Business competition inspires students to examine the international business spectrum

Business competition inspires students to examine the international business spectrum

In an effort to help MBA candidates prepare for the increasingly global business sector, the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) recently held a competition that challenged students to examine the potential of other countries.

For the competition, which is called the Global Challenge, teams of MBA candidates were required to develop an original public-private venture that could support development and tourism in the emerging Asian market. USAID officials say that the contest is intended to address global engagement, which is one of the key themes of the Obama administration's foreign policy.

The competitors presented their plans to a judging committee of USAID representatives, private sector companies and nongovernmental organizations. The first-, second- and third-place teams received cash prizes of $5,000, $2,500 and $1,000, respectively.

G. "Anand" Anandalingam, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, said that the contest aimed to encourage students who are enrolled in campus-based and online MBA programs to "measure true success not only by profit-making, but also in fostering the creation of social values and taking all stakeholders into consideration."

By Stephanie Hughes