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Sample Essay on CIM 642-Project Management

Waseem Reflection

CIM 642-Project Management

Course Reflection

I appreciate Project Management since it is a practical course necessary in managing personal lives as well as businesses. The objectives of the course were

  • To understand what project management is, what it means and how project management can contribute to project and business success
  • To appreciate the significance and value of project management
  • Identify features, behaviors, and traits necessary to be a successful project manager
  • Exemplify ability to apply project management theory, tools, and techniques
    • The Triple Constraint
    • The Project Management phases and knowledge areas
    • The Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)
    • Diagramming techniques
    • Identification of the critical path
    • Earned value
    • Communications tools and techniques
    • Techniques for identifying problems/issues and strategies for successful resolution
    • Qualitative and quantitative methods as they relate to the practice of Project Management

From the course, I came to distinguish three major objectives of project management. I came to differentiate planning and scheduling project tasks, critical diagnosis, and prediction of success and estimation of requirements for the project (HBS Press & Harvard Business School Press, 2002). This is after learning about problem identification, project design and analysis, feasibility measures, error diagnosis and task control, and documentation techniques. I have been equipped with profound project concepts among them, planning, design execution, recording and presentation techniques (HBS Press & Harvard Business School Press, 2004). I have to acknowledge that project management pertains to all the activities conducted in business and in personal lives, demanding that project managers demonstrate the skills instinctively and adapt quickly to any environment, conduct themselves innovatively, and entrepreneurially.

In addition to the lessons learnt, I have come to acknowledge that indeed every project requires immense creativity. This is after I took part identifying the problem affecting Applied Research Technologies, Inc., a company that was established to offer water solutions to third world countries. The company however failed in meeting its objectives due to failure to incorporate quality and risk management in the market-entering phase. This project could have been difficult to identify without prior acquired knowledge on entrepreneurship and project management. Project management is therefore an essential course as it has equipped me with the necessary skills and experience for becoming an effective leader (Themistocleous & Wearne, 2000). I have managed to meet the goal of the course of acquiring knowledge of project management concepts, theories, tools and the practical application in the workplace. This has been possible through varied approaches that included lectures, case study analysis, in-class case study discussions, and final group presentation.

The most exciting part of the course was the final group presentation at the last session (Geary, Marriott & Rowlinson, 2001). This is because it offered me an opportunity to interact with my classmates in solving a real case problem in form of a group project. We were able to apply SWOT analysis and practically incorporate knowledge on project phases. Going through the pieces challenged me to be creative and enabled me grasp all aspect of Project Management. I was excited in achieving most of the graduate’s goals in the course. With the acquired knowledge, I am certain that I am going to succeed in being one of the best business executives. I have also been well equipped with other skills such as communication skills, which are additionally essential as a leadership trait (Marsh, & Hunt, 2008). The most noticeable goals were Introduction to project management knowledge and skills to prospective project leaders and enhancement of the project management characters, behaviors and traits for successful business ventures. This goal was completely achieved.

CIM 634: Strategies for Fiscal Management

Course Reflection

The main objective of business companies is to make money (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Bachrach & Podsakoff, 2005).The thesis of the study was to enable students to read and analyze financial information as presented in an organization’s report with the major focus on financial statements, profit and loss statements, and balance sheet and cash flow statements. This course additionally aims to increase knowledge in:

  • Reading and interpreting a balance sheet
  • Reading and interpreting a profit and loss statement
  • Reading and interpreting a cash flow statement
  • Linking together financial statements
  • Key ratios used to analyze a company’s financial statements
  • Assessing competitive advantage using financial statement analysis
  • The time value of money
  • Capital budgeting
  • Forecasting

As a future entrepreneur, it is of great essence to understand how companies make money through the study of financial statements. Financial statements are useful as they reveal the background about a company regarding their operations. For instance, profitability, generation, and use of the cash in the course of a period can be derived from the financial statements (Schwalbe, 2013). These statements are further useful as they can be applied in determining the long-term effects of business, business prospects, market, and competitiveness of the businesses. To acquire comprehensive enrichment of the course, I had to go through the six modules of the course and take part in the final project. These modules encompassed:

  1. Module 1: Introduction to Financial Statement
  2. Module 2: Balance Sheet where I learnt how to document cash flow articles and acquired tools required in analyzing financial statements
  • Module Three: Financial Performance/ Ratios
  1. Module Four: Working Capital and Operational Efficiency
  2. Module Five: Company Analysis and Recommendation Presentation
  3. Module Six: Profit and loss statement and cash flow statement

In the course, we were mainly grouped in five for class discussions and group work. The group approach was useful for enhanced learning of communication and presentation of the statements. I was able to sharpen my communication, analyzing, and presentation skills from the interaction. This is because the course majorly centered on communication and application of financial information for creation of sound economic decisions. I was equipped with profound  decision-making approaches, which have enabled me to determine capital budget project selection, and capital budget financing. This was made possible with the great emphasis on analysis, real world application, and communication (Hettinger & Dolan-Heitlinger, 2011). The combined quizzes, team presentation assignments, personal, team problem, and assignment was of great essence to me as I was able to enrich my knowledge and solve some of the practical financial problems that require critical analysis and data presentation. Company analysis project offered an opportunity to apply the acquired knowledge in an entire project. From the financial performance module, I am able to apply the ratios to evaluate the financial position of a company

I am confident to have met majority of the course goals by participating in the entire class sessions and participated in the numerous group works. I am certain I could not have achieved the major goal of this course if I did not take part in the numerous quizzes and assignments given in class. The quizzes and assignments in this course have enabled me to apply the acquired knowledge of main concepts and allowed me to demonstrate my proficiency in the required concepts (Kwak & Anbari, 2009).  I am now able to personally approach a firm’s financial statement and solve it with minimum difficulty.

