company (CEIEC), one of the top three electronic products trading companies in China. I secured a position with a trading company because, at that time, I was eager to explore more beyond my engineering background. In 1998, as the manager of the export department, I strongly suggested that we should establish a branch office in the United States to open the American market. CEIEC accepted my advice. Soon afterwards, I was sent to America with the task of promoting sales of our products in the U.S. Now I am 31 years old, and I work as a marketing director. My friends say I should be satisfied with this great position at my age. But my experience tells me that I am still young, and the road of personal growth never ends. I feel that more education, combined with my experience, will improve my ability to lead and give me the credibility that a leader needs in today's knowledge-based economy. Therefore, I have decided that now is the time to go to business school in order to strengthen my managerial skills and build my knowledge of international business operations. Upon graduation, my ultimate career goal is to enter a multinational company and become a well-rounded senior-level manager. There are several reasons why I have chosen the University of Michigan Business School. First, it is well known for its technological innovations. Nowadays, the technology revolution has deeply influenced the development of business and global economies. This is an absolute challenge for anyone in business management. With my engineering background, I am convinced that the school will well prepare me to quickly respond to various opportunities after graduation. Second, Michigan's MAP and in-company learning model provide an unparalleled opportunity for me to use real-world and real-time situations to develop my leadership and networking skills. Furthermore, I like the school's team-based approach to learning. Working in teams will allow me to learn intensively from the unique experiences of my fellow classmates. I believe that the University of Michigan Business School will lead me to achieve extraordinary things, and that is what I really need in order to grow as a manager and a leader.
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Describe a failure or setback in your life. How did you overcome this setback? What, if anything, would you do differently if confronted with this situation again?
About a year ago, my office received a large order from Wal-Mart (our largest customer) for a kind of electrical meter with a temperature testing function. It was a deal worth over one million U.S. dollars. When the goods arrived at a Wal-Mart distribution center in Los Angeles, a serious problem was discovered: the meter displayed temperature in degrees Centigrade, not Fahrenheit - the standard in the United States. Wal-Mart asked to return all the merchandise and receive compensation for the loss. This was a setback for me. It was our first big order since we started our business in America, which was also the key step to entering the American market. If we failed this time, it would unquestionably be a serious blow to the whole team's spirit. At the time, people in our company were upset and worried. As a team leader, I knew that I had to calm them down and rebuild their confidence. I organized an emergency meeting where I told everyone that we should have the courage to acknowledge our mistake, and to remember that it was not the fault of a single person or department - it was the responsibility of the whole company. I asked everyone to pull through the difficulties by brainstorming possible solutions. Using the team's ideas and proposals, I created an action plan. First, we had to make an apology to Wal-Mart. Second, we had to get their permission to ship the merchandise to Wal-Mart distribution centers in Canada and Mexico, where the Centigrade scale is widely used. We would pay for the shipping fees. Finally, we wanted to transport a new batch of meters (using the Fahrenheit scale) from China to American Wal-Mart stores within the shortest period of time. I contacted Wal-Mart's Purchasing Department and apologized for our mistake. When I explained our proposed solution, they accepted my suggestions and finally became satisfied with the result. Soon afterwards, we also expanded our market in Canada and Mexico. This event was an important moment in my life. But if someday in the future, someone were to ask me if I would do things differently if confronted with this situation again, I would firmly answer 'Yes,' because I am confident that studying in Michigan's two-year MBA program will elevate my overall business administration skills to a higher level. The school's real-world learning environment will expose me to problems and issues that I will encounter in my career after graduation. I will learn how to solve problems more comprehensively and wisely. I might face setbacks in my future career, but I believe that the University of Michigan Business School's focus on my development both as an individual and as a leader will give me the confidence to overcome obstacles and handle problems more decisively than ever.
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What has been your most significant professional achievement? What has been your toughest professional challenge and how did you address it?
