A student sold food items at her “International Food” stand at KCWC’s Business Bazaar.
Business students at the Higher Colleges of Technology’s Khalifa City Women’s College recently ran short-term businesses for a two-day bazaar.
The bazaar is a culminating course project, and students prepare by establishing businesses, acquiring products or developing services which they then sell at the bazaar to fellow students and College staff members. This year’s batch of “mini-businesses” sold food, accessories, and other items and services.
As a requirement in the second year of HCT-KCWC’s Applied Business and Technology program, the bazaar was more than just a convenient place for the College community to purchase goods and services.
For the student-entrepreneurs, it was a practical exercise in building and managing their own enterprise. The project brings together skills learned in several previous courses. Students analyze market needs before settling on their preferred short-term businesses. In building the business, each student must outline a marketing plan; decide on a pricing strategy; prepare promotional activities; buy or make products, or arrange for services; and prepare paperwork to keep track of sales and income.
A total of 38 students sold products or provided services during this semester’s Bazaar. Student-entrepreneurs sold items like nail polish, hair accessories, clothes, and a wide variety of foods, among other things.
Competition was fierce, but several students were able to earn money from their careful efforts. Mouza, who took in over 1,000 dirhams in the bazaar’s first day, stated: “This project has helped me know how to deal with customers, how to deal with suppliers, and lots of other things.”
Student Shamma said she had kept sales strong by reducing prices on the second day of the bazaar, noting: “This project has helped me learn about what makes sense, and how to sell.”
Dr. Jace Hargis, KCWC’s Director, stated: “Setting up and running a business is a real opportunity for our students to face meaningful challenges. I’m very pleased that they get to do it here, because this bazaar is the end result of their learning throughout their Applied Business program.”
KCWC’s Business Bazaar featured thirty-eight short-term businesses that sold clothing, food, accessories, or other items.
