Moore School Students Win Another International Case Competition

COLUMBIA, SC – April 5, 2009 – A team of Moore School of Business undergraduates at the University of South Carolina won first place at the Royal Roads University Case Competition in Victoria, Canada, March 21.

It was the second top finish in an international case competition for a Moore School team this year; the graduate student case team won the John Molson International MBA Case Competition held in Montreal in January.

The team for the Royal Roads competition included seniors Erin Brennan of Simpsonville, a Capstone scholar majoring in international business and finance; Megan Robers  of Cincinnati, a South Carolina Honors College student majoring in international business and finance; Andrew Schwark of Hartland, Wis., a McNair scholar majoring in international business; and Jonathan Boyd of Lilburn, Ga., a Capstone scholar majoring in international business and finance. The case team’s adviser is Pat DeMouy, a lecturer in management.

Eleven teams from U.S. and Canadian universities competed. The Moore School team won both the preliminary and final rounds of competition. For each round, students were given a single computer and three hours to read, analyze and develop a solution to a business case, then give a 20-minute presentation. The case topics varied from finance, e-marketing and small business development to human resources and supply-chain management.

The Moore School team took first place for its analysis of a potential acquisition of the Cake Masters Company, determining whether the selling price was fair and whether the company would be a good strategic fit. It was the students’ deft handling of financial questions by the judges and their detailed implementation plan that clinched the victory.

The Moore School has emerged as one of the top universities in undergraduate case competition since it began organizing teams in 2007.  The Royal Roads University Case Competition invited the Moore School back to defend its title in 2010.