In the final project, I participated in the company analysis of the American Eagle Outfitters, a company that deals with American Clothing and Accessories. This company is famous internationally for its products. The acquired knowledge was applied in finding out the trend, liquidity and advantage ratios, its growth rate and company gaps. The knowledge acquired from the course is quite essential for me for career breakthrough in future. As a prospective project manager, I am sure I can manage and solve financial problems as they occur and guide the subjects in achieving higher profits (Kwak & Anbari, 2009). I am additionally confident of my communication skills, which are of high significance for any business leader. Good communication skills are essential in every leadership. I am confident to have achieved the graduate’s goals during this course, the in a firm’s report, centering the analysis on business financial statements.

COM 650-Integrated Marketing Communication

Course Reflection

According to American Association of Advertising Agencies (Thorson, & Duffy, 2012), Integrated Marketing Communication refers to the approach of achieving objectives of marketing campaign through well coordinated application of numerous promotional methods that are expected to support each other. Integrated Marketing Communication offers a summary of the model and practice of IMC and goes beyond the 4 P’s of marketing which are Product, Price, Place and Promotion (Kwak, & Anbari, 2009). All organizations should be equipped with effective communication skills for open interactive and changing world. These skills are enriched to the learner in this course.

The study aims at enriching every student with effective communication skills to conduct effectively personalized campaigns as established in this modern era. The course additionally seeks to:

  • Explain how digital marketing has moved potential customers from passive observers to  active participants in the integrated marketing communications process.
  • Explain how digital media has changed the roles of advertisers, advertising agencies and the media themselves.
  • Describe the range of potential components of an integrated marketing communications campaign. 
  • Explain what “permission marketing” is and all of its component parts.
  • Learn how to use a “buyer persona” in an active integrated market plan.
  • Identify the steps involved in the systematic development of an integrated marketing communications campaign.
  • Demonstrate the ability to develop a targeted marketing plan, a creative brief and an integrated marketing campaign for an actual client.

From the course knowledge, I have come to acknowledge that Promotion is greatly affected by the ubiquity of the internet and the upcoming of social media among other forms of internet technology. Even though numerous media like television, national magazines, and radio have offered huge audiences in the present day, cable and internet have simplified for customers approaches to pursue selectively information and entertainment (Godin, 1999). This has greatly affected how modern marketing campaigns are conducted. As a business entrepreneur therefore, i am expected to narrow my marketing campaigns to individual marketing and apply numerous media in the campaigns (Godin, 1999). Instead of applying the traditional marketing, I am expected at times to apply permission marketing with the consent of the consumers. Permission marketing greatly varies from the interruption marketing where I am to attract the attention of the consumers from their activities. This implies that I will have to understand how to incorporate the desires of my consumers in the product or service in the marketing campaigns (Handley, 2015). I have also learnt that presently, I can meet the needs and the desire of the consumers by producing according to their tastes and access consumers’ personal opinion of the products and services rendered. This course has besides equipped me with communication skills that can enable me to interact with my consumers (Lamb, 2011). Other than meeting my consumers through the traditional media, I can apply the benefits of cyberspace to achieve the goals of personal campaigns.

Prior to participating in this course, I had to enroll to basic financial computer classes so I could successfully take part in the class. The basic courses equipped me with the hardware and software information of the computers as well as enabled me to adhere to the connectivity specifications as outlined in the department (Shirky, 2009). I am satisfied that I met this directive, as I am presently able to apply the acquired theoretical knowledge of Integrated Marketing Communications in the final project.

I am confident that I am able to develop systematically effective IMC campaigns on my own after completing this course. This is after I personally undertook the final presentation personally to campaign for a new Nissan Model, Nissan Sport Sedan with a unique hash tag campaign of ‘quality and Safety’ and ‘Think Differently’. I applied the traditional as well as the permission marketing to capture the attention of the consumers and meet their needs. I am besides confident of the acquired knowledge as I managed to meet most of the goals set in the course. The most attained goal so far has been in demonstrating the ability to develop a targeted marketing plan, a creative brief and an integrated marketing campaign for an actual client.

