20 SDG 8 Decent work and Economic Growth – Finda

Group Reflection

In an era where connectivity intertwines with commerce, the emergence of Finda business running a mobile app has revolutionized accessibility to goods and services. This platform not only bridges the gap between businesses and consumers but also holds the potential to redefine the landscape of social good. Through the lens of innovation and ease of access, this critical reflection aims to dissect the profound role of the mobile app-driven Finda business in fostering societal well-being. With a focus on their pivotal role in connecting businesses and customers for social good, this exploration leads to the nuanced impact, ethical considerations, and transformative potential of this platform in shaping a more inclusive and impactful marketplace. Finda businesses contribute to poverty alleviation by creating employment opportunities and facilitating economic growth, especially for marginalized communities. Finda’s technological innovations contribute to sustainable infrastructure, and support for small-scale entrepreneurs or artisans showcase how their efforts align with the role of businesses for social good. Additionally, their environmental policies, such as reducing carbon footprints, promoting eco-friendly practices, or supporting sustainable supply chains, highlight their role in addressing SDG 13.

Working within a cross-cultural team is an enlightening journey that offers invaluable lessons, transcending borders and embracing diversity. During the entire period of the project, we have learned a lot. We all come from different backgrounds, and every member of my team contributes a distinct note. We all learned to embrace the diverse perspectives each one of us had which helped greatly in nurturing innovation, sparking creativity, and yielding solutions to challenges we faced. Learning to appreciate and integrate these viewpoints formed the cornerstone of our group’s success. Additionally, we learned that effective communication resonates at the heart of cross-cultural collaboration. By addressing nuances in language, we were able to heighten sensitivity and cultivate much clearer, and more inclusive communication channels, which sharpened our adaptability and flexibility skills. We were able to embrace flexibility within our work styles, allowing our team to pivot seamlessly between differing approaches, and accommodating varied timelines, and methods of doing tasks.

Having learned about the development goals in a unit offered in school, we were able to implement both the knowledge and the skills we acquired during the whole process of the project. We were able to use the skill of writing a report and come up with a draft of a story from the information we gathered during the interview process. We based our schedule on the timeline for that week an assignment was due. From here, we decided on an appropriate date and time that allowed everyone to attend the meeting and divide the work equally 3 days before the Sunday deadline. Everyone will then make sure they get an equal share of the work and finish it within the timeline agreed upon by the group and check in with our partners. We were able to meet up weekly and conduct the interview online as the instructions were with a low non-attendance rate. We were able to foster a spirit of teamwork, where we consulted our peers and our professors who were beneficial to us in this project. Additionally, we selected a suitable time that favored most of the members, where we had a WhatsApp open chat in case of any clarification on anything one could easily get inquiries at any time they wanted. We were not able to do a five-minute recording of our meetings as the WhatsApp platform would not allow it. To adapt to this situation, we opted to write a weekly report of the meetings instead. Even though we captured our meeting in written form, we lost a lot of critical conversation that members would forget and could not recall, and with the lack of not having a video, we could not reflect on the video what we said.

Individual Reflections

Lizie: I, Lizie Felisha, am really happy and thankful for the opportunity to have participated in this exciting and life-changing project. My journey over the past six weeks has been nothing short of incredible. Through dedication, collaboration, and unwavering passion, we have not only achieved success but have also made a meaningful impact. Working with my team members on a project that uplifts the ethos of “business for good” has been the greatest joy of all time. During the six weeks, I have witnessed how a simple idea, nurtured with purpose, can blossom into a catalyst for positive transformation in society. I want to say this project, the organizers of the project, our professors, my team members, and our school’s administration support will not go in vain. The project has helped me to look at company goals and objectives in a completely different way than I ever thought. Through research and consultations with my peers, I have learned a lot. I know for sure that the success of this project will be a testament to what we can achieve when we channel our passion into purposeful action.

David: I, David Ochieng, think that being part of a virtual team working on an SDG project focused on ‘Business for Good’ has been both enlightening and motivating. I’ve been personally impressed by the collaborative spirit within our team. The diversity of perspectives stemming from our international backgrounds has enriched our discussions and decision-making processes. From my standpoint, I’ve seen how our business acumen and innovation can be harnessed to create sustainable solutions. Our emphasis on profit-with-purpose aligns seamlessly with the project’s goals, and the virtual collaboration tools have facilitated efficient communication despite the physical distance. It’s inspiring to see how our collective efforts can make a meaningful impact, and I believe the inclusive approach we’ve taken will contribute significantly to the project’s success. The platform also facilitated cross-cultural understanding, and it’s evident that our shared commitment to the SDGs transcends borders. Not forgetting, it has showcased the potential for international cooperation in achieving shared goals. I am optimistic that our efforts will contribute meaningfully to the larger global agenda of creating a sustainable and inclusive future. I look forward to seeing the concrete impact our project will have on communities

