The AIM Student Life

1st morning scenes from good 'ole SG

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 03:18:00 +0000

Welcome to Manilamashup.com! Right now, I'm in Singapore on vacation and visiting a bunch of friends working here. Nothing happening yet, just going to a dragon boat event later and a visit to Sentosa to watch and take pictures of the fashion show.

Here are some morning shots from the view of my friend's place. This was taken before the rain, happening right now as I write this.

To friends in Singapore, see you around! :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:42:00 +0000

People are quick to judge and quick to give their own version of a solution
But few if ever can make the best judgement

We claim to already know things when in fact we don't

Never stop learning

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A little help with my Thesis

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 08:27:00 +0000

Hi friends!

Please help me with my thesis by filling out the form below. Do share with your friends, relatives and colleagues in the Philippines!

Thank you very much!

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dHVISzc0LUxHeVRScGV1akZUclNxVHc6MA#gid=0

Friends, come to AIM and do something for a Great Cause!

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 03:25:00 +0000

Be like a child

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:22:00 +0000

1. Open your mind

2. Be curious

3. Learn to ask

4. Be unafraid to ask

5. Accept that you do not know everything

6. But be active in discovering

An MBA, a Phd, a CFA, a CPA, and whatever other title behind or before your name simply states that you have made an effort to know more about something. What it also says and what people often forget is that this focus also means there are other things that are left unlearned.

What I learned from MBA is that there is so much in the world that I do not know. What I discovered from learning something new is the beauty that new knowledge are simply doors of opportunity for further discoveries.

What MBA brings is a certain kind of thinking and decision-making more than anything else, and a diverse set of tools to acquire new and amazing information and situations long though of as unreachable and experiences though impossible once.

Be curious and question. Discover something new and learn. Learn and then unlearn. Unlearn and relearn into something new. Most importantly, share the knowledge to others.

A child is curious and unafraid of mistakes. How surprising that as we grow older we become more fearful and un-accepting of growth and change.

An Awakening from a class in Global Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 02:53:00 +0000

In a few days, my Global Marketing and Strategy Policy class will be over. One more session to go, and one major paper (50%) of our grade in fact. I know a lot of us have mixed feelings in taking up the class, not because of the value that the course brings nor of the excellent manner by which Professor Neelankavil has brought to the table to share with us, but more from the amount of work and effort we put in our 1 unit subject. People complain a lot, about the student life at the Asian Institute of Management being really heavy in both the amount of work each student puts in, and the amount of emotional intelligence and all that intelligence terms so famous these days. In the interest of positivity however (and I like talking about positivity), I see our GMSP class as sort of a wake up call of sorts.

In a way, working up our way to the end of our MBA stint here has changed our outlook on ourselves. In essence I think one of the most valuable lessons in student life here is that we have gained more confidence in ourselves, and in dealing with others. To an extent, there are times when we encounter things in the outside world and think, "why didn't they think of this?" or "I could do much better than they can." In some degree, this might seem overconfident in our part, but who can blame us, when the lifestyle most of us are undergoing right now in school is something which no one of a sane mind will like living.

What an unexpected awakening then, for us students in GMSP to realize, that even after everything we've learned and we've gone through, there really was still so many things that we have yet to learn. Case in point was the pricing strategy paper yesterday. I can see from the Professor's eyes a slight hint of disappointment and thinly-veiled surprise at the reaction of students. In a way I feel disappointed myself, having to reach this point of the class and realize that wait, there are things that I still don't know how to do yet.

I guess after 4 WACs of many sleepless nights and much analysis (that we still have to finish), everything we have been asked to do is of great value in the end. Maybe not in this course as yet, but in our professional lives.

But I will remember Prof. James Neelankavil's words as we mentioned our difficulty to him during class, "It isn't so much as how correctly you answer the question, but on how much you get to learn."

Great words from the Professor himself.

Nuffnang and HEAVEN Ice Cream invite you to a special screening of ‘SALT’

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:10:00 +0000

Divine ice cream pleasure is HEAVEN Ice Cream.

Give in to the richest, smoothest, and creamiest by NESTLÉ Ice Cream. Revel in the exquisite goodness of its four sophisticated flavors---Belgian Chocolate Bliss, Strawberry Dream, Vanilla Almond Secret and Butter Pecan Obsession. HEAVEN Ice Cream is made with only the finest ingredients and contains no artificial food colors. Available in 800mL(Php 175) & 450mL(Php 115) tubs across supermarkets, groceries, and convenience stores nationwide.

