Business students reign supreme in international case competitions

Undergraduates in McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business have been a force to be reckoned with at some of North America’s most prominent case competitions.

Winning first place in the HR division at Jeux de Commerce Central, DeGroote teams have also placed highly in competitions in California, Manitoba and Toronto.

Case study competitions provide students with learning opportunities, networking and exposure to real world business settings, transforming them into innovative business leaders. They also provide business students with a valuable addition to their academic experience.

The new course “Case Analysis & Presentation Skills”, being launched this winter at the DeGroote School of Business, will support students’ participation in case competitions by providing them with the necessary communication and team building skills.

“DeGroote takes pride in its experiential learning focus and this course is an ideal method to prepare students for success,” says Linda Stockton, assistant professor of strategic management, who will offer the course.

Below is a summary of DeGroote’s student accomplishments in case study competitions over the past year:

The International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition (ICBSC)

DeGroote placed third overall in the worldwide ICBSC case study competition held in Anaheim, which is open to both undergrads and MBA students. This competition requires students to make decisions on a simulated quarterly basis over five years in relation to finance, sales operations, marketing and human resources.

Steven Lee, a commerce student who competed at ICBSC, says, “The competition as a whole can be a grueling and stressful process.  However, it makes the rewards that much greater, once you see the fruit of your labour grow.”

The Manitoba International Marketing Competition (MIMC)

The MIMC is a competition organized by the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba, where participating teams compete in eight weekly simulations with schools from around the globe. The tasks involve components of finance, operations, marketing, human resources and accounting, as well as test students’ ability to make strategic plans.

Student Daniel Custodio says, “There was a realization among team members that we were not just representing ourselves, but we were in fact representing and contributing to the reputation of DeGroote.“

Jeux de Commerce Central (JDCC)

JDCC is a student-run competition that is taking place at Dalhousie University in Halifax this year. It includes 500 business students from 13 universities across Ontario, Quebec and the Eastern Provinces. This year was the first time DeGroote undergraduate students took part in this competition which involved an academic portion, school spirit and charity initiatives.

DeGroote’s team of Spencer Blake, Alison Forler and Bariha Batool won first place in the HR division. Additionally, DeGroote’s JDCC team raised more than $1,500 in charity initiatives and contributed 170 volunteer hours.

“[JDCC is] the one place where you’re judged solely on the basis of your merit. It helps you grow as an individual, broadens your networking skills and challenges your public-speaking ability,” says Batool. “All in all, [JDCC] is a wonderful opportunity to gain practical experience in a competitive atmosphere.”

After this first year success, DeGroote plans to expand the JDCC team next year. Interested students are encouraged to contact Kelsey Langford (langfokl@mcmaster.ca) or Felicia Tortorelli (tortorf@mcmaster.ca) with any questions.

McMaster DECA Case Competition (MDCC)

DECA U emphasizes applying classroom knowledge in business case simulations and tests students’ business knowledge through multiple choice tests. DECA U also allows students to improve their professional development through networking with industry professionals and attending workshops.

“The conference was excellent. McMaster and DeGroote were one of the largest delegations and we had many DeGroote students win top prizes. Awards included scholarship money and one of our three-person teams even obtained interviews with Deloitte Consulting (they were the only three students to do so out of the 1,200 total attendees),” says Brian Steeves, co-president of McMaster DECA U.

Every year, McMaster DECA U (MDCC) hosts a case competition at McMaster to prepare DeGroote students for the provincial DECA competition in Toronto; the McMaster chapter annually hosts a case competition. This year, the McMaster DECA team is expanding their competition, inviting other schools to the Ron Joyce Centre from Nov. 1-2. Approximately 200 DECA members are expected to be in attendance.

Case study competitions give DeGroote students the opportunity to exercise their strengths, represent their school and network with other students and industry professionals. Competitions are highly effective in preparing students for success in real world business encounters.

“On a personal level, you get to connect with and meet new friends. On a professional level, you get exposure to top industry professionals and the opportunity to continue to develop presentation, networking and analytical skills through challenging business cases,” Spencer Blake, member of the winning JDCC team.