Ten Westminster College Business Students Place in Top 100 in Global Business Strategy Game

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - Ten students in the Westminster College "Strategic Management" capstone course recently placed in the Top 100 for their performance during the week of April 29-May 5 in a global simulation known as the Business Strategy Game.

Each week of class simulates a year in the life of the organization that student teams manage. During the game students operate an athletic footwear company and compete against other footwear companies in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. Each company has co-managers that are responsible for making decisions on production operations, upgrading plants and expanding or reducing plant capacity, worker compensation and training, pricing and marketing, and more.

Team "Elite" placed 8th for their return on average equity (ROE), 37th for their stock price, and 75th for earnings per share. Co-managers are Robert Lupton and Tyler Robinson.  Lupton, a senior accounting and business administration major, is a son of Robert and Andrea Lupton of Cortland, Ohio, and a graduate of Howland High School. Robinson, a senior business administration major, is a son of Brian and Susan Robinson of Creston, Ohio, and a graduate of Norwayne High School.

Team "Avenger, Inc." placed 28th for their ROE and had the 74th best stock price. The co-managers for team Avenger are Zachary Cramer and Timothy Dennis. Cramer, a recent graduate with a degree in accounting and business administration, is a son of Steven Cramer of Luthersburg and a graduate of DuBois Area High School. Timothy Dennis, a recent graduate with a business administration degree, is a son of Timothy and Lillian Dennis of Edisto Island, S.C., and a graduate of Hopewell High School.

Team "Bramare" placed 67th for their ROE. Co-managers are Cassandra Aponte and Lauren Claypool. Aponte, a senior business administration major, is a daughter of Carmen Colon and William Aponte, Youngstown, Ohio, and a graduate of East High School. Claypool, a senior business administration major, is a daughter of Terry and Sally Claypool of Eldred and a graduate of Otto-Eldred High School.

Team "Dominant Footwear" placed 68th for their ROE. Co-managers are Kelsey Mersing and Victoria Mills. Mersing, a recent graduate with a business administration degree, is a daughter of Louis III and Julia Mersing of McKees Rocks and a graduate of Montour High School. Mills, also a recent graduate with a business administration degree, is a daughter of Natalie and Howard Mills and a graduate of New Castle High School.

Team "Firebrand" placed 49th for their ROE and 95th for their stock price performance. Co-managers are Abigail Shultz and Julia Warhola. Shultz, a recent graduate with an accounting and business administration degree, is a daughter of Richard and Susan Schulz of Saxonburg and a graduate of Hampton High School. Warhola, a recent graduate with a business administration and history degree, is a daughter of Martin Warhola of Ebensburg and a graduate of Moon Area High School.

"I am so proud of all the teams who participated this semester in the global simulation. I am confident these students are equipped to go out and change their part of the world for the better," said Jacque L. King, assistant professor of business and course instructor. "We are in good hands with these future leaders and I am proud to be a part of their success."

According to the Business Strategy Game website, "The competitive nature of a strategy simulation arouses positive energy and steps up the whole tempo of the course by a notch or two. The healthy rivalry that emerges among the management teams of competing companies stirs competitive juices and spurs class members to fully exercise their strategic wits, analytical skills, and decision-making prowess - much more so than occurs with many other types of assignments."

The final component of liberal studies is the senior capstone course. The capstone is at least a four-semester-hour course within the major designed to provide an opportunity for students to evaluate and assess the strengths and limitations of their major field. Additionally, the capstone experience permits opportunity for structured reflection on the value of education in and beyond the major and provides another chance to strengthen communication and problem-solving skills.

The Strategic Management capstone course specifically focuses on general management skills involved in choosing an organizational strategy, committing critical resources to implementation, and appropriately reevaluating that strategy as internal and external organizational environments change. The course integrates the major business functions using top management's generalist views. The primary method of instruction is case analysis.

Contact King at (724) 946-7163 or email for more information.

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