MBlog07

[Gautam] Thesis Thesis Thesis!!

With under two weeks left to submit our thesis, that's all every MLOGGer can think about. Some of us have discovered new study places like the Student Center (5th floor) which seems to be always overflowing with students from every possible major at MIT. But there is something inspiring about the environment, which has kept us going even in the wee hours of the morning. There is also Luna Cafe, which provides us with classical music and great lattes to keep the adrenalin going. Honestly, the thesis is probably the most challenging thing I have done at MIT. It has made me think harder than any assignment or exam but at the same time it has also been very satisfying to see the impact  I am making in the field of Supply Chain Management (or atleast I think I am making). I am also looking forward to reading some of the theses of fellow MLOGgers which range from making breakthroughs in the agriculture supply chain to global logistics parks. Good Luck to all the MLOGgers on their thesis, I bet all the hardwork will pay off in the end.

[Debbie] MBLOG mascot

I'm not going to mention his name, but there's this really hot Chinese guy whose name starts with R and ends with Onaldpo who deserves to be immortalized in mblog, at least until we install more AC in the server room and publish RonBlog.  Good thing he's around, I might have applied for a printing job until I heard his backroom horror stories.  Ron's accepting bids for his thesis dedication page.  It'll include a link to an mp3 cover of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

I'm really enjoying my corporate social responsibility elective.  A few CEOs have come in to present ethical dilemmas.  The international students are giving me a fresh perspective on capitalism.

[Mike] Book Recommendations

This is like the return of a prodigal son.  My last post was back in January, so I've got some catching up to do.  I am sure Chris Caplice will send the incoming Mloggers the "Summer Reading" list, but I would like to add a couple.  The books that I list here are ones that have been either mentioned by numerious professors or recommended as "must-reads" by other students.  I invite my classmates to add their favorite books.  In no particular order, my favorite books are as follows:

Poundstone, William.  How Would You Move Mount Fuji?  Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle  How World's Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers.  Little Brown & Company. 2003.

A must, if you are applying for a Microsoft, Investment Banking, tech, or even consulting gig.  It's entertaining.

Christensen, Clayton M. The Innovator's Dilemma.  Rev. Ed. HarperCollins. 2000.

This is a bestseller from a popular HBS professor.  He is an amazing teacher, and this book captures some of his captivating mind. 

Various Authors.  Harvard Business Review on Leadership.  Harvard Business School Press. 1997 or 1999.  (Also recommend HBR on Managing Uncertainties). 

A preview of Shalom Saar's Know Thyself workshops.  The second book is a great read for all you strategists out there.

Kuhn, Thomas.  The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.  University of Chicago Press. 1996.

Jonathan Byrnes, Bill Haas, and others will repeatedly mention this book in your classes.  It is sitting on my dressor, but I will get to it as soon as my thesis is written. 

Best of luck!

[Josh] Down to Business

First things first...I have a job...and have so far successfully planned a wedding for June (both big accomplishments).  Now, if I could just finish this thesis and get that degree...

I can't help but feel a bit of Senioritis as the semester races towards a finish.  I also can't help but feel a tremendous "Oh crap" as I think about all the work left to do on my thesis.  I know I'm not along and we MLoggers could start a support group for this pre-graduation tramatic stress, but that would take valuable time away from work. 

I've realized that it will be a balancing act, up until the very end.  Can I take new classes in the second half of this semester and still get my thesis done?  Part of me wants more time, while the smarter part of me wants to finish up soon and start making some bling, bling $$. 

The Spring Break was a great chance for a breather and to get caught up on things, such as getting back to where I should have been on the thesis before Spring Break started.  For prospective students, get started on your thesis early.  This may mean working a bit harder in the fall than you like, but if you really think you will be efficient during Christmas Break and IAP (when the ZLog students are visiting Cambridge) you are probably wrong.  As spring in Boston becomes a reality, the motivation to be in the MLog lab or classroom working on a thesis topic, that has long ago lost its luster, melts away like the ice on the Charles. 

Best of luck to all the MLoggers that are in the same boat that I am...you know, the one with the hole in it.

Cheers

Josh