A few thoughts before going to Bed

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:13:00 +0000

I've been encountering a lot of cases about internet startups recently...which leads me to think, is it possible to create some internet companies similar to those we often discuss in our cases here in the Philippines? They say the Philippines is an inefficient market, something that can negatively be interpreted as really big obstacles to establishment of high growth businesses. Given the effects of the last internet bubble burst, people have become skeptical in more mature markets around the world.

I have here in my hand a case from Stanford Business School that talks about this one online shoe retailer, that grew into a huge business because it was able to change the market's perception, as well as over-deliver on its promises. It seems easy at first, but we all know it really is hard work especially in hard-headed traditional cultures that do not openly accept new technology. However coming back to the feasibility of internet businesses in the Philippines, I think the country really does have a big chance. I mean there has been a tremendous surge of IT professionals, laptop proliferation in malls and most especially the amount of online bloggers who have made the headlines and have become celebrities and self-sustaining writers themselves (something I hope to achieve later on.) I guess all these things just show that there really is an emerging potential in the Philippines for development of higher technology industries, if only there was greater support.

Call it lack of awareness on my part, maybe I am just not as exposed to these kinds of information. But it really made me think, that given the right kind of mindset and thinking I might just pull this off (not alone of course).

I have some ideas running through my mind already, but what do internet startups have to have anyway? I know a lot might have thought about this too.

So where do we begin? (particularly if one is not from an IT background, yet can and might have IT people who might want to help)

He's Bald, But He is a Very Interesting Bald Man

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:31:00 +0000

CALL IT BRAINWASHING OR CALL IT FORCED ENLIGHTENMENT, but whichever way you want to interpret it, I've welcomed the idea promoted by one of our professors to read about someone who goes by the name of Seth Godin. Well so far all I've read is one ebook, the free ebook The Bootstrapper's Bible, and this colorful little book called Linchpin. From what I am reading so far and for those who have had the experience of listening or looking at this writer's work/art/gift (read his books and you'll know what the difference is of those 3 words), I think he's got a lot of good points and realizations that are probably some of the most insightful and relevant information that we need especially with the world we have today. The message has struck home I think, and I've found myself in a lot of situations where I can relate to what he is saying.

I'm not going into the details of his book but I'm going to just say that he puts quite bluntly what it is that is stopping us from being something more, something infinitely better than ourselves. Truly inspirational, yet quite difficult to actually accomplish- if we allow the resistance to take us over.

Sometimes, we have to keep reading stuff by people like him to remind ourselves that we are capable of more, in life, and even in our work and that we are not really framed by the roles society wants us to play, but because of the limitations which we simply set up for ourselves out of fear.

Radical? Not really. Straight to the point? Quite. Relevant? Especially in this time and age, Yes.

Art belongs to everyone, and there can be humanity even in the factory.

Fight the resistance holding you back. Find the genius within and let it out.

Jobhunting Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 06:09:00 +0000

First off, let me congratulate the people in my Cohort who have been shortlisted by KPMG:

Mohit Sethi

Aditi Asthana

Amruta Patkar

Akshay Bhat

Mona Khetan

Hari Kuna

Biswa Pattnaik

Ritika Gujral

Niranjan Ramanan

and Shankar Rajput

As for who will get hired, who knows but best of luck to you all! Do your best!!

Now on to the serious side of things...

As we all know, markets crashed, people got laid off, a lot of heads were rolling all over the big corporations and institutions of the world, some got jailed, some lost their homes and families and a lot of the blame game went on. While varying interpretations about the crisis' status (of whether it is really over or not) still persist, for the average (lightly used, as studying for MBA is anything but) grad student what it boils down to in the end is if there are still remaining job prospects once the program is over.

We all know and have become familiar with this conundrum at some point or another in our lives. And each and every time everything feels different and challenging. We want to get placed in the best jobs that we think we deserve, in the best of companies, and having the best compensation and benefits that we can get. But several times, and I'm sure still some of us will be experiencing soon, is that we will be encountering moments where we have to accept some compromise. Which is why the prospect of jobhunting is taken seriously and with much consideration.

