Trade Expo Indonesia is an annual event organized by the Ministry of Trade. This year, it will be held from October 18 to December 18, 2023.

At this exhibition, buyers and investors had the opportunity to engage directly with Indonesian companies. They could also establish business relationships, explore investment prospects, and foster long-term collaborations. The Ministry of Trade created this event to improve Indonesia's export performance as well as show the best business products and services from Indonesia.

The visit to this event provided an opportunity for students to meet, interact, and learn more about the profiles of various companies who attend the exhibition.

In the exhibition, students of Shopper Behavior class observed the process of forming business to business collaborations. Meanwhile, students in the Asian Integrated Business class learned how import and export works directly in the field.

The Shopper Behavior class students had the chance to observe and interact with company booths. They got to know the profiles of the companies, explored the purpose of attending events, identified target markets, and learned about the strategies implemented to attract those markets.

At the event, students engaged with business owners participating in the expo, exploring their backgrounds and expectations. They delved into the decision journey and evaluative behavior of these entrepreneurs throughout the booths.

Meanwhile, students in the Asian Integrated Business class were given the assignment of making a product that they could export as part of a project in the course. The exhibition offers students insights into products similar to their interests, supply chain dynamics, the export processes adopted by businesses, and other various information that can provide valuable information to enhance their understanding of these aspects.

A number of students said they were happy to be able to take part in the visit because it was an opportunity to learn business directly from the perpetrators.

"It really adds to my knowledge about international markets because I can get interesting knowledge directly from the informants we interviewed," said Rachel, a student in the Shopper Behavior class.

"It turns out that I got a lot of things from this trip, from chatting with international exporters to being given advice from expert practitioners," said Vasya, a student in the Shopper Behavior class.

Meanwhile, Zahira, a student in the Asian Integrated Business class, praised the exhibition. Organizing events by industry makes it easier for visitors to navigate.

"One of the selling points of this event is that there are related ministries and other organizations that can provide direct business consulting services. There are also experts in fields such as FTA, WTO, and MSME development. You really feel how much they want these businesses to enter the international level," Zahira said.

Reporter: Bashravie Thamrin (Management, 2024)

Editor: M. Naufal Hafizh

Translator: Ayesha Lativa Mafaza (Postharvest Technology 2021)

Editor: Hanna Daniela Ayu (Aerospace Engineering, 2021)