Tag: JMSB

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Alex Bilodeau returns to JMSB, fresh of a gold-medal performance in Sochi

Press photo

You can say Alexandre Bilodeau is Concordia’s most decorated student when he returned to JMSB on Friday afternoon, in front of a crowd of cameras, fellow students, and young children waiting for a chance to talk to one of Canada’s most famous athletes.

The two-time Olympic Gold medalist and Concordia accounting student just came back from his third Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, which saw him go where no other free-style skier had ever gone before. He became the first moguls skier to win back-to-back gold medals at the Olympics. Bilodeau won his first gold medal at the Olympic Games in Vancouver in 2010, becoming the first Canadian to win a Gold medal on home soil.

On Friday, it was a homecoming of sort for Bilodeau, as a press conference in the atrium of the JMSB building was held to honour the Olympian back to Concordia. He began his studies at Concordia in September 2010, right after the Games in Vancouver. He’s been here part-time ever since, while juggling his training, getting ready for upcoming World Cup events, and eventually, the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

Bilodeau almost never went to Sochi, as he contemplated retirement in 2010.

“After Vancouver, I thought, maybe I should retire and finish my studies and move on with my life,” he said. “But [I thought] I was going to retreat not trying to defend my medal. It’s never been done in my sport.”

But going through two Olympic games hasn’t been an easy ride for Bilodeau.

“It was a very hard four years, there were a lot of ups and downs. [Balancing school and training], its something that’s very difficult, obviously,” Bilodeau said. “We’re always three weeks on snow and three weeks off snow [during training camps]. [When you get home,] it’s 9 p.m. It’s so easy to lay down in your bed and watch a television show but at one point you need to open your accounting books. But it’s a discipline that will pay off later on.

“[But] I’m not perfect, sometimes I do watch a TV show,” he added with a laugh.

Bilodeau will be the first to tell you that he couldn’t have won two Olympic goals without his close friends and family, as well as his trainers, coaches, and his teachers at JMSB for helping him with school, even if he wasn’t around much over the last four years.

“No one could pretend to win an Olympic gold alone. I put myself in a position to succeed in Vancouver and I had the right people around me. I’m very grateful for my whole team.”

The press conference concluded with an open session, where people could ask questions and take pictures with Bilodeau and his two gold medals.

 

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Concordia Student Union News

CSU hires a marketing specialist

Photo by Keith Race

The CSU hired a marketing intern to work within a six-week contract to create a strategic marketing plan that would outline the different aspects of communication available for use with their large undergraduate student body.

Photo by Keith Race

Originally the communications coordinator was in charge of creating a marketing plan, but as VP Finance, Scott Carr informed The Concordian,

“The reality was that there was already too much to do and with this came a load of questions as to how to move forward. I am someone who believes that having a plan that is clear, consistent, and well thought out is the key to success and I wanted to take that approach with the CSU’s marketing.”

With this issue at hand, Carr suggested the idea of hiring a marketing intern. Interviews were conducted in early December by Carr and VP Student Life, Katrina Caruso. The student selected was third year marketing major, Adrian Mahon.

Carr explains that marketing is a really important aspect that has lacked emphasis at both the CSU and Concordia University as a whole and that communicating with over 35,000 undergraduate students is no simple task.

“The CSU throws multiple events, speaker series, campaigns, provide services and so much more; but what use are they if no one knows they exist? Too many times people have no idea what the CSU does, yet they are the ones funding the activities; they are the ones that it is all for. It is of course not just the CSU that has this problem, even the university’s communication with its students has much room to grow; marketing isn’t as easy as people believe. It isn’t about the small group of students who know about the CSU, it is about making sure that we answer the needs of as many students as we can. It is because of the entire student body that the CSU exists—it better be doing everything it possibly can to help them,” explained Carr.

