For my practicum, I took a class called Why Good Managers Make Bad Decisions. The class was very interesting and taught why managers fail and how managers can turn their organizations around, but the part of the class that fulfilled my practicum requirement was the online business simulation that the entire class competed in. The simulation is called GLO-BUS, and every student is divided into different industries. Our job was to lead an action camera and UAV drone manufacturing company while competing with other student-run companies in our industries. Every week we had to make decisions on manufacturing components, pricing and marketing strategies, employee compensation, facilities management, corporate social responsibility, and corporate financing. The simulation had a lot of moving parts that required me to spend hours pouring over competitive reports and financial statements in order to plan my company’s next steps. My practicum was a very informative experience because I learned how to react to constantly changing circumstances and how to handle myself when I felt overwhelmed. To highlight how I changed my perspective over the course of my practicum, I have attached below my two strategy documents for running my GLO-BUS company. The first strategy document was written before I had started the simulation and it details my plans for the company and how I am going to accomplish those goals. The second strategy document was written after completing the first half of the simulation. In this document, I explain the mistakes that I made and the steps that I took to try and return my company to the top of my industry.
I was fortunate to complete a practicum that directly relates to my major and prospective career field. Because of my practicum experience, I can interpret company data and then analyze that data to make decisions for an entire company. I can also respond to competitive actions and create marketing policies that reflect these responses. Following the completion of my practicum and the Public Leadership program, I will continue to utilize the resources provided by the University of Maryland and the Smith School of Business to gain hands on experience whether that is through more simulations like GLO-BUS or through case competitions sponsored by the Smith School. Following my graduation from the University of Maryland, I will look to begin my professional career path at a military contracting company and then as a management consultant. I also would like to pursue a MBA while balancing a full-time work schedule. As I move beyond Public Leadership, I will take what I have learned in collaboration, analytical thinking and reasoning, and in the projects that I have completed in Public Leadership to succeed in a professional setting.