Pre Competition Reception

The participants from the 16 teams gathered a little past 7pm this evening at the School of Management's ballroom on the 9th floor. It was a first time the teams were meeting their competition, lively banter of getting to know each other were exchanged, the atmosphere was very relaxed with the students in high spirits. Tomorrow -- they become competition....

I had the opportunity to speak with a few teams.

IESE Business School's team is missing a team-mate, his flight was delayed and the rest of the team hopes he can make it to Boston before the competition tomorrow! In any case, this team comes with sound advice from the school's previous team which came in second last year.

The advice consitutes:

(1) Have a good time, don't take it too seriously
(2) Get the judges drunk the night before

Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth were added to the competition at a later stage than the rest of the teams.

With only 2 weeks notice before the start of the competition, the team weren't "exactly sure what they missed out on but were excited and looking forward to the event". The team members are all second year MBAs with 3 of them working as a team on a case competition before.

Another team with all second year MBAs is the University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flager Business School which hopes will work to the team's advantage. Speaking with Ramesh Gangadhar, a second time participant in the competition explained that the team this time comes with more organizational skills and structure, as compared to last year where the team consisted of only first years. Speaking of organizational skills - this team has drawn up a schedule for every 15 minutes interval!!

A less conventional (and surprising) approach comes from Boston University - 1/2 of the team is wearing the same outfit from last year, for good luck they say! Scott Lowe is wearing the same shirt from last year and Simone Patel is wearing the same shoes and nail polish from last year. I do hope they washed them before tonight!

One team with lots of good advice and practice is the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Their team has received lots of preparation, advice from the faculty on what to do, not to do, how to present. Joe Sutanto has very confidently commented that the HKUST team will get no less than 12 hours sleep tomorrow! Well, we'll have to see about that, Joe!

Steve Newman (Program Director for Executive Development, Ericsson) "We are thrilled to have 16 of the best schools in the world spend time thinking about Ericsson about the issues of strategic importance. Since 2008, Ericsson has been trying to integrate the Case Competition with the company's own Executive Program".

Par-Anders Pherson (Vice President, Leadership, Ericsson) "Ericsson has been around for 130 years, the CEO of Ericsson has continuously stressed on the challenge and importance to ensure that the company stays around for the next 130 years". And to do this, "Ericsson must connect itself to global talent. The company stays committed to what each of you have to say."

Professor Mike Lawson (Senior Associate Dean and Professor of Information Systems, Boston University) during his speech expressed his thanks for the teams' "diligence and hard work that has paid off and the excitement and ethusiasm that they bring to the competition". "Despite Thomas Friedman's book, and despite capital and people being very mobile" Professor Lawson commented that "the world is not flat but remains round and diverse economically and politically". "International events such as this promote diversity". "This is the 5th time we have had this competition and it promises to be the best and most competitive!"

So, with the best and most competitive competition ahead! - Let the games begin!!