The six-week contract will wrap up at the end of January and Carr looks forward to reviewing it with the rest of the CSU executive team.  Carr believes the report will establish an objective perspective to CSU executives concerning their audience; Concordia’s undergraduate students, which will be used to realize CSU’s strengths and more significantly, their weaknesses.

Marketing intern, Mahon explained to The Concordian that his main task is to help the CSU evaluate and manage its marketing strategy and determine ways that it can better serve the undergraduate student body at Concordia.  With his 25 hour per week, six-week time cap, Mahon stated that,

“It is always nice to have more time to work on projects, especially large ones such as this. That being said, I feel that I am able to fulfill my obligations under the current time constraints.”

With such a large number of undergraduate students to reach, Mahon suggests that there be someone to work with the CSU regularly.

“Ideally it would be nice to have someone continuously working with the CSU on a part time or full time basis to help them with their marketing, in reaching students. However, there are always financial constraints that must be considered. This decision will be part of my recommendations in the marketing report.”

“This communication is an important aspect to being able to uncover the needs and challenges of undergraduate students so that the CSU can better serve them in the future” said Mahon.

 

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News

Second annual Santa Supply Chain

Press Photo

On Thursday Nov. 21st, Concordia’s Decision Science Student Association (DSSA) will host the Santa Supply Chain, the proceeds of which will go to help benefit the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Society of Montreal and Montreal Community Cares.

Made up of 13 members, the organization prides itself on bringing together students from various fields to create opportunities to use the practical and theoretical aspects from their disciplines. Press Photo

For the second year in a row, John Molson School of Business (JMSB) students from the faculties of Business Technology Management and Business Operations Management will be getting together to collect donations for the less fortunate.

The DSSA will be holding the event in the lobby of the MB building at the Sir George Williams Campus. Accepting donations of toys, canned goods and personal hygiene products, the donated items will be packaged by Concordia students into boxes and decorated for the holiday season. Last year, the students were able to collect 318 boxes. This year they hope to increase their total to 500 boxes.

At the event, 15 students will be volunteering to collect donations and wrap boxes. The students will also be providing information about the event, selling raffle tickets and making cards. Each box will contain roughly five items for the holidays. A typical box might include, a key chain, puzzle, stuffed animal, a toothbrush and some canned food. There will also be members of the Montreal Alouettes and the Concordia Stingers helping to wrap boxes.
The DSSA is one of the youngest associations at Concordia’s JMSB. DSSA’s Director of Corporate Relations, Alexandra English, told The Concordian “It’s about inspiring future young leaders by emphasizing the importance and integrative nature of Business Technology Management and Supply Chain Operations Management.”

One of the supporters and benefactors of this event is Professor Brent Pearce whose foundation, the Brent Pearce Foundation, makes it their mission to help put a smile on the faces of less fortunate children on Christmas. The foundation’s proceeds, some of which will come from the Santa Supply Chain, go to  the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Society of Montreal. The foundation hopes to help underprivileged families in the Verdun and Pointe Saint-Charles area. Many of the proceeds will be going to single parent households who otherwise would not be able to put gifts under their trees.

Professor Pearce has been teaching at Concordia’s JMSB for close to 35 years. During his tenure he has taught many courses, including Product Innovation and Strategy as well as Direct Response Marketing. Throughout his career he has been a maverick in the healthcare and consumer goods industry.

If you or anyone you know would like to help, stop by the MB lobby on Nov. 21 between 10:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and bring a toy, canned good or personal hygiene product for the Christmas boxes. For further questions feel free to contact the DSSA at corporaterelations@dssajmsb.ca.

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News

Sanjay Sharma declared thousands in taxable benefits

Prior to Sanjay Sharma’s departure for a higher paying administrative post at the University of Vermont, he earned over $42,000 in salary and claimed $33,230 in expenses for his last two months of employment.

Two weeks ago, The Concordian reported that the former Dean of the John Molson School of Business ended his mandate with a payout of the administrative leave he was entitled to that amounted to $96,245. During the 2011-2012 academic year, Sharma worked for two months at Concordia before departing for the University of Vermont.

