AUSTIN, Texas—A team of four students from the University of Minnesota won the 2004 International Business Challenge, the annual undergraduate case competition at The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business.
The Minnesota students—Chris Hasling, Jeremiah Keehn, Matt Monson and Ryan Jones—defeated teams from Georgetown University, Concordia University (Montreal), and the University of Edinburgh during the finals Oct. 23.
Overall, 18 universities from around the world competed in the event hosted by the McCombs School’s Undergraduate Management Consulting Association.
Teams had 60 hours to prepare a solution to a “live case,” a current business problem. This year’s case came from the fashion industry, with teams examining operational aspects of Inditex, a global apparel retailer based in Spain. The case focused on prospects for the company’s Zara chain, which has fueled the growth of Inditex in recent years. Students had to tackle a complex set of issues relating to international strategy and competitive economics.
During the finals, teams had 35 minutes each to present their ideas before a panel of seven judges, who selected the international champion.
In addition to winning the overall contest, the Minnesota team also won the Students’ Choice Award.
Undergraduates from the McCombs School managed all aspects of organizing the contest, which was sponsored by Ford Motor Company and Accenture. Started in 1994, the International Business Challenge is one of few large-scale management challenges for undergraduates.
More information, including photos of the 2004 participants, can be found at the International Business Challenge Web site.
For more information contact: J.B. Bird, McCombs School, 512-471-3314.
