Personal Statement

MANAGEMENT

Lack of management can lead to disastrous outcomes, and my home country, Russia, has suffered

from these in dramatic proportions for decades. Its business inefficiency has led to people

being devastated by unemployment and poverty, including my own family. A shortage of competent

managers has also been one of the reasons for the magnitude of the recession during the credit

crunch. Constant bribery and dishonesty at all levels has resulted in Russia losing trust and

becoming almost impossible to negotiate with. Rampant corruption and misuse of state funds has

led to, at best, economic stagnation, or, in the worst case, significant economic decline. In

my opinion, things have to change, and I want to contribute to that change.

My initiation into management consisted of tracing its development over time through Drucker's

"Management - tasks, responsibilities, practices". To gain an even better insight, I obtained

a work placement as a secretary to the chief executive in a company called "Thermal Project

Solutions", which drafts projects for the oil and gas market. It was a perfect opportunity for

me to look closely at theoretical techniques being applied to real decision-making. It was

particularly challenging to make sure everything operates smoothly, because the company sold

such a complex product and dealt with many overseas companies as well as freelance workers. My

conclusion was that even the seemingly small decisions of executives are crucial,

necessitating a prompt and relevant response. Sometimes because of the time difference it was

necessary to work at night, or early in the morning. This experience taught me that one has to

work long hours in order to achieve success. Furthermore, the efficiency of the company led me

to the judgment that full-scale renovation of the Russian economy according to Western

standards is possible if corruption can be eliminated on a micro level. The placement also

helped me to understand how...