Three years ago, I came to the United States along with two of my colleagues to set up our Chinese company's U.S. branch office. At the time, we gave our new company the name 'Kaito' which means 'Reclamation' in Chinese. After three years, our company has 'reclaimed' a new market. Today, that small office of only three people has grown into a company of twenty-two employees. Under my direction, the marketing department has perfected traditional marketing techniques, and taken advantage of new technology to initiate online sales service. As a result, we currently make annual sales revenue of about 10 million dollars, an increase of 120% compared to the previous two years. Our clients can be found in more than fifteen states. During this time, we also established another branch office in New York. In many ways, my marketing team is like a family: we often work overtime together, we encourage one another in hard times, and we cheer up one another when struggling to reach a goal. The turnover rate has been extremely low within the three years. I feel that a leader's greatest success is nothing more than his people's beautiful work and his team's cohesive spirit. Therefore, creating this united team has been my most significant professional achievement. Looking at our current accomplishments, I cannot help but recall the past hard times we experienced. Because I was the one who originally suggested opening a branch office in the United States, on the first day of business I made up my mind to never let my company be disappointed. However, there is a Chinese saying: 'Everything is hard in the beginning.' My toughest professional challenge occurred during the first six months of operations. First, I had to find an office location. It had to be close to a warehouse, affordable, and in a commercial area. After comparing many sites, we made our decision. But the toughest challenge was when I started selling in the American market. After browsing the Yellow Pages, searching the Internet, and calling potential clients to arrange a visit, I always got the same answer: they would not accept the offer because they never heard of our company, their biggest concern being the quality of our products. After several months, we still had no single large order. This period was very challenging for me because I had never faced such a tough selling situation before. After summarizing the lessons I learned from talking to potential clients, I realized that it would be no use continuing the same strategy. I saw that American vendors often give customers a trial period, and wondered why we couldn't give our prospective clients a certain trial period that was long enough for them to test the quality of our products. When I applied this idea to practice, I immediately received a very satisfactory outcome. After using our products for a trial period, clients began to place orders with us. Our products gradually received wider recognition and our company also expanded its reputation.
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Describe how you will approach co-creating your Michigan MBA: What career goals have you set and what objectives will you establish for your Michigan MBA experience? How will you utilize the opportunities at Michigan to achieve your objectives and create an MBA experience that is right for you? How will you and your approach benefit other members of our community?
At a commencement address some years ago, Lee Bollinger said "We all know the clichi that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. It is also true that a lot of knowledge can be a dangerous thing as well...use your ignorance as well as your knowledge for creative means." As I sit here mulling over his words, I cannot help but wonder if I am up to that challenge. Can I set my existing notions, patterns and ideas aside and embark on the greatest educational experience of my life? Am I ready for what awaits me over the next four or five years? When I first came to Michigan I wanted to change the world for the better. Seven years later I am as determined and excited about the prospect of changing the world as I was then; unfortunately the details are still not clear. I firmly believe that the Michigan MBA experience is the next logical step in the attainment of my goal. I know that Michigan will provide me with a business education that is second to none, and that I will interact with the brightest minds, inside and outside the classroom, and I will have access to state of the art facilities. Those opportunities alone would make my MBA experience priceless. Living in Ann Arbor these past few years, I had the opportunity to sample a lot of the city's unique attractions. From the Arboretum to Zingerman's, I wish I could say that I have seen them all, but Ann Arbor is so rich and has such a wealth of hidden treasures that one could spend a lifetime here and never see them all. I intend to try and see as many of them as I can. U of M is a first rate university in a vibrant town, with unparalleled opportunities and experiences around every corner. I intend to take full advantage of every opportunity I encounter. The greatest difficulty with co-creating my MBA experience will be finding the time to do everything that I want to, fortunately, as a project manager time management is my forte. I view my MBA as a partnership between myself, my peers, the university and the surrounding community. My peers will benefit from my experience in the automotive industry, with project management and programming in addition to the experiences I had living in seven countries. The university will benefit from the activities I plan to pursue, from Rackham student government to the ballroom dancing club. The community will benefit from my dedication and commitment to community service. As for myself, I will have one of the best business educations around, alongside some of the most talented individuals, in a city that I have grown to love, and most importantly, I am certain that by the end of my MBA journey I will know how I can change the world. I have no doubt in my mind that the answer to the questions I first posed is a resounding yes!
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We believe the key to effective leadership is the ability to transform theoretical concepts and ideas into action that can change the world. Given this perspective, please describe your most significant professional leadership accomplishment. In doing so, please describe how you transformed an idea into action, the challenges you faced, and the impact your leadership had on your team or the organization.
