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Home > Degree Programs > Undergraduate > Case Competition > Competition Rules

Competition Rules

On Target Undergraduate Case Competition

2009-10

Elibibility/Team Size

  1. This competition is only open to all full-time matriculated University at Buffalo undergraduate students during the 2009-10 academic year. Full-time status requires that a student completes at least 12 credit hours in Fall 2009 and is registered for at least 12 credit hours in Spring 2010. 
  2. No more than four members per team.  Teams must have a minimum of two eligible students to enter and participate.

    Once the team entry form is submitted and before the case is distributed, a team will be allowed to make a change to its team roster. Any team member who withdraws from the competition must send an e-mail using his or her UB account, indicating his or her withdrawal from the competition and carbon copy (cc) the entire team. The team captain must send an e-mail with the name of a substitute team member before the case is distributed. Teams will not be allowed to make any substitution or changes to the team roster once the case is distributed. 

    Teams are expected to resolve any conflicts within their team. If teams are unable to resolve their team’s conflicts or disputes the competition judges and coordinators reserve the right to disqualify the team from the competition. 

    No refunds will be issued.
     
  3. No late deliverables will be accepted. No late entries, executive reports or presentations.

Preparation

  1. Team members may use any reference sources or materials in the public domain (i.e. the university library) in conducting their research. Teams are expected to cite all sources used.
     
  2. Team members must follow the principles of academic integrity. Each team member will read and sign an Academic Integrity Pledge.
     

Executive Reports

The written executive report is meant to provide a brief case analysis. The team’s objective will be to communicate what Target should do and include a brief argument as to why. The report should not exceed five double-spaced pages. Exhibits may be attached; however, the maximum number of pages including exhibits is limited to 10 pages per submission.

Teams must submit seven copies of their written executive reports by 12pm (noon), Friday, January 29, 2010, to Loreta Genco in Alfiero 204. The top five team finalists will present their conclusions on Friday, February 26, 2010.

Presentation on February 26, 2010

  1. Only team members can present their conclusions.
  2. Presentations should consist of a PowerPoint presentation only. Teams should come prepared with seven copies of black and white, stapled handouts of their PowerPoint presentation (three slides per page) for judges. These should be given to the judges prior to the start of the presentation.
  3. Props and audio are allowed in the PowerPoint presentation; however misuse or overuse of the audio and props can detract from the presentation and negatively impact the team’s presentation.
  4. Each team will be given five minutes prior to start of its presentation in case of technical difficulties. If the problem is not resolved in five minutes, teams must use their full-page copies of their PowerPoint presentation slides.
  5. Judges will have been provided copies of the written executive reports in advance of the presentations.

Judging Criteria for Case Competition 

Target executives will evaluate teams on the following components to determine the winning team:

  • Written Presentation - Judges will evaluate how clearly defined the strategy is, the extent of research and analysis, and the quality of data supporting the recommendations.
  • Oral Presentation - Judges will evaluate the professionalism of the team, the realism of the recommendations, their presentation skills and the team’s ability to respond during the question and answer session.