NXU Business Case Challenge: Building a Pandemic-Proof Business
CASE STUDY THEME:
"Future-proofing a business against a global pandemic"
We’d like you to choose any business which you think would be materially adversely impacted should there be another pandemic in the future, or one thats been adversely affected by the current pandemic.
Identify one specific business and come up with a case study which clearly identifies how that business has/would be impacted then identify your solution to future-proofing that businesss.
Timeline
How to enter
The Business Case Challenge consists of three stages:
Stage 1: Venture
Stage 2: Pivot
Stage 3: Disrupt
Please read the following information carefully.
Stage 1: Venture
Participants must create a team with 3 members, all of which must be current MBA learners, each team must assign 1 team leader.
Once your team has been formed, you'll need to register and submit a 2-minute video to pitch your case study idea.
The video must be:
- An oral presentation with all three team members (you can each take turns to speak – for example, you can schedule a Zoom meeting and record it)
- A quick summary of the chosen case study (see this year's theme here)
- An explanation of the potential solution – the strategy behind your team's approach
- Max upload is 100MB and in MP4 format
Select 1 member to register the team and submit the video via this form.
There are many ways you can find other MBA learners to form a team with, including the NXU BCC Teams group, Localized channels, and MBA WhatsApp group.
The deadline to register your team & submit your 2-minute pitch is May 28, 2021, 23.59 ET. We strongly encourage you to register as early as possible so you and your team will have more time to work on your case submission. Every minute counts!
All submitted registrations/presentations are final and no modifications are allowed after submission. Late registrations will not be accepted.
Stage 2: Pivot
Panelists will then select 10 teams with the best pitches to move to Stage 2: Pivot.
If your team is selected, you will be given the case study competition kit including the case study outline and requirements. Your team will have 2 weeks to study and complete the entire case.
The 10 teams must submit their full case study business presentations by July 4, 23:59 ET.
The 3 teams with the highest-scoring case studies will move to the third and final stage: Disrupt.
Stage 3: Disrupt
The final 3 teams will move onto Stage 3: Disrupt - you will get the chance to present your case with a live audience from across the world!
The winning team will be selected by both our panel of judges and our audience by casting their vote online. Think American Idol, but Nexford style!
When: Friday, July 9
Time: 12.00-13.00 UTC / 08.00-0.9.00 ET
Where: Online via Zoom
Missed the Grand Final? Watch a recording of the livestream
For our first annual Business Case Challenge, we asked our MBA learners to think about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses and to present a case study about it. We had over 20 teams enter and finally, 3 finalist teams were invited to present their business case proposal to a panel of judges and the audience, which was live-streamed on Zoom and Facebook.
Guest judges: • Zaid Selman, Strategy and Commercial Due Diligence, Deloitte • Dr. Michael Rodriguez, Visiting Professor, Nexford University • Noelle Kendrick, Visiting Professor, Nexford University
Plus, alongside the judges, audiences were also be able to cast their votes live for the winning team! Think American Idol, but Nexford style!
Prizes
All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation, and the 3 shortlisted teams will get listed on Nexford’s website as the top three participants in this competition, with their videos broadcasted live worldwide. Prizes are non-transferrable. The winners will receive the following prizes:
First place
- 6-month 50% discount voucher on tuition fee for each of the 3 team members
- 1-year Grammarly premium subscription for each of the 3 team members worth US$144
- 1 business consulting session with a business consulting expert for each of the 3 team members
Second place
- 1-year Lucid premium subscription for each of the 3 team members worth US$107.50
- 1 business consulting session with a business consulting expert for each of the 3 team members
Third place
- 1-year Blinkist premium subscription for each of the 3 team members worth USS$89.99
- 1 personal branding coaching session with a personal branding expert for each of the 3 team members
Why participate in the NXU Business Case Challenge?
Nexford’s Business Case Study Challenge is a chance for you to put your own skills to work by creating a case study on how to future-proof a business of your choosing. You will get to work with a team of NXU learners, and if you’re shortlisted you’ll get to present your case study to the world and stand the chance to win the title of Global Case Study 2021 Champion!
The purpose of the competition is to promote intellectual development and allow you, NXU learners, to apply the skills you’ve built throughout your academic journey. This will enable you to apply principles of business strategies while giving you a chance to collaborate with participating learners.
This will be an opportunity for you to demonstrate to the world the skills you’ve built and the presentation skills you’ve mastered.
If you have any questions about the above, check out the FAQs
FAQs
Who can participate? (Eligibility criteria)
This competition is only open for current & LOA* Nexford University MBA learners from all over the world.
Participants must create a team with 3 members, all of which must be current MBA learners, each team must assign 1 team leader. We strongly suggest the team leader be a learner who has completed at least 4 MBA courses.
Haven't got a group yet? There are many ways you can find other MBA learners to form a team with, including the NXU BCC Teams group and MBA WhatsApp group.
*In the event an LOA learner wins, they are required to return immediately in order not to void the prizes.
How do I join/create a team?
There are many ways you can find other MBA learners to form a team with, including the NXU BCC Teams group and MBA WhatsApp group.
How do I register?
You can register here for the Business Case Challenge 2021. Only one person from each team needs to register to create a new team.
Haven't got a group yet? There are many ways you can find other MBA learners to form a team with, including the NXU BCC Teams group and MBA WhatsApp group.
How much does it cost?
There is no fee for participating.
What is a business case study?
Business case studies are summaries of business scenarios which enable learners to analyze business issues from a variety of perspectives and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Business case studies can illustrate business theory and show the application of such theory.
Do we need to send a word file of our case study?
No, that is not necessary as your academic writing skills are not the ones being measured in this competition. You will only be required to submit your group’s final case study video presentation by May 30, 2021, 11:59 PM (ET).
Are we allowed to consult our professors for the case study?
Learners are not allowed to seek consultation from professors – that is why you have teammates! Collaborate with one another to build the strongest business case. You can do this!
Will joining this competition give me extra credit in my courses?
No. This competition is an extra-curricular event that is outside of your course model. Nonetheless, you’ll receive competency-building experiences that you can add to your skillset which is relevant in the global workforce. Apart from that, you’ll have the opportunity to take home amazing prizes!
Will the result of this competition count towards my GPA?
No. This competition is an extra-curricular event that is outside of your course model. This means that you will not receive an academic grade from participating in this competition. You will, however, have a chance to build connections and develop communication skills relevant to real life. That trumps course grades any time!
What will happen if we fail to meet a piece in the presentation requirement?
Points will be deducted if any of the requirements are not met. Just do your best as a team and follow the guidelines accordingly. Good luck!
Further questions?
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at success@nexford.org