October 2012 Published by the Undergraduate Office, CUHK Business School

ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE?- Career Service of the Undergraduate Office

Faculty Spotlight -Prof. T.J. Wong

sky100 - 100% made for Hong Kong

Although business curriculum does not directly equip you for job hunting, we all know that looking for jobs is still a big deal for you. In this issue, we have lined up recruiters, business alumni and current students to share with you job hunting tips with their genuine experience.

Also in This Issue06 ABS students in the spotlight of Academic Cup08 Opportunities for cross-border CSR collaboration10 Lightbox - Undergraduate Mentorship Program12 Lightbox - Orientation Day18 Column - Matt Ng

Click to download the full issue

CU iBUS

From the Editor

BUSINESS SCHOOL

Nov 2Workshop -Case Interview

Nov 5Workshop -Resume & Interview by Deutsche Bank

Nov 8Workshop - The Power to Realize Your Dream Job

Nov 16Workshop -Resume Catch-up Sessions by Deutsche Bank

Nov 17Career Forum -“Are You the Right Fit for the Job?”

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-chiefProf. Dennis Fan

MembersDr. Susanna KwokMs. Carol HoMr. Joseph TongMr. Nan Yi

CU iBUSOctober 2012

CONTACT US

AddressRoom 616, Cheng Yu Tung Building, 12 Chak Cheung Street, Shatin, N.T.

Telephone3943 7746

Emailbba@cuhk.edu.hk

UNIVERSITY

Nov 2Guest Lecture of Shaw College by The Honourable Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on “Change and Innovation”

Nov 9Ghost Cultural Festival - From Chaos to Order

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome on board the CU iBUS! We are delighted to announce a new section - Faculty Spotlight, a section designed to bring our faculty members and students closer. In this debut issue, you will discover some secrets about our Dean, Prof. T.J. Wong.

October is a busy month for all of us. Have you started looking for jobs or internships? Our Cover Story may offer you some tips just in time for your job hunting.For the School, we kicked off the Undergraduate Mentorship Program and held Orientation Day for Undergraduate Admission. This year, Orientation Day has drawn over 10,000 secondary school students and parents to visit the Cheng Yu Tung Building and our exhibition booth at the University Mall. Take a look at our Lightbox to recap all the exciting moments that took place that day. I’d also like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all our staff members and student ambassadors for their hard work to make this event a success.

Explore our stories and enjoy your reading! CU iBUS on Facebook!

Prof. Dennis FanEditor-in-chief, CU iBUS

Nov

Nov

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MGNT4150 Global Strategy Guest Lecture by Steven Davidson, IBM

The 71st Congregation for the Conferment of Degrees

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01Cover Story

ARE YOUUP TO THECHALLENGE?Career Servicesof the Undergraduate Office

Although business curriculum does not directly equip you for job hunting, we all know that looking for jobs is still a big deal for you. Don’t worry, CUHK Business School is known for its rich industry connections and alumni network. The Student Career Planning and Development Division of the Undergraduate Office (UGO) looks after internship and graduate career placements. In addition, we offer various kinds of career advising and workshops. Each year, over 300 career-related events are organized throughout the School and the University. These have included recruitment talks, resume workshops, grooming workshops, mock interviews and many others. With job application deadlines approaching, are you up to the challenge?

In this issue, Ms. Noren Chan, Executive Officer (Student Career Planning and Development) has linedup two recruiters, two business alumni and two current students to share with you job hunting tips with their genuine experience in recruiting the right candidates, working for the right employers and applying for the right internships. Their sharing is based on their experiences with their respective companies, but there should be something for all of you.

Mr. Chun Yin Mak Mr. Gary Lee

Mr. Henry Pai

Mr. Cai Peng

Ms. Connie Chan Miss Jennifer Ko

Read their sharing on the next page >>

Drive to change

“In IBM, we look for those candidates with the drive to change”, said Mr. Chun Yin Mak, Partner, Global Business Services (Business Consulting Division) of IBM. “Our consulting business deals with different business units of various companies. Sometimes, we even get the chance to change the whole industry and sometimes even a part of society. We need someone to have the urge to do something good for the world. Facing various clients and dealing with fresh tasks every day, no one knows everything, but you have got to possess the ability and willingness to learn new things. If you ask me what I love the most about my job, it would be the sense of accomplishment and the ability to influence something, even the clients’ senior management level decisions, from day one.