Napoleon Bonaparte once said, 'The moral is to the physical as three to one.' My experience at Ford Motor Company has convinced me of the wisdom of his words. When I started employment with Ford, I was managing thirty vehicle programs single-handedly. I spent many late nights updating, forecasting and tracking; however, I could not help but feel that much of the work I did could have been automated, enabling me to pursue other projects to better serve my department. I researched myriad applications and techniques used across Ford and in other competing automotive corporations, but found nothing that wholly satisfied my needs. I surveyed end users and created focus groups to determine what was needed. My investigation planted the seeds for what would become my greatest leadership achievement to date: The Executive Planning Dashboard (EPD). This package optimized and standardized reporting throughout the organization. One month after the inception of EPD, I had a clear vision of all its capabilities. I presented the idea to my supervisor who saw the value of it, and encouraged me to pursue it. I did not have the resources to complete this project alone and was bent on recruiting a team of programmers to develop EPD. After countless refusals due to the grand scope and perceived difficulty of the project, I was finally able to get a commitment from one person: Allen. He and I shared the same vision of the potential of EPD. We were both inexperienced programmers, yet we began the arduous task of developing a complex tool together. Following my motto of leading by example, I taught myself Visual Basic, and spent every waking moment engrossed in my brainchild. I was excited about EPD and eager to get Allen excited about it too. Initially he was reluctant to devote more than a few hours a week to the project. I realized that he needed to be more personally involved in the project in order to devote the time and emotive passion I desired him to, so I designated to him ownership of sections of EPD. Soon, we were hooked with our enthusiasm and commitment to the project readily apparent. Other people with various backgrounds began volunteering to assist in the development of EPD. Where our weeks of solicitation could not draw one volunteer, the amount we had accomplished, and the apparent reality of it drew half a dozen individuals. EPD was completed shortly thereafter. EPD is now in the process of being rolled out to other departments within the powertrain organization at Ford. It will provide a consistent reporting tool for all project management analysts, and will save countless hours of labor. Because of EPD, I now have the time to pursue numerous special projects for my department. While EPD spawned from my imagination, it belongs to the team of programmers who toiled to bring it to the mainstream in such a short time. The program has since been renamed, but will always be EPD to me.
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2a. Describe the steps you proactively took to develop professionally and personally over the past two years.
Bertrand Russell once said 'In all affairs, love, religion, politics or business, it's a healthy idea, now and then to hang a question mark on things you have long taken for granted.' I find that I cannot agree more with him. My inquisitive nature was appreciated and encouraged by my employers and instructors, and I found that the more I developed myself, the more I questioned, the more I understood and the more capable and valuable I became. Early on in my career, I saw that the individuals in the positions I aspired to all had the following certifications: Professional Engineer, Six Sigma Black Belt, and Project Management Professional. By acquiring the requisite education and experience, I am taking the necessary steps to earn the aforementioned certifications, and early next year I will be certified as a Professional Engineer and Project Management Professional. In addition to attending courses and seminars, I am constantly trying to keep abreast of the latest tools and techniques used in my field to apply to my job. In the past two years, I have been actively volunteering to participate in cross-functional teams and taskforces to address various shortcomings in my organization. One of the most worthwhile projects was a process improvement team that applied value stream mapping (VSM); a tool commonly used in manufacturing operations, and one that I studied in college, in a product development setting. One of the greatest shortcomings I have noticed in the automobile industry is that no one knows what it takes to make an entire vehicle; engineers become highly specialized and only know one minute aspect of a vehicle. I found the greatest learning experience from that activity was that it brought together members from every department, and we were able to understand and interact with individuals and organizations whose functions were alien to us. The skills that I learned from those teams have been invaluable, and have truly defined and enhanced my professional development. In addition to focusing on my professional development, I am actively working to better myself and my community. In college I participated in Ballroom Dancing and recently rejoined the University of Michigan's Ballroom dancing team. This allows me to interact with individuals from various backgrounds in an enjoyable social setting, and participate in competitions throughout the country. I have also been an active volunteer at both the Huron Valley and Dearborn Humane Societies, assisting in caring for the animals and raising awareness in the community. I know that as my responsibilities at work increase, I will have more opportunities to participate in multidisciplinary teams and to tackle more complex problems. I believe that a Michigan MBA will equip me with the tools I need to succeed in those endeavors or any that I may encounter.
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Essay Question:
Describe how you will approach co-creating your Michigan MBA: What career goals have you set and what objectives will you establish for your Michigan MBA experience? How will you utilize the opportunities at Michigan to achieve your objectives and create an MBA experience that is right for you? How will you and your approach benefit other members of our community?
