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UW Hosts Third CIBER MBA International Business Case Competition
Participants in the 2008 Case Competition gather in the Fluno Center lobby
The final-round judges deliberate. From left, Susan LaBelle (Covance), Paula Harvie (Fiserv), Tim Sheehan (Foley & Lardner), Ashok Vasudevan (Preferred Brands International) and David Foley (Harley-Davidson).
The University of Wisconsin-Madison hosted the third CIBER MBA International Business Case Competition from April 16-19, 2008, at the Fluno Center for Executive Education. MBA-student teams from 11 top-ranked business schools in six countries spent 24 hours analyzing an international business case and preparing a presentation for a panel of corporate judges. The students’ challenge was to develop a strategic recommendation for the location of a new Walt Disney Company theme-park resort.
The teams received the case at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 17. On Friday morning they turned in their cases and were randomly assigned to one of three presentation rooms. The top team from each room advanced to the afternoon championship round. Judges evaluated the four-person teams on the content and effectiveness of their presentations.
MBA candidate Paul Wirth, a member of the UW-Madison team, found the experience a valuable exercise in teamwork. “It requires teamwork to divide up responsibilities, but also to support each other through the process and help each other out as needed,” he said. “It is taxing, but enjoyable and a bonding experience for the participants.”
Each team presented the set of criteria it developed for selecting its recommended location for the Disney resort and a comprehensive logistical and financial plan for the project, taking into consideration cultural and political issues associated with the site. The teams recommended a variety of locations, with Mumbai, Shanghai, and São Paulo being most popular. Other sites included Sydney, Mexico City, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, and Malaysia.
Schools participating in the 2008 competition were Bocconi University (Italy); Chulalongkorn University (Thailand); Copenhagen Business School (Denmark); Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico); The Ohio State University; the University of Connecticut; the University of Kansas; the University of Maryland-College Park; the University of Washington; and UW-Madison. Each of the U.S. schools is part of the nationwide CIBER network.
“This international case competition is a great chance for CIBERs to prepare the next generation of corporate leaders to compete in the global economy,” said Randy Dunham, faculty co-director of the Wisconsin CIBER.
Wirth particularly enjoyed the opportunity to interact with fellow MBA students from other universities. “Both prior to and after the event are networking events to get the chance to meet people from all over the world, which is all the more valuable in a global business environment,” he said.
The University of Washington took first place, with the University of Maryland-College Park finishing second, and UW-Madison third. Members of these top three teams represented seven nationalities. The judges selected one student from each first-round room as the best individual presenter. The awards went to Carlos Currierche from Tecnológico de Monterrey; Ike Kim from the University of Maryland-College Park; and Michael Kirtman from UW-Madison.
The judging panels comprised high-level executives representing a broad range of industries and job responsibilities. They included marketing, human resources, engineering, and management executives from Abbott, Covance, Fiserv, Emerson Network Power, Foley & Lardner, GE Healthcare Technologies, Harley-Davidson, Kohler, Land’s End, P&H Mining Equipment, Preferred Brands International, Promega, Scientific Commercialization, Steele Ventures, TomoTherapy, and WhittmanHart Consulting.
“The International MBA Case Competition is one of the most exciting events of the CIBER program. It brings out important elements such as global thinking, team work, and presentation skills that are vital to today’s business needs,” said Javier Castaneda of GE Healthcare Technologies, who served as a judge.
The competition was sponsored by Foley & Lardner and Harley-Davidson as well as CIBERs at the participating U.S. schools. Pearson/Prentice-Hall, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s provided in-kind donations. The Wisconsin CIBER will next host the Case Competition in the spring of 2010.