CU iBUS
Published by the Undergraduate Office, CUHK Business School
August 2013
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Welcome to CUHK Business School Ready to start? A brand new academic year is about to begin! To our old students, welcome back - we can’t wait to see your bright and cheerful faces again. To our new students, welcome aboard! Our School is a whole new adventure waiting for you to discover. There will be challenges ahead that will stretch your potential and happiness to rejoice in. One thing for sure though is that we will always be with you on this ride through all the ups and downs of your next few years here at CUHK.
Faculty Spotlight Prof. Stella So Spotlight 50th Anniversary Fair Public Lecture
Also in This Issue 05 Student Editorial Team Recruitment 08 Lightbox - Orientation Camp 11 Newsroom 13 Column - Matt Ng Click to view the full issue
From the Editor Business School
October
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Global Leader Series Economic Forum: The Rise of the Asian Century
Message from the editor Dear CU iBUS readers, In August, I accepted the role as Associate Dean (Student Affairs) which will give me many opportunities to work with and for students. I am also greatly honored to take up the position as the Editor-in-chief of CU iBUS. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the previous editors-in-chief, Prof. Dennis Fan and Dr. Susanna Kwok, both of whom have established a solid foundation for this valuable communication platform. My goal is to continue listening to opinions and ideas from students in order to facilitate their learning and personal growth. August is a very special month as our campus gradually comes to life once more after the summer break. After seeing off our graduating students to the next phase of their lives in June, we are very excited to see some new faces. With the new students from the entering class of year 2013/14 warming our campus with laughters in the Orientation Camps, exchange students from all over the world arriving here and other students preparing their return to academic life after a few months away on internships or holidays, Cheng Yu Tung Building will soon be bustling once again. On this first anniversary of the implementation of the new 334 system, some challenges remain along with many opportunities. But we are always here to help you overcome any hurdles. In this issue of CU iBUS, allow us to introduce ourselves and to let you know what we can do to improve your experience in the Business School. Learn about the channels through which we keep you posted on the latest news and opportunities for enriching your university life. Most importantly, make yourself comfortable at the home of CUHK Business School, the Cheng Yu Tung Building. Find out where you can recharge yourself with quality burgers and cakes and where you can find a relaxing spot for a chat with your friends in this issue of CU iBUS. Hope you had a good summer and are refreshed for the new term. I can’t wait to greet you all again.
Prof. Stella So Editor-in-chief, CU iBUS cu iBUS August 2013 EDITORIAL
STUDENT EDITORIAL TEAM
CONTRIBUTORS
Contact us
Editor-in-chief Prof. Stella So
Tiffany Chiang (HTMG Year 3) Lolitta Ho (IBBA Year 3) Adrian Lai (IBBA Year 4) Jeanette Lai (IBBA Year 2) Tiffany Lam (IBBA Year 2) Tumi Ogunsola (IASP) Michael So (PACC Class of 2013) Jimmy Tsong (IFAA Year 2) Myra Zhang (IBBA Year 2)
Joseph Tong Heidi Lau
Address Room 616, Cheng Yu Tung Building, 12 Chak Cheung Street, Shatin, N.T.
Members Carol Ho Isadora Ho Elaine Leung
Telephone 3943 7746 Email bba@cuhk.edu.hk
Cover Story 01
Welcome to CUHK Business School Ready to start? A brand new academic year is about
to begin! To our old students, welcome back - we can’t wait to see your bright and cheerful faces again. To our new students, welcome aboard! Our School is a whole new adventure waiting for you to discover. There will be challenges ahead that will stretch your potential and happiness to rejoice in. One thing for sure though is that we will always be with you on this ride through all the ups and downs of your next few years here at CUHK. In addition to our warm welcome, here are some quick tips on how to make your time as fruitful as possible during your stay with us.
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What might you need to know before the term begins?