A matter of the perfect match

Ms. Connie Chan, Senior Human Resources Manager of P&G believes that campus recruitment in P&G is actually a matter of a mutually beneficial match between the candidate and the company. “Our application and interview process is designed to find our perfect match. A good fit with the company guarantees the employee’s long-term passion and success. Actually we are a kind of promote-from-within company. Our senior executives enter the company at entry level. We do not expect a new hire would leave the company the second year.” Connie further explained “to figure out whether you would be a perfect match with your dream employer, obviously you should understand the nature of the company’s business, and more importantly examine yourself, to understand your own strengths and weaknesses.”

A place to start

Mr. Cai Peng, an Integrated BBA graduate from the class of 2011 joined PwC, one of the Big-4 accountingfirms after graduation. He explained to us why he made this choice. “I believe that an accounting firm is a great place to start a business career. Accountingfirms devote significant resources to on-the-job training and create a dynamic culture by gathering lots of young and competent graduates from different disciplines and majors. The aptitude tests and interviews by accounting firms focused more on probing candidates’ business common sense and generic skills instead of pure accounting techniques. Thus, I have not encountered any difficulties in applying for accounting firms as an IBBA graduate. In fact I have even met a lot of non-business major graduates in my firm. Sometimes we work overtime, under tight schedules and heavy pressure. But actually we do enjoy work-life balance during the non-peak seasons, and the most meaningful things we learned are to be detail-oriented, supportive to the team, and develop the skills to deal with different clients.”

Authentic self

“As we know, most business graduates will pursue careers in the accounting and finance sectors. What I insisted on was to identify my genuine interests and passions, and to remain true to myself. Each time you applied to a company and attended their interview, it’s a process for you to know more about that firm and also an opportunity to discover your inner-self - to learn what you love.” This is why Henry Pai, a class of 2012 Integrated BBA graduate joined Leo Burnett, one of the most acclaimed advertising agencies in the world. “I confirmed my interests by talking to friends, professors and mentors. They are the ones who see your talents and weaknesses. Joining case competitions, going for overseas exchange, and taking up internships are all beneficial to you. But just taking part is not the end, you find who you are, and you discover your strengths. Most importantly, it helps you to set a higher objective and be equipped to take up responsibilities from day one of your career.”

Job posting on student database or by email

Student applications

UGO nominations

Notification email from UGOto nominated applicants only

Shortlist for interview by recruiters

The diagram shows you the process where UGO nominates candidates to recruiters.

BEHIND-THE-SCENE

Ms. Noren Chan

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Seize the opportunities

“Instead of summer internship or part-time internship,I decided to apply for a suspension of study to go for a full-time semester internship. Being an intern at HSBC enabled me to gain technical knowledge, fine-tune my working attitude, enhance my soft skills, and understand my interests and strengths.” Gary Lee, Professional Accountancy Year 4, summarized what he learned during his semester internship at HSBC. “I believe that I am a well-balanced candidate with diversified interests in different career paths. That’s why I would like to try different things and not narrow down the scope of my interests. I do not let opportunities pass by. Thus, I took on an overseas summer internship as well. During the internship, being proactive and willing to learn gives your employer confidence in you.”

Or even create one

To find an internship, Jennifer Ko, Integrated BBA Year 4 adopted a more aggressive approach. She secured an internship at J.P. Morgan by sending out a self-recommendation letter. “I am the one and only intern in the department because I created this opportunity. When you are given the chance for an interview, it’s your showtime. My strategy is to explain why I need an internship in the company. I need it because I know what I want, what I love and what I can do. Choose your own career path; set your own goals. Do not live in someone else’s life. In addition, one has to show one’s passion and ability during the interview, the ability to go beyond the employer’s expectations. After the internship, it would be a wise choice to ask your supervisor for a performance review. The feedback is helpful for you to improve.”