So how best to prepare? I don't have to mention the tips as anyone reading this will find it splattered all over the internet and repeated to death by our parents, former bosses and professors. What I want to emphasize however is this- that jobhunting is basically the search for THE opportunity, in a sea of opportunities, and the elimination of chance encounters.

I remember a few days ago, of something one professor said about negotiations. "Sometimes, we have to remind ourselves that we can always have the option of saying no." Truth is, where we are right now, is mostly because of the choices that were made by us, and the choices we have allowed others to make on our behalf. So in future time, it will most likely and with most probability that we or others whom we allow to make the choice will determine what happens next.

So in jobhunting, I hope that you make the best of each and every opportunity. I hope you remember what it is you are really after. I hope you remember why you are looking for a job and not just what the job is expecting of you. And I hope, that with whatever choices you have, that you remember that you are not alone and you will influence others' lives with your choice.

So good luck, and all the best!

Hello WAC, Why You Haven't Given Me Enough Time to Miss You Yet...

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 15:07:00 +0000

So the dreaded Written Analysis of Cases of MBA Cohort 5 is not over yet. While not a subject on its own anymore, other electives have chosen to include several Case Analyses into their requirements. So far I have 2 to finish over this weekend. One, for Asian Business Systems class is a group written case analysis which is about a Japanese company that wants to improve its production and delivery system to better serve its growing market. In it we had to discuss among the group what our understanding of the case was and raise up some points which we think were relevant in the case. In this case in particular, those who took the BE or Business Economics class by Dr. Macaranas (our distinguished professor in Macroeconomics during the 1st term) had the advantage of being familiar with some important business concepts that we were able to make use of in our analysis.

All in all, I think that one went well. Although it was a different experience for me because a big chunk of our time we spent on discussing. Because in almost all of my previous WACs (except those in finance), I think I just discussed it with some of my batchmates in 1 or 2 hours maximum and then we all split up to work on the paper on our own. I still prefer this as it saves each of us a lot of time. Anyway...

Anyone reading this would probably guess by now that this is just another "I'm out of ideas and I need to write about something else just to clear my head" kind of posts. It definitely is, as I am still in the process of writing another case analysis for Global Marketing Strategy and Policy class. I've read the case since early this morning and even until now the WAC-beating flow of thoughts still hasn't kicked in.

I used to do WAC until early in the morning the day of the deadline. Right now I am thinking, should I just go take a nap and hope I get up early enough to finish it as I return to the condo where I'm renting tomorrow? Hmm a good idea, if only I can ACTUALLY get up early and not just sleep off the alarm clock...

Oh well, back to writing something school-related in a few minutes. The music I'm listening to doesn't seem to be helping...

The Bootstrapping Life

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 06:42:00 +0000

FROM QUITE EARLY ON, I knew that growing up, there was something wrong with the way I viewed the general idea of getting a job. For one, I though getting a job meant doing first and foremost what I love, being able to have more time to spend with family and friends and having more than enough to pursue my own hobbies (which changed many times in my life). To me, the prospect of job-hunting was mainly to look for opportunities to enjoy something or to experience something somewhere, where I can contribute but most importantly be heard. Blame it to idealistic youth, or to the way that society primes its fresh graduates but to me, getting a job mostly means applying to everything and anything which I am interested at the time without giving much regard to what I can really offer.

Fast forward a few years later and here I am, taking up an MBA and coming to terms with this twisted and sick vision that I have been led to believe in many many years ago.

A few days ago, our professor in Entrepreneurial Finance posed to us a very important question. "What kind of attitude does a freshly minted MBA graduate have upon leaving business school?" While he did mention that he was attempting to veer us away from the "typical" outlook of a grad student, he did raise an important point for us to consider- that we are in a very good position to create something more for ourselves than just building up on grades and job prospects. That if the reverse Maslow's hierarchy is to be believed, that we can participate in one of the greatest experiences that we can ever have in life- the lifestyle of a successful bootstrapper.

In this class (which Professor Cruz admittedly claims is a 10 session long brainwashing subject) aims to encourage students to pursue their own dreams. Dreams that can be turned into reality if we follow through and focus on what we really want to achieve in life and not what life seems to dictate or distract us with.

I myself would want to be in control. In fact (and this might put my job-hunting prospects at risk by stating it here), in my opinion, working for a company goes 2 ways. I work for a company and the company expects that I will deliver as what has been mandated in its corporate structure and the job description that I am. I work for the company by complying with the box that I occupy in the org-chart.

