news
Contact: Karen Barbier, Coordinator of Media Relations, Office of Communications,
281-283-2029
Paula Cook, Editorial Assistant, School of Business and Public
Administration,
281-283-3106
Release Date:
UHCL students compete in marketing strategy games
CLEAR LAKE, — Forty-five business students at University of Houston-Clear Lake scored
well in an international Internet Marketplace Simulation Competition during the fall semester.
UH-Clear Lake entered 10 teams in the competition, ensuring active participation in each of
the seven games played by students from around the world. The competition involved beta testing
marketing management simulation software, and teams had to develop strategic plans.
“Students gain tremendous business experience by making real marketing decisions,” notes
Ernest Cadotte of Innovative Learning Simulation Inc. “Since competition is key to the learning
process, we purposely use the students’ competitive drive to power the learning process.”
Play involved each team setting up a new marketing division for a large international
electronics firm and introducing a new line of microcomputers into Asia, North America and
Europe. All competitors started with exactly the same resources and knowledge of the market.
Teams were responsible for developing a corporate name, marketing research strategy, brand
design, pricing, ad copy design, media placement, sales office management and division
profitability.
The competition simulated two years of business with eight decision quarters. After each
quarter, company performance and competitive standings were thoroughly analyzed to form the
next round of decisions. Following the fourth quarter, each team prepared a comprehensive
marketing plan for the second year based on a detailed analysis of the first year’s performance.
Team scores were determined by division profitability, market share, customer satisfaction,
investments in the future, and the creation of wealth for the corporation.
UHCL teams took second and third place internationally. They also took first place in three
of the seven individual games, and second place in three other individual games.
“This level of accomplishment, particularly in an international competition, truly attests to the
outstanding quality of our MBA students,” says L. Jean Walker, assistant professor of marketing
at UHCL. The student competitors from UHCL were enrolled in Walker’s course, “Bases of
Marketing Decisions.”
UHCL members of the second-place international team, Compu-Solutions, included Tiffany
Bradford, Joel Alba, Marchita Booth, Dan Pennington, and Elizabeth Webb. Team Advantec,
which took third place internationally, was made up of Jill Hoeth, Chris Giminez, Dawn Vo,
Christy Head, Connor Burdine, and Sanjeev Jangla. Both Compu-Solutions and Advantec won
first place in their division as did Apex Computing whose team members included Laurie
Lindley, Ushani de Abrew, Frank Carvelli, Chari Kanver and Chiimin Lu.
“The students at UHCL were very competitive,” says Cadotte. “They were among the top
contenders in all seven games and totally dominated two of them and their instructor, Professor
Walker, is to be commended. It is clear that UHCL students are well trained to compete in the
real business world.”
Winning teams will receive trophies from South-Western Publishing and certificates of
excellence from Innovative Learning Simulation Inc.
For more information about marketing courses, call the School of Business and Public
Administration academic advising office, 281-283-3110, or visit the Web site,
www.cl.uh.edu/bpa/.
■■■