 

CIM 503-20 and CIM 503-21

Course Reflection

Within the business profession, an excellent communication skill is a profoundly significant skill necessary in advancing businesses, organization, and career (Frick, 2010). Successful entrepreneurs or leaders ought to be equipped with excellent communication skills. This course is centered on enhancing communication skills to the learners through offering valuable content and appropriate strategies by applying social media and emails. The main goal of the course is to enhance communication skills among learners for effective entrepreneurs, leaders, and employees. The study seeks to:

  • Demonstrate professional writing, research and grammar practices in scholarly and professional contexts
  •  Understand concepts and intellectual property in professional communications, including a thorough research plan
  • Effectively use data, information and statistics in presentations and written communication
  •  Analyze the business of professional writing; and how companies are still turning out paper documentation in this internet / intranet/ social media growth process
  •  Understand the history of rhetoric and its use in the argumentation process (including logic and dialectics, or methods for resolving disagreement)
  • Having a very firm backing in writing better, writing rules, grammar, usage, as well as publishing rules
  • Additionally remain equipped with content tools: such as format, research, writing, productivity, editing, style guides, and blogging tips.
  • Analyze, design, implement, maintain and evaluate problems/solutions as it relates to communication and information dispersal
  • Develop and maintain relationships between business professionals
  • Make decisions which are aligned to business objectives, or make decisions that are time sensitive and respective of an organization’s mission and goals
  • Seek out and value the role of diverse perspectives in the decision making cycle
  • Use effective communication vehicles that are appropriate to the message and the audience
  • Be aware of current ethical and legal perspectives on communication and information management issues
  • Develop appropriate and objective ethical values and behavior through case studies and communication projects

Advanced communication skills assume different forms such as writing, speaking, listening, reading and presentations (Gladwell, 2008: Berners-Lee, 1999). This course has therefore been useful to me, as I have been enriched with greater communication skills for audience scrutiny and choosing of appropriate media.

Through oral and written communication and peer review participation, I have managed to develop the skills in listening, analyzing cross-examinations. Group projects and peer reviews have further sharpened my skills in this course and further made me develop problem-solving strategies. I am satisfied with the accomplishments I have made in this course. I have achieved all of the course goals including improvement of communication skills for professional success (Gladwell, 2002). The most exciting part in the course was in the final reflection paper where is had an opportunity of scrutinizing the achievements, strengths and challenges I had in the course. This has been one of the enjoyable courses as we were grouped in five where every person had to contribute to the works given. I am however challenged to keep on speaking since great communication skills are only perfected through practice. Having achieved all the goals, the most notable objective was to depict professional writing, research, and grammar practices in scholarly and professional contexts.

 

Development and Implementation of Knowledge Management Strategies

Course Reflection

As a prospective manager, knowledge management is among the significant systematic requirements in managing both tactical can strategic roles. This course is highly significant for management purposes as it seeks to:

  • Analyze critical tools for developing and implementing the knowledge management strategies for International Software Services
  • Develop knowledge management theory

From the course, I have appreciated that knowledge management encompasses initiatives, strategies, and systems that are aimed towards sustaining and enhancing the storage, assessment, refinement, and sharing and knowledge creation. Knowledge in International Software Services is essential for long-term existence of an organization (Bain, 1992). From the final project I carried out in this course, I came to realize that all organizations are unique. This uniqueness is defined by organizational experiences such as purpose and activities, size of the firm, overall strategic direction, geographical spread availability of resources, market lace factors and staff skills and experience. Based on this uniqueness, every organization is associated with a distinct set of requirements as well as issues to be pointed out by knowledge management business values, as they are involved in essential activities in ISS. I have learnt that development of knowledge management models involves conducting a comprehensive as well as the holistic needs analysis with staff groups who are selected in order to determine the key needs and issues (Russ, 2013). Organizational managers are expected to incorporate research with inputs from organizational strategy document and senior management. This is to enable analysis of the overall strategic focus and generation of recommendations for discussing the issues as well as the needs identified. As the final step for developing knowledge, management strategy, the project leader is to focus on recommendations to improve knowledge management program goals. Prior to collection of the tool, the manager ought to consider articulating the results. The next step in the implementation involves preparation for change and determining of high levels for greater achievements.

From the course, I have appreciated the fact that identification of main staff in an organization is central. The main groups deliver significant benefits to an organization since they deal with high-end activities. The success of the business therefore relies on the manager. A good manager will have to classify employees in different groups according to their skills, experience, performance, and roles assumed within the organization. They will have to examine and introduce relevant research skills as required and ensure that shared values as well as organizational culture is enhanced for more productivity.

I am confident to make an effective manager in future since I am equipped with managerial knowledge. The major goal I have attained in this course is to analyze critical tools for developing and implementing the knowledge management strategies for International Software Services. I understand the necessity of examining actual effectiveness and contrast it with expected results. By applying developing and implementing knowledge strategy, I will ensure that the organizations I work with perform as well as understand impending challenges. I have been enriched with the knowledge necessary to determine and prioritize needs. This knowledge is crucial as it dictates the success of a business venture in the midst of competitive needs. Researching and knowing relevant technology is additionally crucial in the present market. This is because the manager and key leaders ought to understand the present situation in their firm and apply relevant management strategy, a move that demands research work. The manager is still called to understand the benefits and costs of the technology and their providers for enhanced benefits and supply (Sath, 2012).

 

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