Personal Reflection on the BSM Program
Part I: Reflect on where you were in your personal and professional life when you started the University of Phoenix program Prior to my entry in to the University of Phoenix, I already had my Associate in Science and General Studies degree as a prelude in my pursuit for a Bachelor’s Degree in Management. I went through the General Studies program upon realizing that it would be better for me to rekindle my knowledge on liberal arts and science before pursuing a University of Phoenix program.
As a businessman, I know the value of competitive and in-depth learning especially at this period of globalization and economic uncertainties. Before entering the UOP, I was anxious on how to go by with the fast changing world and how to render an eclectic mix of marketing, business and ethics into my pop store business catering to consumers with diverse needs and demands and demographics. At this period of uncertainty, it is highly recommended that I build first a foundation of knowledge concerning the art of doing business in the 21st century before entering UOP.
I own a real estate license and store that is why education really plays a crucial role in my life not just for the improvement of my business but also for the betterment of my personal and career life. Personal growth and development have a tremendous impact on my career, daily life, relationships and work. This is why the role of learning should be given a high regard because it liberates people from unnecessary beliefs and restrictions making them pursue improvements in their lives without fear.
Learning gives me more confidence and more knowledge that enables me to see from different perspectives and not just rely on assumptions and predetermined factors surrounding business. Learning also improves my skill in critical thinking. As a business-minded person, it is extremely relevant for me to take straightforward actions towards my goals in order to achieve them. In this, I have to be equipped with motivational strategies and fundamental principles in reaching my ideals. I need a competitive training in which I will be able to hone my personality, ethics and practice of entrepreneurship.
I do believe that there should be an investment of ‘self’ in learning (Pogson and Tennant 2002). Coming from a business-minded family, I have a medium to high level of professional competence in problem solving, written and oral communication skills, information retrieval and utilization, and collaboration. I think that the level of my professional competence in the mentioned fields maybe credited to my colleagues and family members who had passed on their knowledge of business to me.
Even with my competitive level of professional competence, I still believe that education never stops and that there is a lot more to learn in the fast changing world. I need not to rely on the accepted traditions and principles of business because consumer preferences as well as the business world never stop changing. My career goal is to graduate with a BSM degree. I firmly believe that the success of every organization largely depends on the effectiveness of its management.
The Bachelor of Science in Management major is a degree that I truly wanted to because it is universally applicable, and the skills learned in this degree can be applied to multitude of organizations. The degree was highly recommended for me as a storeowner and real estate license holder. The degree is designed to prepare individuals to function effectively in a complex business environment by carefully responding to the challenges posed the environment.
The functions modalities and methods of management that will be learned in the course would give learners a competitive edge to succeed in the present world of business management. Part II: Evaluate the growth you experienced during your University of Phoenix program of study. My BSM degree at the University of Phoenix contributed much on my personal growth as well as in honing my professional competence in the subjects of problem solving, written and oral communication skills, information retrieval and utilization, and collaboration.
The courses and experiences which I gained during my stay in the university were beneficial because I could see improvements in the way I manage my store and in transacting business in the real estate world. I had improved my mastery of problem solving, written and oral communication, information retrieval and utilization, and logic because of the activities and courseworks that allowed me to practice my existing knowledge on business. With the activities, I became more assured of myself and gained extensive knowledge on how to respond to the complexities of business environments using critical thinking.
Among the general education and core courses that I took, I can best identify with the subject of Religion 133 because it gave me some knowledge and crucial information regarding different religions. The second subject is the Human Motivation and PSY/320 that gave me knowledge on the causes, impacts and implications of the different behaviors of people. The two subjects had the greatest impact on my current and potential employment because they gave me valuable insights on how I can effectively manage people and interact with the consumers who all have different behaviors and needs.
I learned to apply the two subjects in my business in order for me stay motivated in reaching my goal. My existing knowledge in the General Studies program that I took prior to my entry into the university was channeled into the subjects of Human Motivation, PSY/320, and Religion 133 that helped me gain cultural literacy in any setting and revealed to me the creative ways of transacting business with diverse clients (Inkson and Thomas 2004). The competitive education offered by the University of Phoenix is too overwhelming that I recommend that they make the class smaller.
I believe that students will be able to fully grasp what the professors have to say if they are not distracted with several numbers of students and not get intimidated by them. Ratio of teacher to students should be 12 to 1. Small group pedagogical approach should be incorporated in classes in order to address the individual needs of the students. Small group also makes work in groups easier to handle (Schmidt 1996). The university should reevaluate the learning team, instructors’ feedback and should log in more often. It also needs to focus on online classes that provide learning and ethnic-sensitive lessons for culturally diverse students.
Part III: Analyze the affect of completing the University of Phoenix Bachelor’s Degree program on your current and future professional goals. The completion of the University of Phoenix Bachelor’s Degree program will open many job opportunities for me, particularly those offering managerial positions. Upon completing the program, I have gained a competitive and world class education that helps me stand out from the rest. The people and leadership skills that I learned in the program aid in giving me the competitive edge as I push through with my business and career goals.
The principles that I learned will help me in expanding my business and they will be my guiding light as I pursue a new direction in my career such as working on a high-paying job with better working condition. Now that I have completed the program, I have learned to put more importance on lifelong learning and personal growth and development. I believe that education should never stop after graduation. For me, graduation is not an end, but the start of my competitive journey towards achieving my goal. Leadership skills and personal growth and development are highly crucial in order to thrive in the challenging environment of business.
It is relevant that I do not rely on assumptions in pursuing my career goals, rather, I should use my critical thinking skill in order to estimate which of the business practices and principles is the best for the company. I should stay motivated and take necessary actions not just for the advancement of the business, but also for the advancement of my personal growth. For the next 5 years, my personal, professional and educational goals include having my own family, expanding my business, being a homebuilder, venturing on military contracting and owning a new business and enroll in a graduate school focusing on international business.
The next 5 years would become the most challenging period of my life because it is in this period that I will make changes that will affect not just my career, but my personal life also. Some of the programs that I will attend include Masters in Business Administration (MBA) or a program in an international business school because I want to have a business outside the United States.
It is good to know that I have obtained both an Associate Degree in General Studies in a reputable school and a Bachelor of Science Major in Management at the University of Phoenix because the programs will truly help me in preparing for career and business advancement. The multidisciplinary subjects that I learned will be able to help me as I take new ventures in the next 5 years of my life. The skills and competencies that I will continue to develop are business skills, particularly in the field of real estate, building houses and procurement.
I believe that I should continue to hone my business skills because the business world keeps on transforming and creating changes in the world. I need to keep up to date with latest trend and principles in business especially in real estate business. I have an interest for real estate business and I think that in order to start with this kind of business, I need to join a real estate association, an international business association and a real estate investors’ group that will help me learn the art of doing real estate business.
Also, I would attend real estate conferences and workshops to further my knowledge on real estate. References Inkson, K. , and Thomas, D. C. (2004). Cultural intelligence: People skills for global business. California: Berret-Koehler Publishing. Schmidt, W. H. (1996). Characterizing pedagogical flow: An investigation of mathematics and science. London: Springer. Tennant, M. , and Pogson, P. (2002). Learning and change in the adult years: A developmental perspective. California: Jossey-Bass.
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