Written by Antonio Obregon

The 113-1 Introduction to International Business course recently hosted a special guest speaker who engaged students with insights on how to make critical decisions by analyzing a case scenario related to skyscrapers and then provided mentorship and feedback to the students for their upcoming Hult Prize on-campus competition.

The guest speaker, Prof. Matthew Liu, is a Professor of Marketing from the University of Macau. Additionally, he is the Director of Centre for Continuing Education and Director of Business Research Training Center with a vast experience in business and entrepreneurship professional training programs. He is also among World’s Top 2% scientists (2023, 2024) with research active performance. He started by delivering a lecture about exploring the unique marketing and branding opportunities and challenges of skyscrapers. Using examples such as Taipei 101 or the 85 Sky Building from Kaohsiung, he discussed how these iconic buildings can become synonymous with a city or country, driving tourism and awareness to them. Moreover, he emphasized that skyscrapers do not need an intensive marketing strategy, since these famous buildings should be well known by everyone.

Following this introduction, the guest speaker discussed a case study with the students where they had to mention the advantages and disadvantages of working in these tall buildings. After a quick brainstorming, the students gathered in their respective teams and were asked to list 25 solutions to reduce elevator time in rushing hours. Many students came up with creative solutions ranging from slides to firefighter poles, hybrid work mode, building meeting rooms in specific floors, putting screens inside the elevators, and so on. This showed their innovative problem-solving skills and helped them tune their critical thinking capabilities.

After the case study, the guest speaker served as a judge for the Hult Prize competition rehearsals. The class had 7 teams who had the opportunity to pitch their 4-minute proposals to the speaker, who provided invaluable feedback to help them refine their business plans and presentations. Prof. Matthew concluded by giving 4 important suggestions to the teams. First, he suggested each team should tell their pitch to other classmates or relatives to verify that everyone is able to understand their idea. Second, they should think about user preference and their existing habits. Third, he recommended spending some time convincing potential investors how much they could get in return and the potential growth in the future. Finally, he insisted that practice makes perfect and that if the students get nervous, they should slow down since silence is more powerful than voice.

In summary, the lecture provided students a unique opportunity to engage with an industry leader and apply their classroom knowledge to real-world business scenarios. Moreover, the students received important feedback on their pitches so they can be ready for the on-campus competition. We look forward to hosting similar guest speaker events in the future to enhance the educational experience.