A team of NC students rose to the challenge of innovating solutions during a global pandemic, as part of a recent binational business competition.
Four Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (International Commerce and Global Development) (BBA ICOM) students achieved second place at the World Trade Center Buffalo-Niagara (WTCBN) International Case Competition, which was held virtually via Zoom on March 19. They competed against students from Brock University, Canisius College, Daemen College, and the University of Buffalo.
It was no small feat for competitors, who were tasked with delivering new solutions in a new world trade environment for the WTCBN. In a message to participating students prior to the competition, the WTCBN outlined that following the shutdown of the global economy in 2020, it continues to face the same challenges as many of its members as it strives to help companies and the region recover through international trade. Seeking a sustainable model moving forward, they turned to competing teams of students, as future leaders of international trade, for solutions on a sustainable model moving forward, for help in adapting their day-to-day in “the new normal” and in matching their programming to the revenues necessary to run it.
“The solutions you come up with will be very important to helping the WTCBN navigate the post-pandemic environment to best serve its members and our bi-national region,” stated the WTCBN.
Student teams had to identify a key topic in international business and trade that is most relevant to growth for its member manufacturers and trade service providers. They designed a presentation to address stakeholder needs and engage their personnel while considering that there would be no face-to-face meetings in the near term. They also recommended a pricing model to make the program sustainable and meet the long-term goals of the WTCBN, its members and the regional economy.
“It is a remarkable achievement for the students to step up in an international competition and compete with universities in Canada and the United States,” said professor Navjote Khara, PhD. “It is a testimony to the skills and calibre of these students and it reflects on the quality of the BBA ICOM program that has prepared them to compete at an international level.”
By participating in the international business competition, Khara noted that the students had an opportunity to integrate and apply the theoretical knowledge they learned through their program curriculum to a real-life business case. It was a chance for students to showcase their professional, interpersonal, applied critical thinking and problem-solving skills to creatively arrive at potential solutions. In addition, Khara pointed out that students had a chance to experience an “executive role” in decision-making and networking with industry professionals. As finalists, the students had the opportunity to participate in a one-on-one chat with WTCBN executive director of Business Development Robin van Puyenbroeck – the event’s keynote speaker.
“Their success in the completion can be attributed to their personal aptitude, academic rigour over the course of the program, their teamwork, professionalism, subject matter expertise and desire to succeed,” said Khara.
The students, who have been studying remotely at the College, used virtual platforms to prepare for the competition as they worked on mock cases with Khara and Rob Madronic, PhD.
For Khara, the success of NC students at the competition also reinforces the excellent work done by faculty who create international-level graduates through the range of experience, knowledge and skills that are incorporated into the program curriculum.
‘I think it really is the way of the future’
NC’s team of competitors – including third-year students Adam Sheridan and Justine Tadena, and fourth-year students Gregory Malott and Heather Watts – valued the experience they gained at the WTCBN competition.
For Tadena, an international student from Aruba who currently resides in Niagara-on-the-Lake, it was his first time participating in this type of competition and he was happy that he did.
“This achievement means a lot to me. It showed me that there’s no room to get comfortable and that opportunities like this are not to be ignored,” he said. “It made me realize the potential and strengths I had in my skills and knowledge, and gave me a vision of how our academics can easily be applied to real-time scenarios.”
Tadena noted that it helped to further his professional development.
“My goal is to develop businesses, help them enter a foreign market and adapt to global changes, and this competition showed me exactly how businesses go about it,” he said.
Tadena viewed the online format as a bonus. “I saw this as one of the global challenges that we have to learn and adapt to,” he said. “It was a fantastic experience and I’m glad we managed to perform well online.”
The competition was also a first for Welland resident Heather Watts, who was very proud of her team’s accomplishment.
“As a student, it really boosts your confidence knowing that the teaching staff believes in you and your abilities,” she said, noting that, as a result, she has decided to pursue a master’s degree.
For Watts, the experience reminded her of the reason why she chose international business as a career and helped her realize how the skills she gained at NC will help her excel at whatever she decides as she moves forward. She said that it helped her to embrace new situations, work with new areas that she has little or no previous knowledge in, and with an extremely tight schedule. She was also able to hone her research skills, presentation preparation, and use tools and models that she learned throughout her years at the College as she worked on solutions for the competition.
“The experience was a great way to get a taste of what it will be like when school is over and when we enter the workforce,” she said. “It was an excellent way to test what we have learned in our time at Niagara College.”
As for the online format, Watts believed she benefitted from participating remotely and enjoyed being able to interact with the group of judges, competitors and viewers remotely, without the need to travel. She also appreciated the opportunity to learn how to give effective virtual presentations.
“I think it really is the way of the future and the way our world is shifting to more virtual than personal interactions,” she said.
This is the third year of the WTCBN competition. NC’s team of students also placed second last year.
