In Half 1 of this three-part sequence on case competitions, I shared some details about case competitions, who can take part and the way they work.
In Half 2, I share my expertise of flying throughout the globe to compete in a world case competitors to characterize the College of Alberta on the twenty fifth Thammasat Undergraduate Enterprise Problem in Bangkok, Thailand.
My first Worldwide case competitors
After having had the chance to compete in varied inner case competitions, some hosted by scholar golf equipment on the Alberta College of Enterprise and others by varied organizations, like AIESEC and the Chinatown Transformation Collaborative Society (CTC) within the metropolis of Edmonton, it was now time for me to degree up and expertise what it was wish to compete in a world case competitors. Enterprise faculties all over the world host such competitions in partnership with native companies to learn from artistic options to foster their improvement and, on the identical time, invite college students from all over the world to expertise the great thing about their hometown. What a win-win scenario, proper?
This October, I had the chance to compete on the twenty fifth version of Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge (TUBC) in Bangkok, Thailand. TUBC is a world enterprise problem the place 20 groups from all over the world compete to pitch a possible resolution to the enterprise downside offered by the TUBC committee. Historically, it has been a enterprise originated in Thailand or an organization with a deal with enhancing its attain within the Thai market. This yr, we had Great Wall Motor (GWM), an electrical car (EV) firm that originated in China in 1984, because the case sponsor. We needed to pitch an answer to the present problem confronted by GWM in an effort to construct client belief in Thailand. It was a really attention-grabbing case, which took not solely our sleep but additionally loads of brainstorming through the 28-hour decision interval!
A Timeline of my journey
August 15: Pre- Competitors
I got here to know early in August about my choice to compete at TUBC this yr. I used to be tremendous excited and thrilled to have made it to the U of A crew. Figuring out that TUBC is hosted yearly within the first week of October, I knew it might be fairly a problem to handle faculty and a 10-day worldwide journey proper on the peak of midterms. With a full course load semester proper across the nook, I used to be able to undertake what I knew can be probably the most thrilling and adventurous semester of my college life to date. I made a decision to place my coronary heart and soul into making all of it occur whereas striving to take care of an honest educational standing within the Fall 2022 semester.
September 30: All of it begins tomorrow!
All through the month of September, I had the possibility to do a couple of case practices with my crew members: Alex, Lucille and Theresa. Alex and Lucille left for Thailand every week previous to me as a result of that they had a while available.. Theresa left a day previous to me, and I had an early morning flight on Oct 1, 2022. The night time earlier than, I used to be attempting to pack for the subsequent 10 days in Thailand whereas sending emails to all my professors asking for extensions on my assignments and deferment of midterms. Fortunately, all my professors had been prepared to accommodate me and had been really extra excited than me for this journey, which may be very humorous and heartwarming on the identical time. Sadly, I additionally skilled the lack of my grandpa proper earlier than my departure from Edmonton, and it was fairly overwhelming. Life occurs to you when you’re busy making different plans, and it occurred to me the night time earlier than I used to be about to undertake my first worldwide case competitors journey. I knew I needed to keep sturdy!
6:15 a.m., October 1
I took a bus from Century Park station to Edmonton International Airport. The airport was a bit of busy as most flights to Vancouver depart round 7:30 am from Edmonton. I had an extended journey with quite a few layovers in between, and Vancouver was my first cease. I handed off my baggage, acquired my boarding passes and made my approach to check-in on my first flight on this journey!
I dozed off on my flight to Vancouver.
9 a.m., October 1
Safely landed in Vancouver and had some espresso for breakfast. Now, I used to be left in a dilemma: full my sociology project or go to Stanley Park earlier than my subsequent flight to Tokyo?
My resolution: Stanley Park! All day lengthy!
(Ishan, exploring Stanley Park throughout his 4-hour layover at Vancouver Worldwide Airport)
2:15 p.m., October 1
Obtained again to the airport in time and was able to board my subsequent flight! Off to Tokyo!
3:10 p.m., October 2
Landed in Tokyo at 3pm (JST)! My first response upon stepping inside Narita International Airport was “That is superb!” The airport was spotless and had all of the high-tech options you’d anticipate Japanese shops to have. My subsequent flight to Bangkok was at 5:25 p.m. so I had a while to spare. I made a decision to strive some Japanese fruit truffles whereas counting the variety of instances I heard “Arigato Gozaimasu” in an hour.
(Ishan: Searching for an ideal selfie at Narita Worldwide Airport, Tokyo)
5:25 p.m., October 2
Boarded my flight to Bangkok and determined to observe some films solely to comprehend later that I’d go to sleep your entire method.
9:55 p.m., October 2
I landed in Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. It was fairly heat and humid, and I made a decision to take a taxi to my resort as I used to be a bit of drained and hungry on the identical time. I spent 500 Thai Baht (18.58 CAD) on a taxi dwelling, and breathed a sigh of aid upon getting into my resort room.
October 3 – 8
I met my crew members the subsequent day and likewise acquired to satisfy a couple of extra folks. The competitors started on Tuesday, October 4 with a tremendous ceremony and a few opening remarks by the internet hosting committee. The competitors was divided into 5 days.
Day 1: Opening ceremony
I might really feel the thrill within the air. 20 groups, from all all over the world, together with Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Canada, USA, simply to call a couple of. We got here to know our pool and had been trying ahead to a enjoyable tour day.
( Left to Proper: Theresa Buis, Alex Webb, Lucille Galdamez, Ishan Arora, Doug Leong)
Group U of A at TUBC 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Day 2: Tour Day
It was an exquisite day stuffed with a go to to the well-known Wat Phra Si Sanphet temple, a enjoyable expertise of Muay Thai, a scrumptious Thai lunch and a calming Thai therapeutic massage to finish the day.
(Taking the ferry with all groups to discover Bangkok on Day 2)
Day 3: Case Hand-out (2pm)
Cometh the second, cometh Peak Consulting; it was now time for us to unravel the enterprise problem we had traveled 12,000 kms for. Time to go crew Alberta!
Day 4: Case Submission (6pm)
After having spent 28 hours analyzing GWM and its operations in Thailand, we had been completely happy to have made our submission on time. We breathed a sigh of aid and had been trying ahead to night time’s sleep earlier than presenting our resolution to business professionals the subsequent day.
Day 5: The Finals
We missed the finals by a small margin, nevertheless, we had a good time presenting our resolution and studying from the shows of different groups. It was a fantastic studying expertise!
And that’s the way it went! I left Bangkok on October 9 and had the identical route again to Edmonton. This time I gained half a day on the time distinction as a result of I used to be rerouting to MDT from JST.
(Group U of A on the final day of the competitors at GWM showroom in IconSiam, Bangkok)
And my midterms? Effectively, I’m nonetheless catching up on them. Given the possibility, I’d do it over again as a result of it was an expertise of a lifetime! I not solely acquired to satisfy folks from all over the world but additionally developed my case evaluation and presentation abilities. Due to Alberta School of Business and Doug Leong for such an exquisite alternative!
Devoted to Mr. Kasturi Lal Arora, my grandfather who lived a life devoted to his household whereas upholding the values of honesty, kindness and steady laborious work. I like you Nanaji and thanks for every part!
Yours,
Ishu lal
