聯合國於2015年提出「翻轉我們的世界:2030 年永續發展方針」(Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development),並發佈了 17 項永續發展目標(Sustainable Development Goals, 簡稱 SDGs),指出全球面臨共同的問題。聯合國希望從「經濟成長」、「社會進步」、「環境保護」三大面向永續發展,希望各國合作、在2030年前實踐17項永續發展目標。為了讓管院學生學習如何在這樣的目標之下,發現待解決的問題,應用所學並研擬可行的計畫,為世界永續發展努力,國立中山大學管理學院永續與社會責任辦公室(Office of Responsibility and Sustainability Actions, ORSA)為此特於民國111年3月25日,舉辦本院首次的「SDG提案競賽」。
【國際學程-GHRM】Social Enterprise Proposal Competition 2021: Rosie from GHRM MBA Shares Her Special Experience
At the 2021 Social Enterprise Proposal Competition organized by the Social Enterprise Development Research Center, GHRM MBA 2nd year student and former Vice President of International Student Association, Cao Huynh Hong Phan (Rosie, 高黄紅芬), along with her teammates Darian (陳天鵬), George (張傑志), Phuong (羅幸芳) from IBMBA and Rita (黃歆愉) (undergraduate student) shined bright by bagging the 3rd prize. Here’s how the event unfolded.
The Social Enterprise Proposal Competition allows students from across Taiwan to have a better understanding of the nature and meaning of a social enterprise. The competition revolved around seven themes which included the elderly and physical, mental disabilities, ecological environment, economy, local creation, education, culture and creativity, friendly technology, and others.
The proposal of our GHRM MBA team was grounded on the educational gap between rural and urban in Taiwan which has been widen in the recent years due to the government’s goal to become a bilingual nation by 2030. The most recent goal set by the Ministry of Education (MoE) is to have 60 percent of schools use only English in their English courses. The great goals are set with aggressive methods, but many of these programs and improvements don’t always get pushed out to the very rural communities. The education gap can be shown by the Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior High School Students.
Aiming to address the educational gap between rural and urban in Taiwan, the team‘s idea is to host school tour providing educational STEM activities that include entry-level programming languages, technology, and English instruction. A tour package includes us traveling to the site, qualified teachers, Makey Makey coding set, computers, and 50-minute lessons. Their desire is to operate school tours in both rural areas and cities, among public schools and private schools, constantly evolve and adapt the best tools that help children understand the basics of coding through English, and expand their STEM knowledge through play.
Rosie was a student for the course Business Model Development and Practice of Social Enterprises taught by Professor Yih Jeng (鄭義) who is also the Director of the Social Enterprise Development and Research Center (社會企業發展研究中心). Professor Yih Jeng (鄭義) encouraged the students to participate in the event and also guided the students throughout the competition.
A distinct feature about the Social Enterprise Proposal Competition was that it not only incorporated lectures but workshops as well, providing participants with a hands-on experience. Lectures were presented on important career and life skill topics such as making a good proposal, business models in different countries, a QnA session, and a mock presentation. Workshops were also held on the 27th and 28th of November, 2021, which included field trips to AgriGaia-a social enterprise and Gourd Handicraft.
For Rosie, it wasn’t a matter of winning or losing as she was immensely grateful that she took the course Social Enterprise and got the opportunity to participate in the event. Through the competition, she acquired invaluable business knowledge from the guest lectures and also learned about the two business models in Taiwan--making organic and healthy drinks and gourd handicrafts. Through the course Social Enterprise, Rosie also learned about the Canvas Business Model for the first time and she also found the 6 Hats Model particularly interesting and practical for daily use.
Rosie comments that ‘teamwork’ is crucial for success whether in business or competitions. Luckily for her, she was surrounded by talented, cooperative, and hard-working team members. Rosie shares, “Luckily, I have a strong and wonderful team. Each person has his or her own strength. Darian has 10 years of experience in teaching and education. He is good at working with kids and using the Scratch Jr to do a prototype. George is a real entrepreneur who has so many connections and friends. Rita is an English tutor so she also has experience in teaching. Her presenting skills are great and smooth. Phuong is good at finance management.”
