August 13, 2011:
Orientation for the MBA 2011 is on Monday August 15, 2011 at Hills Health Ranch (http://www.spabc.com) and ends on Friday, August 19, 2011. Some of us are going in the bus and some are driving. I just wanted to meet with my cohort so bus was the option for me. This year our cohort has 32 students. I am really excited to meet everyone and get this going.
The bus leaves tomorrow at 1:00 pm from UNBC flag pole.
Our first week looks very busy, classes starting at 8:00 am and going till 6:00 am. We also have assignments and mid-term. The classes for the first week are as follows:
- COMM 603 – Business and Corporate Strategy with Dr. Elizabeth Croft
- COMM 610 – Accounting with Dr. Han Donker
- COMM 632 – Organizational Behaviour with Dr. Rick Tallman
We were also given some reading materials by Dr. Tallman. I have read few but really wanted to read all the articles.
I have no expectations right now but I am excited and worried a bit.
Last week (August 14, 2011 to August 19, 2011) has been one of the most intense and awesome week of my life. I am sure everyone in my cohort will agree to that too. 29 of us started our journey in the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program at UNBC. We are the class of 2013.
Sunday August 14, 2011
Of course I was very worried prior to the August 14. So many uncertainties and so many unknowns but had an open mind. So at 12:45 pm I went to the UNBC flag pole to meet the people who will most likely be my friends for rest of my life. We left UNBC campus at 1:00 pm. 17 of us were on the bus that day (I think …). I sat next to Dough, he works at ICBC. On the other side across the aisle was Lindsay, who works at Walter energy. We had some great chat on the way to the Hills Health Ranch at 108 mile. We stopped at Williams Lake to stretch where I met Jeff, who would be my roommate at the chalet. We were eager to go to the ranch and meet everyone. Everyone was kind of unsure of what to expect, but we all were expecting to have a great time. By the time we reached the Ranch it was 5:30 pm. By the time we checked in it was almost 6:00 pm. On the way to our Chalet I was greeted by Craig, who works at PNG as the General Manager and my other roommate. He drove his truck from Terrace to the Ranch. After dropping off our luggage we went back to the main building of the Hills Health Ranch for dinner and meet with everyone. Dr. Elizabeth Croft asked us to read the “Veja” case for next day. Yes, homework already.
From the start I noticed how friendly everyone was. We introduced ourselves to each other, chatted with everyone and started to learn from each other. Elizabeth Croft and Raymond Cox were there. Later Rick Tallman joined us as well. By the time dinner meet and greet was over, it was about 8:30 pm. We all were tired from the trip and wanted to go to bed to prepare for the Monday!
Monday August 15, 2011:
We all woke up bright and early because breakfast was at 7:15 am and our class was starting at 8:00 am. Slowly but steadily we all had our breakfast and moved to the conference room upstairs.
Sharp at 8:00 am, Dr. Elizabeth Croft started our first class of “Corporate and Business Strategy” (COMM 603). We started off by introducing ourselves. I was quite surprised to find 2 other co-workers of mine, whom I never met before, from UNBC (Lucy and Virginia). We learned different aspects of strategy formulation process. One of the tools that stood out in this class was “Porter’s Five Forces Model.” We were also introduced to concepts such as emergent vs. Intended strategies, economies of scale, learning effects, experience curve, substitute vs. complements, industry concentration, and product life cycle. I went through all these during my undergraduate degree, but yet it was totally a different experience and learning process just because of the group. Everyone brought in their own experience and thoughts on that particular topic. I think that is the difference between an undergraduate and a graduate degree. In graduate degree, you get to see the real application of theories where as in undergraduate degree you just get the theory and try to memorize, not enough chance to see the real life application of those theories. There was also some in class exercise, which I thought was great as well. Coming from an undergraduate program to a graduate, I totally can see the difference. Again we learned from each other. Dr. Croft was very energetic and articulated all the theories very well. We, then, were divided into groups around 12:25 pm before lunch break, for assignment that was due the next day. Yes we had an assignment due the very next day. I was grouped with Jeff and Virginia.
After the group was divided, it was time for lunch. Everyone needed a break and time to stretch.
At 1:30 pm, Dr. Rick Tallman started our class, “Organizational Behaviour” (COMM 632). The topic was on “Leadership.” Some of the interesting topics he covered were management dilemmas at workplace, the meaning of leadership, differences between managers and leaders, behavioural leadership theories (country club, team, middle-of-the road, impoverished, authoritative), contingency leadership theories that included fiedler’s contingency theory, path-goal, normative decision model, situational leadership. Each topic he covered, he had some very practical examples from his life experience to share, which started the conversation and everyone in the class was engaged and shared their stories as well that fitted that theory or topic at that time. By the time our class ended at 6:00 pm we covered half the topics he wanted to cover, nonetheless it was enlightening. He adjourned the class for the day without any homework as he knew we have tons of homework for Dr. Crofts’ class.
We all had our dinner and our group along with all other groups decided to start working on the Veja case assignment for Dr. Croft’s class. We had to do an analysis of Veja based on Porter’s five forces model. By the time we were done it was almost 11 pm and some groups, later we heard, were there till 12:30 am. It was both physically and mentally exhausting. We all went to bed wondering what is coming our way in the morning.
Tuesday August 16, 2011
Breakfast was served at 7:15 am but most of us were in the classroom by 7:00 am. Some of the groups were making last minute adjustments to the assignments. After breakfast Dr. Croft started the class again at 8:00 am.
