Half way

Last week marked the half-way point of my MBA program. Roughly six months from now I will be graduating along with the rest of class with a Master of Business Administration degree. While time feels to have flown by, I also feel like there is still a long way to go. I believe there will be a few differences between what I experienced during the first half versus what I have yet to experience during the second half. First, the overall level of competitiveness within the class will be much lower, as we are through recruiting season and some classmates already have jobs. In the last month I have already noticed that the push for top grades has subsided. Second, I feel like the social dynamic of the class has changed such that there are now distinct groups who tend to socialize together. That's not to say that we never socialize as an entire class, but it is with less frequency than during the first few months. And finally, I think that as the class sees the end in sight, they will try to savor their experiences here at Ivey. Solidifying friendships, taking on more extracurricular work, having fun. This experience will end before we know it.

The economy has continued to deteriorate. Although the financial system has stabilized somewhat, the markets continue to decline as more and more bad news about the economy emerges. It seems no one in the world is safe, and one of the hardest hit places in Canada is right here in Ontario. Thousands of workers are at risk of losing their jobs as the big three auto makers inch closer to bankruptcy. The big question is whether the government should step in to prop them up. A couple weeks ago, Prof. Tony Frost tasked our GLOBE class with giving a recommendation about what the government of Ontario should do to address the current recession. These recommendations would be forwarded to Dean Carol Stephenson who was to meet with Premier Dalton McGuinty. There were many recommendations, some of which were common to every group, and others that were quite "creative." The common recommendation was to run a budget deficit. Although this is politically unpopular, a budget deficit would cushion the impact of this recession on the economy and would reduce any long term damage caused by cuts in education, health care, and other important services. Budget deficits should be used sparingly and never in booming economies. Some of the more creative recommendations included selling off the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, building a casino in Ottawa (apparently casinos across the river in Hull draw thousands and contribute to Quebec coffers), and legalizing marijuana. I don't think Tony mentioned any of these ideas to our Dean, but at least they made for interesting presentations.

Now that GLOBE is finished, I now have three weeks of electives, and then China in December. I fly back from Hong Kong to Vancouver and will spend Christmas in Vancouver. Julia and I are also planning a weekend trip to Montreal and Quebec city later this month. I'll post photos when we get back.