INTERVIEWER: Tell us a little about yourself.
DOROTHY YEH: I moved to Utah in 2009 and developed a love for travel. First time traveling on my own and it was very exciting. Ever since then I have been very passionate about traveling.
I am in my 2nd year MBA and MSIS program. I am doing a concurrent degree.
This trip and class were one of the most memorable classes I have taken so far. The class is unique – other classes are standard across the board. –
INTERVIEWER: What separates class from other classes?
DY: I really appreciate that it is very practical, seeing other parts of the world others have not seen, and getting a new perspective about other countries.
INTERVIEWER: What made you decide to register for the ENTP5800/6800 course that travels to Ghana?
DY: I got an email about a potential scholarship to go to Ghana and knew immediately I was going to do it. I started applying.
I immediately wanted to know what was going on in Africa and what might be holding them back economically. Once I saw the opportunity, I immediately hopped on it. I always liked traveling and had not had the chance to travel to Africa. Traveling to Africa always sounded risky and dangerous, so the fact I got to travel with a group really helped with the travel portion.
Everyone was so kind and friendly in Ghana in general.
INTERVIEWER: Tell us a little about the prep work you did before heading to Ghana for the business consultation portion
DY: Read 3 different books that were about consulting work. I have done some work in consulting work as an MBA. Getting in-depth work really helped in the interview process with our client
My group worked with a sandal and T-Shirt vendor named XOCRAFT. They were super receptive and open-minded about the work we did. Our group appreciated the vendor being cooperative and collaborative.
I got to buy a pair of sandals and bracelets, but I have not had a chance to wear the sandals yet with the snow.
INTERVIEW: What are some of the recommendations you had for XO Craft?
Given they were in Ghana they did not have a wide market outreach – mainly selling to neighbors and other local community members. Our group recommended they increase their outreach by creating an online presence and expanding product variety such as dresses and bags to attract more people. We also discussed inventory and sales tracking for future growth. At the time they were hardly doing any tracking. It is really essential to track sales if you want to grow as a business.
INTERVIEWER: What was the most rewarding portion of the course and travel?
DY: The entire trip was rewarding. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Everything was so new and something I had not encountered before. That was the whole point of taking this course is to experience something new, different, and unique.
INTERVIEWER: Why do you think other students should take part in this course or other courses that have student experiences in West Africa?
DY: I think it is important to see other parts of the world, be aware of other countries that are not doing as well and have a perspective on how to improve situations. It makes you grateful for your own situation.
INTERVIEWER: If there was a student on the fence about the course, what would you say to them to make them definitely enroll in the course?
DY: Definitely Do it – it is one of the most unique experiences of all the courses I have taken in business school. It is the one course I still talk about with other people. Getting out, seeing other parts of the world, talking to people, and learning to work with people from other cultures are valuable.
INTERVIEWER: Most fun/exciting highlight of the trip
DY: I loved seeing elephants in the wild. I also had the opportunity to purchase three custom-made dresses. The clothing is so nice. I hope to go back one day.