The other side of that is- I work for the company as long as the company is working for me. Sure I will comply, sure I will do what is expected of me and maybe even more. But in my own honest opinion, I would be working in a company only if it recognizes that it is also responsible in making my life better and not just on the figures on the annual report and stock price. If I feel that my career is being compromised when internal politicking is involved or when even simple fair treatment is not being done anymore or worse my voice is left unheard, then that means the company has forgotten that it also has a responsibility to work for me. To me, working for a company is like conducting business with a very very rich and powerful partner. He might be big but he is still a partner.

We each have our own share of liabilities and responsibilities. The company's rep and its assets are my assets. My life in the company and the contributions that I bring are also its assets.

Which brings me to the question of bootstrapping. (I won't explain what it means here.)

I would like to be a bootstrapper. I would love to be a bootstrapper.

But as with others who wanted and have given up, I don't know yet where to start. I'm still thinking of some ideas to pursue. The professor is right, what better time to start than now when there is less distraction right? In fact Seth Godin did mention a very important lesson in his book- YOU DO NOT HAVE TO QUIT YOUR JOB TO BE A BOOTSTRAPPER. I believe this.

Now where do I start? I hope that I get my thoughts together and start as soon as possible. I do have some franchising plans in the near future that I will most likely pursue. That's a good start I think...

Some Lessons from Crisis Management

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:46:00 +0000

CRISIS MANAGEMENT- One of the most important concerns that an organization has to plan ahead for and yet also one of those "things" in the corporate world that people are not too keen on addressing until it is already too late...

When I read the cases in CPC class I always have mixed feelings about the issues. Mixed because almost always, there are incidents of deaths (oh and there area a lot of deaths in each case). There are also occasional descriptions of the experiences of the victims. Add to this that some of the cases are still live cases, among them the Bhopal incident and an ongoing investigation in some of the Philippines' big corporations.

Sadly, as with almost any incident or crisis not related to weather or calamity, the fault almost always goes to some mistake that someone did or did not do. A change in blueprints, a rush job in assembly, inaccurate data gathering, erroneous decision on the part of management, or even no direct management who takes responsibility- these things sadly are more often than not, preventable had they been given enough attention in the "busy" corporate world.

But unfortunately, it is the masses, the poor, or those who are the unfortunate innocent who suffer from carelessness of management.

I believe in the importance of Crisis Management. Better yet, I believe in the importance of Crisis Prevention Management as our class puts it. Sometimes really, it pays to take a look at some details of things even if they don't seem to matter at the moment. Why for example, assemble an emergency crisis team in the office an assign one to be in charge of first aid and not give him any training on it whatsoever?

Call it complacency, call it cost-cutting or even call it priority-setting. But when the crisis occurs, when you're faced with dealing with the deaths of a person or a 100,000 persons or the destruction of a neighborhood who only wished for a better life by supporting your company, odds are 99 to 1 that you'll wish you made the effort to make sure the bad things had not been allowed to happen.

I am Legend? (A blog entry resulting from 2 cups of coffee and milk)

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:37:00 +0000

AS I WAS EATING MY DINNER WHILE WATCHING A VIDEO ON ITUNES, a thought came to my mind about the possibility of acquiring knowledge if one subjects oneself to prolonged isolation, with nothing else to do but read and study. Sounds geeky yes, but if stories like the Count of Monte Cristo are, of prisoners who find time to reflect upon their faith, or of a lone man in a world surrounded by bloodsucking vampires are to be believed, a man (or woman) who has no other option but to immerse in books will suddenly find themselves with lots of time for studying.

I mean if Will Smith got to memorize the lines of Shrek in the movie "I am Legend" because he had to watch the recorded television shows and movies over and over again with no other choice, why then can we ordinary persons not do the same? Imagine the wealth of knowledge just waiting there in front of our eyes, new horizons and new levels of thinking that are unleashed only when we decide to look at them. Scholarly work for sure. Even more, something probably only an insane person or a genius would do (or is there any difference?).

I keep talking about learning this and learning that, and for many years I've tried acquiring more languages than a locally-based, non-travelling Filipino ever should (for a long list let's say I've tried French, Mandarin, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and right now a bit of the Korean "alphabet") and I've gained no fluency in any of them. I've dabbled in different sports with different successes and failures (boxing, taekwondo, muay thai and capoeira come to mind). Maybe it is a lack of focus, or a lack of committed interest on my part. I don't know.