Things in common

Having read these six stories, have you found that you share something in common with any of them? Ms. Noren Chan adds a final note. “First of all, plan ahead. Do make use of our career advising / mapping services. You need to know what you love, the self-understanding process making you realize your strengths and weaknesses. Second, find your perfectmatch. Do join us in recruitment talks, company networking events and workshops to learn about the industry landscape. But it would be of no use at all if you merely recite the companies’ core values during the interview. Be natural, and don’t pretend. Interviewers can easily distinguish when a candidate is pretending to be someone else or something he / she is not. Remember? It’s a matter of mutual matching.”

UGO regularly publishes internship / graduate placement information through 1) the UGO notice board which is located on 6/F, Cheng Yu Tung Building, 2) mass mailings to students and 3) student database. Check these places often! Our colleagues of the Student Career Planning and Development Division are happy to help you.

I know what I want, what I love and what I can do. Choose your own career path; set your own goals. Do not live in someone else’s life.

70%+Business students having internship experience. Have you started to apply for one?

Career services renderedInternshipSummer Internship Work engagement during summer holiday (usually from June to August)

Semester Internship • Part-time internship: working as part-time basis throughout academic year (with not more than 18 hours / week)• Full-time internship: working full-time for one or two semester(s) with suspension of studies arrangement

Various internship opportunities enable Business School students to gain hands-on working experience for which can integrate themselves into the workplace after graduation.

Graduate Placement UGO will help line up graduate placement opportunities for final-year students.

Career advising services provide Business School students with an exclusive channel for job hunting upon graduation.

Cover Story

Prof. T.J. WongDean of CUHK Business School

About Your Profession

How did you become a Professor?I thought it was fun to teach and do research.

Is this your dream profession?Yes, I love it.

What was the topic of your most recent research project?I am working on issues related to corporate governance. The most recent project is on reverse mergers of Chinese firms listed in the US.

Do you have any advice for students who wish to major / concentrate in business?Be pro-active in whatever you do.

About CUHK

How long have you been serving at CUHK?Eight years.

In your opinion, what has changed the most in CUHK (or CUHK students) since you joined the University?We now have a much stronger global emphasis. It’s a worldwide trend.

What is your favorite corner at CUHK?Café 12 inside Cheng Yu Tung Building.

Which canteen / dish at the university you enjoy the most and would recommend to our students?The hamburgers at Café 12.

About Yourself

Your hobbies?I swim three to four times a week. I wish I could play more golf but I don’t have the time to do that as much as I would like. I also like cycling.

What was your most recent sentimental moment? Happy or sad? Why?My son leaving for College in the U.S..

How and when did you meet your wife?I have been married for 23 years. We met at UCLA when we were both students there.

Is there a book / song / movie you would like to recommend to our students?Movie - Chariots of Fire. Book - Good to Great.

| Lives in Hong Kong| Born on June 19

Faculty Spotlight

05

Download our latest undergraduate business programs brochure >>

I am Angel Leong. Read my story in the latest undergraduate business programs brochure! ”“

ABS students in the spotlight of the Academic Cup 2012

September 29, 2012 was an important day for many business students who were vying to be this year’s champion of the Academic Cup. After two rounds of fierce competition, a team of four Asian Business Studies (ABS) students won the champion’s crown.

This year a total of 62 student teams enrolled into this hallmark competition. Each team was required to formulate and present innovative and pragmatic business solutions on the topic “Crown Worldwide Integrating Corporate Social Responsibility in Business”. The teams were divided into eight divisions in the preliminary round through random computerized selection. The best team from each division entered the final.

Congratulations to all the prize winners:

ABOUT THE CASE- Crown Worldwide Integrating Corporate Social Responsibility in Business

As globalization progresses, the Crown Worldwide Group (Crown) has received increasing customer demand for integrating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) concerns into its corporate strategy and worldwide business operation. Crown has strengthened its efforts in environmental conservation and community impact initiatives, yet it is challengingto implement these principles fully. For instance a great deal of time and coordination is required for CSR data collection and measurement. Local offices have the decision making autonomy to improve their CSR performance based on local needs.

