And the Journey Continues...

Today marks the one-month duration left for our thesis in IT 24. I'm kinda upset with how our thesis is going.

First was our TRUMAS study, which was going pretty smoothly (we got until the proposed system) until Sir Sanchez scorned us for not bringing the actual source documents (and instead brought the format).

Second was Cebu Electro Marketing, which was also doing well (got to database design already) until we found out that another group was studying the same company: the main branch. Ever since the semester started, Richard's group was submitting their Cebu Electro Study (while we were with TRUMAS), and their processes are much more elaborate compared to ours. We're on the losing end. We have to discard Cebu Electro.

After two failed attempts, we have to repeat the process all over again. Good thing though, we really don't have to start from scratch, since our past submissions can be used as templates for new ones.

We are also partly to blame with our failures. TRUMAS was a secret study -- everything was unbeknownst to the owner. And with regards to Cebu Electro, I've already stated the reasons here.

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Rose Ann and Jofil had to pass today, since they're focusing on their Flash animation project. So I went on solo flight. I'm sure I can do it; after all, I am a one-man army.

Island Builders Supply was my first stop. The owner was really kind, and even shared a few laughts. He can see himself in me during his college days, looking for companies for their thesis. But their sales processes are a tad few, since they do not accept credit transactions. Studying their business would only need two people, and that cannot be. He also did not permit on giving out the source documents; he was even skeptical on me copying the document's format, that he hurriedly took it away without me even finishing it.

And so, I continue this journey on foot, traversing the wide stretch of the highway. I got to La Prueba Marketing, but sadly a similar group of students (from UC) has already studied their system a year ago, and that is deemed prohibited, not unless the groups study different systems of the same company. Silly me for just walking away without asking what system did the previous group study. :(

Finally, I got to J.A. Ramos Enterprises. The owner's daughter, who studies Commerce at UC, and their salesclerk, who is also a UC alumnae, entertained me. We also exchanged thoughts and laughs. The daughter soon will be undergoing a feasibility study, similar to what we're doing, and the alumnae has also gone through the same process of thesis writing, so they could relate to my plight. The interview went on smoothly, with intermittent interruptions from customers.

I was able to finish my interview at an hour and thirty minutes. When I was about to ask for source documents, she hesitated.

When I asked the permission of the owner, I was really disheartened upon hearing his remark:

"No intrusions. You've already wasted the time of my men..."

This can only mean one thing: he does not totally agree with studying his business.

Earlier, he was joking on me as an 'industrial spy', who secretly gathers corporate information for the benefit of competitors, and uses a student thesis scheme to conceal the act. If not have I shown him my school ID and the letter of approval, I would be on the verge of scrutiny. It was a joke, but I know it was on purpose. After all, jokes are half-meant. Can't blame him; he's a businessman, and ought to protect his business' from intruders.

Maybe he found the length of the interview to be longer than expected, and that has deterred his people (including his daughter and the salesclerk) from focusing on their jobs.

I felt that the world is on my shoulders. I've been through worse emotional turmoil than this, but it still got me on shock. His daughter told me not to worry about it, and urged me to continue the study, with earlier claims of me cancelling the whole study due to his father's retort.

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Call it hindsight bias, but I was expecting it. Most of the businesses we've interviewed are hesitant on giving out source documents, be it photocopied or photographed, much more given. The capital reason is because of BIR, who checks on sales' documents for taxation. A simple erasure or discontinuity (these documents are prenumbered) can already put the business in question. They are even reluctant on giving out blank documents.

We have to find our own ways on obtaining a copy, without compromising the business. One was getting the documents' format, and have it encoded. But with Sir Sanchez's change of ruling, we even have to 'cheat' the source documents, making it look like the original, but actually encoded.

But deep inside, I really fear the misconduct. Sir Sanchez is known to be very vigilant and 'sigurista'. He goes as far as calling the business just to verify all the information presented to him by the students. With that scenario, we are surely to get caught.

These only lead to three things:

-we have to get the owner's permission;
-the company should not have been studied by similar students before; and
-their processes should be enough to support three people.

A fourth would be a company that is willing to give out their source documents. I know the odds are thin, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

This Wednesday, Jofil and Rose Ann will conduct an interview with Cebu Trade Center. I have full trust with you guys, and hope that this is it. :(

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These experiences has taught us to be stronger. Surely there will be more reprimands, more rejections, more failures in life. We just have to stand up and fight.

And so the harrowing journey continues. Crying won't help. We have to move on. We only got a month left...