Anyway, AIM students are already in some sort of isolation. But that isolation is strange in that it really isn't a real isolation. We can leave whenever we please and go wherever we want to go. Only catch is, we have to study and meet school requirements. But that is what everyone is going through in their lives already. So is there really any big difference?

Perhaps it isn't the feeling of having no choice, or the feeling of being powerless or isolated that keeps us from doing or achieving what it is we know we could have a good chance of getting.

Maybe we just make our selves believe that we have no choice, or we just choose not to choose.

On the 1st Day of Term 3

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:23:00 +0000

Since I'm alone tonight and there isn't a lot of things (school-related at least) to read, I'm back to writing in this blog. So...

Corporate Public Communications Class

Another term, another new day in the Business School Boot Camp (patent pending). My student life in Term 3 started at 8 in the morning (Corporate Public Communications) and it was surprising and exciting at the same time, to see a lot of new faces and hear new voices and new insights. Since it is electives time Cohorts 4 and 5 are being mixed together and so far, while the CPC class this morning turned out to be more of a history lesson than a PR class, I discovered some interesting tidbits in our world history and heard new insights from a different batch of students mostly, care of Anton of Cohort 4. Anyway while I don't want to compare cohorts, I am definitely looking forward to hearing and learning more from the older and theoretically more experienced cohort 4. Hopefully Cohort 5 increases the amount of quality CP in later classes to match theirs!

Managing Services

Professor Roxas' (DBA) was surprisingly interesting. Surprising because I did not really want to take his course at the start and chose MS because I got closed off in another class during registration and because it is somewhat another OM class in a lot of ways. OM level 2 I suppose... But I like the way he handles the class (he did sub for Prof. Escobido during our OM days) and even if he looks like he isn't aware of what's happening (he has what I think a blank expression on his face during class), he thinks very quick and is very witty with his jokes. Although I don't know if these are originally his...

Asian Business Systems

This core course on the other hand, is really heavy. Heavy in terms of the thickness of the readings and the seriousness of the topic. While I think we all don't have a very clear picture of what ABS is really about, the first reading, which speaks about the differences in the business systems in play for several Asian countries (namely China, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and a host of others) does give valuable insight, especially for those who plan on taking the multinational route in their post-graduation careers. It also got my curiosity piqued as I noticed that the editors of the article, Profs Hasegawa and Prof. Noronha are professors from a Japanese business school which I was looking to apply to way back (Doshisha University- I got accepted in International University of Japan not this one). Anyway, I am happy where I am now actually, but I do hope I can visit other bschools after my MBA is over.

So that's the official start of a new term in an AIM student's life, and the end of summer vacation. Now I don't have access to a treadmill in the place where I'm staying here in Makati and now more time will have to be spent studying and reading cases, meeting with new and old groupmates (which hopefully don't take so much time- MRR season is here), starting and submitting my MRR (I'll be meeting one possible proponent tomorrow) and if there's some more time, do self study of some other thing that I might be able to learn before the next break comes. (Maybe learn the Korean language or something, in time for AIP). Oh and yeah, I really need to lose weight... Salad, yogurt, less sugar and almost no rice and bread diet here I come!!!

Cheers and good luck to all AIM students on this new term. Just a few months more and we're outta here!!!

My Final Electives List for Term 3

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:18:00 +0000

Since classes are starting soon another update on the electives I'm taking for this term:

Corporate Public Communications with Prof. Sonny Coloma

Managing Services with Prof. Roxas

Advertising and Sales Promotion Management under Prof. Agana

Asian Immersion Program conducted by Prof. Mau Bolante
Global Marketing Strategy and Policy with Prof. Neelankavil
Entrepreneurial Finance with Prof. Richard Cruz

Some of the classes I signed up for (Brand Equity Management, and Consulting Engagement Cycle got closed because they've already reached the quota number of students- despite me finishing enlistment at 8:07AM)

Hopefully I do really well in each of these subjects, I'm paying extra attention to Finance. (although that will probably start once school starts)

I dropped by my former office a few hours ago to inquire about getting an MRR from them. However it seems I will have to take internships AND classes. (I know it is late, but that's how it is.) It was nice seeing some of them as some have moved in another site elsewhere...

