Empathy is the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another. The Red & Yellow BCom 2nd year students were challenged to find a South African business that solves a socio-economic issue and conduct research to understand what the business does and how they are contributing toward a better South Africa. The students needed to embark on a journey of discovery to interact with the business, conduct research, and bring back artifacts that best represent their chosen business. Through this, they were able to learn and apply theory to a real business in South Africa and to get a deep understanding of this business. This exercise helped our students identify problems or gaps within the business and to propose solutions based on what the students have learned in class. The Red & Yellow Empathy Museum gives students an opportunity to share their experiences with a wider audience at the annual Red & Yellow student Showcase. This is the first time this initiative has taken place and the experience was both a rewarding and a practical opportunity for Red & Yellow students to apply their learnings to a real business.

Come experience the Red & Yellow BCom Empathy Museum at Showcase kicking off on Thursday 30 November for Industry followed by friends and family night on Friday 1 December. The Red & Yellow UNMATCHED Showcase will be up until Tuesday 5 December.

Each artifact is linked to audio where the students give a brief explanation of their experience and insight from the research. Each student came back with a different experience and a one of a kind piece that cannot be found again. This includes pieces of the most famous buildings and the first samples of products.

One student captured the experience as follows: “This assignment has been incredibly insightful and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I learnt more about not only the business but gained insight into how the businesses are run on a large scale, the importance of values and the business owner’s outlook on the business in the South African context. The brief was really awesome and I had a great experience!”