Before Sharma left Concordia, he claimed an additional $33,230 as well. University spokesperson Chris Mota confirmed that the amount consists of taxable benefits, unused vacation time and a part-time teaching contract.

“It’s money paid to him, which he was entitled to for the period he was there,” said Mota.

Amongst the university’s deans, Sharma declared more than his counterparts in other faculties did for the entire year, with his successor Alan Hochstein expensing $23,140 over 10 months.

In 12 months, Dean Brian Lewis of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences submitted $15,502, Dean Robin Drew of the Faculty of Engineering claimed $15,653, Dean Catherine Wild of the Faculty of Fine Arts declared $12,938 and Noel Burke, of Continuing Education, asked for less than $10,000.

The dean of graduate studies and interim VP of research and graduate studies, Graham Carr, declared the second most in taxable benefits at over $23,000 for the entire year.

This amount of $33,230 does not include the additional payout from the administrative leave nor does it include the salary Sharma collected during the end of his contract. Sharma’s contract for the 2011-2012 year was over $252,000—however, he was entitled only to the amount he worked for. Therefore, Sharma earned approximately $42,000 in total for his last two months at Concordia.

The academic year commenced May 1, 2011 where Sharma earned a salary, benefits and claimed expenses until his mandate at the University of Vermont started on July 1 of the same year. Sharma voluntarily broke his five-year contract at Concordia so he could fill the position of dean of the School of Business Administration for a starting salary of $320,000 U.S.—the second highest paid administrator at the American institution.

Pramodita Sharma, Sharma’s spouse, who also used to teach at Concordia, now holds a position at the University of Vermont where she is a professor earning a base salary of $180,000.

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News

Sanjay Sharma’s early departure netted him $96,245

Photo by Madelayne Hajek
Photo by Madelayne Hajek

When Sanjay Sharma, former dean of the John Molson School of Business, left Concordia for an administrative position at the University of Vermont in Burlington in 2011, he took $96,245 with him as part of a contractual obligation.

Concordia University provides academic deans with the option of an administrative leave at the end of their five-year term that allots to six months of their base salary and for deans serving two terms, the leave amounts to a year’s compensation.

Administrative leaves allow deans to pursue other academic interests if they so choose, according to university spokesperson Chris Mota. As part of his contract, Sharma was entitled to a six-month break.

“For five years they don’t teach, network, research, any of that,” said Mota. “In those contracts they acknowledge the fact they made a decision to be an administrator.”

This contractual agreement applies to academic senior administrators but is not extended to non-academic positions such as university rectors. The agreement does not force deans to take a leave because they are owed the additional six months pay at the end of their contract.

These leaves to pursue other interests, or the option of taking the payout as per the contractual agreement, is incurred by the operating budget of the university.

Dean Catherine Wild of the Faculty of Fine Arts also claimed part of the pay she was entitled to from the university that year but worked the entire year. Wild earned $196,556 as her salary and Concordia provided her with $16,616 as the money owed as part of the leave. Wild is now serving a second term as dean for the university.

Following the announcement of his departure in March 2011, Sharma voluntarily broke the five-year contract so he could fill the position of dean of the School of Business Administration at the University of Vermont and only completed four years at Concordia. Therefore, Sharma completed four years of his term and still received the six months pay, or $96,245, although his new employment started immediately on July 1, 2011. Sharma’s starting salary at the University of Vermont, according to the Burlington Free Press, was $320,000 U.S. and he was the second-highest paid official that year behind its president.

These contractual obligations do not include the taxable benefits or expenses in direct relation to duties that senior administrators, non-academic and academic, are entitled to.

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News

Making the grade

Photo by Madelayne Hajek
Photo by Leslie Schachter

Students enrolled in a John Molson School of Business course were caught in a crossfire between the professor and faculty administration over a miscommunication regarding a change in course content.

