Shop at the Alfa !

It's something new :-) I hope I can keep this moving ! Selling stuff I love that I hope you'll love too! Please add alfacompany as a contact in Multiply. Thanks so much.

Our goal is to sell Hanna (kikay) stuff or Sam (guy) stuff. So far it's all kikay. But the camo laptop bag is reallly nice. :-)

Exercise your Brain

In the mood for something intellectual ?

I just had a most head-twisting exam (in years!) last weekend. It was my mid term exam for Management 201, Organization and Management. It was a three-hour exam composed of SIX (6) essay questions and one case analysis. My fingers were stiff by the time it was “pass your papers” time.

So I would like to challenge you all with some of the scenarios presented to us during the exam. I am really interested to know what other people think… you don’t have to answer them all though J Just click on the COMMENT Box for your views so we can all have fun.

For questions 1 and 2 , please choose from the following

External or General Environment (indirect effect to organization – pick one and explain why)

a. International factors – things happening in other countries

b. Economic

c. Socio cultural – demographic characteristics, a nation’s culture

d. Technological – advancements in technology or availability of technology

e. Legal Political – laws and government

Task Environment (direct effect to organization, pick one and explain why)
a. Customers (i.e. Hospitals have patients as customers)

b. Competitors (i.e Globe vs Smart)

c. Suppliers (i.e publishing companies have paper suppliers)

d. Labor Market – people who are potential hires of your company

Questions:

1. You own a garments company producing jeans and shirts … which factor from the General and Task environment will be your priority concern?

2. If you are President and running the government (w/c is an organization) of a developing country like the Philippines…which factor from the General and the Task Environment stated above will you be most concerned with?

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3. Case: “The Fable of the Walrus”

Now, this is interesting and I hope I get everyone’s inputs! Practice your analytical skills. We had a totally different format for answering, but I’ll make your lives easier by just giving guide questions after the story.

There is a herd of Walruses who occupy a certain part of the Antarctic. The head of the herd, the Old Chief is a wise old walrus that spends most of his time sunning himself on top of the highest rock.

The Old Chief has a very bad temper and the herd hates it when they make him mad. Basil, the 2^nd in command was so worried to deliver some bad news to the Old Chief. The beach was getting smaller so that the herd has to travel a longer distance in order to satisfy their supply of herring.

They all knew that their Old Chief was the wisest of all Walruses and knows his business well – and will most probably know what to do. But nobody had the heart to tell the Old Chief so as not to get him mad.

One day, the Old Chief summoned Basil, “Basil! How is our herd doing?”

Afraid to get shouted at, Basil replied , “Oh we are doing great! The beach is getting bigger and our supply of herring has even doubled!”

“Good, good” the Old Chief said and returned to his spot in the sun.

Soon , a new herd of Walruses moved in to their part of the beach and took up their share of the available herring. Basil went to Old Chief and said, “Chief! I would like to inform you that a new herd has joined us on the beach”

The Old Chief was alarmed at this and was about to let out his temper that Basil quickly added, “But they eat minnows Chief, and we all know our herd don’t really bother with minnows”

The Old Chief was satisfied and said, “Good to hear that we really don’t have any problems”

After a few days, the younger and stronger walruses from Old Chief’s herd started joining the new herd.

The Old Chief noticed that his herd was getting smaller and summoned Basil: “Basil! What is happening? Why is the herd getting smaller?”

Basil replied, “Uhh, Chief, I just decided to let go of our lazy walruses, they were not really that productive. It is better to have a smaller workforce”

“Run a tight ship, I always say,” said the Old Chief, “Good to know that everything is doing well.”

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Okay , now that you have read the story, here are some of the points that I like to get your thoughts on:

1. Who is in the best position to solve the herd’s problem ? This establishes the point of view of our case : the best person (or in this case, Walrus) to solve the problem is someone who is AWARE of the problem and someone who can DO SOMETHING about it.

2. After reading the story, what do you think is the main problem?

3. How will this problem be solved? Give possible solutions…

Yun lang .. happy solving! I look forward to reading your answers… please comment on this blog. Will share with you my thoughts soon.

My 2nd Semester is Mid-Term Over

It has been a LONG while since I last updated this blog. Obviously, my classes this sem is not as interesting as my classes last semester.

For my Fiscal Development class, I am not blaming anyone for my lack of interest. I swear, I am dyslexic with numbers and I really don’t know how I can pass this course. The balance sheets and cash flow statements just go into mush right before my eyes and I quickly space out after the first 5 minutes of class. It is also worth mentioning that where we hold the class is so hazardous to my health – in a moldy classroom in the basement of the College of Public Administration all the way up in Forestry. Ugh. I am both Sleepy and Sneezy and Bored.

My afternoon class is more interesting. It is something closer to home: Organization and Management - and we have a brilliant, brilliant professor, the “notorious” Jimmy Williams. I say notorious because I have been discouraged by a lot of people to enroll in this subject this sem because he was the teacher. Well , I said to myself – he couldn’t be THAT bad. So I enrolled.

