Martin Causa
Argentina

23/08/2004 - My Background

“After completing my undergraduate degree, I had always wanted to do an MBA. I went to a German Primary and Secondary School in Argentina, so the first 18 years of my life I have spoken more German than English (which was also taught at school). So I had an "international" education, despite living in Argentina. 

I studied my undergraduate degree part-time while working full-time so that I could save money to afford my overseas MBA adventure. After years of saving money. the Argentinean economy crashed and so did my
savings along with my hopes to do my MBA!!!!

At that time, knowing that it will take a couple of years to recover the money, I decided to get married, but getting married was not an impediment to the MBA.

I was accepted by all three business schools, but I decided to take the MGSM program because of its reputation, the average age of the students and the content of the program.

By the time I had received my Confirmation of Enrolment (COE), my wife was informed that she would have a position in her company's Sydney office. All was going right!!!! It was incredible to think that my wife could have a position at the same company she worked for in Argentina, but in Sydney!!!!

We arrived in Sydney the last day of May.”

 Friday 3 September was my last exam for the term. After the fourth exam in a row I was exhausted. But I still managed to find enough energy to assist at Steve’s end of term party. We really had fun. I went with my wife, who met some of my MBA classmates to what was the beginning of resting my brain….but only for a week.

My wife and I visiting FeatherdaleWildlifeParkSaturday night found me holding a bottle of beer

again at MGSM’s Social Club end of term party at Slip Inn.It was another opportunity to relax and have a drink and mix and network with both part-time and full-time MBA students. I spent all Sunday trying to recover from the two long parties we had the previous nights.

During the break I tried to discover more of this amazing city, so I headed to the Fish Markets, The Rocks, Circular Quay, the Harbour Bridge, Paddington, Lane Cove Reserve and the Blue Mountains, including a visit to the zoo to see the kangaroos, wallabies and a koala!!!

We had an end of first term barbecue with my MBA classmates, the last Friday before the next term begins. It is incredible how fast this week went!

Now my second term has arrived, the syndicate group work and individual assignments, the long hours reading and the fascinating in-class discussions have all begun.

The first couple of weeks are relatively easy in terms of workload, but as the term progresses, the workload becomes increasingly high. Therefore, we must take advantage of these first weeks and work in advance if possible.

Yesterday, we had our beginning of second term barbecue, which is a good moment to have an informal chat with professors, classmates, partners and MGSM staff. After eating too much, I will be going to the gym on campus.

At this point in the term – week 4 – what I am learning is all starting to come together and make sense. Classes are becoming increasingly interesting and also demanding. In addition to class time, I am spending around 6 hours per day every day reading to stay aligned with

the rhythm of 4 subjects.

Study time outside of class is spent meeting up with syndicate groups, working on assignments and presentations. It is definitely a full-time MBA! 

The topics covered in the lectures are very useful and applicable to real business life, they are not only theories that work in the classroom. 

Being in the full-time cohort means that I spend most of my days with the same group of peers, so I have the perfect opportunity to socialise and network while working on a project or studying for a unit.  Because our lectures are usually scheduled between Monday and Thursday, we do have a few hours in the week just to relax, do sport, or do nothing.

It’s not a long time though as the workload never ends.  You spend your weekends studying and going through the readings for the oncoming week and examination week turns you into a zombie.  You spend that week living to achieve your goals and getting the highest mark you can.

My classmates and I work on our group assignment for the Operations Management unit.

We are now into our 6th week of term - the individual assignments are due next week and the workload is getting heavier. Additionally, the syndicate group assignments and presentations must be completed and time is running out to prepare for the final examinations. 

At this point in the term I’m spending extra time at night doing research, study and trying to stay ahead with my assignments.

The good thing about assignments is that we deal with real corporations and real cases which reinforce what we are studying, ensuring what we are learning does not solely come from theory. I find this a great way to be taught. My units this term include Financial Management and Human Resource Management. In the assignments for these units I was am applying the tools I have learnt to the case studies and I know they will be really useful in the ‘real world’.

 01/11/2004 - Managing Stress

Lunch with my classmatesWeek 8 of term – only 2 weeks until final examinations! Life is very hectic at the moment and you really have to make time to relax in order to stay sane.

Managing stress is a personal task and everyone deals with the demands of the MBA program in different ways. 

This is where good time management skills are very important. I try to make time to for sports and to eat healthy in order to remain calm in this increasingly high pressure environment. I go to the gym or go for a walk when I come home each night. 

15/11/2004 - Study, Study, Study

Classmates studyingExaminations are only one week away….and what a week we are expecting! My life has turned into a repetitive wake-up, study, study, study and go to sleep a few hours, wake up and study more, cycle.  

Four examinations next week and then we will be on a well earned summer holiday! Working consistently throughout the term has allowed for better preparation for the upcoming exams. In addition to individual revision, study sessions with classmates have really helped me to be as ready as possible for exams.

My wife knows that she will be a ‘MBA-widow’ for the next couple of weeks, so we just trying to look forward to the summer break – enjoying the beaches, going fishing and having a relaxing drink is only a couple of weeks away – there is light at the end of the tunnel!

