Case competition
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In a case competition, participants strive to develop the best solution to a business or education-related case study within an allocated time frame, typically with teams of two or more individuals pitted against each other in a head-to-head or broader relative ranking.[1][2] Teams deliver presentations for judges and, while competitions vary in composition, a standard format and purpose exists.
History
The case competition concept originated in the United States and originally included participants from domestic universities. The notion of expanding to include international competitors emerged later, with the concept eventually taking hold across North America and Western Europe. Today, a wide range of international competitions are hosted in various countries in North America, Europe, and Asia,[1] with the phenomenon enjoying particular popularity in Canada.
More recently, case competitions have begun to enjoy increasing popularity in other parts of the world. One example is the Middle East & North Africa Regional Case Initiative (MENARCCI) at the American University of Beirut (AUB). MENARCCI's goal is to serve as a depository of all necessary knowledge about the case method, sources of cases and publishing outlets, and the links to all cases on the Region available on-line. In the Middle East, cases competitions are conducted by the American University of Beirut and the American University in Cairo.
Purpose
Participants exercise skills and knowledge on a "real world" case for an actual organization, with the support of representatives who can provide professional advice.[1] Other competitions select an issue based on its degree of importance, and employ the competition as a means to both highlight the issue and create potential solutions through the efforts of the competitors.[2] Participants can also be assessed as potential candidates for analysis-based jobs.
Description
Teams in case competitions are tasked with assessing the situation facing the organization, analyzing available information, crafting a solution, and defending their recommendations. Each team is judged independently. In general, teams adhere to a time limit and specific rules. The judges' decision is final and a confidential summary evaluation is generally provided.[3]
Competitions can be internal to a business school, or they can involve teams from multiple schools. Sometimes the competition includes several rounds, with the final round typically judged by outside company executives (sometimes the panel consists of executives from the actual company in the case). For example, the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business' 2010 round of its Global Business Case Competition featured a customized case on the Boeing Company[4] and Boeing executives acted as judges.[citation needed]
Formats
Formats vary according to a number of dimensions. The following dimensions are often used to classify and compare competitions:
- Host: corporate versus educational institution
- Participant selection: "by invitation" versus "by application"
- Level: undergraduate, graduate,...
Formats may vary along practical dimensions, including:
- Case specificity (whether the case has been written especially for the competition or not)
- Number of teams
- Organization (student-run, professional etc.)
- Rules, e.g.:
- Time (common formats are 3-4 or 24 hours)
- Material
- Degree of access to expert advice (either from within the competition or externally)
Format variations
Some competitions add complexity to create a more interesting challenge. For example, Ohio State University (OSU)'s Center For International Business Education And Research (CIBER), in its annual Case Challenge, created teams from the overall pool of participants, regardless of school, dissolving the usual school-based team format. For the Ohio State scenario, once the students are assigned to teams, a full day of team-building exercises is run for competitors.
Notable competitions
Invitational competitions
Competition | Country | University | Level | Teams | Inaugural Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Molson MBA International Case Competition | Canada | John Molson School of Business | Graduate - MBA | 36 teams | 1981 |
Solvers' Cup | Hungary | Case Solvers | Undergraduate | 9 teams | 2016 |
Japan MBA Case Competition | Japan | Tokyo-based MBA programs | Graduate - MBA | 9 teams | 2013 |
WBS Case Challenge | United Kingdom | Warwick Business School | Graduate | 8 teams | 2013 |
CBS Case Competition[5] | Denmark | Copenhagen Business School | Undergraduate | 12 teams | 2002 |
Belgrade Business International Case Competition - BBICC [6] | Serbia | University of Belgrade | Undergraduate | 12 teams | 2013 |
Engineering and Commerce Case Competition[7] | Canada | Concordia University | Undergraduate | 12 teams | 2013 |
Asian Business Case Competition @ Nanyang (ABCC)[8] | Singapore | Nanyang Technological University | Undergraduate | 12 teams | 2007 |
CaseIT MIS Case Competition[9] | Canada | Beedie School of Business | Undergraduate | 20 teams | 2004 |
Champions Trophy Case Competition[10] | New Zealand | University of Auckland | Undergraduate | 12 teams | 2008 |
Citi International Case Competition[11] | Hong Kong | HKUST | Undergraduate | 20 teams | 2003 |
GBCC - Audi Global Business Case Competition[12] | Japan | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University | Undergraduate | 12 teams | 2015 |
TUBC - Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge[13] | Thailand | Thammasat University | Undergraduate | 16 teams | 2007 |
Global Business Case Competition[14] | United States | University of Washington | Undergraduate | 15 teams | 1999 |
International Graduate Competition[15] | Canada | HEC Montreal | Graduate | 8 teams | 2012 |
International Case Competition @ Maastricht[16] | Netherlands | Maastricht University | Undergraduate | 16 teams | 2009 |
Marshall International Case Competition [17] | United States | University of Southern California | Undergraduate | 30 teams | 1997 |
McGill Management International Case Competition[18] | Canada | McGill University | Undergraduate | 12 teams | 2001 |
McIntire International Case Competition[19][20] | United States | University of Virginia | Undergraduate | 6 teams | 1982 |
UOB-NUS Case Competition[21] | Singapore | National University of Singapore | Undergraduate | 12 teams | 2009 |
RMA Credit Risk Case Competition[22] | Canada | Sobey School of Business | Graduate | 8 teams | 2013 |
Sauder Summit Global Case Competition[23] | Canada | Sauder School of Business | Undergraduate | 12 teams | 2013 |
UNICC (University of Navarra International Case Competition) | Spain | University of Navarra | Undergraduate | 16 teams | 2013 |
AUBCC (Australian Undergraduate Business Case Competition) | Australia | QUT, UNSW, University of Melbourne | Undergraduate | 16 teams | 2013 |
Competitions by application
Competition | Country | Associated Institution | Level | Participants | Teams |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
APEX Business-IT Global Case Challenge[24] | Singapore | Singapore Management University | Undergraduate | 90 | 30 |
Business Masters[25] | Germany | Karlsruhe Institute of Technology | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate | 27 | 9 |