Part-time instructor Marc Picard addressed his students for a COMM 212 business communication course mid-December in an email claiming that the administration purposely refused to approve the final grades he submitted and that the exam administered was aimed to produce low marks.

“In my 41 years of university teaching, I had never seen such ridiculously low marks for an exam … What I learned when I contacted the person in charge was that this was no fluke or accident. It was a pre-planned, deliberate, calculated attempt to devise an exam that was meant to yield these results for reasons that are too ludicrous for words,” the email read.

At the time, student Heather Nicholson said she was disappointed with both the faculty and the school.

“Knowing how much I studied, and how much my classmates studied, we deserve better than to be given an exam that is designed for failure,” Nicholson told The Concordian.

The Advocacy Centre, according to co-ordinator Lisa White, was made aware of the situation and the email from Picard to his students but clarified that no students had approached the centre to complain.

The following day Christopher A. Ross, chair of JMSB’s marketing department, assured students that Picard’s allegations were being taken into consideration and apologized for any discomfort the “unconventional” email may have caused.

When Picard met with Ross and Associate Dean George Kanaan of JMSB on Dec. 18, it came to light that other sections of the class had received similar marks for the final exam. Picard wrote in an email to his students Dec. 20 that the university could not curve the marks of the section since the other 21 sections already had their marks finalized.

The final overall average for that section was a B despite the average of 59 per cent for the final exam.

In 2012, the business communication course was completely revamped including new content and course material. The course content was apparently more difficult than what was previously taught, something that Picard didn’t address when he contacted his students.

University spokesperson Chris Mota clarified that Picard had not taught the course since 2010 and when the debriefing session on the new course content took place, he was not included because he was not teaching it at the time.

“All the other professors understood the new course material and understood it would be different,” said Mota. “It’s unfortunate that [Picard] wasn’t part of that.”

Mota said that the faculty at JMSB would have to ensure that this didn’t happen again and that it was “clearly a failure of communication.”

Sean Thomson, a JMSB student who took the same course in 2011 before its reform told The Concordian that she personally had no difficulties with the class.

“The course is not difficult at all,” said Thomson. “I think most people in my class did fairly well and it was quite simple.”

With files from Matthew Guité.

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News

JMSB will have representation on Senate

Last week's CSU council meeting. Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin
Last week’s CSU council meeting. Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin

The Concordia Student Union appointed two additional students to fill undergraduate seats on Senate last week, failing to address representation for the John Molson School of Business, before a spot opened up unexpectedly Monday evening.

Senator and CSU councillor Ramy Khoriaty stepped down Monday, leaving a spot open for JMSB student and VP academic of the Commerce and Administration of Students’ Association, Tuan Dinh.

CSU President Schubert Laforest told The Concordian that Dinh’s appointment will happen “soon” and that Khoriaty was motivated to step down because he personally wanted JMSB to have undergraduate student representation on Senate. It remains to be seen whether or not Laforest will appoint Dinh in an upcoming special council meeting or by presidential decree. Khoriaty did not attend either Senate meeting thus far in the academic year.

“I thought it was only fair that Dinh had the chance to represent students,” said Khoriaty. “JMSB deserves representation.”

In accordance with university bylaws, the CSU selects 12 applicants to represent the undergraduate student body at Concordia. Under Section 11, regarding Senate membership, Article 55 states that there must be “Twelve (12) undergraduate students who shall be appointed by the Concordia Student Union, with representation from each Faculty.”

In early October, council chose another five senators leaving one spot available.

Following the resignation of VP Loyola Stefan Faina from Senate Friday, Oct. 5, council resolved to nominate two students. Faina stepped down from his position because his part-time independent student status rendered him ineligible to sit on Senate.

The move garnered backlash from students in the following days because two applicants from JMSB were not granted representation.

Council selected instead, Sydney Swaine-Simon, from the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, and Daniel McSharry, from the Arts and Science Federation of Associations.

