The marketing, analytical and persuasive skills of four Wharton School graduate students were put to the test earlier this month.
And while the students didn't walk away with victory in a national marketing case competition, they did leave feeling a little bit more energized about the subject of their studies.
Second-year MBA students Roberto Colindres and Ramsey Elia and first-years Joe Acevedo and Ana Kono, all members of the Wharton Hispanic-American MBA Association, together participated in the Kraft Foods 2001 Marketing Case Competition held in San Antonio on Nov. 1.
The competition was a chance for the graduate students to put their marketing education to use. Each team received a case requiring them to evaluate market segmentation and estimate a value chain, both applications of skills taught in marketing classes.
The groups were judged on the recommendations they provided for the case, how well they presented it and how well they performed in the 15-minute question-and-answer session that followed their presentation.
The competition was held in conjunction with the National Society of Hispanic MBA's Annual Conference and Career Expo. A panel of Kraft Foods Marketing executives selected eight teams of Hispanic MBA students based on ideas and team leadership, marketing enthusiasm and insight, analytical strength and motivational skills.
Before leaving for San Antonio, the Penn team met during the week to draw up possible questions and strategize about how to approach the case. Since it was the first time the four of them have worked together, the meeting was helpful in figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of each individual.
"It was interesting because we all have different styles," said Acevedo. "I took a financial perspective and was more numbers-oriented, while Ramsey had a more big picture take on the situation. Ana also analyzed the case from the traditional marketing view."
The morning of the competition, each of the eight teams was designated a specific time to pick up the case study on Kraft Foods' acquisition of Post and Nabisco. Given four hours for analysis and discussion, each team had to present its recommendations to the judges, who were Kraft Foods senior marketing executives. The question-and-answer session followed.
Though Elia and Kono are both interested in pursuing marketing careers, Colindres and Acevedo have more experience in finance. The team addressed the case from various perspectives, each bringing in a different angle of analysis.
Even with these differences, members said the group was able to come together during the competition to present a strong case.
"My personal take-away was that when you put together a group of people who share a common objective, you can get amazing team dynamics," Kono said. "I walked away feeling not only proud of my teammates but also privileged to have had the opportunity of working with them."
Although the University of California Los Angeles team was selected as the winner of the competition, the Penn team "came back from the conference pumped up and positive," Acevedo said.
The four students' participation marked the first appearance of Wharton at the conference.