Changellenge >> [26] | Russia | Undergraduate | 2,500 | ||
FMAA Management Consulting Case Competition [27] | Australia | Financial Management Association of Australia | Mixed Undergraduate/ Graduate | 221 | |
Gadjah Mada Business Case Competition [28] | Indonesia | Gadjah Mada University | Undergraduate | 24 | 8 |
Hult Global Case Challenge[29] | United Kingdom | Hult International Business School | Graduate | 150 | |
Inter-Collegiate Business Competition (I.C.B.C.)[30] | Canada | Queen's Smith School of Business | Undergraduate | 102 | 48 |
IT Case Competition (ITCC)[31] | Denmark | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate | 48 | 12 | |
IXL Innovation Olympics[32] | USA | IXL Center[32] | Graduate and Undergraduate | 150 | |
KPMG International Case Competition [33] | International | KPMG | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate | 20,000[34] | 5,000 |
L'Oreal Brandstorm | France | L'Oreal | Undergraduate | 135 | 45 |
ModelOff International Case Competition [35] | New York | Professional Services Champions League | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate | 4,000 | |
Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Worldwide Case Competition[36] | Finland (2017) | Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (2017) | Undergraduate | 64 | 16 |
Oliver Wyman Iberia Case Competition[37] | Spain | Oliver Wyman[37] | Graduate | 150 | |
Pitt Health Innovation Case Competition (PHICC)[38] | United States | University of Pittsburgh | Graduate | 60 | 12 |
Purdue Human Capital Case Competition [39] | United States | Krannert School of Management | Graduate | 36 | 9 |
Rubicon Contest [40] | Germany | b.one, BiTS Iserlohn | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate | 96 | |
Suitable for Business Case Competition[41] | Denmark | Suitable for Business | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate | 48 | |
Schulich International Case Competition [42] | Canada | Schulich School of Business | Graduate | 70 | 9 |
- ^ a b c Stephanie Wold Hadler (11 November 2011). "What is a case competition?". Copenhagen Business School. Copenhagen Business School. Archived from the original on 26 January 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b Staff (1996–2011). "Center for Nonprofit and Public Leadership | Educational Case Leadership Competition". University of California, Berkeley | Haas School of Business. University of California, Berkeley. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Staff (2012). "Contact John Molson MBA International Case Competition". John Molson MBA International Case Competition. John Molson MBA International Case Competition. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
- ^ Staff (2002-11). "Archives Global Business Case Competition". Foster. Michael G. Foster School of Business, University of Washington. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "CBS Case Competition: The Concept". Copenhagen Business School. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Belgrade Business International Case Competition". University of Belgrade. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ "Engineering and Commerce Case Competition". Concordia University. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ "Asian Business Case Competition @ Nanyang". Nanyang Business School. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ^ "CaseIT: Competition Information". CaseIT MIS Case Competition. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ^ "Business School: About Us". University of Auckland. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
- ^ "About the Competition: General Information". HKUST Business School. Archived from the original on 24 January 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "GBCC". Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
- ^ "Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge". Thammasat Business School. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
- ^ "Global Business Case Competition". Foster School of Business. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "International Graduate Competition". HEC Montréal. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- ^ "International Case Competition @ Maastricht". Maastricht University. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ "Marshall International Case Competition". USC Marshall. Archived from the original on 26 January 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "MMICC: Concept". McGill Management International Case Competition. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "McIntire International Case Competition". Chinese University Bulletin. Retrieved 12 April 2012.[permanent dead link ]
- ^ "At U.Va.'s McIntire School of Commerce International Case Competition Showcases Business Skills". University of Virginia. 3 February 1997. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "UOB-NUS Case Competition: Competition Details". NUS-DBS International Case Competition. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "RMA Credit Risk Case Competition". Sobey School of Business. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
- ^ "Sauder Summit". Sauder Summit. Retrieved 25 Mar 2013.
- ^ "APEX Business-IT Global Case Challenge". Singapore Management University. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Business Masters 2011: About Us". Business Masters. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Changellenge". Changellenge. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "FMAA Management Consulting Case Competition". Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ "GMBCC". Gadjah Mada Business Case Competition. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
- ^ "About Us: The Power of a Good Idea". Hult Global Case Challenge. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "History of I.C.B.C." Inter-Collegiate Business Challenge. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "IT Case Competition 2016/17 | Reshape the future | Copenhagen, Denmark". Reshape the future. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
- ^ a b http://www.ixl-center.com/innovation-olympics/.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "KPMG's International Case Competition". KPMG. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Team Canada wins the 2016 KPMG International Case Competition (KICC)". kpmg.com.
- ^ "ModelOff International Financial Modeling Case Competition". Retrieved 4 June 2014.
- ^ "Case Competition". Network of International Business Schools. Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b https://web.archive.org/web/20141112114950/http://www.oliverwyman.com:80/index.html. Archived from the original on 2014-11-12.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Pitt students encourage research colleagues to think outside the box through new case competition". Swanson School of Engineering. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
- ^ "Purdue Human Capital Case Competition". Krannert School of Management. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Rubicon International Contest for Business Students". Rubicon Contest. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Suitable for Business: About". Suitable for Business. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Schulich International Case Competition". Retrieved 4 June 2014.