Since 2013, twice a year teams of undergraduate business students at Acadia University’s F.C. Manning School of Business have the opportunity to analyze a complex case and present their solutions to a panel of judges drawn from the university and business communities. Students only have 24 hours to evaluate the case and present their recommendations. Sponsored by the Shaw Group, second-year students in the CORE year of the BBA program compete in October, while first-year students compete in February. The personalized education and small class sizes at Acadia’s Manning School lend themselves to team development and the critical analysis required for this competition. BBA student, Sara Baxter, recommends the Shaw Case competition to other students as a fantastic opportunity to meet and receive feedback from business professionals, while forcing students to make on-the-spot, real-life business decisions.
Case Method
Case analysis is a common teaching method in most business schools. However at Acadia, the business school endeavors to broaden the focal theme of cases to encompass a greater diversity of issues and perspectives. For example, students are encouraged to examine case issues not only from the manager’s perspective, but also from worker and labour rights perspectives, and to consider gender, environmental, and ethical perspectives. Cases are chosen to be topical, timely, and rich with the possibility of multiple viewpoints. Past cases have examined challenges in small entrepreneurial firms, social responsibility, ethics, technological innovation and globalization, as well as challenges faced by business, nonprofit, government and co-operative organizations.
Team Effort
Now firmly entrenched in the academic calendar of the F.C. Manning School, the Shaw Group Business Case Competition was initiated by Dr. Ian Hutchinson, past Director of the School, Bert Frizzell, Vice-Chairman of the Shaw Group, and John Greer, General Manager of Shaw Precast Solutions and Shaw Transport. Both Mr. Frizzell and Mr. Greer are Acadia alumni. Drs. Edith Callaghan and James Grant, and Professors Charlene Boudreau and Martha Cheney have served as competition chairs. The F.C. Manning School of Business gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Shaw Group, a platinum member of Canada’s Best Employers, one of Eastern Canada’s leading natural resource manufacturers and community developers, and the sponsor of this popular competition. A complete listing of the winning teams of past competitions follows.
Previous First Place Teams
About the Manning School
Founded in 1957, the Manning School at Acadia University is home to over 600 students from over 20 countries. With 23 faculty members from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds, the Manning School offers small classes that encourage concentrated interaction between students and faculty. Our students have opportunities to learn outside the classroom through co-op placements, projects with local enterprises, and international exchanges. Firmly rooted in a rich institutional legacy that personifies the very essence of a liberal education, the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program at Acadia is challenging and flexible, allowing students to explore a broad range of interests and producing well-rounded graduates who are well-positioned to pursue varied professional opportunities. Our graduates work in leadership roles across Canada and around the globe, with many having made their Acadia BBA degree a pathway to prestigious graduate programs.