Whatever MRR I'm going to get, I'll probably have to take a lot of time finishing so it seems I will have less time for group meetings and leisure activities (and exercise) once classes start.

Good luck to me!

My Tentative Electives List for Term 3

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 01:37:00 +0000

Today marks the elective enrollment schedule for Term 3. Unfortunately, my plan of going to school just twice a week was not possible and I was advised not to take Finance courses so I won't get into further trouble (just grade-wise, I can take up some finance courses outside of MBA). Anyway here's my tentative list of electives for classmates and prospective students to see (to get an idea what courses are offered in AIM:

Corporate Public Communication by Professor Sonny Coloma
Global Marketing Strategy and Policy by Professor James Neelankavil
Consulting Engagement Cycle by Profs. David Go and Ma. Elena Herrera
Asian Immersion Program (South Korea) under Prof. Maurino Bolante
Brand Equity Management with Prof. Miranda; and
Advertising and Sales Promotion Management by Professor Beau Agana

I hope this will be a more productive and positive term filled with plenty of learning opportunities!

Now I just have to finally get started with my MRR! Hahaha

Turning Points...

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:38:00 +0000

It seems a lot of people in my generation or close to my age are not entering into different turning points in their lives. In the Philippines, or at least those whom I know came from the Philippines, 2 have just been recently engaged this year. Counting my newfound AIM friends, 2 are engaged while one of my own CAN mates is getting married next year. While my turning point right now might not even be considered a turning point to a lot of people's standards, for me at least the studying that I'm doing right now is going to make big changes to my future- that is, if I make it through to the very end.

Unfortunately, I mentioned in a previous post that some of my batchmates have been let go by the school. I don't know what their current status is right now but like myself, I think they have entered another turning point in their lives. Whatever they plan on doing I wish them the best. As for me, I also did mention that I got grades which were much much lower than I expected and a few hours ago I received word that I didn't meet the minimum requirements for majoring in Marketing. Still, I'm taking the electives though because what really matters is the knowledge I think, than the title anyway.

A lot hangs in the balance for the coming term. I guess I have to step up and become more competitive when it comes to the classes. It really has been awhile since I put 100% effort in anything. Maybe because I just keep entertaining minute distractions in my life as a student that sort of stops me short from becoming a could-have-been top student.

While wishful thinking means I'll be at the top come term 4, I'd still like to think of myself as improving. So I am making some form of preparation to become a better student. Although I would have to submit and admit a weakness in accounting and finance subjects...for now

Saving Grace (Or the Post Term 2 Rant Report)

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:10:00 +0000

Was in school a few hours ago to claim our Term 2 grades. I was surprised to say the least because of some of the grades that I got. I was expecting some other grade for a number of subjects and an even higher GPA for term 2 as I thought I had exerted more effort this time. Turns out some expectations were wrong.
Unfortunately, I did not do very well in Financial Management 1 while I did okay in Financial Management 2 class. I am still trying to find out how much I lacked if ever about this as I thought I did okay during my remedial exam (I knew I wasn't good in Accounting, but I never expected to fail in Finance, not even in college). Anyway I'll just have to see in a few days.

As for my previous plan of taking up my Major in either Marketing or Entrepreneurship, if I just base everything on grades then I probably wouldn't make it. Disappointing, and in a strange twisted way I find myself a little offended by some of the grades that I got. But there is a subjective element to all our grades. Apparently, I witnessed first hand the effects of this basing on the grades that I got. I knew I was doing well in some subject's quizzes but in the end my grades still turned out to be just normal.

Add to that the awful awful news that more cohort mates are being forced to leave school because of failing grades. Currently some representatives from the batch are organizing a petition to the school to keep them and give them another chance.

However there are so many lessons to learn from the past 2 Terms and I would like to state some of them in this post:

1. There are so many people to blame when things go bad, but in the end, the main culprit is yourself.- Sometimes we get stuck in blaming this or that professor, or this or that book, or this or that CAN mate who doesn't attend meetings or participate in discussions, but in the end, it leads to

2. The only person that can help you is yourself.- I remember during Term 1 where a number of us used to go to group study sessions and some (admittedly myself included) did not exert as much effort as the rest. Sometimes you just have to grin and bear it, accept your weaknesses and learn to ask others from help.

3. Teamwork, even if the team is called I, is important.- There are those of us who can survive on their own while there are others who excel even better in the company of others. Regardless of this, MBA is a collaborative effort, especially in AIM. Even if we hate each others' guts sometimes, a teammate is a teammate. If you can't contribute mentally, at least contribute something instead of giving the rest a hard time.