The reasons fuelling the CSU’s decision remain unknown since deliberation was conducted entirely in closed session.

Several concerned students sent Chairperson Jean-Francois Ouellet and the student media an email detailing where they took issue with the recent decision of the CSU.

“Furthermore, it was stated publicly that all the candidates whom were not appointed at council were still in the running for the sixth spot on Senate that was available, but from my understanding, that spot should only have been open for a JMSB student, as independent, ASFA, FASA, and ECA were already represented on Senate,” read the letter.

The email went on to say that the CSU violated its own policy by failing to “represent its membership as required” as stated in Objects 2.1 of the CSU bylaws.

Approximately a dozen students from various faculties wrote that the CSU was not fulfilling its mandate by not appointing a JMSB student.

Todd Lipstein, a JMSB student, said he submitted the letter because he felt the CSU excluded his faculty at Concordia.

“Personally, I am afraid we would get screwed and we wouldn’t even know it,” said Lipstein. “If there is nobody out there looking out for us though, I believe we are going to start wondering why all these decisions are being made to the benefit of all the Concordia students except us.”

Lipstein went on to say that he hoped to see an improved representation of JMSB in all aspects of Concordia, including the CSU.

Laforest said that there were discrepancies between university and CSU bylaws, and it must be emphasized in the future that all four faculties receive adequate undergraduate representation on Senate.

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News

May the best candidate win

Benoit Guérin from Option Nationale (left) and Liberal candidate Dave McMahon (right)
Benoit Guérin from Option Nationale (left) and Liberal candidate Dave McMahon (right). Photos by Eveline Caron.

With only a few days before the provincial election, student associations from Concordia University, McGill University and Dawson College hosted an electoral debate on Thursday Aug. 30.

Candidates running in the Westmount—St-Louis riding from the Liberal Party, the Parti Québécois, Québec Solidaire, the Parti vert du Québec, Coalition Avenir Québec, Option Nationale and the Marxist-Leninist party were invited to speak at Concordia’s John Molson School of Business.

Tuition

At the start of the debate, some candidates began to criticize the leadership of Pauline Marois of the Parti Québécois due to her shifting position regarding the tuition increase. Liberal candidate Dave McMahon argued that Marois lacked due conviction for her platform.

“Marois has had 16 different positions in only six months,” said McMahon.

Thierry St-Cyr, of the PQ, maintained that the party’s position has been clear from the start; to cancel the tuition fee increase and to abolish Law 12, also known as Bill 78.

Benoit Guérin from Option Nationale defended the free education approach by stating that higher education for the public leads to better jobs and therefore stimulates the economy.

“Education can fund itself,” Guérin explained.

Contrary to their fellow candidates, Johnny Kairouz for the Coalition Avenir Québec and McMahon both agreed the current rate is not enough and students need to contribute more money. Both said that they would facilitate access to student loans in order to ease the tuition swell.

Language

Tensions ran high during the second part of the debate when candidates addressed language issues in the province. McMahon asked why Jean-François Lisée, a high profile candidate for the PQ, said publically that he favours a francophone from France over a francophone from China. He followed-up by asking if St-Cyr would apply the same attitude to Quebec.

“We give points to everyone, it has nothing to do with xenophobia,” replied St-Cyr. “It is how we measure the level of integration of the person.”

During this language segment of the debate, the PQ’s intent to extend Bill 101 to CÉGEPs was criticized by most candidates with the exception of Mélissa Desjardins of Québec Solidaire.

“Having a choice [to choose the language of instruction] is an important part of our culture to preserve,” said Lisa Cahn of the Parti vert.

The Option Nationale candidate said he believes that Bill 101 should remain as is and is not in need of revisions or adjustments. McMahon concluded by emphasizing his party’s belief in “linguistic peace,” saying that the the French language is not in decline.

