Four University of Houston-Victoria students recently took one of the top 100 weekly spots in the Business Strategy Game, a worldwide business simulation competition.

The UHV team known as Asphalt Kix tied for 18th place in the Global Top 100 ranking for the week beginning Sept. 29. The team is made up of UHV School of Business Administration students David Dao of Corinth; Catalina Otalora, Katy; Catherine Rugano, Conroe; and Andie Scott, Missouri City.

The team earned an overall score of 108.5 out of the possible 110 points. The students are participating in the simulation as part of their graduate-level “International Business Strategy” course, the capstone course for the Global Master of Business Administration program.

Farhang Niroomand

 “The School of Business Administration is proud to see our students successfully taking part in the Business Strategy Game,” said Farhang Niroomand, dean of the UHV School of Business Administration. “I applaud their efforts and hope to see more success and recognition for our excellent students as the simulation continues.”

The Business Strategy Game is an international competition that pits management teams of three to four students against others in a simulation of the global market. Teams play the part of athletic footwear companies competing against other companies run by class members. The simulation is intended to help students understand the global marketplace.

Scores are compiled every Monday based on the previous week’s activity, and the top 100 companies are chosen based on four measures: overall score, earnings per share, return on average equity and stock price. There are currently 3,894 teams from 240 college and university campuses participating in the simulation.

The simulation gives students an opportunity to experience the real challenges of the business world, said Jifu Wang, associate professor in the UHV School of Business Administration. It is different than typical classroom exercises or tests.

Jifu Wang

“There’s no same answer any time,” Wang said. “The whole situation can change based on the decisions made by various teams. The simulation reflects the constant changes of the global marketplace, so there’s no way to set a standard course of action. You never know what people will do, and that reflects the dynamics of the business world.”

In this kind of simulation, students are forced to apply the knowledge they’ve accrued during their time at school and put it to practical use, Wang said. They have to be able to look at a situation clearly and plan their actions accordingly.

“I’m very proud of these students,” Wang said. “This indicates the caliber and quality of UHV’s students and the business school as a whole. This is not just a grade. This is a performance where they are facing all of the challenges of a global arena. They’ve shown they are able to handle a hands-on problem. They are putting knowledge and skills into practice and generating results.”