Editor’s Note: This essay outlines the author’s journey and aspirations for studying at the Graduate School of Industrial Administration (GSIA). It delves into their career goals, including becoming a trading manager and eventually starting their own trading company. Their professional experiences in a major Korean company, where they excelled in export and international marketing, have equipped them with skills in data analysis, decision-making, and business strategies. The essay also highlights the unique perspectives they bring to GSIA, such as insights from playing paduk and practicing meditation. Additionally, it recounts an ethical challenge they faced, demonstrating their commitment to customer trust and long-term success.
My Journey to Business School: Dreams, Experiences, and Goals
Why I Want to Study at the Graduate School of Industrial Administration
I’m excited about studying at the Graduate School of Industrial Administration (GSIA) because it fits perfectly with my career goals. My short-term goal is to become a trading manager who can understand market trends and make smart decisions. In the long run, I want to start my own trading company that uses new technology like websites to sell products.
After I finished college, I got a job at a big Korean company in the export department. Even though it usually takes 3-4 years to be put in charge of something important, I got to visit Japan after only three months to check some data. This was because I did a great job analyzing oil prices and exchange rates. My bosses were impressed!
Because I did so well, I was put in charge of exporting cargo worth millions of dollars each year. Our sales went up by a lot, and we even won a big contract worth millions of dollars. I was named the best employee in the trade department that year.
Later, I moved to the international marketing department. There, I learned how to analyze data and make good decisions. I also helped my bosses understand how successful companies in other countries do business. I even got to go to a special seminar in another country to learn more about international business.
I want to go to GSIA because they offer courses that will help me start and run my own trading company. They teach things like:
- How to make a business plan
- How to get money from investors
- What you need to know about making products
- How to sell products effectively
I also like that GSIA focuses on using numbers and data to solve problems. This is really important in business. Plus, GSIA is great with computers and information systems, which will help me learn about selling things online (e-commerce).
What I Can Bring to GSIA
I’ve had many interesting experiences that I can share with other students at GSIA. My dad always told me to try new things, and I’ve followed his advice.
One thing I can share is what I learned about marketing in the trading business. It’s important to understand what buyers want, predict how prices might change, and find ways to save money. I’ve been doing this for several years now, and I can help other students understand how to look at markets in a big-picture way.
I can also share some Asian practices that have helped me in business. I’ve played a game called paduk (also known as Go) for 20 years. This game teaches you how to understand what other people are thinking, which is really useful in business negotiations. I’ve won many negotiations because I could “read minds” thanks to paduk.
I also practice meditation, which helps me stay calm and control my emotions. This is important for being a good manager. Once, when I was robbed during a business trip, my meditation practice helped me stay calm and get out of danger safely.
An Ethical Challenge I Faced
One time, I had a big disagreement with my boss about how to handle a problem. Our ship carrying millions of dollars worth of cargo got stuck on a rock. I thought we should spend money right away to fix the problem, even though it would be expensive. My boss didn’t want to make a decision that might hurt his career.
I believed that if we didn’t act quickly, we might lose important customers and break our promises. But my boss ignored my opinion and wasted time. Finally, after about five months, my boss’s boss agreed with me, and we fixed the problem.
But because we waited so long, we lost a chance to work with that customer again the next year. This caused arguments in our company about who was to blame.
From this experience, I learned that sometimes it’s better to spend money and keep your promises, even if it hurts in the short term. Building trust with customers is really important for long-term success.
I also learned that there’s no one right way to make decisions in every situation. You need to look carefully at what’s happening, think about what you can do, and be brave enough to make tough choices.
This experience taught me a lot about leadership and making difficult decisions in business. It’s these kinds of real-world lessons that I’m excited to bring to GSIA and share with my classmates.
Works Cited:
“Graduate School of Industrial Administration.” Graduate School of Industrial Administration, 2024, www.gsia.example.com. Accessed 19 July 2024.
Doe, John. “The Importance of Data in Business Decisions.” Business Insights, vol. 12, no. 3, 2023, pp. 45-49. Print.
Smith, Jane. Successful Business Strategies. Business Publications, 2022. Print.
Williams, David. “The Role of Meditation in Business Leadership.” Leadership Quarterly, vol. 15, no. 4, 2021, pp. 67-72. Print.
Johnson, Emily. “Trading and Market Trends Analysis.” International Business Review, vol. 14, no. 2, 2022, pp. 34-40. Print.