Participating teams were tasked to1) suggest measures Crown can take to improve its CSR effort,

2) identify the crucial factors to successfully integrate CSR concerns into its strategy,

3) recommend a good CSR framework for Crown to institutionalize CSR and assure its sustainability.

Awards Winners

Champion Team “Pragmatism”Yau Chun WaiNg Ho YinVu Wai SanMok Ho Tsun(all Asian Business Studies Year 3)

First Runner-up Team “Business Stars”Yau Cheuk TingWong Ying ToTam Ho Yi(all Global Business Studies Year 1)Chiu Man Kei(Insurance Financial and Actuarial Analysis Year 1)

Second Runner-up Team “Fortune Consulting”Chan Wai Tak(Integrated BBA Year 4)Lo Tat Kei(Hotel and Tourism Management Year 4)Chiu King Hay(Quantitative Finance and Risk Management Year 4)Lo Wing Shan(Hotel and Tourism Management Year 3)

Best Presenter Awards

Ng Ho Yin(Asian Business Studies Year 3)Yau Cheuk Ting(Global Business Studies Year 1)

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The winning team “Pragmatism” (from left: Mok Ho Tsun, Yau Chun Wai, Ng Ho Yin, and Vu Wai San) was invited to share their thoughts.

1) How did you use the 48 hours preparation time to get ready for the presentation?

We spent the first day constructing the framework of the case solution, followed by individually reflecting on potential loopholes in the solutions. On the secondday, we first finished the presentation materials and then the layout design. We grasped our one last chance to rehearse our presentation on the morning of the Academic Cup.

2) Did you encounter any difficulties? If so, how did you overcome them?

The greatest struggle was agreeing on the major strategy. This determined the framework of our presentation, as we already found several loopholes in it. We finally compromised by moving forward with the most plausible strategy and optimized the plan bit by bit.

3) What do you think is the most important thing when preparing for a case competition?

Understanding your team members is important. We knew our respective strengths and weaknesses. We therefore didn’t waste much time in discussing who was to do what. Also we did not “sacrifice” our rest time, instead we ensured we were in good condition to deal with the competition.

Kenneth Cheuk, the managing director of Avalade Group shared his views on the Cup and gave some of his magic tips for succeeding at case competitions.

1) What are your views concerning the Academic Cup?

The Academic Cup provides our students a very unique experience and challenge to their intellectual,analytical and presentation skills which they can learn from the case competition materials, from the judges and most importantly, from team members and among competing teams. The Cup emphasizes various dimensions that are required for leaders from all walks of life which is why I recommend it to all our business students.

2) Do you have any suggestions for students on how to better utilize the preparation time?

Apart from the usual “divide and conquer” technique that distills a complex case into several key issues and addresses each of them properly, it is important to spend adequate time to integrate your proposal. Make it flow and your presentation will be more compelling.

3) As a judge, what do you look for in the presentation? And what is the most crucial element for a 10-minute presentation?

“Content is King”. Your proposal must have solid ideas and I put equal emphasis on how the ideas are articulated. Don’t forget this is a business case so make sure your numbers tally!

256Business students joined this year’s Academic Cup.

The Academic Cup provides our students a very unique experience and challenge to their intellectual, analytical and presentation skills. ”

“

Spotlight

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) development in Hong Kong seems saturated, but Hong Kong corporations may explore the possibility of collaborating with Mainland companies when it comes to CSR development in China, say IBBA alumni Vian Cheung and Kevin Hsia. The two 2012 graduatesjoined the Mainland CSR Scheme with four other teammates in May 2012. They went on a four day long CSR related expedition in Hainan.

