A team of four students from the International Bachelor of Business Administration Program (iBBA) at York's Schulich School of Business were among the top 20 teams in the world to advance to the international finals of the Peak Time Global Business Competition in Riga, Latvia. It was a first for Canada and York.
York business students Afzal Habib, Alice Pang, Amanda Yiu and Sameer Gulamani first learned about the competition from Lorna Wright, director of the International MBA Program at Schulich, and decided to form a team. After deciding on a name for their team – The Leafs – the four students entered the competition not fully knowing what to expect.
The first round of the competition required teams to participate in an online business simulation game that involved managing an international hotel business. It was a challenge that required teams to apply their strong business acumen in making strategic decisions related to areas such as marketing, operations, finance and human resources.
Right: From left, Sameer Gulamani, Afzal Habib, Amanda Yiu and Alice Pang in front of the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, Latvia.
Out of 389 teams from 21 different countries participating in this stage of the competition, the Schulich School of Business team was one of three North American teams to advance to the next round, based on each team's results in generating a high percentage of shareholders return.
In the second round, the team was assigned a case study that involved proposing a number of strategic solutions for a client. As a result of their combined efforts, they were the only team from Canada to make the final round of Peak Time. Later, the Schulich School of Business students found out that their team had travelled the furthest to reach the Peak Time competition, which took place at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, Latvia.
Support from York's VP Academic Office and Alumni Office, made it possible for the team to travel to Peak Time where team members experienced a fulfilling and eye-opening adventure. Although this Baltic nation is small in size, it is big in everything else. Riga is the fastest growing capital in the European Union and is a prospering city that can only be described as a unique blend of modernity and tradition.
The Leafs had the privilege of meeting and competing with other like-minded business students from different parts of the world and participating in insightful keynote presentations and workshops that provided further value to the event.
In the end, The Leafs placed fifth in their division and despite not being the top winners, the team is in agreement that they were very satisfied with their performance.