By Akina Chargualaf

Their story about operating a wholesale distribution company within a limited island economy is just one such case study available to read in a new digital library meant to provide insight and inspiration to emerging entrepreneurs.

Over the last year, Dean Annette T. Santos of the UOG School of Business & Public Administration and faculty members James Ji and Fred Schumann have been actively building a new C4EI Data & Research Repository — a digital catalog of strategic business plans, case studies, and industry research of businesses operating in Guam and the region. The repository is available under the school’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (C4EI).

“With innovation, you don’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been, and if the community doesn’t know about these businesses and the research that has been done, they can’t build upon that. We’re trying to address that gap with this repository,” Ji said.

The digital repository went live on May 14 and is accessible at www.uog.edu/publications/c4ei/.

“What’s great about this repository is that we want to build knowledge for the community about business practices, small businesses, and entrepreneurship in Guam,” said Ji, who is overseeing the center.

Documents for download

The materials are available to download at no charge, and hard copies are available for purchase, with funds generated from the sales to go toward printing future journals to be included in the library.

As the collection grows, the library will hold research and reports by UOG faculty on business practices and processes, business plans submitted by local entrepreneurs, and capstone projects from Professional Master of Business Administration students.

“Ultimately, this data will grow organically,” Ji said. “We’re in a new era, and it’ll be interesting to see how business plans are coming up in 2022 and see how business plans were established and created prior.”

The Archway Inc. case study is one included in a report by the 2022 PMBA cohort. Their report features five local businesses and how they addressed certain challenges, including compliance with government regulations, competitive pressures in the market, and a changing customer base during the pandemic.

Becoming a ‘place to go’ for business decisions

The ability to think innovatively in an existing company is vital during changing times, said Fred Schumann, professor of global resource management and an expert in tourism.

“In the next five years, I want people to see us as a place to go for reliable data and to help make important business and government decisions,” Schumann said. “We’re trying to generate as many resources for students, faculty members, and the community so we can help improve the quality of life on the island.” 

Contribute to the repository

The center is open to partnering with companies, small businesses, business owners, and industry leaders willing to share their knowledge and insight on the unique challenges and hurdles experienced in their profession and industry.

Entrepreneurs and others in the community who would like to contribute to the C4EI Business & Data Repository can email c4ei@triton.uog.edu.

Visit the C4EI Business & Data Repository