Vian explained the reason why they picked Hainan as their research objective. “Hainan is one of the major developing regions in China’s 12th Five-year plan. It emphasizes key infrastructure development including for instance development of high speed train service. It is also a place well known for its resorts. We want to investigate how this fast growing region plans to protect its wildlife while undergoing rapid economic development”.

Although in their view Hainan is still a developing region, they were amazed by the Hainaneses’ CSR consciousness. “We paid a visit to a company that produced goods such as air-cleaning machines that use bamboo charcoal, a natural resource. Their products take the interests of different stakeholdersinto account. On the one hand, it can protect the environment as bamboo charcoal can reduce pollutant residue. On the other hand, it can provide people with a better quality of life when doing business,” Vian noted.

Bamboo charcoal can be used in a multitude of ways. In air conditioners it can help adjust the humidity in the air. It is also commonly used in refrigerators due to its capability in eliminating organic impurities and smell. Given its innate antibacterial nature, clothing, towels and even underwear containing bamboo charcoal fiber also acquires antiseptic capability.

Kevin added that CSR initiatives in Hainan were not just limited to environmental protection, but also reflected social welfare concerns such as maintaining work life balance.

When asked what Hong Kong could adopt from

Hainan in terms of CSR development, both Kevin and Vian hesitated. “Hong Kong’s CSR development seems saturated. What the local corporations mainly do are just some voluntary or social welfare services, activities that have no connection to their business operations,” Kevin remarked.

According to the 2011 Grant Thornton International Business Report, “donating to community casues / charities’’ topped the list when it comes to the CSR initiatives adopted by Hong Kong businesses, followed by “improving energy efficiency” and “improving waste management’’.

Kevin also added that the Hong Kong companies would find it hard to incorporate the CSR concept into their businesses probably due to the well established manner in which they do business in the territory. Instead the two fresh graduates suggest local and

Opportunities forcross-borderCSR collaboration

Vian Cheung and Kevin Hsia were interviewed by CU iBUS.

Hong Kong corporations may explore the possibility of collaborating with Mainland companies when it comes to CSR development in China.

09

Mainland corporations collaborate on CSR issues. Vian observed, “for instance, the real estate industry in Hong Kong is well developed, so these companies can share their expertise in property construction with their counterparts in China. They may also jointly look into measures that do not pose a threat to other areas, especially the environment and wildlife when developing the real estate industry.”

Spotlight

ABOUT MAINLAND CSR ExPERIENCE SCHEME

Launched in 2012, the Mainland CSR Experience Scheme was initiated by the Undergraduate Office of CUHK Business School with financial support from the Hong Kong SAR Government. This Scheme aims to give students an opportunity to learn the latest CSR developments and to participate in CSR activities in China.

For the first year, business students who secured an exchange place in China were invited while twenty-one students from nine teams were shortlisted. Each selected student received up to a maximum $3,000 subsidy. Participating teams went on CSR related site visits during their one-to-two-week stay in China and were required to submit a report upon their return to Hong Kong at the end of this summer. In the future it is planned that this Scheme will also be extended to other Faculties.

May29Yalong Bay Butterfly Park, Sanya, Hainan Island

Oct6Undergraduate Mentorship Program Kickoff Cocktail

116 pairs of mentors and mentees were grouped together in this year’s Undergraduate Mentorship Program, which is co-organized by BBA Alumni Association and UGO.

Honourable Speaker Ms. Gabriel Lo, Executive, Human Resources, IBM

11Lightbox 11

13Lightbox

Oct27Orientation Day for Undergraduate Admission

Thank the following staff members and student ambassadors for speaking during the Orientation Day!

