University of North Dakota wins fifth annual GM-WSU School of Business Supply Chain Case Competition
The student supply chain team from the University of North Dakota was named champion of the fifth annual General Motors/Wayne State University Supply Chain Case Competition, held October 8-11 at the Detroit Marriot Renaissance Center.
This year’s competition, featuring the 2016 Cadillac CT6 brought 22 university teams from across the U.S. as well as three international teams from China, Mexico and Poland to Detroit for an in-depth look at the supply chain systems that support the automotive industry and its high-tech vehicles.
Dr. John C. Taylor, chair of the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management at Wayne State University, said this year’s case was one of the most comprehensive to date, involving a variety of quality and cost issues that students had to sort through. Taylor also said this was the first time that overseas teams had participated, and each of the teams from China, Poland and Mexico won their regional rounds and advanced to the finals competition.
The 22 teams were divided into six groups and participated in a preliminary competition. The winning semifinalist teams received a case twist and prepared a second presentation for the competition’s final round.
The University of North Dakota earned top honor after impressing the judges with their comprehensive analysis of the quantitative factors, determining the right approach based on those factors and addressing the more qualitative variables in the case while presenting the content professionally.
Teams from Bowling Green State University, Colorado State University, Tecnologico de Monterrey State of Mexico Campus, International University of Logistics and Transport in Wroclaw and Wuhan University from China rounded out the field of finalists. The 22 participating teams were recognized by David Drouillard, executive director for global purchasing at General Motors, at the awards dinner aboard the Detroit Princess riverboat.
The naming sponsor of the event is General Motors, along with the Supply Chain Program in the Wayne State University School of Business. Other major sponsors included Ryder, Delphi, Lear, DENSO, and the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG).
All students who participate in the competition have the opportunity to interview for internships and permanent positions with event sponsors and partners. More than 300 students have participated since the first competition in 2011.
Photos from the event are available here. For more information, please visit the programs webpage.
