Research Topics: Pacific Rim

PERSONNEL SELECTION

1. How long and in what capacity have you known the applicant?   Mr. Sugawara is a regular employee at Daiwa Institute of Research of which I am the director. Mr. Sugawara is very good at working with others, and his skill in this area made me aware of his excellent management potential. He was able to help them update their skills by teaching them new programming languages and tools. He seems to take a mentor approach to leadership, which makes him a pleasure to work with. Mr. Sugawara is a very effective communicator. He always tries to find the most efficient way to get his point across and can empathize with employees.         2. Describe applicant’s potential for becoming a responsible successful manager.   Mr. Sugawara has shown his remarkable abilities not only in the workplace, but also as the vice president of the Daiwa Institute of Research basketball team, which has more than 40 members. He has widely varied interests outside of work and a broad outlook on life. His ability to perform exceptionally at work and still pursue his own goals and interests shows that he has the potential to be a strong and independent leader. An MBA from your prestigious School of Business will help him become such a leader, and I enthusiastically recommend him for admission.         3. What are applicant’s major strength?   Mr. Sugawara stands out in his willingness to adapt and expand his knowledge in order to meet his goals. Though he studied philosophy at university, he was interested in computer science as a career, and he joined the Daiwa Institute of Research as a systems engineer. He worked very hard to become capable in that position. However, he also was interested in finance, so he attained certification as an affiliated financial planner, and became an Oracle Certified Associate. In addition, when he was offered an opportunity to take on managerial responsibilities, he excelled in that area as well.           4. What are applicant’s most noticeable areas for improvement/growth?     As he has not been in a management position for long, his management skills are still developing. At times he runs into difficulty dealing with some of the senior programmers. His method is to be patient and persistent in communicating with them, which is a little time-consuming, but effective in the long run. In general, he is doing well as an entry-level manager, and I feel that his management skills will improve with experience. I think that he needs to become more forceful in his management style and be less concerned about the feelings and wishes of team members who are unwilling to compromise.         Please compare the applicant with others you have known during your professional career. Indicate the reference group with whom you are comparing this candidate.     The reference group I am comparing for the candidate are other employees.     Intellectual ability –  exceptional    Leadership – exceptional   Ability to work well with others – exceptional   Creativity and Imagination – exceptional   Maturity – exceptional   Self-confidence – exceptional   Motivation and drive – exceptional   Personal integrity/ethics – exceptional   Ability to analyze a problem – exceptional   Quantitative skills – exceptional   Time management – exceptional   Oral communication skills – exceptional   Written communication skills – exceptional   Management skills – exceptional       I strongly recommend Takuya Sugawara for admission to an MBA Program to the Tepper School of Business.       Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

PERSONNEL SELECTION

1. How long and in what capacity have you known the applicant? Mr. Sugawara is a regular employee at Daiwa Institute of Researc...