There we are! @ Windesheim, building x

If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere!

That was the slogan on the advertisement poster, to invite students from Windesheim University of Applied Sciences to subscribe for the Hong Kong Business Case Competition. Seventeen students subscribed, only four of them were allowed to participate in the Hong Kong Business Case Competition team.

For these four students, the challenge began..

After ten days struggling with a tough business case, the team handed over a marketing plan. On the first of September 2011 we received great news: We are invited to fly to Hong Kong to participate in the final, on Friday 11 November 2011. We are going to compete with four other Universities, from all over the world:

-          Ateneo de Manila University, The Philippines

-          Baylor University, USA

-          Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR

-          University of Prince Edward Island, Canada

The tickets have been booked, and we are excited to go. In the past weeks, and in the weeks to come, we have been studying and practicing business cases, we received extra marketing lessons from our tutor; Drs. Sander Janssens. Besides, Jan van der Velde, marketing director at Grolsch company, gave a guest college and practiced marketing methodologies with us. Last Tuesday  we had an interesting Anglo Saxon presentation skills lessons from Candida Snow.

But before we leave to Hong Kong, we still have to prepare a few things. For example, how to promote Windesheim and our team even more, what to wear during the final, how to make a splattering PowerPoint, and  who’s doing what.

To keep you all informed about our preparations and during the journey, we will launch a weblog soon. Interviews, articles etcetera are to be found in (regional) newspapers (de Toren and de Stentor). You can also spot and follow us at Twitter @TeamWindesheim.

On Wednesday 9 November 2011 we will depart from Schiphol airport and we will arrive at Thursday in Hong Kong. One day after arrival, on Friday, the final begins..

At 08:15 (local time) the first group gets started to solve a business case within six hours time. The next team starts an half hour later, and so on. At the end of the six hours, the analysis of the business case has to be presented to a judge. Within 30 minutes, because then the next team will give their presentation a half hour later, until all groups gave their analysis and presentation. Afterwards the judges will have questions for each team. Answering the questions will be part of the final score. The day will end with awarding the prices to the teams, followed by a diner with all teams together. 

Our residence in Hong Kong will be the Dr. Ng Tor Tai International House, in the centre of Kowloon, one of the big city centers. The paradise for the three ladies of the team: close to shopping malls, shoe stores, more shopping malls and even more shoe stores!

Windesheim really support its students, by contributing with additional lessons, practices and training. Because participating in the final is import for the image of Windesheim, Windesheim has decided to fund the trip for the students. Now, we can completely focus on getting prepared.

Hong Kong, here we come!

Offical information

All the official information about the business case competition
http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~iibd/CC2011/

The competition

List of the Finalists (in alphabetical order):

¨          Ateneo de Manila University, The Philippines

¨          Baylor University, USA

¨          Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR (host institution)

¨          University of Prince Edward Island, Canada

¨          Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands

Flightschedule and hoteladress

We will leave from Amsterdam airport on 9 nov. at 21.45, arrival in Hong Kong the next day at 15.55  flightnr : KL0889 .

After the finals on Friday the 11th we will have a few more days to explore Hong Kong.  

We will leave Hong Kong on wednesday 16 nov 23.25 and arrive on thursday 17 nov. 05.05 flightnr: KL0890.

Our hotel during the trip will be:

Dr. Ng Tor Tai International House (NTT)

32 Renfrew Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tel: 2301 2301

Rules and regulations during the final november 11th 2011

Finalist teams will be presented with a business case in the morning of 11 November 2011. They will have six hours to research, analyse and develop a set of action plans, make recommendations, and prepare their presentations. Presentations will be made in the afternoon.

Case Preparation

1. The preparation time for the final round is six hours.

2. Each team will be assigned a workroom for their preparation period.

3. The following items will be provided to each team:

- 1 Notebook Computer (loaded with Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint 2007 Edition) Internet access - 1 USB flash drive - 1 supplies kit (highlighters, paper, pens, cue cards, etc.)

4. The case is to be solved in the preparation room. During the preparation ALL case material must remain in the preparation room.

5. Teams may use textbooks, notes, etc. Use of the Internet for research purposes is permitted.

6. Discussion of the case in person or through electronic devices with outside sources, faculty or advisors is not allowed.

7. Presentations must be made in English using Microsoft PowerPoint. The teams may use notes and/or cue cards during the presentations.

8. Each team must save their PowerPoint presentation files to the USB key provided and submit the USB key to IIBD office at the end of the preparation time.

9. Each team will receive one copy (hand-out) of their presentation after having handed it in.

10. Mobile phones are not allowed during preparation and presentation.

Case training

Last tuesday we had case training. From 19:00-22:00 hours we ploughed through a business case with the aid of Jan van der Velde of the global brand team Grolsch / SAB/Miller. As an experienced global marketeer he helped us through the case. We still have to learn a lot and improve on our team skills. It was hard work but we see improvements each week.