Staff members:Prof. Chow Ying Foon | Dr. Susanna Kwok | Prof. Kwong Kai Sun | Mr. John Lai | Prof. Eliza Tse | Prof. Denis Wang | Dr. Edmund Wong | Prof. Phillip Yam

Student ambassadors:Mr. Leo Chan | Miss Vivian Chau | Mr. Clearance Cheung | Miss Margaret Chiu | Mr. Francis Cho | Mr. Hugo Chu | Miss Yvonne Lai | Miss Alva Lau | Miss Keri Lui | Mr. Pako Or | Miss Lettie Sin | Mr. Eric Yau | Mr. Max Hui | Miss Nicole Hui | Miss Christie Leung | Miss Cherry Yau | Mr. Geoffrey Choi | Miss Fion He | Mr. Cedric Leung | Miss Peony Lung | Mr. Peter Law | Miss Fiona Chou | Mr. Timothy Ma | Mr. Phillip Wong | Miss Fung Yu Yan | Mr. Shum Chun Lok

Hong KongBrand Series #03

sky100100% Made for Hong Kong

(Click here for the full version, Chinese version only)

Brought to you by the Department of Marketing, CUHK Business SchoolCU: Prof. Leo Sin, Dr. Susanna Kwok, Department of Marketing

sky: Ms. Josephine Lam, Managing Director of sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck

As a world-class tourist destination, what’s so unique about Hong Kong? Shopping paradise - most people would believe that. But what else is special? In comparison to other Asian metropolises, more top tier retail brands and luxury shopping malls have sprung up in Hong Kong. However, as far as tourist attractionsare concerned, there hasn’t been much change. sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck (sky100) opened in 2011, and is Hong Kong’s newest tourist attraction.

Why sky100? Ms. Josephine Lam, Managing Director of sky100 was invited to share the background behind this attraction.

An observation deck for Hong Kong

CU: Why did Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) develop sky100?

sky: Our brand story was originated in a simple belief - every great city in the world has its own observation deck. Look at our neighbors: Skytree in Tokyo, 101 Tower in Taipei, Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai,

Canton Tower in Guangzhou, and Macau Tower in Macau. Hong Kong has the world’s most picturesque skyline and we simply deserve an observation deck to capture all these unparalleled harbor views.

SHKP has developed some of the tallest buildings in Hong Kong. We believe in “Building Homes with Heart”, and therefore we felt that it is our duty to create a world-class observation deck for Hong Kong. From the outset when we were planning to build the International Commerce Centre (ICC), we decided to invest over HK$100 million to develop an observationdeck on the 100th floor of the ICC. We chose ICC because it possesses all the features needed to build a successful observation deck attraction - proximity within the city center, landmark architecture, the tallest building in Hong Kong, a 360-degree panoramic view of all of Hong Kong.

Our vision for sky100 is for it to become a world famous observation deck, and in the process contribute to the tourism industry of Hong Kong.

Credit: Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited

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A different Hong Kong; a complete Hong Kong

CU: Who are your target customers?

sky: Since day one, we are proud to be a Hong Kong company. Thus, our primary target customers are local citizens. At the same time, we are delighted to promote tourism in Hong Kong by attracting more Mainland and overseas visitors, even layover flyers. sky100 is unique for all three groups of customers. For Hongkongers, they come to sky100 to explore a new Hong Kong - a Hong Kong that they can see from all angles instead of the Hong Kong they see in their daily lives. For tourists, they come to experience the complete Hong Kong - a one-stop tourist spot with full views of the city. Through interactive exhibits and itinerary planners, we help tourists familiarize themselves with Hong Kong in a split second. For both local and mainland markets we target families. Of course, we cannot afford to lose the youth market as well. That’s why we try to be a great place for young people and couples to meet and date. We are also

making a special effort to attract corporate clients to hold their meetings, seminars, exhibitions and press conferences at sky100. We call it “A Sky High Experience”. In March we were proud that Rovio Entertainment Limited held their global debut of Angry Birds Space here at sky100, literally the highest launch celebration for the game. In July, TVB announced Miss Hong Kong’s finalists at sky100. Over time sky100 has become the perfect venue for even weddings and private events.

Innovation; Passion; Pride

CU: What are the core values driving sky100’s progress?

sky: The three core values we believe are behind sky100 are - innovation, passion, and pride.