4. Teachers are your friends, but they also could be the enemy.- Enemy in the sense that what stands between you and the dream of an MBA in your title are the teachers. However professors' mindsets are most often than not, geared into helping you achieve that MBA dream. You do not really have to be extra nice to them, but treat them with respect. Learn to ask the important questions and make use of the years of experience that they have. Of course you can disagree with their points, but all must be in constructive discussion.

5.CP to get heard, but CP especially to be remembered.- CP CP CP is the name of the game in a case study environment. Speak up and don't be afraid to make a mistake. In the end what you learn and the answers you discover for yourself is better than leaving so many questions in your head.

So far, that's as far as I can think of right now. I'm disappointed at what turned out in Term 2. But I'm still here right? So I just have to do better next time.

After all, doing better the next time is the best and most natural way to do.

South Korea, Here I Come!

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:57:00 +0000

So I've decided to attend this year's Asian Immersion Programme in South Korea. While we were asked to select whether we wanted to go there or to the other alternative (Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, all together), it turned out that more people wanted to go to South Korea. Funny though that the program is being called Asian Immersion when there is just one country to go to. I'm not complaining though and will make sure I have a great time there and shop maybe for some pieces of South Korean culture (Movies, Korean fashion and Korean Music come to mind) as I have done in my previous travels abroad. I've learned how to read Korean characters even though I'm far from really knowing anything about the language!

So who else might be taking the trip? I'm sure only a few of those qualified for ISEP will be attending (because finances have to be prioritized of course) so most of who'll be left will be from the rest of the batch. It seems reasonable enough, the price if not just a bit too expensive. Well I guess the one week elective is good enough, since our food and lodgings are already included in the cost of the programme. All that is left for us then, is pocket money for shopping, drinking and whatever fun and hopefully just a little bit too crazy activity we might be doing!

As a local, this would probably be my only real experience in a foreign land and foreign culture! So why not right? hahaha

One Asia

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Sat, 22 May 2010 05:04:00 +0000

While reading a blogging book I come across this idea of creating an advocacy website that promotes Asian culture. I'd noticed that despite having a European Studies background, I have found a new love for my home continent. There are so many things we can learn from the European Union, and the United States of America. While history tells us that Imperial Japan once sought to establish the One Asia Policy, I believed that they did forget how diverse Asia was and that it is essentially in this diversity that our strength lies. While the site I'm thinking is not even created yet (to my knowledge), I think us Asians need to establish some kind of common identity amongst ourselves that we can be proud of. True, each of our countries and ethnic origins have their own proud and rich history. However, we see in western movies, tv programs and shows some kind of idea or stereotype which shows a different picture of an Asian man or woman even at this day and age. Give it to ignorance, or just plain carelessness in some aspects, sometimes we know that we are being painted in an incomplete way.

Anyway these are just thoughts. I myself have limited knowledge of Asia aside from the information I get from movies and television. So it might be a good idea to have some platform where we can promote Asia as a whole and then go from there?

The Issue of Financing for International Exchange

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Sat, 22 May 2010 04:56:00 +0000

The Asian Institute of Management recently announced the list of qualified students for this year's International Student Exchange Program. While I am not eligible for this, my sister is. So after having been told to choose from a list of available grad schools for exchange, next comes the problem of financing their stay in the schools.

So how are the students getting the funding needed for their exchange program? While AIM does provide for the tuition, the cost of airfare and living and dormitory expenses are still borne by the exchange student. It is cheaper if they'll be staying in Asia, but what if they're going to somewhere farther like somewhere in Europe or the States?

I hope all of those eligible find enough financial support to continue with the exchange program. I for one believe that it is a very important and excellent opportunity to widen horizons, meet new people, and gain more knowledge of the bigger world around us than if we were simply to choose to learn in our own comfort zones. I know how frustrating it feels as I did not avail of my own chance to go to Europe back in my college days...oh well...

Congratulations to 3 of my CAN Group mates for making it to ISEP! ANJAN Viswanath, AVIRAL Mathur and MOHIT Sethi! If you're going, bring home something from ISEP and enjoy your trip!

So for the rest of the eligible students, what steps are you taking to prepare for ISEP? And for those who took ISEP before, what advice can you give for both those who are still thinking of taking the opportunity and for those who have decided to stay here or leave?

