A sharing on my PhD experience in Business Research Seminar at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak on 13 June 2013.

1. Business Research Seminar
SHARING EXPERIENCE AMONG US
PhD Student
Hiram Ting Huong Yiew
Faculty of Economics & Business, UNIMAS
13 June 2013

2. About Myself…
Personal Details:
 Hiram Ting (heading towards 40)
 Married to Rebecca Sii (in 2008)
 Father to Carlyne and Henna
Employment Background:
 Youth and social worker in Christian
organization (2000-2008, now voluntarily)
 Part-time lecturer at Swinburne University
Sarawak (2008-2011)
 Research tutor at UNIMAS under full
Zamalah Scholarship (2011-ongoing)

3. My Wife and Kids
About Myself… (cont.)
My Family

4. About Myself… (cont.)
Past Education:
 SMK Kuching High (1990-1994)
 Bachelor of Commerce at Canterbury
University, NZ (1996-1999)
 CMBA at UNIMAS (2008-2010)
Present Education:
 PhD in Business at FEB, UNIMAS
(2010 Aug-Ongoing):
Supervisor : Prof Dr Ernest Cyril de Run
Discipline : Marketing
Progress : Data analysis and writing
My supervisor
boss & friend

5. About My PhD…
Research Area:
Generational Effect on Consumer Behavior
Research Experience:
 1 published international journal paper
 3 journal papers under review, 2 to be
submitted this month (all indexed)
 4 conference proceedings (1 Best Paper
Award at IBBC2012)
 2 conference manuscripts accepted to
present, 2 to be submitted duly
 Research tutor to undergrad & CMBA
students, and RA of 1 consultancy service
 R&D Expo (Posters Silver & Bronze Award)

6. Why Studying PhD…
 Interest and ambition
 Doing research is fun
 Finding joy in sharing knowledge and
helping others improve
 Getting the title of a ‘Dr’
 Affording better chance to work elsewhere

7. My PhD Journey…
Excitement (Honeymoon) Period:
 Got my ‘passport’ (CMBA) to PhD – ‘My destiny’
 Accepted by faculty and supervisor – ‘I must be good’
 Given full Zamalah scholarship – ‘I deserve it’
Ignorance Period:
 Thought it’d be smooth-sailing
– ‘No sweat’
 Procrastinating attitude
– ‘Long time to go, no worries’
 Inconsistent reading/writing
– ‘Just choose what I want’

8. My PhD Journey… (cont.)
Struggling Period:
 Confused, uncertain – ‘I am lost in a jungle’
 Internal & external doubt – ‘What am I getting myself into’
 Exhausted during qualitative process – ‘OMGssss’
Self-lifting Period:
 Re-planned, moved forward step by step – ‘Go to sleep,
tomorrow will be alright’
 Attended workshops – ‘pay the
price to go and learn; invest’
 Talked to other postgraduate
students – ‘You’re not alone’

9. My PhD Journey… (cont.)
Assuring Period:
 Co-authoring papers – ‘I should be on the right track’
 Understanding what I did not – ‘Only now I see…’
 Balancing between learning new things and maintaining
the main study – ‘I admit I don’t know, so I wanna learn’
Seeing-the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel Period:
 Analyzing and writing – ‘No easy but will do it’
 To be continued … – ‘I am savoring the learning process’

10. Learning Experience…
 Set priorities and obey them
 Always plan, set deadline & take corrective action
 Have consistent discussion with supervisor
 Talk to others & learn from them
 Invest in study – time, effort and money
 Be positive, open-minded & take the challenge
 Keep feet on the ground
 Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or look silly

11. Dos and Don’ts…
Dos:
 Be accountable to study; invest in it.
 ‘Add’ supervisor as good friend.
 Learn from others; share with others.
 Backup all files & keep record regularly.
 Be happy, content & thankful at UNIMAS.
Don’ts
 Languish, procrastinate.
 Assume supervisor & staffs are ‘slaves’.
 Get over things quickly.
 Take offence easily.
 Forget the ones who guide & help you.

12. Dos and Don’ts… (cont.)

13. Dos and Don’ts… (cont.)

14. Some Inspiring Quotes…

15. Some Inspiring Quotes… (cont.)

16. Some Inspiring Quotes… (cont.)

17. Some Inspiring Quotes… (cont.)
Success is not about winning others,
its about helping others

18. Concluding Notes…
Gift from students for guiding
them.
To me guiding students is sth
spontaneous if I can be of help;
no reward is needed nor
expected. Besides, I am fully
aware that I am indebted to
those who guide me in
academia, and one of the best
ways to repay them is to pass
on what I have learnt from
them to students.
Nevertheless, thank you.

19. Concluding Notes… (cont.)
FINALLY

20. Thank You for Listening