LSE and Iqra University win top Synergy prizes

Twenty-five universities participate in business competitions.

LAHORE:

The second and final day of Synergies, an event organised at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) by the Global Management Club, featured Business Case Study and Business Games workshops. Twenty-five institutes from all over Pakistan participated in the event.

Teams that had qualified for the second round were given a case study to put to use their business skills. The case study had actual figures from an anonymous company. The participants were judged for class participation, analysis and the solutions they provided.

The delegates shared information in class discussion and acted out the roles assigned to them. The teams consisted of three to five players. The case study given to them was one of issues faced by managers in a UK based company working on social welfare in Ethiopia.

Dr Arif Rana, a supply chain specialist, conducting the workshop said, “If collaborated diversity is brought to the corporate sector, we can get the best of social and corporate worlds.”

The Business Games competition tested the delegates’ business acumen. Delegates managed a budget allocated for marketing strategies. They had to provide information on revenue, market share and the target audience regarding a product heading to the market. The Business Games were conducted by Dr Jamshaid Khan and LUMS faculty member Dr Faheem.  Dr Khan said, “Delegates must understand what it is like working under pressure and with severe time constraints.” The delegates were awarded certificates and souvenirs. University of Engineering and Technology student Usman Iftikhar said, “Understanding the cycle of business is important. These case studies certainly helped us.” Lahore School of Economics won the Business Case Study competition while Islamabad’s Iqra University was the top team in the Business Games competition.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2011.