James Wu, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws student, talks about his experiences on the Philippines Study Tour.
Why did you choose to take part in the study tour?
I already had some experience with student consulting clubs and societies, so I was looking for something a bit different. I was interested in the 2020 Philippines Study Tour because it was an opportunity to work with a diverse group of clients and colleagues. Not only are the clients you are working for international, but the organisers and fellow students are also from all around the world. I’ve always been interested in international business, so this was a big draw card. From a personal perspective also, in BUSS1000 we had talked about companies moving from being all about profit to considering their impact on society, and I was interested to see how that might play out in the real world.
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| James Wu and colleagues from the Philippines |
What was your experience like in the program?
The program is in two parts – the first part is the cultural immersion, where we were able to meet members of the indigenous community, as well as talk to a social enterprise farm. We gained some valuable cultural insights and developed some understanding of why these are so important in consulting. The second part is working with an actual client. We were lucky enough to work with Virtualahan, a social enterprise that provides Filipino people with disabilities with training to help them develop skills and boost their self-confidence. They also source job opportunities globally to help give people a chance to find a job. Our project was about helping Virtualahan to create a model to help them become financially sustainable, without comprising on their core cultural values.
How did you solve the problem?
To come up with effective recommendations, we needed to understand the cultural perspectives. For example, our client wanted our advice on restructuring the cash flow, but our initial recommendations were not as culturally aware as they could have been. So we needed to revisit and reshape. We were also really lucky to have direct access to a client – usually with in class and student consultation clubs the client already has some experience and there is a pretty tight brief – to be able to really engage with the client was definitely eye opening and challenging – but in a good way!
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| James Wu |
What were the key insights that you gained?
I would recommend the program for anyone who is interested in social enterprises and understanding how business can play an important role in changing peoples lives. One company we worked with had a no firing policy. At first I didn’t understand, but then they explained that they want their employees to have security, because this can help build a better life.
Has the project changed the way you see your future?
I definitely want a career in business when I graduate, but the Philippines Study Tour made me reflect on how do I want to conduct myself in business? Seeing the real and practical differences that some of the social enterprises made has encouraged me to think about the role of business and the difference it can really make. Its worth the time to take the unit – just do it!
Applications for the Philippines Study Tour 2023 open at 9am August 1 2022! See the full details and how to apply.
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