At a commencement address some years ago, Lee Bollinger said 'We all know the clichi that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. It is also true that a lot of knowledge can be a dangerous thing as well...use your ignorance as well as your knowledge for creative means.' As I sit here mulling over his words, I cannot help but wonder if I am up to that challenge. Can I set my existing notions, patterns and ideas aside and embark on the greatest educational experience of my life? Am I ready for what awaits me over the next four or five years? When I first came to Michigan I wanted to change the world for the better. Seven years later I am as determined and excited about the prospect of changing the world as I was then; unfortunately the details are still not clear. I firmly believe that the Michigan MBA experience is the next logical step in the attainment of my goal. I know that Michigan will provide me with a business education that is second to none, and that I will interact with the brightest minds, inside and outside the classroom, and I will have access to state of the art facilities. Those opportunities alone would make my MBA experience priceless. Living in Ann Arbor these past few years, I had the opportunity to sample a lot of the city's unique attractions. From the Arboretum to Zingerman's, I wish I could say that I have seen them all, but Ann Arbor is so rich and has such a wealth of hidden treasures that one could spend a lifetime here and never see them all. I intend to try and see as many of them as I can. U of M is a first rate university in a vibrant town, with unparalleled opportunities and experiences around every corner. I intend to take full advantage of every opportunity I encounter. The greatest difficulty with co-creating my MBA experience will be finding the time to do everything that I want to, fortunately, as a project manager time management is my forte. I view my MBA as a partnership between myself, my peers, the university and the surrounding community. My peers will benefit from my experience in the automotive industry, with project management and programming in addition to the experiences I had living in seven countries. The university will benefit from the activities I plan to pursue, from Rackham student government to the ballroom dancing club. The community will benefit from my dedication and commitment to community service. As for myself, I will have one of the best business educations around, alongside some of the most talented individuals, in a city that I have grown to love, and most importantly, I am certain that by the end of my MBA journey I will know how I can change the world. I have no doubt in my mind that the answer to the questions I first posed is a resounding yes!
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
3. Describe a time when your personal ethics or values were a consideration as you resolved a dilemma.
Peter Drucker once said, 'The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer.' All too often in pursuit of the customer, people let the "purpose of business" cloud their judgment. Recent corporate scandals have brought business ethics to the forefront where they rightfully belong. I feel that my job satisfies many of my needs as defined by Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The mastery of my trade provides me with the funds needed to care for my physiological wants and provides me with a sense of security and belonging. Furthermore, my self-esteem is in part defined by the recognition of my accomplishments by my peers and superiors. While my job is a big part of my life, when it comes to issues that require me to compromise my personal values I have come to the realization that it is just a job and plays a much smaller role in my journey towards self-actualization. One of my first assignments was as a project manager for a mechanical contractor. Among my various duties, I was tasked with the development of labor estimates. These were used by my client to determine how many construction laborers they will need on-site on a weekly basis. In an effort to maximize profits on construction jobs, construction contractors only retain the minimum number of laborers, to complete the job in a timely manner. It was my duty to calculate what that minimum number was. After collecting the necessary information and comparing it to the rough estimate my client had given me, I found their estimate to have grossly underestimated their requirements. When I presented my findings to my superior at the consulting firm, he seemed disappointed and asked me to reevaluate the data. When after three revisions I still found their labor estimates inadequate, my superior took me to a meeting room and closed the door. There he proceeded to explain to me that this was an important contract for my firm, and the client had only retained our services with the expectation that our estimates would match their own. He then asked me to doctor the information so that our estimate was more in line with the client's. I was faced with a great dilemma. Do I compromise my values and ethics in order to please my employer and their customer by presenting a doctored report, or do I present my true findings? On the one hand, I was paving the way for a secure future with my organization and compromising my personal ethics, whereas on the other I was jeopardizing my livelihood but staying true to what I believe. I decided that I could not present a doctored report, and scheduled a meeting with my superior and their superior and supported my decision with the data and facts that I collected. They grudgingly gave me their approval to proceed with my original presentation to the client. The client was very appreciative and even offered me a job.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Describe an experience or experiences you have had that highlight the value of diversity in a business setting.