Course Selection and Add/Drop At the beginning of a new term, we all know that the add/drop procedure is very important if you want to register for those classes you want. Click here for more details regarding the add/drop procedure. Scholarship The Business School, the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid and the Colleges offer scholarships for you to apply. To learn more about the different scholarships, go to: http://www5.cuhk.edu.hk/oafa/index.php/scholarshi ps/2011-07-18-02-33-13
Exchange Apart from University level exchange programs, the Business School has set up its own exchange partnerships with over thirty institutions from all over the world to provide you exclusive opportunities for overseas exchange. Career Support The Undergraduate Office provides career support and advice to you through career events, recruitment talks and company networking events. You can also apply through us for internships to gain access to on-the-job training at companies where we have developed such relationships. Case Competitions Each year in September we organize the Academic Cup to prepare you and your team for case competitions. Winners of the Academic Cup will earn the opportunity to compete in local and international case competitions representing the Business School. This year’s Academic Cup will take place in late September. Join now! http://www.baf.cuhk.edu.hk/ program/out-of-class-academic-cup.shtml Workshops & E-Learning Platform To equip you with the soft skills essential to personal growth, we provide workshops for career and personal development covering a full range of topics, e.g. Writing Effective CVs and Dining Etiquette, among many others. Missed the workshops? You can attend a “make-up class” on the e-learning platform known as Soft Skills Mentor.
Cross Boundary Leadership Program Extend your network, develop your international perspective and leadership skills through us. Through Undergraduate Student Handbook workshops, team work training and overseas study For our 2013/14 entrants, this is the complete reference tours, we prepare you for success in the multi-cultural guide explaining all aspects of your study throughout your environment that is found in Hong Kong. four years at CUHK. You can download the e-version here. Dean’s List and CUHK Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma Students who have a GPA of 3.50 or above (out of 4.00) for the academic year are eligible to be recognized on the Dean’s List. However, the total number of students on the Dean’s List cannot exceed 10% of all Business undergraduates for that academic year. If you achieve a cumulative GPA that is in the top 10% in any of your second, third or fourth years of study, you will be invited to join Beta Gamma Sigma, an American national organization that honors academic achievement in business.
Don’t want to get lost? Download the CUHK mobile app here for shuttle bus routes, schedules and classroom locator. 2013 CUHK Art Fair - Be a Committee Member of the Student Association Need a break from your studies? Come to the University Mall on September 12 and 13 and discover your interests in a range of different extracurricular activities. https://www.facebook.com/cuhkartfair2013
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Stay Connected
Student Service Counter 1 Our counter is located at Room 616, CYT Building. From time to time we distribute some free publications for you to pick up.
Student Database
Remember to check your University mailbox (not your personal one!) regularly to receive important notices and announcements.
At your service with job and scholarship postings. You can also build up your online resume and enroll for workshops, scholarships and events through Student Database. http://www3.baf.cuhk.edu.hk/ bbaDB/
Notice Board 2
Website
Visit us on 6/F and check out all the latest news on our notice board.
Our home in the virtual world – always open! Don’t miss the important news on the notice board! http://www.bschool.cuhk.edu. hk/program/undergraduate. shtml
Address: Room 616, 6/F, Cheng Yu Tung Building, No. 12, Chak Cheung Street, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong Office hours: Mon - Thur: 8:45 am - 1:00 pm; 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm Fri: 8:45 am - 1:00 pm; 2:00 pm - 5:45 pm (Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays) 1
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Undergraduate Facebook Page
CU iBUS
Meet your friends and professors here, whether for casual chats or in-depth discussions. http://facebook.com/ CUHKBusinessUG
Your one stop report on the latest events and issues in the School. Click here to view back issues.
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Discover Cheng Yu Tung Building
The fifteen-story Cheng Yu Tung Building accommodates all teaching and research units of the CUHK Business School.
CYT LT1 LT1’s capacity is 465, one of the largest lecture theatres at CUHK.
Cafe 12 Tired and hungry after class? Cafe 12 is happy to nourish you with hot meals, dessert and drinks. Don’t forget to try the macaron, one of Cafe 12’s specialties.
