35th Annual Business Today International Conference
Emile du PlessisEssay 2
Additional Economics and Business Experience
My fascination with economics and overwhelming motivation to help others led to my participation in the University of Stellenbosch Economic Faculty’s Tutor Programme. This involved a training course that developed lecturing skills such as conveying valuable information and group interaction. My role as a tutor is to assist first year (undergraduate) students with economic principles and concepts. On a weekly basis I present two one hour lectures to allocated groups. At the end of the year strong bonds are formed with the junior students and I am gratified by their improved performance. I intensely enjoy the interactive class discussions on various local and international high profile issues. I am also a lecturer-assistant in the Economics Faculty and regularly support lecturers with research work and mark undergraduate test papers.
During my studies I did research for both the University of Cape Town (considered one of the Top 200 Universities in the world) and the Worldbank. I assisted the University of Cape Town in professional interviews for the Entrepreneurial Survey 2007 and the Small Business Development Survey 2008. I conducted interviews for the World Bank (South African branch) on exporting and franchise operating businesses as part of the Transportation Costs Survey 2007. The research gave me first hand experience of the different challenges facing current and potential businesses.
In conclusion I take pleasure in writing and have published articles in several South African newspapers. I designed an internet site http://35thbusinesstodayinternationalconference.wordpress.com, adjoining my formal application for the 35th Business Today International Conference. I will regularly update the website on the subtopics of the Conference. I also include the essay I wrote for the St Gallen Symposium entitled, “Succeeding Responsibly, Succeeding Globally” on the constant changing challenges facing international organisations and the importance of forming valuable partnerships. I am looking forward to contributing and meeting everyone at the Business Day International Conference.