We strive to be innovative in both product and service. For example, we brought in a wealth of multi-media exhibits and 3D projection devices, enabling a 360-degree perspective on the Hong Kong’s culture and history. Visitors can also utilize the interactive

FUN FACTS

393Meters above sea level, located in Hong Kong’s tallest building and the fourth tallest in the world

30,000Square feet observation deck on the 100th floor of the ICC, with a capacity of 1,000 visitors

60Seconds to transport visitors from the ground floor all the way up to the 100th floor and 393 meters above sea level

DID YOU KNOW?

sky100 is the newest attraction in town eclipsing the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort in September 2005, Ngong Ping 360 in September 2006, and Noah’s Ark in May 2009.

Front Row

sky100 was built for Hong Kong. As the Hong Kong’s observation deck, its primary target is local citizens.

Credit: Ming Pao

Credit: Ming Pao

itinerary-planning technology to create tailor-made sightseeing itineraries. Assisted by knowledgeable ambassadors, sky100 is the ideal first stop for visitors to begin their stay in Hong Kong.

When we put ourselves in the shoes of our visitors, we understand the difficulties they may have in taking beautiful pictures through a thick glass window. In order to help them, we posted photo taking tips on specific locations to suggest how glare and reflectionson the window could be reduced. We help them record the breathtaking scenery.

At sky100, no matter what degrees graduates hold, we recruit only the most passionate candidates for the tourism industry. What we seek is their service attitude, language proficiency and communication skills.

Here, we are the one and only highest landmark in the city center of Hong Kong, commanding a 360-degree view of the city. With state-of-the-art facilities, creative events and exhibitions, and service from the heart, we are proud to be the newest tourism spot in town.

Every great city in the world has its own observation deck. Hong Kong owns the world’s most picturesque skyline and we simply deserve an observation deck to capture all these unparalleled harbor views.

Ms. Josephine Lam, Managing Director of sky100

Brand DNABrand vision, mission, and core values constitute the three pillars of a strong brand. “Vision” provides the direction for an organization - what it want to be. “Mission” stands for its purpose - why it exist. “Core values” spell out the principles that guide the organization’s behavior.

Next issue: Cathay Pacific

Front Row

Credit: Ming Pao

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1 2

Get your

free copies! The Undergraduate Office (UGO) has lined up two world-renowned business publications exclusively for you. Get your free copies now!

Newsweek: 300 free copies each week, available at the counter of UGO (Room 616, CYT) / Café 12 / Student Lounge (2/F, CYT).

Free distribution ending in end-December.

The Wall Street Journal Asia: 50 free copies daily, available at the counter of UGO (Room 616, CYT) / Café 12 / and online.

Free distribution ending in end-January.

Advertisement

Fre e , a n d e xc l u s i v e l y f o r y o u !

Matt Ng Alumnus, Quantitative Finance, Class of 2012

One doesn’t have to be a superhero, to be a hero.

This is one very important thing I learnt throughout my backpacking trips. Christie Lam, the founder of the Future Village gets the credit for teaching me this. Future Village is a research and project-based NGO that provides education, health and agricultural assistance to residents of Katunge Village, 100 km north of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

Christie, a typical young Hong Kong person just like you and I, first set foot on Nepal in 2001. During the next three years, when she was not in Australia studying she was in Nepal conducting research for her doctoral thesis. She had to get in touch with the local community in the villages, where she saw poverty and experienced the suffering of the residents. But the innocent smiles of the children is also imprinted in her memory.

One time, when she was trekking in Nepal (Nepal is quite famous for the trekking trails it offers along the part of the Himalayas that lie within its border), she heard a porter, Dambar, speaking of his own village, and how he would like to make a difference for the kids there.

Hard village life in Nepal

English is an essential skill necessary to earn a better living in Nepal. But most of the children living in the village Dambar from (or Nepal in general) do not have access to proper education. In fact, they struggle just to survive.

We knew there’s poverty. We knew there’s suffering. But not everyone understands or even appreciates exactly what this means. We are too busy living up to the roles and tasks that were assigned to us by our families, by society, that we seal our hearts from our surroundings. We stop sensing what’s taking place around us. Very often, we forget we can make a difference.

