2,500+ Students Repeat Course Assignment – For Fun! (…and bragging rights….)

More than 2,500 university business students from around the world did something extraordinary this month: they repeated a university assignment voluntarily, for no credit, and in their own time.

The payoff was an opportunity to pit their business skills against other students around the world in an international business simulation competition. Students from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, and the University of Texas, Arlington, were the ultimate winners from a field of 2,547 entrants.

The competition, open to all students who have recently completed a Capsim business simulation as part of their course work, runs in April and November each year.

The winners of the Capsim 2015 Spring Challenge were Yuvraj Gupta and Manu Shrot of the Indian Institutes of Management (Capstone® Business Simulation – defeating 1759 other contestants) and William Reimann of the University of Texas, Arlington (Foundation® Business Simulation – defeating 788 other contestants).

According to Yuvraj Gupta, “Capstone simulation helped me understand about various trade-offs involved in decision making in a business environment, and the need to integrate multiple business functions together for a successful strategy. Additionally, Capstone introduced me to multiple ways to maximize shareholder value.”

Teammate Manu Shrot said his simulation experience “gives me immense confidence in making decisions in my work life.”

“We had a 44% increase in entries for this challenge,” said Anthony Illuzzi, the Capsim Challenge Coordinator. “We have been running the program for 15 of our 30 years in business and it just keeps growing.

“It is very exciting to see so many students willing to take the time to repeat this part of their course work voluntarily – just because they enjoyed it so much the first time. The six finalists in both Capstone and Foundation also have a great addition to their resume – their success proves their business skills to any prospective employer.”

Entrants came from 34 countries around the globe, from Ecuador to Egypt, from Indonesia to Ireland, with strong contingents from India, Canada, Australia and the United States.

The Capsim business simulation challenge was initially launched in response to students asking “how can we play the simulation again” once their course was complete.

“We are convinced that if students enjoy their course work, and have an emotional response to the experience, the lessons they learn are well and truly anchored for life”, Mr Illuzzi said.

About Capsim Management Simulations, Inc.
For 30 years, Capsim Management Simulations programs have created rich learning environments for both academic and corporate participants, giving them the opportunity to practice the skills necessary to build successful companies. More than a million participants at 600 business schools and corporations have built their business acumen through Capsim learning experiences. Visit for more information and a complete list of past winners of the Capsim Challenge.