FGV Brazil wins seventh annual General Motors/Wayne State Supply Chain Case Competition
The student supply chain team from Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) Brazil was named champion of the seventh annual General Motors/Wayne State University Supply Chain Case Competition, held Sept. 28 through Oct. 1, 2017, at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.
This year’s 21-school competition, featuring the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV, brought teams from universities across the U.S. and international teams from Brazil, Mexico, Taiwan, China and Poland to Detroit for an in-depth look at the supply chain systems that support the automotive industry and its high-tech vehicles.
Tim Butler, associate professor of Global Supply Chain Management in Wayne State’s Mike Ilitch School of Business, said, “This year’s competition was a celebration of automotive innovation, global supply chains, and Detroit’s emergence as a world class city.”
The teams were divided into five groups and participated in an initial regional round of competition. The winning first-round teams received a case twist and prepared a second presentation for the competition’s final round.
The FGV Brazil team earned top honors after impressing the judges with their presentation including risk analysis and cost analysis.
Teams from University of North Dakota, University of Northern Iowa, Western Michigan University and Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis rounded out the field of finalists.
The naming sponsor of the event is General Motors, along with the Mike Ilitch School of Business. Other major sponsors included Ryder, 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. Close to 500 students have participated since the first competition in 2011.