Herb Garden Run by the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, the herb garden provides abundant of herbs and vegetables for Cafe 12.
Student Lounge How do you fill the spare moments between lessons? We have comfy sofas for you here, whether to discuss your projects or have a casual chat with your friends in the Student Lounge.
Computer labs Come to the computer labs to finalize your papers or do a little internet surfing. Photos taken by Michael So, Student Reporter
Faculty Spotlight
Prof. Stella So Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies, Student Affairs) | Serving CUHK since 1986 | Teaching MKTG2010 Marketing Management in Term 1 and MKTG4040 Strategic Marketing in Term 2 | Affiliated to Chung Chi College | Birthday: June 11 By Jimmy Tsong, Student Reporter
About your profession
About CUHK
Why did you choose Marketing as your profession? Marketing is quite an interesting subject, and it plays an important role in business operations. It acts as a driving force for the company to move forward. Marketing helps a company to polish its image, which is essential. Besides, I feel fulfilled studying marketing. It was great fun in the beginning and continues to be the case.
Can you share with us some unforgettable moments during your teaching at CUHK? One such experience was when I led my students to the“L'Oreal Brandstorm”competition in France. We travelled and went shopping together. Most of all, I felt energetic and young again by being with them. We learned together too: it was a great opportunity for us to learn from our overseas counterparts.
Are there any essential qualities for one to be a successful marketer? To be a successful marketer, one has to be sensitive to the ever-changing world and with marketing, social and international issues. One has to learn the principles of marketing and relate them to the real world. Another factor is analytical skills. Marketing is a subject concerning consumer behavior, and only by understanding the consumer’s underlying psychology can you shine in this discipline.
I also learnt from a student that “Beauty is only skin deep”. I had an international student in my class who had a rather flamboyant and exaggerated appearance and dressing. I didn’t think he would work on his studies. However, he surprised me greatly with his extreme concentration during lessons and his strong performance in tests. It really hit me that we should not judge people only by their appearances.
Being creative is also essential and it is not confined to marketing. Creativity has to be unleashed and you shouldn’t look down on yourself by thinking you are not creative.
What was the craziest thing you have ever done? That happened during my undergraduate studies in England. I enrolled in an internship program in a consumer research company and my duties involved conducting door-to-door surveys in three major cities located in different areas. I had to drive to each survey subject’s house by car. I didn’t realize what I got myself into until my friends started saying they doubted whether I could do it. For me, as a foreigner and a newly qualified driver, it was a huge challenge to drive to these three cities with no GPS, just a paper map.
All the things mentioned above can be learned. It is only your attitude that matters. Taking marketing subjects is one approach that polishes your skills. Other than teaching at CUHK, you are also a consultant for many government organizations and international companies. How different are the two roles and how do they complement each other? These roles are definitely different, yet complementary. Recently I have had greater involvement with government organizations. Involvement in such activities helps me become more familiar with current business developments. Some of my consulting work leads to cases, which with the consent of the stakeholders can also be used in my lessons, offering students a more realistic and practical perspective of marketing. Moreover, as these involvements with government and international firms often include debates and arguments, I can enhance my analytical and strategic skills.
About yourself
Could you share with us one of your most sentimental moments? One of my former students who graduated five or six years ago comes back often to visit me here or asks me to join him for gatherings during festivals. Even if he does not have time for a face to face get together, he sends greetings to me via WhatsApp messenger. This is not just a one time thing, rather the sentiment has been built over a long period. It is really unusual nowadays to find individuals who show such personal and traditional commitment to a relationship. Which country is your favorite travel destination? At this point in time, I would say Africa and Russia since these are places I have not visited before. I would love to see the animal migration in Africa if I have the chance. What are your hobbies and interest? I like watching musicals and there is such a wide variety that one will surely suit your taste. Musicals like MAMMA MIA! and Phantom of the Opera are quite popular.
