Why you should enter a business case competition

The challenge is to develop unique real-world business solutions. Solutions are not just generic but must be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve a more sustainable future. Participants must choose one of four ESG (environmental, social, governance) themes: energy, technology, bio and inclusion.

Team Kichuri, the IBA business competition team from Dhaka University, chose Energy. The team has four members: Abir Ershad, Mashrif Hasan Adib, Mohtasim Bin Habib and Shubhashish Chakraborty Turjoy.

The team solved this problem with Synergy, an energy project that uses waste to produce biogas. The gas can be used in cylinders as a sustainable cooking gas alternative. With this business solution, the Kichuri team won the national-level championship title along with four other teams in the 20th edition of the British American Tobacco (BAT) Bangladesh Flagship Business Case Competition Platform Battle of the Heart 2023.

Apart from Khichuri, more than 3,800 contestants from 22 universities participated in the competition. These include “Azor Ahai”, a collaborative team from Army Institute of Business Administration (AIBA) and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), and “Twenty’s Tenants” team from Bangladesh University of Professional Studies (BUP).

Not just at the national level, the winning team also participated in a global tour in London with winners from 36 countries. The Khichuri team finished second there, with the winner winning £50,000 in seed funding to facilitate the launch of the proposed idea.

This isn’t over yet.

In the same year, the Kichuri team became the first team in Bangladeshi business competitions to win five competitions including the British American Tobacco Battle of Ideas, Unilever Bizmaestros, and the HSBC Business Case Competition.

In the 2023 HSBC Business Case Competition, the team solved a business case related to the business operations of East Asian music production company 88 Rising.

“Winning the tournament quickly put us on the professional stage. We have the opportunity to learn in high-pressure situations involving real-life scenarios. As a team we came up with ideas and presented them to industry leaders. ” said Shubhashish Chakraborty Turjoy, one of the Kichuri team members.

In addition, they have the opportunity Network with senior executives and others in your field.

Now Abir Ershad and Mashrif Hasan Adib are working at BAT. Meanwhile, Shubhashish Chakraborty Turjoy is interning at Unilever and Mohtasim Bin Habib is working in a bank.

what is Anyway, business case competition?

This is an academic competition for business students. This type of competition originated in the United States and is now very popular and held all over the world.

In business competitions, organizers prepare a business case or situation that requires a solution. Participants divide into teams of two or more people and find a solution within a set time.

The team then reads the business case and provides a solution. The solution is presented to the judge in the form of an oral or written analysis. The team with the best solution wins the competition.

Nanna Freya Rhys Larson, In a post on LinkedIn, Novo Nordisk’s director of people and organization said, “Participating in such competitions is a unique networking experience because you not only have the opportunity to meet and interact with representatives from potential workplaces; There is an opportunity to seek their input on the work you have done on this case.”

Such competitions also provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate problem-solving skills, strategic thinking and collaboration, and apply academic knowledge to real-world settings.

Nurturing the nation’s future business leaders

HSBC Bangladesh Branch has been implementing the HSBC Business Case Competition since 2013. It forms part of HSBC’s flagship Future Skills event in Asia Pacific. The latest version of the program is implemented in partnership with Dhaka University’s Institute of Business Administration (IBA), which won Team Khichuri in 2023.

Through a series of selections and workshops, the top five teams from different universities across the country presented their business cases at the finals. The national winners will then compete in a regional competition, the HSBC/HKU Asia Pacific Business Case Competition in Hong Kong, against entrants from 24 countries.

according to Nowrin Islam, Communications Manager, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Bangladesh,”The competition aims to educate the country’s future business leaders, helping them develop future-ready essential skills such as financial analysis, communication, public speaking and [skill to solve] Business Case. Case competitions enrich their experience in engaging in critical thinking and creativity.

It also improves students’ business literacy by challenging them to come up with creative and feasible solutions to real-life business cases. “

Saad Jashim, Head of Talent, Culture and Inclusion at BAT Bangladesh, said: “We are extremely proud of our more than 1,800 alumni over the years. A core focus of War of Ideas is to Participants are provided with contemporary experiences that allow them to explore the world and test their true potential.”

Who can attend and what organizers are looking for

Overall, there are two types of business case competitions: invitation-only competitions (where participants need to be invited) and competitions open to everyone. There are also theme contests.For example, the BAT competition has four ESG (environmental, social, governance) themes.

However, according to Nowrin Islam, regarding competition from HSBC,NYU students may participate, but only in groups of four from the same university.

More than 20 Bangladeshi universities participate in this competition every year. The judging criteria include understanding of key issues, business case analysis, assessment of feasible options, solutions and suggestions, implementation and action plans, problem handling, presentation form and style, etc.

Each team will have 12 minutes to present and 10 minutes for Q&A on a selected topic. Students then have four hours to solve a topic-related case given to them by a panel of judges. The team must also present it on the same day. In the next round, they performed handwriting demonstrations under guidance from the University of Hong Kong to stimulate creativity.

Do winners receive job offers?

“Competition winners will not be offered a job, but they are encouraged to apply when vacancies are advertised,” Noorin Islam said.

“Our ability to solve problems, the way we come up with ideas – everything is important. I feel like it’s helped us get to where we are now,” Tujoy said.

Additionally, participants can participate in workshop projects to gain knowledge in solving problems in real-life scenarios.

“Last year, the champion, runner-up and third runner-up received team development funds of Taka 200,000, Taka 100,000 and Taka 50,000 respectively. This year, the winning team will have the opportunity to go to Hong Kong to participate in regional competitions.

International exposure helps students develop networking skills, understand different cultures and learn problem-solving skills,” Nolin concluded.