I have chosen to pursue my Ph.D. abroad, in the field of Organization Behavior, due to a variety of factors. In the United States, study and research of management and organizational behavior in particular is much better developed and is at a much more advanced level than the rest of the world. I believe that studying in America can not only broaden my vision in this field but also help me to find ways of thinking and solving problems. In China, research in the social sciences has not progressed as quickly as research into the natural sciences and economic development. I grew up in an environment where there was only one right answer to the question, and that was dictated to us by the teacher or the government. People were not encouraged to question the way things were, and often would have to pay a price for thinking or acting differently. Of course, practices have been changing with the opening-up policy and governmental and economic reforms. But the opportunity for overseas study in the United States will not only provide a better research and study environment but also the rare chance to see the world and China through a different paradigm.
My past work and educational experience has given me many opportunities for research for various projects. In my MBA program, all of my courses required written papers and presentations, such as market research and business plans. I thoroughly researched every written paper to find the most up to date information with a tenacious pursuit of accuracy. During my undergraduate studies majoring in the English language, I not only learned the language but the culture and logic behind the language itself. This understanding has helped me to unlock the sometimes-obscure meanings in written work to get at the essence of the data and how it applies to my particular case.
I have developed a study plan for successfully completing your Ph.D. program. First, I will aspire to grasp and thoroughly understand research methodology to lay a solid foundation for conducting serious academic research. Secondly, I will complete the basic courses in organizational behavior and related fields while conducting some elementary research. Third, I will study the present theories and practices in the field while observing the development of organizational behavior in China. Finally, I will thoroughly research organizational behavior in China and try to contribute innovative theories leading to effective practices.
I believe that my love for education is due mainly to the fact that I was born into a teaching family. Both of my parents and my elder sister are teachers. I embraced the love of learning at an early age, excelling as early as elementary school when I was chosen as one of only three students admitted to the best middle school in our province. My role model and inspiration has always been my father. My father was born into a very poor family and was the only child to survive while all of his brothers and sisters died of disease and malnutrition. My grandmother (over the objections of my grandfather) insisted that my father go to school rather than to work in the fields. Since then, he has continuously studied the agricultural field for years and wrote the first ever laws and regulations in China regulating the agricultural economy while simultaneously earning the respect and appreciation of high-level government officials in the ministry. My father has always encouraged me to achieve and excel, even though as a female in China such a pursuit is usually discouraged, if not impossible. His will to survive against all odds and his never-ending pursuit of education have given me the inspiration to follow his example and never let adversity stand in the way of achieving excellence to the fullest of my abilities.
"The Confessions" by Rousseau stated that the least knowledge acquired by humans is knowledge about humans. Knowing yourself and fellow mankind are extremely important in life as well as in management. Through earning my Ph.D. from your school, I hope to be able to contribute to other people, my country, society and life as a whole by realizing self-actualization and self-fulfillment through the study of organizational behavior.