Challenge Winners from New and Long-term Capsim Users

The champion business students who competed in the finals of the Capsim Fall Challenge last weekend came from universities new to Capsim simulations, and those using our simulations for many years.

Professor Raveh Harush, from Bar-Ilan University in Israel, used Capstone for the first time this year. With a team reaching the Challenge finals, he now says “our plan is to compete and try to be in the finals every time.” The benefit of using Capsim in the classroom, he said, is that it “improves students’ understanding of how a company works and builds their confidence by bridging the gap between what they learn and how to implement it.”

John Jinker from Webster University, a long time Capsim user, had finalists in the Challenge this year and a winning team last year. Professor Jinker says simulations are: “an excellent teaching method because lessons learned stay with students forever. Books, lectures, and homework are good for names, dates, and formulas; but gut-based intuition only comes from experience.”

Winners of the Fall Challenge were Rushabh Patel (Capstone), from Professor Curtis Wesley’s class at the University of Huston, with a Balanced Scorecard result of 808; and Ryan Su (Foundation), from Professor Dwight Long’s class at the University of Texas, Arlington, with a score of 738.

Students from 244 universities in 19 countries competed in the Capstone competition, and students from 104 universities in 14 countries competed in Foundation. The Challenge is open to all students who have recently completed a Capsim simulation in class. All finalists add an impressive credential to their resume.

Monash South Africa University had its first team in the finals this Challenge. Monash Professor Frances Scholtz’ student, Brandon Benatar, was runner-up in the Foundation Challenge. Professor James Zeigler, whose team ranked 5^th, has seen six teams from Bowling Green State University, Ohio, in the finals over the last four years.

Bindu Kulkarni, from the S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, taught the third-place winners in the Capstone Challenge. Professor Kulkarni said the simulation helps students “develop an appreciation for integrative thinking and the holistic nature of the business.” He and team-teaching colleague Dr. Vasan Sivaraman believe the simulation “helps them become better decision makers, risk takers and good team players who can play multiple roles.”

Will it be your students who win the Challenge next year?

Finalist results from Capsim’s Fall 2017 Capstone^® Challenge:

Finalist results from Capsim’s Fall 2017 Foundation^® Challenge: