BBA Chula won first place at Heavener International Case Competition (HICC) 2018, University of Florida

Feb 24 2018


Written by Mr. Chakrapoj Chitwannapa, Finance, 4th Year.
 
On February 17, 2018, Mongkol Associates, the representative team from BBA Chulalongkorn University, won the first place title at Heavener International Case Competition (HICC 2018), at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.

The HICC is one of the case competitions linked to the coveted Champions Trophy, and features the best students from 20 leading universities around the world, such as the University of New South Wales, University of Hong Kong, Indiana University, Thammasat University, to name a few.

The case competition consisted of two rounds, a 5-hour short case and a 30-hour long case. In the short case, the challenge was to devise a national expansion strategy for Study Edge, a local online tutoring service popular among UF students. In the long case, teams were tasked with ‘reimagining’ the onboarding process for new hires at Booz Allen Hamilton, the number one player in the U.S. government consulting industry.
 
Mongkol Associates was able to place 3rd and 1st in the short and long cases, respectively, out of the five teams in the division. As a result, they were crowned the division winners, and advanced to the final round. In the final round, they faced off against three other teams, and triumphed to a proud victory for Chulalongkorn University.

Another proud achievement was the Best Speaker Award, which was given to Ms. Parima Chaiwarut (Prim), one of the team members, in recognition of her outstanding presentation skills during the case competition.

On behalf of the team, we would like to express our sincerest appreciation to the BBA International Program, Chulalongkorn University, for providing us with this opportunity, and Case Club Chulalongkorn for the support and trainings. We also thank Ajarn Dr. Nat Kulvanich, our Team Advisor, for his kind support and guidance, both prior to and during the case competition. Lastly, we would like to have a special mention for Assistant Professor Dr. Buraj Patrakosol, who has always closely supported the Case Club since its inception and continues to be an invaluable contributor to the club’s success.
 
Below are the thoughts of our members:
 
“The final result is a mark of pride for us all. I couldn't be any happier for my team and the club as a whole. It was definitely a combination of individual talents and determination, team synergy, passionate advisors, productive trainings, and perhaps 1% luck that contributed to our success. The landscape of case competitions is a fast-changing one, so we must keep our feet on the ground, stay focused as ever, and keep moving forward. Here's to future successes and experiences.” by Mr. Chakrapoj Chitwannapa (Bos), Finance, 4th Year.
 
“Participating in Heavener International Case Competition is what I have been looking for due to its unique and interactive case format that simulates real life situation. Team’s relentless commitment, support and synergy made the result beyond our expectation. A big thank to everyone who has been supporting us throughout the journey.” by Ms. Wanwares Boonkong (Pippin), Finance, 4th Year.
 
“The competition provides me an opportunity to work with highly talented team members and to meet with professional competitors around the world. As a team member, I am very grateful of our efforts and delighted with the final result. Practice has always been the key to our success. As a friend, I enjoy the adventurous journey we have made together and conversations along the journey. Those memories will carry on. Finally, as a student, I am thankful to advisors and supporters that have guided me and our team until now." by Mr. Bunchana Sawattananond (Bun), Finance, 4th Year.
 
“It was an honor to represent BBA Chulalongkorn University at such a prestigious case competition. The moment when we were announced as winner was euphoric and magical at the same time. Shoutout to my teammates who are one of the brightest and most wonderful group of people I have ever met. We went through a lot of hardship and obstacles before we could get to compete but in the end everything was worth it.” by Ms. Parima Chaiwarut (Prim), International Business, 3rd Year.
 
The competition results are as following:
  • 1st place: Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
  • 2nd place: HEC Montreal, Canada
  • 3rd place: Thammasat University, Thailand
  • 4th place: The University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong