Reflective Essay: MBA600 Capstone Learning, Skills, and Future Career

This reflective essay, prepared by an MBA student, examines the learning experiences and skills acquired through the Capstone subject, MBA program, and consulting research process. The essay delves into the development of reflective capability, critical thinking, and essential competencies, including problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills. It explores the application of these skills in practical settings, such as capstone consulting projects, and their relevance to future career endeavors. The student reflects on the integration of theoretical knowledge with real-world applications, the importance of teamwork and communication, and the development of strategic thinking through capstone exercises. The essay also highlights the benefits of experiential learning and the value of capstone projects for both students and client organizations. The paper concludes with a personal reflection on how the acquired knowledge and skills will contribute to the student's professional growth and success in the field of management and leadership.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
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Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Introduction
Learning has been defined in varied ways and meanings by academic scholars. Learning
has been explained as a quantitative increase in the arena of knowledge, learning facts, skills and
techniques which can be retained and used as per its essentiality. Learning is further viewed as
inculcating the sense and implication and abstracting meaning, associating parts of the subject
individually and to the real world, thereby understanding and comprehending reality and
interpreting the world by reinterpreting knowledge. According to Driscoll, learning is identified
as a process of continuous transformation in human performance or capacity of the performance
(Gray and Coombs 2018). It should develop as an outcome of the experiences and events
encountered by learners and their interaction with the world around them. Furthermore, in the
view of author, learning is a method of being and typically referred as an ongoing set of attitudes
or perceptions and actions by the individual and groups which they tend to use in order to be
well-informed of any unexpected situations, innovation, uncertain situation, disruptions or
recurring events. Capstone elevates the stakes in the domain of higher educational learning and
enables students to focus on final project along with the continuation of learning. Capstone
projects are usually designed in order to stimulate learners to think critically and solve
challenging issues and further develop competencies, research skills along with ability to reflect
self-dependency or goal setting skills for future development and growth (Paasivaara, Vanhanen
and Lassenius 2019). The following paper is a reflective essay which would focus on capability
and learning involving knowing, being and competencies and personal reflection on learning
gathered from the capstone subject and consultancy procedure. Furthermore, it would provide
insights on the way these competencies would assist in the future career initiatives.
Discussion

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Reflective Thinking
Learning and reasoning are identified amongst the two critical contributors to the
development of human society (Paasivaara et al. 2018). As Management student, I have gained
the capacity of learning and reasoning consciously, but often unconsciously as well as sub-
consciously. As MBA students, I have noticed that our choices and activities are usually guided
by what we are aware of and what we are seeking to know. While understanding the reflective
thought as dynamic, persistent and careful consideration of any perception or supposed form of
knowledge in the arena of competence which would support it along with additional
considerations to which it would tend to incline. Morreale and Zile-Tamsen (2017) mention that
the issue of critical thinking (CT) capability is understood as the key to reflective practice and
primarily taken up by learners in the higher educational domain. Dewey on critical thinking
states that preparedness and disposition and recurrent revision views in which honest reflection
proposes that change is ascertain and is listed amongst one of the dispositions which has aided
me as a student to distinguish better life events in general. While, studying the subject of
Capstone in my MBA course, I have considered it to be an essential attribute which has
facilitated me as a learner and rethinking my ideas and experiences gathered. Such an idea is
highly integrated to the insights gathered from Dewey and his idea on reflective thinking. By
delving into the explanation of Dewey on reflective practice, I have understood that reflective
thought to be a thought which materializes after something and out of any form of creativity,
such as from some practical life and especially of science. Thus, while drawing relevance from
Dewey’s idea, there can be found no qualitative difference amongst the methods of science and
that of regular life activities (Uziak 2016). Furthermore, I believe that reflective capability and
learning is identified as the core of constructing improved educational competence with the

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purpose of being formation of avenues for effective learning. From the study of capstone, I have
understood that reflection-in-action helps pose question to the outline of assumption behind the
knowing-in-action. Additionally, I have delved into the insights of Schon’s understanding of tacit
knowledge or professional artistry which is involved in situations where learners typically show
dependence on scientific knowledge, which gets reflected in our intellectual action which is
publicly observable physical performance. Such expertise and knowledge are referred as
knowing-in-action such as spontaneous proficient execution (Palacin-Silva et al. 2017). Thus,
being a student, I have understood that critical thinking which often results in unexpected
opportunity or confrontation is consequential to the restructuring of methods and tactics of
framing of the interpretation of the phenomenon itself. Furthermore, reflective practice
recognizes Hypothesis testing that is being able to select the correct sample, size and evaluate
validity as well as accurately progress from specific to general.
Capstone essential skills
The course on Capstone throughout has focused on critical thinking skills which must be
implemented within the daily instruction of developing evaluation skills and accomplishes future
company’s demands. The particular course of capstone has facilitated us to hone and illustrate
our ability of thinking through critical approach. However, in order to accomplish this course
successfully, I have taken particular educational outcomes associated with problem-solving,
decision-making, oral communication, professional linkages and oral as well as written
communication. In addition to this, I have performed learning activities such as small group
work, projects, case studies or written evaluations along with oral communication, thorough
writing in addition to industry participation. The MBA Course 600 has offered us with

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significant prospect of developing critical thinking skills through the completion of documented
reports, evaluation of issues along with industry and active learning activities.
Furthermore, as an MBA student, I have attained the knowledge that the ability for
problem solving is identified as prime attribute of competent learner. Since the course especially
emphasizes on capstone strategic management studies, I have delved into insights regarding
analytical skill development. ‘Capstone to the capstone’ exercise has helped me to address the
challenge of integrative thinking and learning. Such an exercise has efficiently elevated the
increase of awareness of the value to operative integration and has exposed me and other learners
towards realistic pressures as well as universal process errors and has stimulated our ability
through reflective thinking (Saseen et al 2017).
In addition to this, capstone course has helped me to work in amalgamation with
consultants in order to develop a group project which has efficiently addressed a policy or public
administration issue which a public client needs help with resolving. Accordingly, in this course
I have to amalgamate all the knowledge which I have gathered across the curriculum regarding
public administration concepts as well as values associated with research methods, leadership,
administration as well as organization on a multifaceted project in addition to teamwork,
relational or interactive associations besides effective oral as well as written communications. At
this juncture, it has been noted that these strategies act as ideal occasion to assess student
learning across the curriculum in capstone management and further offer learners with applied,
practical experience with a project starting from inception to achievement. Furthermore, by using
RSD pentagon for explaining research skills to MBA students in lieu of capstone project in
strategic management, it has been noted that pentagon can be implemented to efficiently

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facilitate improved integration of research as well as strategic thinking (Paasivaara, Vanhanen
and Lassenius 2019).
Capstone Consulting Projects
Capstone projects or capstone experiences primarily entail the identification of current
problem in a practical background in addition to the submission of academic skills besides
methods to cultivate a resolution which effectively addresses the issue directly. In particular
cases, a capstone project tends to be directed toward research, whereas others show greater
orientation toward problem solving (Chan et al. 2017). In such cases, solutions are typically
interactive, further implying that they can be applied as well as used.
Capstone projects primarily offer MBA students opportunities to prepare arguments by
using original research strategy in order to support individual assertions. This particular topic on
Capstone has led me as an MBA student to select the setting for my research on real business
settings and proficiently use individual experience with the organization as part of the research.
According to authors, the Capstone Consulting Experience has offered me as a learner to
efficiently solve a strategic problem encountering an organization. By undertaking this particular
topic, I have been able to interpret real world education and efficiently transform solutions. By
critically delving into the course, I have been able to identify cost-effective solution for
companies, non-profits as well as for-profit governments which show major deficit of time,
finances or human resources for addressing particular strategic initiatives. Authors are of the
opinion that, capstone project along with consulting experience has been highly valuable
resource for hundreds of organizations, further offering actionable explanations to business
glitches or chances for development. This particular course has not only been thought-provoking,
but has challenged me to thoroughly evaluate every decision-making process of mine and further

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aided me to listen intently and defer contrary opinions and most importantly maintain diligence
throughout an arduous and challenging project. Furthermore, as a student, I have attained an
opportunity to work in collaboration with real functioning company and successfully implement
my expertise and knowledge as well as skills in real-world setting. During this project execution,
students’ decisions would be critically scrutinized and observed by organization’s leader as well
as top management. Subsequently, feedback will be provided as per the standards of
performance.
By delving into insights derived from authors, it has been noted that there is great
emphasis on experiential learning programs which sheds light on the benefits for learners and not
specifically on client organizations. Furthermore, it has been highlighted that input from
administrations which involve in these experiential learning programs tends to support such an
assumption. Studies of Paasivaara et al. 2017) have cited example of the Congressional Research
Service (CRS), which serves as a frequent client of capstone projects and critically mentions that
their involvement in in these experiential learning programs tend to capitalize on learners,
universities in addition to the Congress and CRS in various ways. By critically delving into the
particular subject, I have understood the criticality of the Capstone Thesis which is identified as a
research paper and subsequently offer learners with significant avenues to successfully
synthesize data into an evocative whole by applying theories and frameworks to an analysis of a
specific business or economics connected issue or problem. It has been primarily constructed in
order to demonstrate the investigative as well as interpretive skills of learners. Such a course to
my understanding has provided a summative manifestation which has been learnt in the program.
The MBA program has principally integrated learning from operative disciplines and
further to shift students to the domain of practice. The MBA course has developed by addressing

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novel and complex managerial issues from setting monetary forecasts to current challenge of
competing in highly changeable and technology-driven global setting. The capstone project is
primarily designed as a group which has led me as a learner to validate learning which I have
acquired through this course. By delving into the project I have realized that these projects are
typically outlined as vital part of a single course. The course has essentially presented me with a
problem and evaluates ability to bring accurate resolutions to create a proposed solution. By
critically delving into the course and its relevant factors, I have developed the idea that teamwork
and communication both verbal and written are important skills not only in mastering MBA
course but also to improve ability and competence within the professional domain. However,
while gathering information from various readings, projects and case studies, I have attained the
knowledge that attaining success in capstone project would necessitate MBA learners to work
with team in order to discuss all of the knowledge and proposed solutions linked to the assigned
area of issue. Furthermore, my knowledge got enhanced when I attained the knowledge that
posting queries is seen as a core part of the communication and team participation skills which
must be essentially refurbished in the course.
Significant part of communication is relied on learning to post open-ended
questions while participating in any classroom discussion or debate (Morreale and Zile-Tamsen
2017). To my understanding, such types of strategies and problem-solving methods can enable
my team associates to successfully establish communication base and establish their perspective
on the issue or suggested solutions. At this juncture, I have understood that these strategies could
act responsiveness to student’s body language, if there arises any form of tension or uncertainty
regarding the project. However, by delving insights from studies, I have attained the

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understanding that these open-ended queries would facilitate the entire team to have similar idea
and be in consensus while drawing out individual perspective on the concepts being deliberated.
It is important to note that professionals in modern business environment always have an
opportunity to gain practical expertise and knowledge in the course of their employment.
However, fresh graduates tend to lack this opportunity (Uziak 2016). Being a student of an MBA
course, I have noticed that although I am conceptually strong but I experience a severe deficit of
applied knowledge which might pose challenges for me while dealing with technical questions in
an interview. I have executed the course of capstone project in groups in order to stimulate the
team spirit. I have performed the process in a simulated environment where I have obtained the
opportunity to learn new techniques and methods in class. At this juncture, it is quite evident to
note that capstone project has successfully made me well-equipped to encounter real life
challenges. The capstone project course and the case studies facilitated me as a learner to work
on various real life cases which has further helped me to identify all the grey areas which are
essential to be distinguished while dealing with any real life challenges within the professional
field. These grey areas might include any potential challenges, major loopholes or gaps in
sharing of information. Such knowledge has helped me to learn about areas where to take
ownership of any critical situation and apply relevant decision making and problem solving skills
in order to successfully generate most relevant solution. However I have understood while
undertaking this course that theoretical concepts would not solely prepare me to tackle these
situations proficiently. As a result, I need to solve particular problems proficiently in order to
gain confidence of encountering real life challenges within the future professional domain.
Capstone projects call for a great deal of research as well as analytical skills. In prospective
career domain, while preparing any financial model or undertaking a data analysis rule for the

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business issue, I would require certain research skills. Through the capstone projects, I have
gained an understanding of ways to prioritise things and strategic methods of solving any critical
problem and most importantly efficiently arrange my findings in a coherent manner. However,
few things which I think are highly important to develop a strong career path in future are to
efficiently scrutinize theory, identify developments and extrapolating results which can help me
establish a strong base within the professional field.
Conclusion
Hence to conclude, professional courses are highly essential to take up in current times as
they equip an individual with specialised competencies and skills. Thus, apart from other
essential job associated competencies, capstone project course certainly helps graduate and
postgraduate learners to develop a sense of discipline as well as team spirit. It has been noted that
capstone project typically and falls in stages, thus helping students to emphasize on each
particular stage and categorise the responsibilities amongst each other. During the course when I
took up particular responsibilities, I have gained a sense of discipline in lieu of task completion. I
believe these qualities which I have gained from the capstone course will set me apart from the
rest in my professional sphere.

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