IKEA International Case Competition

The IKEA International Case Competition is an annual event in which teams of undergraduate business students apply their knowledge and skills to a real-life international business problem. Panels of corporate and faculty judges evaluate team analyses and recommendations based on their diagnosis of the problem, application of theory and classroom concepts, ability to communicate ideas, teamwork, and creativity.

Highlights

• Grand prize - a $1,000 gift certificate to IKEA
• 48 hours to develop analysis
• Preliminary and final (afternoon) rounds

Team Information
Teams consist of four students and one Research Associate. Each team that signs up by the deadline will be guaranteed a spot in the competition. In the past, students have found that choosing team members with diverse skill areas is beneficial. The prize for the winning team is a $1000 IKEA gift certificate.   

The 2009 IKEA International Case Competition will kick-off the Foster School's Global Biz Week. Case analysis will take place over 48 hours starting at 5 pm Friday, November 13 until 5 pm Sunday, November 15 at which point all teams will email their PowerPoint presentations. Changes to the presentation can not be made once it has been submitted on Sunday. Teams will present in front of a panel of corporate judges on Monday, November 16, 2009. 

Time Commitment

1. Kick-off Event: one week before the case
2. Case Analysis: 48 hours from 5pm Friday to 5 pm Sunday
3. Competition, Final Round, & Awards Ceremony: All Day Monday (8 am – 7 pm)

Team Rules

1. Teams must consist of at least 3 undergraduate business students from the Seattle, Tacoma, or Bothell University of Washington Campuses
2. Teams can have at most 1 non-business undergraduate student from the Seattle, Tacoma, or Bothell University of Washington Campuses
3. Teams must have a maximum of 4 team members
4. Teams must have a fifth member, a Research Associate.
   • Research Associates must be currently registered Foster School undergraduate students
   • Research Associates may not have completed or be registered in any 300 or 400 level Foster School courses
   • Research Associates are a wonderful resource and can be of assistance in a variety of ways such as searching databases, entering data, creating graphs, and conducting library or internet research
   • Research Associates are not coffee gophers or the like
   • Research Associates will give a minimum of 10 hours of work to the team during the 48 hour analysis period
   • Research Associates may not present with the team during the competition, but may watch their team presentation and stay through the judge feedback session. They may not watch other team presentations
5. All student participants must be enrolled as UW undergraduate students for Fall Quarter 2009
6. Teams may substitute members until Friday, November 6

Please complete your application by 5:00 pm Friday, October 30, 2009.

In submitting this application, you are committing to participate in the competition.  Recognizing that things come up, we will allow for substitutes up until November 6.  Once you receive the case, you can no longer substitute team members, but you may still present with only two or three team members. 

Questions? Check out our FAQs, email, or call 206.616.9565.