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50th Anniversary Fair Public Lecture:
Strategies for Building Successful Brand Image Date: July 27, 2013 By Jeanette Lai, Student Reporter
As part of the celebration of the 50
anniversary of CUHK, Prof. Andrew Chan Chi Fai, the Director of the EMBA program was invited to conduct a public lecture entitled “Strategies For Building Successful Brand Image” on July 27, 2013. th
Prof. Hau Kit Tai, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the Chairman of the 50th Anniversary Fair Steering Committee kicked off the seminar by giving a welcoming speech. Then Prof. Chan spoke, sharing his insights on brand building. To launch an efficient branding strategy, the company should first observe what the market wants and then evaluate the companies’ ability to provide what is needed. Prof. Chan illustrated this point with his leftright circle theory, highlighting three criteria: “First, is your product or service what the market needs – that is the left circle. Second, are you able to deliver what they need, that is the right circle. The more the two circles overlap, the stronger your brand’s competitive edge is. Finally, an outside factor: are you good enough to compete with your competitors?”
Prof. Hau Kit Tai, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of the 50th Anniversary Fair Steering Committee and Prof. Andrew Chan Chi Fai, Director of the EMBA program in the Q&A session
Prof. Chan also shared the “Awareness – Comprehension – Liking – Action – Habit” (ACLAH) approach that he developed to explain the five steps of a successful brand. Consider, every day we are exposed to the names of different shops on TV, on the internet or even on the outside of mass transit vehicles but do you really know what kind of goods they sell? You may walk past a restaurant every day but you simply keep walking past instead of going in. Whether potential customers like your brand depends on the quality of the product. Companies should collect feedback from those who do not like the brand and continuously improve it, converting more and more people who have only heard about the brand into customers.
Spotlight 07 Taking CUHK’s EMBA program as an example, Prof. Chan explained how he adjusted the right circle of the program (Institution Competency) to the left (Needs of Stakeholders) when he first took up the position as the director. From potential clients he found that the program was thought to be too theoretical. It was from this point that he reformed the program, including a wider range of elements from case studies, sharing from successful business practitioners to leadership training and overseas study tours. That is how CUHK’s EMBA is differentiates itself from executive education programs provided by other institutions. Building a brand is more than just setting up a business with a bang but also sustaining it by responding quickly to the ever-evolving market. Every product has a lifespan; if a brand fails to respond to the market, nobody can prevent it from fading out. Prof. Chan believes that sustaining a business is like setting up a business every day. We need to act rapidly in response to rapid changes in demand and expectations from society. Theories tell us that a company has to meet the needs of the stakeholders. Does that mean it is not possible to create needs? “We cannot create needs,” answered Prof. Chan, “but we can shift the demand.” As an example, take the mooncake industry. Most Chinese people buy this traditional festive food not because of its taste but for its underlying meaning. Giving mooncakes to the elder generation symbolizes politeness, respect and health. In other words, if you need to show respect to an older person, you need to buy and give them mooncakes. That is how a company can “create” demand: by instilling or reinforcing the meaning behind the product. Branding is the whole image building process of an organization. It is more than just the logo or the name of the company, also it is about being responsive to the market. Yet Prof. Chan reminded us that before we are able to build a successful brand, it is more important to not ruin it by pushing it excessively.
Reflection by Jeanette Lai, Student Reporter “What is branding and why do we need branding?” I went to the public lecture hoping to get the answers. Though I expected the lecture to be mainly focused on theories, it turned out to be a really inspiring talk. Prof. Chan used a lot of vivid examples to illustrate his theories and the entire two hours was filled with interactions. As this was a public lecture, most of the audience seemed to be veterans of the business world, thus, the Q&A session was especially enlightening. I am currently doing an internship where one of my duties is to develop marketing strategies for the company’s products. And I was really glad to be able to attend this seminar and bring back all the inspiration from it to my job, to real life. This type of public lecture offers a very good opportunity for undergraduate students to learn outside the classroom. In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of CUHK, more lectures facilitated by other faculties will take place in September and October. Don’t miss the chance to learn something new, choose the topic you are interested in and go for it! http://www.50.cuhk.edu.hk/en/anniversaryfair
August
21-24
BASO Orientation Camp Prof. T J Wong, Dean of CUHK Business School with some welcoming words for our new students to our campus as they start on the next stage of their lives Prof. T J Wong and Prof. Stella So, Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies, Student Affairs) unveiling the 2013 BA O'Camp at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Exercise time - let’s get those arms and legs moving and the blood pumping!
