Penn College Students Post 'Top 100' Scores Among Global Field

A number of Pennsylvania College of Technology students have posted impressive finishes in the latest rounds of the online Business Strategy Game, including one group that placed in the Top 100 among international competition in three categories.

The BSG-Online is an automated exercise in which each team is assigned to run an athletic footwear company in head-to-head competition with companies run by other students. Operations parallel those of actual athletic footwear companies, according to the summary of the game.

Penn College's "Team B" comprising Nicki S. Collins, business administration: human resource management, Montoursville; Julio Delgado Jr., a business administration: management major from Sunbury; Ricky King Jr., technology management, Montgomery; and Michelle Weaver, business administration: banking and finance, Williamsport placed 53rd in stock price ($334.09), 58th in earnings per share ($17.09) and 85th in return on average equity (34.4 percent) for the period of Nov. 4-11.

"We feel that the BSG gave us a chance to put to use all of the applied theories and financial formulas that we have been taught throughout our time at Penn College," Weaver said of her team. "We're thankful that the college gave us an opportunity to gain hands-on experience through this game."

The company's performance earns its members an invitation to the Best-Strategy Invitational, a competition among high-performing BSG-Online companies worldwide, which will be held from Dec. 3-14.

"We've never had a group finish in the top 100 in more than one area," said Gerald D. "Chip" Baumgardner, an associate professor of business administration. That's quite a feat given that more than 3,200 firms are competing from around the world."

In addition, "Team E" (Erin A. Karpich, accounting, Springville; Matthew D. Marvin, technology management, West Chester; and Nathaniel R. Yocum, business administration: management, Boalsburg) posted a score of 108.5 to tie for 26th best overall performance for Nov. 4-11. That firm also tied for 36th best overall performance during the previous week.

The co-managers of "C Company" the members of which were Amanda S. Evans, Allenwood, business administration: human resource management; Curtis D. Finck, Allenwood, business administration: management; and Sara L. Mapes, Beech Creek, technology management tied for 88th best from Oct. 29 through Nov. 4 with a return on average equity of 31 percent.

"You should be quite proud of your students for such an excellent performance a performance that reflects quite well on you and the caliber of instruction that students are receiving in your course," organizers of the game wrote to Baumgardner.

Just as in the real world, the fictional companies compete in a global-market arena, selling branded and private-label athletic footwear in four geographic regions: Europe-Africa, North America, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

The challenge for each company's management is to craft and execute a competitive strategy that results in a respected brand image, keeps its company in contention for global-market leadership, and produces good financial performance as measured by earnings per share, return on equity investment, stock-price appreciation and credit rating.

"It was truly remarkable how each of our team members applied their discipline to the game, making our group more successful," Weaver said. "We definitely learned that keeping not only our shareholders happy but our employees happy, as well increased our net profit and made the company more efficient. It was a great experience and we cannot wait to compete in the global championships."

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