First Smeal MBA Sustainability Case Competition - Fall 2014

Results Announcement of the 2014 MBA Sustainability Case Competition:

2014 Smeal MBA Sustainability Case Competition 1st place winning team, Krannert School of Management, Purdue University. Left to right: Dr. Gerry Susman, Tiffany Wendler, Arun Bharadwaj, Harshad Lalit, Joel Stubbs, and Xi Wen
2014 Smeal MBA Sustainability Case Competition 1st place winning team, Krannert School of Management, Purdue University. Left to right: Dr. Gerry Susman, Tiffany Wendler, Arun Bharadwaj, Harshad Lalit, Joel Stubbs, and Xi Wen

Purdue University won the $10,000 prize for first place. Smeal was awarded $5,000 for second place. Indiana University took home $2,500 for third place. Teams from Dartmouth College and Ohio State were the other finalists invited to campus from an initial field of 29 teams. 

Participating teams were required to analyze a case about SKF, a Swedish-owned company that makes and sells sophisticated integrated bearings systems to wind turbine generator manufacturers worldwide. Smeal faculty reviewed their analyses, which were coded to assure anonymity. The five finalist teams presented their case analyses to a panel of four judges: three vice presidents from SKF and a vice president from PepsiCo.

Each team’s delivery was judged on: a comprehensive understanding of SKF, its industry and regulatory and legislative environment; direct and thorough answers to all questions; effective use of case material to develop credible and implementable solutions; taking full advantage of its members’ resources; and, the quality of materials used to accompany the presentation.

“The SKF judges were awed by the insights that student teams offered from having only read the case and searching the internet for material on their company,” Gerald Susman said. “These judges said they would be very comfortable having students like these as consultants for their company.”