Students strategizing as they plot to be the best team.
Lightbox 09
A team united – the key to success!
Advertisement
Class of 2013 Graduate Survey
Voices of our graduates W
e are very proud of our most recent batch of graduates, the class of 2013, for their continuous pursuit of academic excellence at the Business School for the past few years. In the hope of providing them with new job opportunities that suit their career aspirations, we asked the graduates to complete a survey for the Business School Undergraduate Office Alumni Directory. More importantly, we would love to stay in touch with these graduates who as students have been so closely connected to us for the past few years.
Top 5 Industry sectors of employing organization Accounting Finance & Banking Retail / Wholesaling Government Business Consultancy
Scale of employing organization (Total: 246) 72%
18%
10%
Multi-national
Hong Kong
Mainland China
What do they think‌‌ Life in CUHK is great. I've met a lot of friendly people and expanded my horizons. Also, the University offers a lot of support to the students. I will never forget my experience in CUHK. I was lucky to study in CUHK and had my best brought out by the best teachers and friends. I really appreciated it.
Thanks for everything in CUHK!!! School life at CUHK is amazing and important to me. I have experienced a lot more than expected and I feel very lucky to be a member of CUHK. In the future, I hope I can achieve most of my targets and try to contribute to society. Internship experience during university life is very important for future career development. Life in CUHK is really fruitful. I gained a lot from CUHK such as the exchange and internship experiences and all these contribute to the opportunity of my current job offer. Thank you very much! CUHK Business School is spectacular! I am deeply grateful for everything that the School and its staff have given me. Thanks for helping us by organizing many useful talks and seminars. I really appreciate your hard work! God Bless!
Newsroom 11
The Bloomberg Aptitude Test (BAT) Hall of Fame Date: June - July, 2013
Change of Directorship in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management
Prof. Eliza Tse will retire from CUHK, and Prof. Denis Two of our students were honored for their Wang will fill the position of School Director for a period performance in the Bloomberg Aptitude Test (BAT) of two years from September 1, 2013 to August 31, 2015. and were entered into the Bloomberg Institute Hall of Fame. GBS student Alan Yip (Year 3) ranked first in the Asia & Pacific region for June, while Andy Li (PACC, Year 4) ranked fourth for the month of July. The BAT evaluates business students’ aptitude for a career in business and finance by assessing how they process and analyze information. It is also an efficient platform through which employers recruit bright candidates. In the new academic year, the Undergraduate Office will continue to work with Bloomberg to provide this unique opportunity for CUHK Business students to shine in front of potential employers.
“Navigate My Financial Future” Case Competition 1 Date: June 13, 2013
Co-organized by Visa and AIESEC Hong Kong, the final round of “Navigate My Financial Future” took place on June 13 at the City University of Hong Kong. To compete, the students had to submit a proposal explaining how they would raise the awareness of financial knowledge among secondary school students. Five teams were then shortlisted for the final presentation of which two teams include our students. Ng Wai Chung and Ng Ching Man, Cynthia (both GBS, Year 2) won the championship with teammates from other universities; while Liu Wai Ching Sunny and Sin Wing Han Lettie (both IBBA, Year 2) won the first runner-up prize with teammates from the Faculty of Engineering. The winning team earned a chance to meet Mr. Tom Tobin, Country Manager for Visa Hong Kong & Macau and was awarded a HK$10,000 cash prize; while the first runner-up team won a HK$8,000 cash prize.
