Celebrating Excellence: Prize Ceremony

Before the final live round on Zoom, a prize ceremony was held to honor country winners and recognize their exceptional achievements. This celebratory moment set the stage for the intense final round.

Global Final Winners and Achievements

The PennSEM Business Case Competition 2024 celebrated the exceptional talent, innovation, and hard work of participants. This year’s global winners demonstrated unparalleled creativity, strategic thinking, and excellence in problem-solving. Their accomplishments are a testament to their dedication and ability to address complex business challenges.

Judges and Evaluation

The final round featured a rigorous evaluation process by an esteemed panel of judges, including:

• Professors from the University of Pennsylvania: Aswin Mannepalli, Chris Morse, and Mack Dube.
• Seasoned Industry Experts: Leslie Nogic and Gary Ngan.

Their diverse expertise ensured a fair and comprehensive assessment of the presentations.

Competition Format and Structure

The competition unfolded in three exciting rounds, each crafted to challenge participants’ analytical skills, creativity, and strategic thinking:

1. First Round: Participants submitted a pitch deck analyzing Burberry’s slow revenue growth and declining profitability. They proposed actionable solutions to help Burberry execute a successful turnaround strategy.

2. Second Round: Participants expanded on their ideas with a video and pitch deck submission. This round focused on addressing the reasons behind Starbucks’ underperformance. Teams were tasked with developing a one-year turnaround strategy and offering recommendations to ensure stable, long-term growth.

3. Final Round: The top teams advanced to a live Zoom presentation, judged by a distinguished panel of experts. In this round, participants devised short-term and long-term strategies to help Nike reclaim its position as the world’s leading sportswear brand.

Workshop on Business Case Presentation Fundamentals

To prepare participants for the competition’s demands, a workshop was held on business case competition presentation fundamentals, led by Professor Sara Mangat from the University of Pennsylvania. The session provided invaluable insights and practical tips to elevate the participants' presentations.

A Global Stage for Aspiring Leaders

This year’s PennSEM Business Case Competition demonstrated the power of collaboration and innovation. It provided participants with a platform to shine on a global stage, gaining valuable experience and feedback from top-tier judges and industry experts. Congratulations to all the winners and participants for their outstanding efforts!