Nazareth School of Business and Leadership cohosts first annual global case competition
By Jake Kwiatkowski '12, '21G
In a time of grounded planes, cancelled plans, and a lack of physical interaction, innovation must thrive to fill the void. Nazareth College’s School of Business and Leadership is not letting a pandemic get in the way of fulfilling its mission for experiential and global learning. The school is hosting a global case study competition to foster collaboration, team-building, and competition.
The competition in May will virtually bring together students from different universities and colleges from around the world to be presented with a specific business challenge facing a company. Student teams of up to five members will have one week to complete an analysis and present their solution. To sweeten the pot, there will be a cash prize for the top three teams.
Nazareth hoped three or four schools would enter the competition. So far — and with two weeks left of registration — there are 10 teams from South Korea, Finland, Hungary, and Australia. Kenneth Rhee, dean of Nazareth’s School of Business and Leadership, believes, “This is a clear indication of the willingness of students to engage. There is a true desire by students to participate in international projects and to collaborate.”
Rhee said this competition is “a way to help partner universities to learn and collaborate during the pandemic. The competition is icing on the cake. The real reward is being able to participate, to learn, and to hone the team-building skills that students are learning.”
Rhee is no stranger to these competitions. While in his MBA program at Boston University, he and his team narrowly lost a similar competition, he says, due to poor team dynamics. It inspired him to pursue his Ph.D. and help others learn by holding similar competitions. The goal, he says, is to have students “improve analytical skills and create high-performing teams.” Though some teams may be lacking in certain technical skills, those can be overcome by creating strong relationships, trust, and strong team dynamics.
Since students can't physically go global this semester, Nazareth continues to innovate and bring these global experiences to students. Competitions like this and last semester's Global Shark Tank competition are a way for Nazareth to narrow the gap that currently exists in global collaboration due to the pandemic.
Applications for the competition are due April 1. For more: Global Case Competition
For More Information
Julie Long | Chief PR Officer, | (585) 781-8186 | jlong2@naz.edu
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
