THE CAMPUS-BASED BUSINESS

OPINION

By Anselmus Sudirman*

Direct sales for gadgets, electronic pulses and souvenirs, stationery and books, clothes and foods are a few examples of campus-based business. This way of earning money, as at its base, has an implication in terms of a business opportunity for university students to carry on. By fostering it, they attempt to help their parents cope with bills for tuition and living costs.

This assertion is not to be absurdly naïve. For business activities have a direct contribution to economy, it does not mean that the economic value is the only thing that counts. For whatever reason it is, likewise, two main points can be considered. First, by principle, campus-based business has become an integral part of academic life in which business-consciousness is positively encouraged. Second, unwavering efforts are directed at advancing business spirit, not to mention the business momentum to work through.

By that context, it seems reasonable that each campus-based business is viable. Even though it is possibly susceptible to stagnation in practice, as witnessed by different challenges, types of competitive products and insufficient knowledge on selling strategies, its viability works in tandem with university students’ hard efforts for money-earning opportunities.

In these days, however, a business inspiration is merely restricted to the similar selling of products and banalities of their types. If all facts share this characteristic, a university student salesperson, for example, is ripe for a new breakthrough. And it follows that a strategic management, if definitely useful, can help increase sales by including assorted products and their affordable prices.

Of course, the selling products are geared to involving more university students who pre-eminently appreciate the need for wage-earning activities. Inversely, in light of heavy academic workloads, they are willing to run small, independent business as a part-time job. For one thing, indeed, their main business is to study, to outperform academically; not to be lacking in every class work.

University students having firm commitments to study and to run a part-time business successfully deserve “double life” values in that they are not only eager to learn something from selling activities, but also take a good advantage of every business opportunity arising without being encumbered with essential class assignments to prioritize. It is somewhat urgent for them to understand that today’s business lesson develops into tomorrow’s invaluable profits in whatever professions they will take.

There is no doubt that universities or colleges across the country are obliged to provide far greater business opportunities for their students. The new emphasis on the business education is strongly regulated in the curriculum.  Above all, it has interrelated attributes to what is so-called “entrepreneurship” – a term under which the name of a core or selective course in today’s higher education institutions might refer to.   

This is hopefully inherent for university students to realize that campus-based business as such reflects the true heart of human character in learning, socializing, communicating, and transacting. In this attention to the human dimension lies the key for information flow, teamwork, and leadership alike.   

The writer is a lecturer of English Education Department at Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa University, Yogyakarta City, Indonesia.