Jones College of Business contest
develops ‘real world’ job skills
MURFREESBORO — The
three sharp-dressed consultants clearly knew their stuff — the organization’s
background, financials and trajectory. Their multimedia presentation focused on
the critical need to win millennials over to the brand, and their research on
that up-and-coming consumer demographic was persuasive.
Then,
they unveiled three ready-to-implement proposals: the retailer should
restructure its shopper rewards program to increase engagement; it should
launch a cutting-edge mobile phone app to ensure its messages are reaching
young adults; and it should launch new boutique stores with trendy brands to
woo key influencers.
To
conclude, they revealed that the outfits they were wearing came from one of the
retailer’s stores and they explained how their shopping experiences informed
their proposals. In the end, they won the day and the “contract.”
It was a
scene that could have played out in a Wall Street or Silicon Valley boardroom.
But these consultants were college seniors, and the setting was a classroom at
the Middle Tennessee State University’s Jones College of Business. Their
audience was a group of representatives from Goodwill Industries of Middle
Tennessee.
As the
winners of MTSU’s second Strategic Management Case Competition, accounting
majors Emily Benavides of Franklin, Tennessee, Lindsey Ryner of Spring Hill,
Tennessee, and Lucas Tidwell of Nolensville, Tennessee, and took home $1,800 in
prize money and an eye-catching entry for their resumes.
A total
of 205 students participated in the eight-week competition, but only 35
students comprising nine class-champion teams made it to the Dec. 5 final
round. There, Goodwill judged them on the quality of their research,
recommendations and presentations.
Other
teams’ proposals ranged from revamping Goodwill’s online auction site to
expanding its social media presence to creating college campus “closets” where
free business attire is available to students who need it.
“The
business strategy case competition provides an opportunity to do real world
work with business professionals,” said Jill Austin, who chairs the Department
of Management in the Jones College of Business, in a Goodwill news release.
“The experience helps students develop their critical thinking skills and teamwork
skills, and they gain confidence in their abilities to be successful in their
careers.”
Murat
Arik, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, which assisted
the Department of Management in organizing the competition, agreed.
“To be successful
in this competition, students must tackle a real world business challenge,
understand the dynamics of teamwork and produce results under the strict
deadlines,” he said in the release. Arik joined fellow faculty members Joshua
Aaron, Richard Mpoyi, Don Lester and John Mullane in overseeing the
competition.
Ryner
said her team’s research into Goodwill not only gave her insight into the
challenges facing nonprofits, it also gave her a holistic perspective she might
have otherwise missed.
“It gave
me an overall view of the business,” she said. “I’m so used to doing accounting
and the numbers side of it. Being able to see all aspects combined to create an
organization was most helpful to me.”
Karl
Houston, Goodwill’s senior director of marketing and one of the judges for the
competition, said he was extremely impressed with the students’ efforts and
insights.
“It was
really exciting to hear presentations from these sharp young minds and future
business leaders,” he said. “Many of their recommendations deserve and will
receive Goodwill’s serious consideration.”
For more
information about Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, visit http://giveit2goodwill.org.
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