The competition was a ‘learning journey’ for Rosie. Through her classmates and her professor, she learned new things and acquired new skills. She also comments that every person has their own unique traits, characteristics, and talents which makes them special. According to Rosie, “A good team is the team that possesses good teamwork, not the team that is excellent.” GHRM MBA is proud of Rosie and her teammates for bagging the 3rd prize and most importantly for learning and growing from the Social Enterprise Proposal Competition. We are certain she will reach even greater heights in the near future.
【國際學程-IBMBA】《Student Association》Land Ethics: Red Quinoa Harvest
The Red Quinoa Harvest activity was held on the 23rd of February, 2022 in collaboration with the Student Association of International Programs and International Program Office. Last semester, students of the course IB520 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility planted red quinoa, a native Taiwanese species, neat the field of Sizihwan Art Gallery. As the crops matured, the students and professors harvested the crops. The event was organized with an aim to inculcate land ethics values in the students.
Profs. Chien-Yuan Sher, Yuh-Yuh Li, and Yi Lu, lecturers of the course Business Ethics and Social Responsibility, also attended. Prof. Sher, Director of the International Program, delivered the opening remarks. He noted that while the actions we take now may not provide immediate results, they will pay off in the long run. Planting is analogous to learning; with proper care and attention, it thrives; similarly, the effort and time we put in studies will be valuable and yield rewarding outcomes.
Prof. Li demonstrated how to harvest the plant and use the opportunity to encourage students to learn land ethics. Participants could gather all of the fruits they grew last semester with pairs of scissors. To collect red quinoa fruits, seventeen attendees were divided into three groups. Harvesting was completed in half an hour. The students were so happy to see that what they planted last semester had grown into full crops with beautiful leaves and whole fruits. The SA team had prepared healthy lunch boxes for all participants which was shared at the end of the event. The SA team's goal is to enrich students' lives while caring for each student's health.
The planting process enables students to connect with the land and the environment. They learned how to sow the red quinoa at first and took turns to water the plant. Through the plantation, they could get closer to the land they lived in and appreciate the power of nature. The term "land ethic" refers to an approach to land use issues that emphasizes conservation and respect for our natural environment. A land ethic opposes the belief that all-natural resources should be available for unrestricted human exploitation and instead advocates for land use that does not disrupt the complex, delicately balanced ecological systems of which humans are apart.
"On the harvest day, it was astonishing to see how beautiful red quinoa is. Previously, I only ate red quinoa products, not knowing what they looked like. The power of nature is magnificent, and it inspires me that ‘As you sow, so shall you reap.’” (George Chang 張傑志, IBMBA 1st year student)
“This event inspired me a lot. As what Prof. Sher said, ‘planting is like studying; you will not see the results at first. With the endeavor devoted every day, we will see the fruitful results of our effort.’ I did not understand the purpose of planting red quinoa originally, yet I was willing to volunteer to water them. After three months, I saw the mature red quinoa fruit, and I realized that what I did paid off. Moreover, I also experience the superpower of nature. Once we respect and take good care of the land, it will reward us. Thanks to professors, the International Program office, and SA for organizing this event which moved me.” (Angela Wu 吳含茵, IBMBA 1st year student)
Business ethics and social responsibility are critical for businesses. To succeed as a businessperson, we must learn to maximize earnings while also taking care of the environment and society. To accomplish corporate social responsibility (CSR), academic knowledge alone is insufficient; we must exercise autonomously and learn via experience. The International Program's mandatory subject Business Ethics and Social Responsibility focuses on CSR and ethics.
In the CSR section, lecturers discuss concepts and case studies and allow students to develop a commercially viable global challenge that will also benefit stakeholders of students’ potential business. The fundamental concepts of ethics are discussed, but the emphasis is on land ethics or humans' moral responsibility to the natural world. Work ethics and cases that students may encounter in the future in the workplace.