A Reason for Taking up an MBA

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Sat, 15 May 2010 12:55:00 +0000

QS Top MBA survey, The Economist Survey, or whatever survey and even no survey for that matter will show that each MBA aspirant has almost always more than one reason why they decided to go the MBA route. Here are some of those reasons: (International MBAs prioritized over local MBAs)

1. Fast-track my career
2. Career/industry switch
3. Gain more knowledge
4. Increase my market value
5. Network
6. Get to travel abroad
7. Make new friends
8. Discover oneself
9. Meet a potential partner
10. Fundamentally change my life for the better

Quite easy to predict the reasons why someone would be willing to gamble on taking on some kind of time and even money off from the "real" world to take up that MBA title isn't it?

While this isn't a "What's the best reason or what is the correct reason for me?" writeup, I think it is also a good idea to think, slowdown, and even to a certain degree reflect on this endeavor that one can even consider as a critical turning point in one's life. Nothing is ever easy. In fact, even before the idea of taking up an MBA came into the picture, nothing was ever that easy already. Or for some people, nothing is worth doing if everything was easy, isn't it?

True, maybe taking up an MBA does bring about these changes in a person's life. But beyond the knowledge, the title, and the potential for abundant income involved once one is done is the question: Why really did I decide to do this in the first place?

Perhaps the more important question is: Why am I letting what is happening to me right now make me consider taking up MBA and could I actually do something about it?

I do not know the answer to that one. But as with anything in life, I think the real problem lies not in the situation, or the circumstance, but in one's own mind, and in one's own will.

All the frameworks and all the knowledge in the world cannot and will not ever compare to one's force of will. For change, for progress, for discovery, even for love. Especially for love.

Think about it.

What does an MBA student on break do?

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:03:00 +0000

Since half of the AC break is almost over, I guess it is time to put a little something in this site just to record some events that have happened so far. My AC for a popular software company unfortunately did not push through as I hoped it would, seeing as I could use a little extra income during this break with no allowance to hang on to. However I have enjoyed this break thoroughly, if not being able to do anything truly productive with it. So far these are the things I am spending this break doing:

Read, read, and do some more reading:

So far I haven't finished reading anything yet. In fact this book, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is the only book I've finished among them.

But besides that, I'm contemplating on going to this year's Asian Immersion Program, confirmed as a trip to South Korea for this year. As if to prepare for it, I bought some Korean language books that I have yet to get past the first 3 chapters because of the vacation-mode I've been experiencing.

I've also started another blog, Movies Where Movies When Movies Were Movies, from the realization that I have been watching a lot of movies during this break and could use the writing practice by writing a bit about them.

Intellectual pursuits aside, I am hoping to eliminate SOME amount of fat in my system as well by doing cardio 2x a day at the treadmill at home (aiming for 450 cals a day) and slowly trying to control my appetite (it is hard when you have nothing to do at home)

I've also been doing some kind of business scouting with some classmates, hopefully this can grow into a possible venture for all of us. Long-termwise it is in line with my goal of becoming a serial entrepreneur as I grow older. So I take this as a real first step in that direction.

I can't log in the new Aim Blogger site so I'm just going to update my site in the meantime. As for future sites, I want to make a food and travel site as well as a simple language learning site to put my past experiences to good use. (I know a little french, mandarin, japanese, and now trying to acquire some basic Korean anyways) As soon as I get some form of income (hopefully when people support the sites or some other source, like the business I mentioned), I can write up travel journals and tips.

That's it for now. Long post!

Again do visit my new site: Movies Where Movies When Movies Were Movies

Summer is here

noreply@blogger.com (Chino) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 13:59:00 +0000

Okay so as everyone in Manila knows, the summer heat is in season again. While some have gone to some far off place enjoying the sun and the waves or touring around somewhere in the world, some of us who have yet to leave for somewhere have to get by bearing the heat. I can feel the sweat trickling down my shirt as I am typing this and I’ve already taken a bath twice...

So summer is here in the Philippines. Hotter than usual it seems. An effect of Global Warming or some other Climate Change event out of people’s carelessness I suppose.

Boys and girls, hope you are all safe and sound wherever you are. Hopefully summer does not get on being as hot as it is these days. I bet fruit shake stalls and cold beverage shops are making a killing this break.