 07/02/2005 - Term 3 Classes

This term I am taking:

MGSM960 Information and Decision Analysis (core unit)
MGSM836 Investment Management (elective unit)
MGSM985 Business Performance Measurement and Management (elective unit)
MGSM877 Public Performance for Managers (elective unit)

My goals this term are to increase my confidence when speaking to audiences; deeply understand how to manage investments and the investment decision; and have the ability to measure performance using the correct tool for the right outcome.

Information and Decision Analysis has exposed me to the use of statistical packages and methodologies to prepare more accurate forecasts as well as teaching me to understand what is going on when looking at the results of a statistical analysis.

These tools are extremely helpful in a wide range of fields of application in which you rely on raw data. They can be used in medicine, gambling, sports etc, so no matter what industry you are working it, you will be able to use these tools to analyse and forecast.

23/02/2005 - Syndicate Group Assignments

I’m now in week 7 of term. At this point we are focused on finishing off our syndicate assignments which need to be completed by week 10. 

Last Sunday my group and I finished working on the assignment for Investment Management. We were required to prepare an in-depth report recommending the appropriate investment of $1 million for a five year investment period for an investment client. This involved gaining an understanding of the investor’s wants and needs, and in order to pursue her investment goals, it was important to identify how much risk she decided to take. Based on this, we were able to  develop a tailored investment plan.

I am still working on both my syndicate assignments for Business Performance Measurement Management and Information and Decision Analysis. The Information and Decision Analysis assignment involves applying statistics and quantitative methods to real business problems – this is what makes the assignment interesting – while working on the assignment, its clear that we will be able to use these newly acquired skills in the business environment.

Public Performance for Managers is one my favourite courses. Not only has my public speaking improved, but I’ve also boosted my confidence through standing in front of an audience and applying learnt tools in an impromptu debate or during an impromptu speech. It’s a situational course, so you have to go through it to discover the public speaker inside of you!

7/3/2005 - MGSM MBA - Worth the investment

The Blue Mountains

Term 3 of my MBA is nearly over – I’m more than half way through my MBA. As a full-time student I’m doing 4 subjects each term. While the workload is heavy, I feel the MBA was more than worth the investment. It is not a matter of calculating the net present value of the investment in your education – for me, it has also been about the life experiences such as:

Not to mention gaining an MBA which has exposed me to new business techniques and helped me to integrate and refresh all the concepts I’d learnt during my undergraduate degree and over the last 10 years in a work environment.

The experience of living in Sydney – one of the most gorgeous cities in the world – has been fantastic! I’ve been able to enjoy the beaches during the summer, the Blue Mountains only one hour’s drive from the city, as well as discovering the rest of Australia, such as the outback and the Great Barrier Reef.

21/03/2005 - MGSM Careers Service

One of the value added services at MGSM is the careers service which helps with life after the MBA! My careers advisor helped guide me in the tedious task of getting a job. The careers department offers a range of services, from giving you advice on the Australian job market (which is extremely beneficial for international students like me!) to helping you put together your resume and careers consultations.

They also conduct workshops and on campus company presentations so we can find out more about what people and companies are like, what different organisations are looking for and network with key members of their staff, before having to decide whether to jump in and go for any of the roles they may advertise.

I was assigned a mentor (buddy) at the start of my MBA. My mentor was a recent MGSM graduate – mentors are there to help facilitate your induction process at MGSM and share their experiences with you. It is due to the friendliness and helpfulness of MGSM staff and my mentor that I was able to focus on studying and not worry about administration details which have helped me a great deal.

17/04/2005 - MGSM Ball

I was delighted to attend the 2005 MGSM Ball held at Curzon Hall. During the reception we had the opportunity to share a drink and network with both part-time and full-time MBA students and have some fun.

Both the three course dinner and the entertainment were great – particularly the magician who was able to magically extract a bra out of my wife’s dress (the joke was on him when my wife informed him she wasn’t wearing a bra in the first place!!).

The worst part of the night was watching names being pulled out of a basket with people winning prizes – unfortunately, my name was not drawn – bad luck!

After dinner we danced a little bit, the party was only getting started, with many heading to the after party, held at the Establishment in the city, where we continued to dance and chat with fellow students.

It was a great night and I would like to thank the organisers for the beautiful night we all had – thanks!

The next big social event will be the MGSM Dinner held on May 27th – I’m looking forward to socialising with everybody again.

02/05/2005 - The final term of my MBA

The fun is over, now it is time for me to focus for the next six weeks – I’m nearly halfway through the final term of my MBA. I have to juggle nine individual assignments and five syndicate group assignments which I must complete before final examinations. It promises to be a hectic time.

Although for the next few weeks I will have a hard time, I am also beginning to experience a mix of emotions – I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with my MBA almost completed.

It's hard to imagine that one year has passed so fast! Some of the friends I have made over the last 12 months and worked with in classes and syndicate groups will be going back to their respective countries and I’m not sure if I will see them again.

My wife, Florencia, flew to Buenos Aires last Friday, so I will spend the next 14 days trying to survive without her! In my next post, Florencia will write a few words about her experiences as a partner of a full-time MBA student and moving to a new country.