statement of purpose supply chain management

Why are you interested in the UW Foster Master of Supply Chain Management Program? How will this degree help you achieve your career goals?
Ever since I started studying business administration, I became almost obsessed with the ways large firms like Amazon or Wal-Mart manage their supply chains. I would often start thinking about how I could do a better job, not with Amazon or Wal-Mart of course, but with other companies whose supply chains were not being optimized. The more I learned about supply chain management, the more I recognized that this was a line of work that I was both interested in and drawn to as a student. My personality type and traits also lend themselves to this line of work. Knowing always that I would participate in some level in managing business, I started to think more critically about exactly how I would go about contributing to the growth and success of a company. By the time I completed my junior year, I already knew that I would go into supply chain management exclusively. I am interested in the UW Master of Supply Chain Management program because it will help me achieve my career goals.
The university’s proximity to supply chain giants like Amazon is of course a major consideration for me because I want to learn simultaneously on the job and expanding my theoretical understanding of the concepts that guide best practices. Optimizing supply chains requires an understanding of new tools and technologies that can maximize efficiency and performance, reducing waste at all levels of operations while also being able to juggle their operations in multiple countries around the world. As an international student with experience of different types of business models and management, I believe I can play an important role in the future growth of the firms I work for in the future. Supply chain management is often about understanding human psychology and behavior, which is related to cultural context. Anticipating consumer trends and demands for different goods is one way a superior supply chain manager is differentiated from a merely good one. Another way supply chain managers can maximize their potential is by integrating knowledge about the political and economic macro issues that might come into play. We need to work within the constraints of competing and conflicting systems when doing business in a global community.
What was once a fairly straightforward role has now become one that is complex and multifaceted. Although I have already learned about supply chain management, and have received a green belt in Six Sigma, I still have a long way to go before I can fully grasp the day-to-day operations within an established firm. What I like about the University of Washington program is the opportunity to develop a cross-disciplinary understanding of supply chain management. During my undergraduate career, I have noticed that the academic literature related to supply chain logistics is becoming increasingly multidisciplinary. This has made the field even more compelling for me as a student with a natural sense of curiosity about the world. I like solving problems, and never give up once presented with one. The University of Washington’s Master in Supply Chain Management curriculum encompasses all aspects including communications and negotiations, finance, enterprise systems, procurement, and everything else that falls under the broader rubric of my chosen field.
Likewise, I appreciate learning about the tools that are available to me to solve problems with increased efficiency, which is why I want to learn about the emerging information technologies and systems being used to optimize the most complex supply chains. Some of these tools I am already familiar with, but others I am just acquainted with and relish the opportunity for further learning about things like big data and how a firm can gain competitive advantage by interpreting and applying big data in creative ways. Then, through collaboration with different members of a logistics team, it is always possible to come up with a solution that is quantifiable in its efficacy, with proven results that can help sway company decisions and lead to strategic and competitive advantages.
As I embark on this new and exciting career path, I need to be in the proximity of companies that I can reasonably work for as a student/intern or after graduation, in a more permanent capacity. I am eager to work, but know that I need to further my understanding of the broad concepts, technologies, and techniques being used. The Masters program is perfect for me because I do not yet know if there are areas of specialization I need to focus on as a professional. I look forward to expanding my knowledge and understanding of supply chain management within the University of Washington environment. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to meeting with you in Seattle soon.