Aldo: I, Aldo E. Cervantes, think that this project itself was innovative and inspirational in the context of how we in the business world will move forward from now on. Not a lot of institutions discuss the importance of SDG goals and the current work many companies are doing. Many are focusing on the future, rather than the present, and by allowing us to work through a cross-cultural project, we collaborated with individuals as passionate as we are. I had the privilege to work with such an amazing team that not only supported me through the process of creating our story but also allowed me to gain experience in working with international individuals. I learned how to manage my time, recognize cultural differences, and communicate effectively to not only be heard but to incorporate others as well. Our generation is and should be the catalyst for a positive impact on our world, and it’s time we recognize our contribution and the work we will conduct to incorporate others and support our communities. I will recognize that even though my team was amazing, we did have our faults for not responding to one another, and a lot of information got delayed to communicated across all team members, thus confusion in our chats. This was resolved to a certain extent when we slowly established and recognized the role we played and how much we really would contribute to this project in the end, which left me satisfied because I felt I took on a role that incorporated me in all channels of information to be distributed.

Jason: I, Jason Canelo, am very grateful to have been given the privilege of participating in such an exciting and crucial experience. An aspect I love about COIL is its orientation towards the future. Companies are being increasingly pressured to pursue sustainability goals, with many companies pledging their commitment to achieving them. Simultaneously, with the rise of social media and increased internet access, globalization has become progressively present, with no signs of a slowdown. As such, I find it wonderful that the COIL experience allowed my peers and me to engage in problems and activities that we will encounter in our future careers. In other words, I am grateful that COIL gave me a taste of the direction the business world is going in.
With globalization comes new difficulties to grow. In our group, I experienced difficulty working around the time difference between the U.S. and Kenya. For instance, it was initially challenging to establish meeting times that coincided with all of our schedules. Furthermore, when communicating via group chat, there were somewhat several hour gaps in between messages, as one party was likely asleep or in class when the other was not. However, throughout the experience, my fantastic team and I got better accustomed to working around this, and I truly felt like I improved at working with others in different time zones. On another note, I am very appreciative of how respectful and understanding my team was. Despite us being from different cultures, I felt like I could comfortably communicate and relate to them. All in all, I strongly feel the COIL experience has helped me grow in my journey to becoming a responsible and globally-minded business leader. Despite difficulties in coordination, I learned to better manage my time and coordinate with others. Whatever difficulties we faced, my team and I found ways to succeed.

Anitha: I, Anitha Shrishankar, think that this project has been extremely fulfilling and innovative. Instead of taking classes and notes that talk about the SDG’s goals and the way countries plan on implementing it, we got firsthand experience with a specific country and company that is making a positive and impactful change. In this project, our group was able to study the company and understand its purpose, while also studying its impact on the SDG’s. Working in a group setting with different people that are in different countries exposed me to cultural differences and increased my global awareness. Furthermore, I was able to develop my communication skills and quality of work by being more detail-oriented. In our group, there were several strengths including good teamwork, being detail-oriented, and providing good work. There were also several weaknesses which included poor communication and the division of the work in the group. However, those problems were also solved as several team members took the initiative in providing feedback and incorporating their share of work and/or ideas. This group project demonstrated a lot of the problems that this world faces and how tackling several problems is not as efficient as tackling one problem and putting all our efforts into solving it. Therefore, I believe this group project was an amazing opportunity to not only study and demonstrate our knowledge but also to get a firsthand real experience in seeing a positive change that a company is making while increasing our global awareness.

Gaetano:  As for me, Gaetano Vernal, our joint effort with international students was a big step towards changing the face of business. We tackled current issues and projected the changing demands of the next business environment by exploring the complexities of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Engaging in a project that exceeds traditional conversations and actively supports the revolutionary initiatives carried out by different businesses is an exciting development. Our initiative was especially insightful in its cross-cultural aspect as it gave driven people from different backgrounds a chance to come together to support a shared objective. Working with my amazing team was a delight, which expanded my viewpoint and improved my abilities. The experience strengthened my ability to manage my time better and to recognize cultural views. It became clear that good communication was essential for promoting a collaborative atmosphere where all voices are heard and allowing for individual expression. Recognizing our place in the world and our contributions to its advancement is crucial as we, the younger generation, work to be agents of good change. Our dedication is rooted in acknowledging the difference we can make and accepting our obligation to assist communities everywhere. Even though my team was extremely solid, we must own our weaknesses. Sometimes, a lack of communication caused team members to become confused and delayed. Nevertheless, by progressively defining distinct responsibilities and appreciating each team member’s contributions to the project, we resolved these problems.