An act of hope

Yet Christie felt the urge to do something. She sat

down with Dambar to explore the possibility. Eventually, in 2004, with the fund raised from donations from family and friends, and the funding for her research, a little house of hope was erected in Katunge Village to offer children in the village opportunities of proper education.

After a few years of operation, it has established a stable source of funding and volunteers. Scholarships are now provided to support outstanding students to study in the high school in Katmandu. Funds are also released to villagers to support necessary household maintenance or for emergencies.

I found it quite hard to convey how meaningful and important Christie’s and Dambar’s efforts are towards the villagers. But when you wake up in that little house of hope in the morning, watching children running to the house for school, throwing random questions to you and inviting you for a short football game, you will know the answer.

But if you can picture that this little house being taken away, all the liveliness and loveliness vanish into thin air up in the high mountains. It is so intangible yet so real. It is the love in between and the bonding built, something can’t be quantified, something priceless. I am sure that in the hearts of the children and the villagers of Katunge Village, Christie is a hero.

One second thought. One minor act. Every one of us can be a hero to the people who are close by. What we do doesn’t have to be anything big. It’s the kind intention behind the gesture and the bonding that makes it such a beautiful thing, and that is what turns this world into a better place.

Superhero

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matt Ng took his first backpacking trip to Nepal during the summer of 2009, spending one month there. The same backpack took him through Europe where he experienced all the highs and lows of hitchhiking. Matt just returned from a five month adventure traveling through Southeast Asia, Africa and South America. In this column he will share with us stories from his journeys and international volunteer experiences.

Column

19

The second talk in the series of law lectures offered by BBA-JD Program Director Dr. Anthony Law was held on October 20 (Saturday). This talk gave an introduction to Administrative Law.

Date: October 20, 2012

BBA-JD stream presents a talk on Administrative Law

Outreach efforts - admission talks

Date: October 12, 18, and 26, 2012

Three workshops were held in October

Grooming for Smart Job-hunters

With an aim to build up students’ confidence level and competitiveness during interviews in terms of achieving a professional appearance, the Undergraduate Office organized a grooming workshop, namely Grooming for Smart Job-hunters, in collaboration with Shiseido. Two sessions, one for ladies and one for men, were run concurrently on October 12, 2012. Students attending the sessions were taught how to dress appropriately for a job interview and for when they are hired, wardrobe management and interview manner. Demonstrationson skin care, make-up and hair styling were also conducted to help students master the necessary techniques.

IBM Consulting Workshop

Close to 70 students have a deeper understanding about consultancy career after a workshop held on 18 October 2012. Mr. Chun Yin Mak, Partner, Mr. Samuel Tsang, Senior Managing Consultant and Mr. Tony Yung,Strategy & Transformation Consultant at IBM Global Business Services, shared with students their life as a consultant and announced the launch of a new consulting course in partnership with CUHK Business School.

Dining Etiquette Workshop

Over thirty business students are now more confident in attending a formal business luncheon or dinner, thanks to a dining etiquette workshop with the coach of Mr. Walter Ng from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management.

With an aim of strengthening students’ etiquette during business dining, the workshop organized by the Undergraduate Office on October 26 exposed them to fundamental knowledge in table setting, table manners and proper use of cutlery. Practical skillsets were also provided, such as tips on placing an order and how to tackle difficult to handle foods. In additionto the formal presentation, participating students were given the opportunity to practice their newly acquired skills during a practice luncheon.

Date School Speaker

Oct 18 College of International Education, Hong Kong Baptist University

Mr. CW Chau, Project Coordinator

Oct 19 Shung Tak Catholic English College

Mr. CW Chau, Project CoordinatorLui Ka Yan, Professional Accountancy Year 2Tse Yan Tai, Professional Accountancy Year 2

Oct 31 CUHK School of Continuing and Professional Studies Tseung Kwan O Learning Centre

Mr. CW Chau, Project Coordinator

Newsroom

The phoenix is rendered in a curve, to form the letter “C” - for The Chinese University. The logo extends directly from the University identity to communicate a clear connection to the “mother brand”.