Undergraduate students from the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis competed against teams from 19 schools across the country in the third annual Wayne State/General Motors (GM) Supply Chain Management case study competition September 19-21 in Detroit, Mich. The team included seniors John Gause (supply chain management), Geoff Tracey (supply chain management and marketing), Trina Loucks (management, supply chain management and international studies) and Paige Recker (marketing and supply chain management). 

The case involved a sourcing decision for the battery assembly of the 2014 Cadillac ELR. The Kelley Indianapolis team received the case two weeks before the actual competition, and during this time, they analyzed the case, decided upon their recommendation and prepared their presentation. Once the case was received, they were not allowed help from faculty or anyone outside of the team. 

“The students get to exchange ideas and perspectives with students from other schools,” said Mark Ippolito, senior lecturer in operations management and faculty coach for the competition. 

“Competing against teams from other schools is somewhat like competing against other companies. They get to interact with executives from the hosting companies, and they get a close look at a specific company and industry.”

The initial round of competition included five sets of four teams presenting simultaneously. Although the Kelley Indianapolis team didn’t advance to the final round, they were a close second. The team received positive feedback from senior GM managers and an introduction to today’s automotive industry. The students also toured the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant and experienced firsthand the supply chain systems that support the auto industry.