In the middle ages most of Europe had lost access to the knowledge of the ancient world, with the exception of Spain and Portugal. Both those nations had access to that knowledge in Latin, Greek and Arabic. Those two countries were so far ahead of the other European countries that they spearheaded the exploration of the new world. The only difference that attributed to Spain and Portugal's success was that both countries were full of diverse individuals representing all the nationalities of the old world, whereas the rest of Europe was ethnically and culturally more homogeneous. Diversity changed the course of history and business for the better then, and it still does to this very day. Social scientists define paradigm as the experiences, beliefs and values that affect an individual's perception of reality and dictates how they respond to that perception. I find that when confronted with an obstacle, in a business setting or otherwise, the greater the diversity of paradigms governing the team's actions, the faster the arrival at the optimum solution and the more educational and valuable the experience becomes for all involved parties. One instance that comes to mind when I think of the benefits of diversity in a business environment was when I was working on a project to reduce the warranty claims on a particular vehicle line. When a vehicle is returned to the dealer while under warranty, the manufacturer is back charged for the cost of the repairs. Warranty costs are some of the highest for automobile manufacturers. In this particular instance, the issue was not the development of a solution, for we had determined that from studies on another vehicle. Rather, our problem was in the implementation of the fix. We were unsure about the optimum method of dissemination. I was fortunate to have been involved in this particular team for it was an exceptionally diverse group of individuals. This was a very eclectic collection of individuals. The team consisted of seven members; three of the members were from foreign countries, and two were minorities. We each represented different academic disciplines, there were electrical, mechanical, and industrial engineers, in addition to individuals with social science backgrounds. I was amazed at the myriad differences between us. I was also surprised by the different solutions we each proposed based on our individual paradigms. It was a very eye-opening experience to witness how we each approached the same problem from a different point of view. In the end the solution we came up with was a combination of the best two proposals. Having all the different suggested approaches allowed us to function more efficiently and I feel that our solution was indeed the optimum one. I am reminded daily of the enormous diversity in society, and I feel that my experiences with diversity have given me a newfound appreciation and respect for the different cultures and ideologies of my colleagues. Diversity is ubiquitous in business. I choose to embrace it, and I am better for that.
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Essay Question:
Describe the steps you proactively took to develop professionally and personally over the past two years.
Upon entering the field of compensation six years ago, I was not certain of my long-term career aspirations. I was, however, certain that compensation would provide me the unique yet broad functional knowledge I needed to choose a career path best matches my strengths and weaknesses. As I mention in core essay #1, my experience studying roles and collaborating on cross-functional initiatives led me to realize that I could make the greatest use of my skill set through a media focused strategic business development career. I also understood that the likelihood for success of such a career shift would not be great absent an MBA. Two years ago I found myself proactively taking steps to strengthen my candidacy for entry to a top business school. I began by examining my personal and professional strengths and weakness. Among my strengths were a number of professional accomplishments inside and outside of McGraw-Hill. On the other hand, among my weaknesses included my sub-par undergraduate academic performance and the limited strategic exposure of my professional experiences. I had to find a way to prove I was serious about my academic studies, I therefore enrolled myself in six MBA courses at Adelphi University and, with much hard work, earned no less than an A- in each course. I finished my last course in July of 2003. Proud of this accomplishment I took steps to address the limitations of my professional experience. By this point in time, most of my major professional accomplishments had involved implementing opposed developing human capital strategy. If I was going to bridge the gap between compensation and strategy I would need to buttress my experience implementing these strategies with experiences developing them. Working with the Performance, Measurement, and Rewards practice (PMR) within Mercer Human Resource Consulting in September 2003 provided me the chance to do just that. In the New York PMR office approximately 70% of the projects involve revising, validating, or developing human capital strategy. Excited for the opportunity to work on a wide range of high-level strategic projects across multiple industries, I worked untiringly to learn about human capital strategy development from whom I consider to be the best practitioners in the world. The exchange, however, is 2-way. Many principals greatly valued my input because I had experience implementing many of the strategic initiatives I was now helping to develop. My vigor for the work and unique perspective landed me the opportunity to work on two ground breaking projects developing a binomial input model and conducting the first international long-term incentive survey to cover practices in 5 countries - both are currently being leveraged on strategic engagements across the globe. I am proud of my coursework with Adelphi and my changeover from analyst to consultant. They are representative of several major steps I have taken over the past two years to better prepare myself for the greater challenges to come.
