Learnings from Graduate Projects@Singapore

We submitted our final report at the end of last week, so the project is officially done. It was a really amazing experience and it has been an adjustment moving from being together as a team 24/7 to returning to our separate lives.

Team at Marina Bay

The formal deliverable of our project was a 70-page (inclusive of bibliography) report outlining environmental CSR in Singaporean hotels. However, the outcome of this project extends far beyond just the deliverable. During our MBA, one of our professors, Michael Parent, always closed off with a request for key learnings from each class session or ‘nuggets.’ As such, here are some of our nuggets from our experience:

• When doing a project abroad with a self-selected team, think carefully about team dynamics in terms of strengths and personalities, working and living with the same group of people for a month requires immense group 'love.' If you create an effective team you will have a lot of fun, have a great deliverable and come back with amazing stories (like us!)
• When working in a group that you trust make sure to question anything that doesn't seem totally correct, there is a good chance that the level of trust developed between members is so high that unless things are verified they can be missed under the assumption that someone else is dealing with them
• Allocate about twice as much time as you need for any task, you may encounter difficulties that you wouldn't at home such as lack of internet or printing facilities
• When working abroad you will meet many amazing people, Canadians in particular tend to have tight-knit expatriate communities. Try to connect wherever possible through university alumni associations, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and other organizations. (and bring LOTS of business cards)
• Double and triple check logistics such as accommodations, flights and transportation before you leave, being totally clear on this will make the time on the ground much less stressful
• Food can be a challenge, you will likely find there is at least one item from home that you really miss (for us it was raw vegetables)
• It is useful to know your country's history and culture fairly well, you are likely to be asked questions that you wouldn't have even through about or may not know the answers to offhand (ie. Traditional foods, official languages, size, year of confederation, governance structure and constitutional monarchy)
• Know culturally appropriate formalities (eg. Aunty, Uncle for older individuals that help you with day-to-day tasks)
• There are significant differences in gift giving between cultures, be very aware and sensitive to this
• Lastly, have fun, and take time to see some of the sights

A huge thank you to all of our supporters throughout this project:

Official Project Supporters

Contact Singapore

Patty Woo, Assistant Director

Lenny Azuree, Executive Officer

Simon Fraser University Beedie Graduate School of Business

Stephanie Bertels, Assistant Professor and Project Supervisor

David Hannah, Academic Chair, MBA Program

Daniel Shapiro, Dean

Melissa McCrae, Executive Director Graduate Programs

The Dean’s Circle

Career Management Centre

Marketing Department

Supporters and Interviewees

Canadian Chamber of Commerce Singapore

Marlene Han, President

Evelyn Wong, Director

Singapore Hotel’s Association

Margaret Heng, Executive Director

Shrestha Sook Yean, Director, Membership and Industry Services

Singapore Environmental Council (SEC)

Howard Shaw, Former Executive Director

Singapore Compact

Thomas Thomas, Executive Director

High Commission of Canada to Singapore

David Sevigny, High Commissioner of Canada

Paula Murphy Ives, Trade Commissioner

Asia Travel Guys

Gillian Guy

Accor Group

Tamara Louis

Holiday Inn Atrium

Kui Kong Yong, Assistant Engineer

InterContinental Singapore

Jackson Wong, Chief Engineer

Siloso Beach Resort

Kelvin Ng, Executive Director

Karl Fischer, Corporate Social Responsibility Executive

Sylvain Richer de Forges, Environmental and Sustainability Specialist

The Regent

Lee Baharrudin, Director of Engineering

Hotel Survey Respondents

Amara Singapore

Conrad Centennial Singapore

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport

Fairmont Singapore

Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel

Grand Hyatt Singapore

Holiday Inn Atrium

Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre

Hotel Grand Pacific, Singapore

Ibis Singapore Novena

Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen

InterContinental Singapore

Marina Bay Sands

Marina Mandarin Singapore

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay

Pan Pacific Orchard

Pan Pacific Singapore

Park Regis Singapore

Siloso Beach Resort

The Regent Singapore

Traders Hotel, Singapore