Many undecided voters attended the debate Thursday in an attempt to have their questions answered. One audience member was Matthew Kabwe, a Concordia student studying communications and human relations. Kabwe said he came to the debate to decide who to vote for but left unsure, and he is likely not the only one.

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News

ConU announces presidential candidate

Alan Shepard currently works at Ryerson University. Photo by Colin McNeil, The Ryersonian

Concordia’s presidential search committee announced Dr. Alan Shepard as its candidate recommendation for the position of university president.

A joint meeting between the Board of Governors and Senate to introduce presidential candidate Shepard will be held in the D.B. Clarke auditorium on April 24 at 12 p.m. The meeting will be open to the Concordia students, faculty and staff.

The Presidential Search Committee unanimously recommended Shepard, the current provost at Ryerson University, for the position. Shepard would replace interim President Frederick Lowy, who took the position in January 2011 following the abrupt departure of former president Judith Woodsworth.

Committee member and Concordia Student Union President, Lex Gill, believes Shepard’s academic background and his “fresh and young perspective on governance and university affairs” will be beneficial to the university.

“I feel positively about Dr. Shepard,” Gill said. “He’s very dialogue-focused and building relationships which I feel is what Concordia University needs right now.”

Concordia also announced the appointment of Norman Hébert Jr. as the new chair of the Board of Governors .

Norman Hébert Jr. was appointed as chair of the Board of Governors upon the recommendation of the university’s governance and ethics committee. His three-year term will begin on July 1 2012. For six years Hébert served as a member of the advisory board of the John Molson School of Business and is currently vice-chair of Concordia’s board.

Hébert will be replacing current chair Peter Kruyt, whose resignation has been called for on several occasions by the Senate and student groups in 2011.

In March, The Concordian reported that Hébert was absent from two of the three board meetings held last fall.

In addition, Provost David Graham announced the appointment of Steve Harvey as the new dean of the JMSB. His five-year term will take effect on July 1, 2012.

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News

Concordia organizes fourth annual case competition

The University of Maastricht won the fourth annual John Molson Undergraduate Case Competition last Saturday at the Hilton Bonaventure Hotel.
After a close final, the Dutch undergraduate students won the week-long competition that saw 24 universities from around the world compete in a time-constrained contest that made students work on real-life strategy cases presented to a real company.
This year, students presented in front of a jury composed of members of the ground engineering and environment services company Golder Associates, as well as JMSB professors.
“The JMUCC is one of the largest undergraduate business competitions in the world,” said JMUCC VP public relations Riddhi Jhunjhunwala. “The fact that students have to work on real-life cases in front of a jury of professionals who know the company in and out makes it a real challenge and an excellent learning experience.”
The Concordia JMSB team and the HEC Montreal team, the two universities representing Montreal schools in the competition, did not make it to the finals, although two of the six finalists were Canadian universities.
After winning the first round on Feb. 20, the JMSB students lost two consecutive rounds against the universities of Maastricht and Purdue.
The last three days of the competition saw the finalists compete a second time, where they were to present Golder Associates a business strategy that would expand the company’s economic and environmental viability. Each team of four had only 24 hours to prepare this last case.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology made it to second place, followed by Carleton University.
The winners of the case competition received JMUCC trophies, Micheal Kors watches and a free ticket to compete in the 2013 JMUCC (instead of paying the $2,500 team registration fee). The prize of best Canadian school was awarded to Carleton University.

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News

Performing arts students not feeling “at home” in MB building

The university is inviting media to tour its recently-completed facilities for performing arts this Thursday, but not all fine arts students are sharing in the enthusiasm over their new premises.

“It does not feel like home anymore,” said theatre and development student Deborah Forde. “In moving [downtown] we have lost our community, our green spaces, and we are split between performers here and designers [at Loyola]. It was a much more humane community; here it has become very bureaucratic.”

Since summer 2009, Concordia University has undertaken the task of progressively moving the theatre, music and dance departments from Loyola to Sir George Williams, temporarily relocating classes to the John Molson School of Business building for a few years until the entire Faculty of Fine Arts is moved to the Grey Nuns property.