Going to his class is a bit stressful though because he demands class participation and calls out randomly. I’m always bracing myself for a question that I might respond to with a stupid answer. But oh he is brilliant. I am learning a lot, and I think this is the kind of learning that you will not get from a complacent teacher.

Well, it’s Mid-Term weekend and I am queasy. I am going to try to do some mock essay questions and try to do some exam-worthy answers.

Parang ganito:

The Four Management Functions
Planning-Organizing-Leading-Controlling

Mock Question:
Is it necessary that a manager (one person) is competent with all the managerial functions of P-O-L-C? How is each one related to the other?

My Real Answer:
Planning-Organizing-Leading-Controlling are management functions that are essential to an organization. For it to be successful an organization should have ALL four components, however – competency in all four is not a must-have for one individual since each stage of these functions usually require specific skill requirements. A good manager should be at least familiar with the concepts for him or her to be able to oversee and guide staff through the four functions.

Good Luck Hanna !

Gearing up for my 2nd Sem

I had a pretty good start... just to keep you up to speed, i got 1.25s for both my MGT 231 (Human Behavior) and DM 201 (Development Perspectives) classes. Thanks teachers! And excuse my announcement, I hardly saw nice grades during my undergrad years :))

Advice for other DM freshmen: get started with your Advisory Board and Plan of Study as early as possible. You cannot enroll for the 2nd semester without these. You can get the forms from the UPLB Grad School office or download them from the Grad School site. (this blog is linked to those).

A piece of advice also from one of my advisers, Dr. Aser Javier. When you are getting your advisory board, check also their backgrounds and field of interest if they match yours. Also, start thinking about your Field Study as early as possible, so that you can start working on the research/ data gathering as requirements for some classes. this way, you won't have to cram them all during the semester when you are supposed to graduate.

So far these are the pointers that stuck in my mind. But I know there are a lot of other things to think about. Like the Comprehensive Exam which I will take I think after 3 sems (?) gosh I have to get my facts straight.

Oh well, this semester, I have 2 Accounting-related subjects. I forgot the names: Management Accounting and one is Fiscal Development something. I'll post these soon.

Classmates! I am so looking forward to this next semester :-)

The Brilliant and Compassionate Development Worker

With the ending of a very interesting and fruitful semester, I came across this quiz: "What Advanced Degree should You Get?" Behold. The quizmaster says I should get an MD.

You Should Get a MD (Doctor of Medicine)

You're both compassionate and brilliant - a rare combination. You were born to be a doctor.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

Checkout the expression on the Doctor's face: I actually wore the same smirk when I got the quiz results. (Am I wasting my time with my Masters in Development Management? Should've taken MD instead of DM! ) No offense, doctors have my utmost respect. It's just not my thing. The sight of blood is OK, I guess -- but I can't imagine inflicting physical pain (even if it is meant to cure) to anyone. Imagine jabbing needles and blades and lasers. Ugh. But notice the description... "You are both compassionate and brilliant" - the quiz obviously seeks to flatter ;-) I guess compassion and brilliance are traits that are present in both MDs and DMs (DWs?) Doctors and development managers/ workers essentially have the desire to heal and make things better. They both start with Ds and end with Rs, they both work long hours, and are expected to (I love this phrase) “perform above and beyond the call of duty.” There are glaring differences (such as salary? Haha!) but, in essence, they are somewhat similar. Perhaps, the thing about doctors is their ability to make a difference in every person they check-up, heal, or operate on. Results are tangible and felt almost at once. Medicines are prescribed and recuperation is observed. Things are different for the development worker. How can we say that we are touching the lives of the people we are helping? Call me cynical, but how can we say that the amount of assistance that we are extending can prolong or improve a person’s life? Will these endless relief goods distribution, feeding and reading programs, Internet connectivity, proposal writing have the same effect on our “clients” as the relief that a doctor grants them? I cannot say that I am already in mainstream development work, for I can’t feel that I am making a difference on “healing the ills” of the country. The farthest I’ve got is providing support to my boss and feeling the compassion for the country running through my veins. I am still hopeful that where I am now will enable me to help – and that strand of “hope” is something that is tying me down to this institution. People around me tell me that I should explore new horizons and try to use my skills for endeavors that have tangible results. Why not try media or events? But I told them I don’t think I can bear to leave the development world. I left for two months to enter the corporate arena, only to discover that the nitty-gritty within the company prevented me from seeing the bigger picture. In the development world, I encounter the bigger picture all the time. It can get a bit overwhelming at times (especially when I see that I cannot do anything to improve it), but still, it’s great to be up to speed, and at LEAST trying… Maybe it’s too early to get disillusioned? I have been in this industry for three years, and have encountered people who make a lot of noise, and great people who choose to work quietly and remain unseen. I have met people who strive for change, while some strive to make a bit of change to get recognition. I have met a lot of young, struggling, development workers (like me!) who are still looking for their place in this industry. Perhaps, it is our “compassion” that is bonding us to continue to work towards the development of this stubborn people, society and world. I have learned a lot in my three years, and I hope – I will achieve the “brilliance” that is expected from me soon. In the meantime, I will count on the compassion to guide me along. I hope it is well worth the wait.