Reflective Essay

Reflective – 1000 words

I am the Acting President of a Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) with a mandate to generate non- energy export growth and diversification in the goods and services sectors, develop new exporters across the various sectors of interest and expand to new markets, based on research.

I was therefore fully responsible for leading and directing staff with various skill sets in international relations, trade treaty negotiations, trade promotions, research, marketing, project management, human resources, export capacity building and trade negotiations.

Being a 54 year old executive thrust at the apex of my company the ARU MBA was particularly attractive to me for the following reasons:

1. The Fast Track 9 months meant that I could complete the program within the shortest possible time frame
2. The focus on Strategy, Leadership and Innovation meant that I would gain the necessary knowledge that would coincide with my practical experience and make me a well round manager both in experience and qualification
3. I would get the chance to network with  other executives and share my new experience
4. I felt that an MBA would add legitimacy to me being in the current position of Acting President

Upon the first day of class it soon dawned on me that I might have been the eldest student of the class and I became somewhat dispirited, “why I had not done this years ago”, I said to myself. But those thoughts soon evaporated as the focus of the class was enjoying the experience.

I was able to contribute significantly in the group sessions due to my many years of practical experience and cite many real life examples relative to the topics that we brainstormed and discussed.

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The topic I enjoyed discussing and studying the most was the concept of Innovation. I had not studied this topic in-depth before in any of my previous studies. The TPO offers several products and facilities to local exporters to help them Innovate and differentiate their product. I was now able to discuss the various types of Innovation such as Breakthrough, Sustaining, New Market and Disruptive. Apart from using the jargon which impressed both my internal staff and also our client base of exporters.

 I was also able to apply my new knowledge on Innovation and market strategy to change our R& D products and allow exporters to access the fund for both infrastructure works and process reengineering which I now considered also played a significant part to enhance product innovation and new market entry.

I appreciated that each lecturer had their own style of teaching and so the variations in teaching methods were of no import to me personally, though members of my group did have a complaint. The lecturer for the MDI course was thorough in presenting the various topics in a very simplified manner that was easy to grasp. I entirely enjoyed how he was able to demonstrate that Innovation could also apply to the manner of lecturing through the use of technology (electronic whiteboard and pens), upgrades of the school infrastructure or even when he had another chair brought to the front of the classroom whereby he could now sit in a strategic position without him impeding the students view of the whiteboard. This refocused in my mind that Innovation is continuous can sometimes be achieved by simple alterations to product or process (an aspect of low cost market entry).