Week 29: Finance Strategy, Managing IT, Negotiations&Conflict Management, International Business and Strategic Implementation (Module 6 cont.)

Week 29 is ending and the website is up for us to "apply to graduate". In addition the weather is now consistently below zero, we have a light dusting of snow that is staying on the ground and all the leaves have fallen off the trees. Shouldn't be long now until we see a good dumping of snow.

Although most of the courses/classes are finished, here's what's up with the program this week:

MBA 853 Strategic Implementation & Change:

• Completed. Just waiting on final grades for team assignments.

MBA 822 Finance Strategy:

• Final exam was this week. Most people were very relieved when this was finished. This course is now complete.

MBA 840 IT Strategy:

• Final exam on the afternoon of Monday Nov 24th. Will be our analysis of a case and the write up in the format for all the assignments (ie 250 words, problem statement and 2 recommendations).
• Not much anyone can do to study for this except review the professor's requirements for these "mini-case" write-ups.

MBA 851 Negotiations & Conflict Management:

• Individual Final Paper due by midnight Wednesday Nov 26th
• 10 pages, 1 inch margins, 1.5 spaced, 11 point font
• Pick a past negotiation, preferably from your work, and analyze it using course concepts

MBA 854 International Business:

• Individual Final Paper due Wednesday Nov 26th
• 10 pages
• Choose one of two questions to answer
• Q1: A student will choose one (1) country in the world. The country is your choice, and more than one student can do a single country. The student will write a paper that examines how well the country is positioned to withstand and eventually recover from the current global financial crises
• Q2: This course has examined many international organizations to illustrate their capacity to impact business strategy in the international arena. Some of the organizations we have mentioned or examined in some detail include the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, the International Labour Organization, and others

There were various career talks yesterday on how to start our off-campus job hunt now that on campus recruiting is over. In addition, a large portion of the class is headed to Toronto on Thursday/Friday next week to listen to info sessions by companies that do not make the trip out to Queen's for on campus recruiting. This is something new the Business Career Center is trying out in an effort to place graduates with companies that either can't afford to come to on campus recruiting or do not need MBA graduates every year, but are interested in hiring a few people this year.

It is becoming very apparent that our tight knit community of 75 students is about to be shaken-up. In three weeks the "team-based" portion of the program is coming to an end. After we return from Christmas break several people will be on exchange and other students on international exchange will arrive. There are some people who will not be returning since they will be completing all their course requirements abroad. It is definitely bitter-sweet; good to be at this stage after working so hard, but sad to know our "MBA" community will be breaking apart.

As I mentioned earlier the website for applying to graduate is up. It is weird to be applying to graduate since it still seems like I just started the program. In addition team photos were completed this week and we all need to have our grad photo selection submitted by next Friday. Most students have finalized their electives. Things are just humming along.

The team I am a part of for the John Molson MBA International Case Competition has been getting stuff finalized. An alternate has been selected and we are in the process of finalizing a coach. The organizers need bio's and a team photo by next Friday. We are going to need to practice before Christmas break to be ready for this competition when we return. This is a week long competition with teams competing twice some days. Should be intense!

The MBA soccer team lost out in the semi-final's and the waterpolo team went out with a splash during their final game. The hockey team played their last pre-Christmas game, but they will be playing more after the break. The basketball and volleyball teams are finished as well. Hopefully everyone is practiced up for MBA Games.

MBA Games is in Halifax this year and from what I can tell the plane tickets have been booked. I'm not going as it would require me to come back early and I'm just heading out to the John Molson Case Competition right away. This way I get an extra "business day" back home with which to try to catch-up with various friends and hiring agencies.

There is a big gala being organized for next week. We are doing a masked ball to celebrate our year to date before the break. From my sources it promises to be a night to remember.

Okay, enough procrastinating with this blog. Back to writing my papers...