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Skill and Learning Statement

1. Choosing My Project Mentor

I have considered the categories and characteristics identified in page 15 of the


Oxford Brooked University (OBU) - Information Pack in selecting my Mentor Mr.
Tefferi Ghebray.

 His friendliness and easy to talk to character, and his interest in helping me
was something I appreciated.
 His listening and questioning abilities were also something I should note for
myself. He avoided giving direct answers which I thought was to encourage
my own effort.
 Mr. Tefferi was also neutral and not judgmental. He is lecturing at Addis
Ababa University for more than 10 years.

2. What I learnt from the meetings with my project Mentor, including the
presentation that I gave to my project mentor.

I have conducted four meetings with my project mentor after I first met him to ask
his consent to be my mentor.

First meeting (Made on July 2, 2008)


I have already chosen my Research and Analysis Project (RAP) title before the
meeting.

Objectives
 To get comments and advice from my mentor on the reasons I gave for
selecting my topic area and organisation
 To get advice and comments of my mentor on my objectives and research
questions.

Learning
From the meeting I realised that knowing what I wanted to do and how I wanted
to do it was important, which I should answer first.

Therefore deciding what to do on my RAP demanded deep thoughts of me.


Considering my strengths and weaknesses in relation to the topics offered by
OBU was necessary. Also permission from an official of my chosen company;
getting access to information, considering cost-benefit analysis, etc were all that
needed courage and commitment.

Second Meeting (Made on August 19, 2008)


Objectives
 To explain to my mentor as to how I developed my overall research approach
and get feedback from my mentor
 To discuss my method of information collection

Learning:
I learnt that it was important to develop an overall approach before conducting
the research, to follow an orderly and logical manner.
This was the difficult part for me. I developed my own approach and discussed
with my mentor.

I felt I should quit. Then, the promises to my wife, my colleagues and to myself
came to my mind. I needed to go ahead. I did.
Once I outlined the overall approach, defining the types of information and their
sources in relation to the research questions were easier.

Third Meeting (made on September 18, 2008)


Objective
 To discuss my research project progress

Learning:
I learnt that keeping my collection of data and analysis in tune of the research
questions and assessment variables was important in order to achieve my
research objectives.
Information collecting was another area of difficulties I faced. It encountered me
with different officials within the company. Though I am allowed access to
information still it was not comfortable with some individuals to provide data to
me. It required me of explaining myself as how the RAP had strong requirements
on ethical issues on confidentiality and integrity and convincing them that the
information I collected would only be used for the RAP purpose.

Fourth Meeting (made on September 26, 2008)


Objective
 To give power point presentation to my mentor

Learning
I learnt that my language should consider my audiences’ level of understanding
of the topic in that it would have been better to explain jargons in more simple
languages of my own.

I learnt that it was better to use precise phrases and sentences than
unnecessarily longer ones as the audience expected to explain not to read.

I learnt that I should have considered presentation as an art where I should


attract my audiences’ attention in some way rather than keep reading what was
written in the power point and bore my audiences. Also I was a little bit nervous
and sometimes found repeating myself.
Note:
All meetings were conducted in the mentor’s office at Addis Ababa University –
Sidist Killo Campus.

3. How well I think that I have answered my research questions?

The reasons that made me believe I reasonably answered my research


questions were the level of work conducted in relation to these questions.

To answer my research questions I collected and read relevant and sufficient


amount of books. From my readings I developed assessment variables (see part
1 section 1.2) for each research question. The variables were very indicative of
the types and sources of information and related documents that were to be
collected. The whole information, about the research questions, identified for
investigation were collected and analysed to reach conclusion.

Sur’s budget administration, preparation and control were assessed in detail and
concluded that the system was scrutinized in all aspects of the research
questions. Therefore, I believed my research questions were well answered.

The experience was really something worth more than just getting the degree.

4. How have I demonstrated my interpersonal and communication skills


during the project work?

Mentor:
I prepared and gave a highly summarised power point presentation together with
my draft research project to my project mentor. Which I believe it helped to
demonstrate my communication skill.
In my presentation I tried to demonstrate my explaining and presenting ability to
my mentor though I sometimes found myself reading the text in the power point
without explaining.

During the project work communications were also made with other people than
the mentor where interpersonal and communication skills were needed.

These people were:


 Family members
 Examiner
 Colleagues and officials

Family members: I discussed the importance of the research project in terms of


both social and financial benefits that we could enjoy and the time needed for me
to complete. This helped me obtain full support of my family members.
Examiner: by strictly following regulation procedures imposed by the OBU, I tried
to make my RAP easier to mark.

My colleagues and other officials of the company: By discussing about my


intention to conduct RAP with the general manager of the company and obtaining
his permission on conducting the project I got the pass to all other officials in the
company with whom I made contacts.

5. How has undertaking the RAP helped you in your accountancy studies
and/or current employment role?

The undertaking of the RAP had many benefits directly related to my studies and
employment role:
 Taking necessary time to think what, why and how I wanted to do something
before taking any responsibility for a task.
 Taking time to think about the time I had for family, friends, and community
who would help me think of the time remaining for the task and set priorities
for my time.
 Arranging necessary facilities such as quite place of my own to think, write
and analyse and would help me to minimize interruption and unnecessary
communication.
 To forecast problems before hand and consider contingency arrangements.
For example, I had never expected that the national Bank of Ethiopia would
suddenly declare a stop on issuing foreign currency to students like me as
there is foreign currency shortage. Thanks to the ACCA-Ethiopia, that it
arranged a partnership with Awash International Bank.

Therefore proper thoughts and planning of the activities and the resources
available such as time (predominant factor) and other resources was the most
difficult task I faced and I believe I did not commit myself to the level necessary
for this important task.

This was a real experience that I believe would be relevant to my accountancy


study and my current employment role.

Weakness
 Not preparing robust planning for the RAP
 Unable to commit the right devotion to the RAP for there were also other
commitments that needed my time
 In writing the RAP I use many words to explain myself than focusing on few
powerful words
 In presenting my power point to my mentor I was a little bit nervous and found
repeating myself on some occasions
 Not giving the right attention for the routine work of the RAP (Such as editing,
rewriting, binding, photo copying, etc) but that needed material amount of
time
Strength

 Good understanding of the topic and sufficient coverage of texts


 Interest to research on the topic and see myself contributing to my company
 Ability to generate ideas and to write

IT Skills

Formula used to calculate totals /percentages/charts in spreadsheet

Table:
Table1: Company goals on yearly basis

1. Total planned sales for 2007/2008 =sum(G9:G10)

2. Yearly sales growth for 2008/2009 =(H11-G11)/G11*100%

3. Profit Margin =G18/G11*100

Pie Chart
Sources of working capital:
The procedures to be followed are:

I selected the cell range I wanted to chart, then


I clicked on the Chart Wizard on the Toolbar
From the option available at the left hand side I selected pie chart

Then the formula will be:

Data Range: Sheet1!$C$18:$E$21


(The series are in columns)
Series:
Name: =Sheet1!$E$18:$E$19
Value: =Sheet1!$E$20:$E$21

Category labels: =Sheet1!$C$20:$D$21

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