Ateneo wins 2012 IIBD Business Case competition

MANILA, Philippines - IIBD Case Competition is an annual competition for IIBD member and non-member universities worldwide. The mission of the IIBD Case Competition is to strengthen internationalization through the enhancement of student and faculty networks, both social as well as professional. The competition highlights the strategic challenges and managerial dilemmas faced by global business leaders. Students have to work under pressure to solve a real-world business problem, using simulated business conditions such as time-critical deadlines and incomplete information, to formulate workable, action-oriented recommendations. It is a test of students’ creativity and problem-solving abilities. These students, tomorrow’s business leaders, will be better prepared to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing global business environment.

In the first round of competition, 28 university teams from 12 countries submitted their case analysis reports in June. After three rounds of review by a panel of 13 assessors, six teams have been selected and invited to participate in the final round to be held in Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand, this December. The six finalist teams are:

• Ateneo de Manila University, The Philippines

•  Simon Fraser University, Canada

•  Thammasat University, Thailand

•  The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong

•  Assumption University, Thailand (host institution)

•  Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong (host institution)

Last Tuesday, Dec. 4, the teams gathered at 8 a.m. to be given the case on Workplace Sustainability, entitled “Samsung: Workplace Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage.” In equal intervals the teams were each given six hours to analyze, prepare their Power Points and practice. After which each team was made to present for 20 minutes each with a 15-minute Q&A immediately following their presentation. It was a grueling 14 hours by the time the completion finished at 10 p.m.

Emerging victorious with the Gold Award was Ateneo de Manila University for the team competition and the Best Presenter award was given to Ray Philip Pine, captain of the Ateneo de Manila team. Other members of the team are James Nicholas Cruz, team co-captain; Samantha Bautista, team illustrator; and Edrielle Enriquez, team financial analyst.This year’s team was mentored by Johnny Filart, a lecturer at the John Gokongwei School of Management.

A big win for the Ateneo, it is also a big victory for the Philippines, showing that our potential  business leaders can be categorized as among the very best in the world.