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Newsroom
Academic Counseling 2 - 4 Date: August 15, 2013
The Registry of the University worked together with the Undergraduate Programs to organize the Academic Counseling for the 2013/14 new undergraduate students on August 15 to familiarize them with the curriculum and course registration procedures. 2
The students were also excited to meet their classmates who will be their comrades for at least the next four years. Michelle Lee, an Integrated BBA student admitted through the non-JUPAS (Local) Admission Scheme, voiced her excitement to be in CUHK. She said “I really love this large campus and I cannot wait to start my studies here. I like this program too as it offers a lot of concentration areas for me to explore, concentrations that are the keys that will open doors for me after graduation.” Stella Kong from the International Business and Chinese Enterprise Concentration was just as delighted to be in our green campus. “CUHK is really like a campus rather than just an institution. I love how large it is. But it would be even better if the buses come more frequently.”
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All the very best to our new students!
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Michelle Lee, Integrated BBA student
Column 13
Matt Ng
Alumnus, Quantitative Finance, Class of 2012
The Last Story
T
ime flies. It has been one year since I started writing this column and this will be my last one. This time, I’d like to talk about my journey outside of traveling.
Life is a countdown. The only important thing to remember is that we each have a wind-up clock counting down the minutes, and which could end any second, no one knows when. So if you have anything During my first backpacking trip to Europe, I was you want to pursue, anything you want to say, anyone following the guidebook, hitting the famous spots, you want to see, I send my wholehearted blessing to checking the boxes on the to-do list. I did this because you, that you could live in the present. And I sincerely I was afraid of not seeing enough, I was trying to encourage you to take that step. The first step is prove to myself I was there. But then I realised the always the hardest one, but I assure you, there will more I wanted to see, the less I actually saw. It was like always be a rainbow waiting for you after the storm. seeing through someone else's telescope, confined, biased. And after a day of hassling in Porto, Portugal, I Thank you very much for reading my unorganised, questioned myself, “What do I really want? What am I random writings. I would be most delighted, if you looking for?” have found one or two of my columns particularly enjoyable to read. So I started traveling without doing any research, just arriving at each new place knowing nothing but its I am very glad that I have started my journey. It was name, only wanting to learn about the place and its the best time of my life, and it still is. And I hope I will people without any preconceived ideas. I might have see you on the road someday. missed some famous spots, but I prefer seeing things with my own eyes, listening with my own ears. And slowly I found out what fascinated me the most are the stories of people I met on the road - who they are, where they are from, why they are here. And one after one, I came across a series of inspiring stories – Christie who founded the future village in Nepal; Nico who created the Flutuarte for the fishermen in Rio de Janeiro; Laura, a food scientist dedicated to mitigating starvation in Africa; Travis, who once could only dream of stepping onto Antarctica’s ice, and today drives a truck in Antarctica, his dreamland now a reality; Takuya, who spent three years to save enough money to travel around the world. These are the stories about people who have dreams, and who have dared to make them real. Of course, nothing comes free. You have to earn your reward, you have to make choices, you have to let go. Especially in Hong Kong where we have so many expectations from others, carry many different burdens on our shoulders, and our choices seem to be oh so limited. But I do believe there are always possibilities, and that we should not forget there is a world out there which has so much to offer, as long as you dare to try.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Matt Ng took his first backpacking trip to Nepal during the summer of 2009, and ever since then he can’t stop traveling. During his one-year exchange studies in Switzerland, the same backpack saw him through Europe where he experienced all the highs and lows of being (at different times) a hitchhiker, a farmer, a lost and robbed traveler, and a homeless street sleeper. He has shared with us all these wonderful and inspiring adventures with us in this column since September 2012. Although this is his last column on CU iBUS, Matt will certainly go on traveling. See you on the road, Matt, and may you always have fair winds and following seas on your travels.