Month: March 2015

By Udara Cumaratunga

As a BA International Business Management student of the University of Sheffield, I had the opportunity to study abroad for a year at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia. Having the opportunity to live in one of the biggest tourist capitals in the country, I was excited for my next adventure, but little prepared me for the life changing experiences and the biggest roller coaster ride of my life!
On my first morning in Australia, I was awoken by the loud chirping of birds from the tree right outside my window – this was to become my natural alarm for the next 12 months. Despite being jet lagged, I dragged myself out of bed eager to explore my new home. After collecting a map from the reception I headed down a footpath with the warm sun beating down on my skin.
As I entered the University I felt a rush of excitement as smiles from other students were quick to greet me, and I was shown around the campus and directed towards the International Office.
Within a week of having arrived in Australia, I had settled in and my life changing journey had begun. Having attended many orientation and other events during the first week, I had made more friends than I ever imagined. Every day at Griffith I seemed to meet someone new and learn something exiting about the world, cultures, personalities and other fun facts.
At Griffith I was instructed to undertake 4 modules per semester, which included 1-2 hour lectures and tutorials. Lecture groups were most often smaller than those in Sheffield, and demanded a lot of engagement from students. The lectures acknowledged our diverse academic backgrounds and embraced the different views we had to offer.

I studied modules such as International Marketing, Public Relations, Inter-Cultural Management, Organisational Behaviour, Human Resource Management, Business Processes, International Accounting and Market Structure and Business Strategy that not only improved my knowledge of the business processes and working environment within Australia but also of other countries around the world. I was able to enhance my knowledge of the different accounting systems of countries such as China, Japan, Germany, USA and Australia, understand the different marketing strategies practiced in Australia and learn the importance of managing cultural diversities around the world. All these subjects were very important to me when understanding the contexts in which international businesses operate.
There was never a dull moment in the Gold Coast, the city is packed with amazing activities to suit every interest. Lying on soft sandy beach of Broadbeach every Sunday with my friends was probably my favourite activity whilst I was there. My friends and I were all adventurous and found ourselves most often venturing around the city. Whale watching, visiting Currumbin Wild Life Sanctuary, spending days at the many theme parks and exploring the waterfalls were just some of the activities we occupied ourselves with. As food lovers we were attracted to the different cuisines that Gold Coast had to offer. We dedicated one night every two weeks to try out a unique dish from the many restaurants and we were frequent customers at Pancake Parlour and Max Brenner.
My friends and I seized every opportunity to travel around the country and Sydney was one of our first spectacular adventures. Despite the close proximity to Gold Coast, Sydney was totally a different experience, groups of people rushing around to work and tourists trying to capture the perfect picture next to the historic monuments. Despite the hustle and bustle we sat on the grass besides the harbour bridge in perfect harmony with nature and watched the blue sky turn from orange to purple as the sun set into the ripples of the ocean.
Melbourne offered a truly culturally and artistically diverse experiences with the many museums and artistic monuments that were located around the city. As we stood on the deck of the highest residential building in the southern hemisphere, our gazes were mesmerised by the amusing architecture below us.
Just before the end of my year in Australia, my group of friends and I spontaneously piled up in a van and headed down the coast to Byron Bay. On our last night there we drove up to the light house and cuddled up next to each other, as we waited for the sun to rise. As I sat there in the shivering cold next to my friends, who giggled away, I realised the magnitude to which this opportunity had changed my life. I had not only made friends to last me a life time but also learnt new things about the world, cultures and business environments.

By Udara Cumaratunga

Studying at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia, I was able to undertake a number of unique modules that explored a wide variety of disciplines within business. Some of the modules that I took over the two semesters were: International Marketing, Organisational Behaviour, Inter-Cultural Management, Public Relations, Human Resource Management Principles, Market Structure and Business Strategy, International Accounting and Business Processes. These modules were structured in a similar way to the modules that I undertook at the Management School in my first year in terms of the delivery of the subject content and assignments. Most of the modules included a group work assignment component that allowed me to engage with other students from across the world and gain from their knowledge and experiences.
One of the most memorable group assignment I completed was for International Marketing, for which I was allocated to a group of 6 people and delegated the task of preparing an advert for a Horticulture Convention that was to be held in Brisbane, Australia later that year. My group members were of different nationalities, with students from France, America, the UK and Australia backgrounds. During the course of the assignment my group and I explored our creative flair and incorporated different marketing techniques presented to us during the module and also from the techniques practiced in our home countries, to develop an advert that was then presented to a representative of the Horticulture Convention, a lecturer, a tutor and other students undertaking the module. This experience was really motivating as I now have a better understanding of the different marketing techniques practiced in different countries of the world for variety purposes.
A module that I was very interested in was Inter-Cultural Management. In this module we explored the impact of cultural differences across countries on business operations. The lecturer and tutors had lived in many different countries and were able to reflect on their personal experiences of negotiating business proposals and adapting business operations to different cultures. These examples were fascinating, as they highlighted the relationship between the smallest of differences, such as the perception of punctuality, to have the biggest of impacts on business operations.
During tutorials we were assigned a case study and several questions. The lecturers selected a random group of students to prepare and present their arguments and opinions on the situation within the case. This was an opportunity for us to apply the theoretical perspectives that were explored in lectures to operations of the business discussed in the case study and develop effective solutions. Having undertaken a summer internship and many part time jobs I have been able to identify the cultural differences that have influenced the operations of these business.
I have also been able to apply the knowledge and experiences I acquired from the modules that I took during my study abroad year to the modules that I have since taken at the Management School in my final year. I am able to better understand the operations of international businesses, the influences on their strategies and operations when diversifying operations across national borders, I’m able to develop effective solutions to the challenges of operating internationally.