We started with a discussion and group work on the Veja case. We all got to see what other groups did. After that we talked about visions, missions, leaderships and stakeholders, but it was not in depth discussion as it was overlapping with Dr. Tallman’s class. We also covered building blocks of competitive advantage approach, value chain analysis, resource based view of the firm, the VRINE framework, and SWOT (TOWS matrix). We also worked in group on the Robin Hood mini case for 5% of our course mark. It was a fun exercise. Just before lunch, just like Monday, we were given another case analysis assignment on Porcini’s Pronto case which was due next day after lunch and Dr. Tallman switched his schedule with Dr. Croft.
After the lunch Dr. Tallman started where he ended on Monday. This time he covered topics on transformational leadership, charismatic leadership, visionary leadership, servant leadership and follow ship. We had a very interesting discussion on charismatic leadership as Dr. Tallman introduced us the assumption that charismatic leadership can be learned, but some of the students argued. I am still trying to understand the thought because, like many other students, I was under the impression some characteristics of leadership must be born with and cannot be learned. I am planning on reading more on this topic and see where it takes me. I am open to the idea. If charismatic leadership is a trained behavior then I think we all have the potential to be one to transform our future organizational directions in a positive manner. While I want to believe what Dr. Tallman is saying but looking at the examples such as Hitler, or John F. Kennedy, Charles Manson, or even now the US president Barack Obama indicates to me that there can never be another Hitler, or John F. Kennedy, or Charles Manson, or Barack Obama. Anyways, I don’t want to put all my thoughts in here without researching some more, but this was very well organized and intriguing discussion.
So the class ended again at 6 pm. We all had our dinner and just like Monday we met at 7 to work on our assignment. By the time we were done it was 11:00 pm but I thought Jeff, Virginia, and I have done a better job than the last assignment just like all other groups.
Wednesday August 17, 2011
Class on Wednesday started with Dr. Rick Tallman. We covered rest of the topics on Leadership and then moved onto Motivation. He introduced us to needs theory which included theory X and theory Y, Maslow’s needs hierarchy, ERG theory, McCleland’s theory of learned needs, and Herzberg’s two factory theory. Each theory brought up personal examples of Dr. Tallman’s work life and also engaged students to share their own stories. He also talked about the assignments. This was his last class till September and he needed the class at 12:30.
Dr. Croft started her class at 1:30 pm. We started off discussion Porchini’s Pronto case, and then talked about generic business strategies, talked about some notes on strategic options using the business lifecycle approach, the market cycle approach, the tactical approach. She also introduced the theory of functional strategies and at the end we had to find a topic on group project. Jeff, Virginia and I picked the topic Cineplex. She ended the class at 6:30 pm but we have a mid-term in the morning so we all were worried because for many returning students it was an exam after 15 or so years later.
Oh we also celebrated Tracy’s birthday. It was really great.
Thursday August 18, 2011
Thursday our class started at 8:30 with the exam first. Then Dr. Croft started her “Corporate and Business Strategy” (COMM 603) class. We were introduced to new topics such as dynamic capabilities. We also had to do a group exercise and also discussed how we are going to do our project. Class ended at 12:30 pm. We all were relieved a bit at this point because everyone was both mentally and physically exhausted.
At 1:30 Dr. Han Donker started the “Accounting” COMM 610 class. Many of us dont like accounting but the theories introduced were practical theories and we will need to know them. I am sure in time with practice we all will be able to pull this off.
This was Tammy’s birthday.
Thursday, for the first time during this week, we had NO HOMEWORK or STUDY to do for the next day. We all were excited. After dinner some went to the town to buy some drinks. We all met at Chalet 14 to celebrate our MBA journey together. It was really good times and fun. Craig had a wonderful idea of starting a bonfire. So we all come down to the fire and had a blast. Couldn’t have picked a better group of people to enjoy the evening with! We all shared stories and experiences. Dr. Raymond Cox (MBA director) and Dr. Han Donker also joined us with their significant others which I thought was pretty cool of them. Some of us left a bit early but I stayed with Chris, Tracy, and Lindsay till 1:00 pm. Chris was really fun to talk with. He shared his story of his trip to Egypt which I thought was awesome. I would love to hear more of his life experience as time permits. By the time I went to bed it was almost 1:20.
Friday August 19, 2011
Finally, the last day of our MBA intensive week. Some of us called it Boot Camp for Business
(BCB). We all were excited. Many of us checked out by 7:30. I, initially wanted to go with Craig in his truck but felt bad because I wanted to go with the group I came with – in the bus.
Dr. Han Donker started his class at 8:30. We have done some exercise on the theories he introduced to us on Thursday. It was great. But still need practice … lot of it.
At 12:30 class ended but Virginia took the initiative to organize the gang to come out and take a group picture of our group.
After lunch Dr. Raymond Cox did his orientation. He ended at 2:30 sharp and the bus was there to bring us back to Prince George.
We couldn’t have put our luggage fast enough to leave for home. We left the ranch at 2:40 and by the time we reached Prince George it was just after 6:30 pm.
Final thoughts
I have nothing but good things to say about the UNBC MBA program and how they emphasize on the cohort. We all became part of the family. None of us knew what to expect but we came out with a sense of ”accomplishment” that I don’t think you can find from other professional programs. I am sure I have made some lifelong friends, and many of us have done the same. I was kind of sad to end the week; I was telling Penny, Corrin, and Lindsay that for some reasons I will miss this week, not because of the Ranch but because how well we came to know each other and relied upon to take us through the week.
If anyone reading this and if you are deciding whether you should pursue an MBA at UNBC or not, my recommendation would be …. MOST DEFINITELY GO FOR IT.