Lara
Business Management, Marketing Major

We had two more great presentations today, the first by Professor Richard Blandy of the University of South Australia (UniSA). Professor Blandy discussed the history of the Australian parliament and the country's economic outlook. Australia's economy is doing exceptionally well and has been for the last 15 years. Professor Blandy attributes this 'miracle economy' to the government's decision to decrease regulations and encourage a more entrepreneurial and independent system. He predicts the Australian economy will continue growing, especially that of south Australia.

Next we visited with Andrew Love from Cheap as Chips discount store. Andrew, the CEO of Cheap as Chips, discussed the history of his store and how they managed to get an edge on the competition. Although they are a small business, they have successfully held their market share and continued to grow because they aren't afraid to take risks. Cheap as Chips strives to maintain their core values -- fun, integrity, compassion and equality -- through every aspect of the company. One way they do this is through providing a free lunch for each of their employees every day. Andrew was very encouraging to us all and left us with these parting words, which are his personal motto: "Great things come out of small beginnings."

I have loved visiting all these businesses and viewing so many different business practices. I did notice that all of these organizations have something in common -- each has a very strong sense of commitment to uphold their personal morals and those of the company. Australians are very conscious of how their actions impact the community, and they all strive to do the best for those around them. It truly is a great place to visit!

On a funnier note, I have to add a few of my own personal experiences that have made this trip fun not only for me, but also for a few others that have enjoyed my blunders. Since Australia is so much like the United States, it's easy to ignore minor differences and make silly mistakes. I've done that a few times. At our first hotel, I didn't realize exactly how to use the buttons on the elevator, so I simply got on and hoped for the best. After switching elevators a few times (because I thought one was broken) and riding up and down a few times without ever getting to the right floor, a kind gentleman pointed out to me that you have to swipe your room key in order to push the button for your floor. I felt a bit silly, and I'm sure I looked a little strange as the people riding with me saw me go to every floor numerous times.

The pay phones here are also a little different (and more complicated). I ended up spending about $4 in change before I finally asked someone to help me use it properly. All in all, I haven't done too badly, and at least I'm having fun and getting a few laughs here and there.

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