The theoretical aspects of economics and business management have for the past years been one of my greatest interests and developing as an entrepreneur has been my goal. I am fascinated by strategies in management and the behaviour of companies in the theory of the firm. I am also eager to learn and understand more of growth and development and barriers to trade and their effect. My hard work in- and outside of the classroom and experiences with my mentors have lead me to pursue the educational path your university offers in order to get insight into the business world and its economy today.

At age 16 I decided to do an exchange year in Watford, England. Due to differences between the Swedish and British school systems I went directly from grade 9 to 12 and took my AS-levels. Having to keep up with the pace and adapt to being taught in a new language was a challenge unlike anything I had experienced before, it taught me most importantly how far my determination can take me. It was also during my year in the UK that i discovered Business Studies as an academic discipline. I was especially fascinated by corporate strategies as well as motivational theories, as a result I independently did research comparing Maslow’s Need hierarchy and Taylor’s scientific theory, which I presented to the school. I am hoping for the opportunity of doing primary research in similar areas at your university. I was also selected as one of 12 students to represent my school at the inspiring conference “Your future in Europe", held in Paris in 2010. Moreover, spending a year in Watford made me eager to return to the UK for my university studies. My desire to attend a prominent university in the UK led me to chose the IB Diploma programme. The skills of analysing, time management, determination and participation proved incredibly valuable and already in my first year I received the Award of Achievement in Economics, English, History and Mathematics. In my second year I got the same award in Economics, English, Mathematics and ToK. I was the only student in my year to receive that many. Outside of my economics classroom I enjoyed reading the books of Matt McGee (The good, the bad and the economist) and Jim Collins (Built to last) to deepen my knowledge for my own interest as well as my studies. Based on my performance in Economics, I was nominated to participate in EGMUN 2012 as the representative of the UK in ECOFIN. Debating economics issues with bright-minded young people was truly inspiring. As a Higher Maths student, the head Maths teacher decided to recruit me as her first-ever student assistant in Standard level classes. This job demanded patience and creativity and I greatly developed my communication and cooperative skills. I have also worked part-time at a law firm, where my duties required financial knowledge, time management and responsibility. There I engaged Katarina Nordquist, co-founder of the firm, as my personal mentor to deepen my knowledge about managing a company and understanding corporate strategies and the behaviour of organisations. In my gap year I have moved to Melbourne, Australia, to Au Pair for Nick Garnham, co-owner of the furniture manufacturer Jardan whom I engaged as my mentor. I frequently visit the Melbourne office to get more insight into the behaviour and running of a large company and the barriers of trade effect. Experiences with my mentors and their companies has made me determined to find my own place in the entrepreneurial world. The wide range of courses offered at your institution will allow me explore a number of different fields before settling for a specialisation.

A 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 important it is for me to work with people, to see the results of my efforts, and feel that my work does make a difference. To deepen my knowledge of the subject I also read “Managerial dilemmas: exploiting paradox for strategic leadership" by John Storey and Graeme Salaman, and “The Fatal Equilibrium" by Marshall Jevons. Periodicals such as “The Economist" help me to keep up to date.

Pursuing a masters degree is a responsibility I owe to myself as well as a commitment I have to others. I refer to it as a responsibility because I have a proactive outlook on life, which makes me actively seek and go after the things that I want to accomplish in life. I refer to it as a commitment because I want to be an example to others of the attainments and contribution to society that women can make.

There is a demand out there for qualified and capable people to organise all kind of Events. Event managers needed for a variety of events, inc business team building, concerts, sports, exhibits, fundraisers, fashion shows, award ceremonies. The list is endless.

From a very early age I have taken a keen interest in the running of things, school plays were always exciting for me, not because of the auditions for the lead part, but because I could yet again help organise and run the play. Planning and seeing through a successful project is what I buzz off. My most recent event has been through my current job a Betting Office Manager, where I have organised a trip to the races for the customers. I managed to do this under budget, very successfully and to everyone’s satisfaction. It was a very successful day, and I made new contacts which I can hopefully utilize in the future.

My decision to get a Masters Degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, at this point in my career, is precisely based on a question “Where I would be the in next five years"? Though a five year of professional work experience in the field of Logistics and Operations has given me the vast knowledge and command to cope with modern business challenges as a manager, yet I feel that current fast growing and competitive business world need vital strategic thinking and an adept to change. Globalization has brought new challenges for economies; hence today’s manager must equip himself with the tools and techniques provided by research and development in logistics sector.

The immense amount of my work experience is due to variety of positions I have held during my career growth. Beginning form Logistics Planning and Controlling of Custom and Import/Export Documentation to management of entire operations, warehouse management and all trading matters of organization. I discovered within me, a thirst for knowledge and quick learning, resulting in achieving challenging tasks within deadlines. The ‘Employee of the Year Awards’ is one of the many proofs in recognition of my managerial & team player skills.

The words ‘money’ and ‘business’ do not just simply mean cash, but also contain implications of people, trust, management, investment, objectives, strategies, problems, solutions, challenges, failures and successes. My parents have exposed me to the world of business as early as I can remember and this has helped me to confirm my decision to study business related subjects. My parents are both in the construction business; my father is the CEO of his own businesses at home as well as in Vietnam, India and China while my mother is his auditor. My parents and I have often discussed various matters relating to running their business. During my summer holidays after finishing my AS exams, I participated in the business, which reinforced my ideas to become an entrepreneur.

I learnt the importance of communication within the organisation. All the workers used Skype open-conference channel, as well as my parents. Adopting a horizontal organisation structure, where top executives and other employees are at equal levels, everyone can work together, exchanging each other’s information and knowledge. Therefore, enhanced accuracy and fast decision-making were possible. I learnt the necessity of having efficient communication skills, the key in the field of human relations management. These communication skills not only boost your confidence dealing with different people and business transactions, but also make a business prosper as well. Furthermore, I felt there was a strong necessity for the proper reward of workers and the importance of providing a better environment, in which employees could work actively.

Business is the way of the world. Shopping, buying, selling, promoting, discounting, are all business activities and we as individuals are involved with in it some way, every day. It’s a field that I am greatly interested in, and wish to learn more about. Although I have a broad range of interests, I have always been drawn to business management because to me it’s a very exciting environment with lots of demands and challenges. However the thing that excites me the most about business management is the way in can directly and indirectly affect the lives of so many people.

I am a forward thinking individual who has drive, ambition and ability, all of which are traits that are vital for effective business management. I posses strong team-working skills, am able to work individually or as part of a group, and have excellent organisational skills that I have gained through my academic and work experience. I consider my key strengths to be; an ability to make analytical judgements, people management, making decisions, assessing business situations and identifying important points. I have excellent interpersonal skills which allow me to relay business information clearly to my target audience, and can prepare well thought out, crisp presentations for both individuals or groups.