Praised by the university for bringing students closer to Montreal’s artistic scene and offering state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, the move has left several students feeling skeptical of the advantages.

Most of all, Forde and her fine arts classmates occupying the 7th and 8th floor of the MB building, tend to feel like “invaders” in a building that often seems “hostile” to arts students.

“A good example of the friction between fine arts and business students is the door connecting the 6th and 7th floor that also leads to a lounge section and vending machines,” said theatre student Christine Bellerose. “Only business students can open the door because it is a ‘business floor’. They can come study here when it is quieter but we cannot go there.”

In the face of such problematic interactions, theatre professor Annabel Soutar and her students decided to put on a play called Theatre___Business: Fill Us In. The play, set to run from Feb.16 to 19 in the F.C. Auditorium, is an attempt to connect with their co-tenants, tackling the real issues and conflicts that come with theatre students occupying a business building.

Some, on the other hand, are mindful that the MB building is only a temporary solution until the Grey Nuns motherhouse project is completed.

“The transition from Loyola to SGW is both an overall improvement in our lives and still very much a work in progress,” said acting chair of the department of theatre, Mark Sussman. “The final destination will be great, but we’re not there yet.”

The MB locale also offers considerable improvements in terms of contacts with other departments, equipment and location.

“Loyola had a few more practice spaces than are now available,” said music professor Kevin Austin. “But JMSB is on the metro and saves most students from 30 to 90 minutes a day in travel time. The downtown facilities are new, clean, bright and can be booked online. None of this would be used to describe the situation at Loyola.”

Music student Tristan Henry agreed, saying he enjoyed having classes in spacious rooms with brand new equipment.

Built in 1871, the Grey Nuns Mother House is a major ongoing restoration project at Concordia, with an architecture and site planning competition set to launch this year.

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News

Battle of the briefcases

Future MBAs mingling and making connections. Photo by Camille Nerant
Future MBAs mingling and making connections. Photo by Camille Nerant

After six days of debating and deliberating, Université Laval has come out on top in the 31st annual John Molson School of Business MBA International Case Competition, winning $10,000 in cash and the Concordia Cup.

The winning teams were announced at a banquet on Sunday at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth hotel, second place going to New Zealand’s University of Otago while the University of Calgary took home bronze.

The competition ran from Jan. 3 to Jan. 8 and included 36 teams from universities in North America and overseas. The diverse group of students fit with this year’s theme: “How does diversity stimulate innovation?”

“I think the thing about this competition that’s exciting is to be able to meet and network with people from all over the world and share ideas… at one location over the week,” said Tim Field, management professor at Concordia and the coach for the JMSB team. “I can’t tell you how many times in a lifetime you are going to have that,” he added.

In teams of four, students are given complex business cases to analyze and then have three hours to work on them before presenting their recommendations to a panel. According to Field, the type cases given vary from financial to marketing to international to general strategy. With six divisions, the top teams advance to the semi-finals.

An anticipated part of the competition was the live case on Jan. 6 in which real-life business company CGI presented the students with challenges that the company is facing. The teams then present ideas and solutions to the company in the next couple of hours.

“It becomes very intense,” said Jason Lau, one of the executive assistants who worked with the organizing team. Lau describes the atmosphere this year as “very competitive.”

“They absolutely want to win,” he said, referring to the 36 teams who come to Montreal from across the globe to participate in the competition. “From their school they sent people who want it the most and are the best.”

The competition takes about six months to organize. A team of four organizers and five executive assistants, all MBA students at JMSB, put together the event. The students receive academic credit for their work.

“The contribution, time and effort is enormous,” said Lau.

Along with networking and training, students also learn how to think under stress. “They get that pressure cooker environment,”  said Field. “They are exposed to a lot of industries and problems and it’s really the one step away from living and breathing the actual issues the company is facing.”

 

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