At least six schools have made the cut in the search for best business plan and best product design in this year’s “Pasigarbo Sa Sugbu.”
The yearly event, in the form of a trade fair, aims at honing the entrepreneurial skills of young Cebuanos with business students from the city’s schools have participated in the two contests.
This year’s finalists include the St. Theresa’s College with two product lines- slippers and fashion accessories; University of San Carlos with four product lines- brownies, siopao, clothing, and crochet products; University of Cebu with two product lines- food processing and marketing and trading of mixed vegetables; Southwestern University with one product line- shoes; University of the Visayas with one business line- dairy processing; and the University of San Jose-Recoletos with three product lines- siopao, native bags, and native baskets and frames.
In coming up with their business and product plans, the participants are made to consider the growth and development of the city’s business sector, especially the small and medium enterprises.
In the search for the best business plan, the entries would be judged based on project design, product or service innovation, business applicability and sustainability, and socio-economic desirability.
For the search for best product design, entries would be evaluated based on originality, creativity and/or innovativeness; aesthetic value and visual impact; interactive component; and impact of the product.
Among the objectives in the two contests include the development of innovative skills of the business students and the need to provide business opportunities in exploring means to arrive at globally competitive products and services.
At a larger scale, the two contests aim at addressing the soaring unemployment rate by providing employment opportunities through the implementation of the best business plan.
The entries will be presented to the public and would be subject to judging from November 23 to 25 at the SM Trade Hall. — Joeberth M. Ocao/LPM