Final-year students from the Department of Marketing at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) were honoured at an awards presentation ceremony today on 8 May for their outstanding performances in conducting marketing consultancy studies for Chinese enterprises.

The 53 participating students, all from the China Business stream, provided innovative professional ideas and recommended feasible measures for improvement.

The Department of Marketing made an agreement in February 2007 with the Shenzhen Splendid China Development Company Limited to provide marketing consultancy services for its two theme parks: the Shenzhen Splendid China and the Chinese Folk Culture Village.

The students, working in eight teams, used survey and observation methods to collect data, analyze the quality of the services provided and offer practical recommendations for improvement.

These recommendations included encouraging tourists to re-visit the theme parks, a promotion strategy, a pricing mechanism and brand building. Three of the competing teams won awards.

Mr Li Wei, Assistant General Manager of Shenzhen Splendid China Development Company Limited, said the students kept pace with the market and their detailed reports reflected customer needs. The company was considering putting some of the proposals into practice, Mr Li added.

The Associate Dean of CityU’s Faculty of Business, Professor Christian Wagner, said CityU believed in exposing students to real-life situations so they could learn more about the markets. This project would broaden students’ perspectives and help them better understand development in the mainland, he added.

Participating students said they had benefited enormously from the project. Leung Wai-ming said students had learned more about differences in work practice between Hong Kong and the mainland.

"Strengthening communications with the management of mainland enterprises helps smooth the overall work process and improve work effectiveness," Leung Wai-ming said.

Meanwhile, fellow participant Lo Hoi-yan said

the project allowed students to put what they had learned into practice. "We had the opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the business environment and the operation of mainland enterprises. This experience will be useful for us when we enter the job market," she said.