Indiana University Kelley School of Business Team Wins BTS University Challenge

Business Wire, April 15, 2008

MBAs Beat Other Area Top Business Schools in Contest to Run the Most Successful Multi-Billion Dollar Business

CHICAGO -- BTS, the world leader in customized business simulations and other discovery-based learning solutions, today announced the winners of the BTS University Challenge, which challenges MBA teams from top-ranked business schools to compete in running a multi-billion dollar corporation. The five person team from Indiana University Kelley School of Business triumphed over its rivals from the University of Chicago GSB, Northwestern University (Kellogg), the University of Michigan (Ross), and the University of Notre Dame (Mendoza) in the intense and realistic BTS simulation, held April 11 and April 12 at the Metropolitan Club in Chicago. The Indiana University team wins $2,500 for its team members; all teams experienced a taste of how C-level Fortune 500 executives today improve their ability to deliver results.

The simulation pitted the five teams against each other in running initially identical companies over a three-period, multi-year timeframe. All teams had to balance revenue growth, market penetration, and stakeholder satisfaction, with the winning team producing the highest return on assets, operating profit, cumulative cash flow and product pipeline at the end of the competition.

"These students performed extremely well in an experience that is far more intense than what most simulations in business schools offer," said BTS Chicago Managing Director Steve Toomey. "Congratulations to Indiana University Kelley School of Business and to all the competing teams who represented their schools well, by displaying extraordinary talent, passion and professionalism. The competing teams were so close that it was anyone's to win in the last round."

"BTS is proud to have hosted these talented teams from the Chicago area's best business schools," said BTS EVP Rommin Adl. "Corporations and business schools alike are experiencing the power of business simulations to bring about learning and change and we're pleased to be on the vanguard of this trend."

"The competition was intense, but we were lucky to have a great team that was really able to focus despite the pressure of the situation," said Shib Pramanik, Indiana University Kelley School of Business team member. "The BTS University Challenge is no regular case competition; this was about having a strategy, implementing it, and changing it as per market movements. Strategy, operations, finance, economics and marketing all came together in this competition. Truly an awesome experience!"

The BTS University Challenge teams all finished in close proximity to the winners, who did not move into first place until the very end of the competition. During the first and second rounds, Michigan and Chicago GSB took top honors respectively. Northwestern and Notre Dame had strong finishes in all of the rounds, with Northwestern finishing fourth overall and Notre Dame finishing second at the end of round one. Team members had to respond to simulated market conditions such as an increase in regulatory oversight of their products, customer satisfaction and even recruitment of key employees. Perhaps the most important indicator of success was the ability of a team to keep a balanced scorecard of all their company's stakeholders and performance metrics - something even seasoned corporate executives struggle to maintain.

BTS Chicago is located at 33 N. LaSalle Street, Ste 1210, Chicago, IL 60602. The phone number is: 312.263.6250, and the fax number is: 312.263.6110.

About BTS

BTS is the world leader in customized business simulations and other discovery learning solutions that enable leading corporations to change, grow and succeed. We partner with our clients to develop the mindset and capabilities that their people need to accelerate change and improve business results.

BTS has 300 highly talented professionals serving over 400 clients, including 40 of the US Fortune 100 companies and 25 of the Global Fortune 100 world's largest corporations. Select BTS clients include AT&T, Ericsson, Kimberly-Clark, Nokia, Sony, Toyota, Unilever and Xerox.

BTS adds value to its clients through three practice areas: Strategic Alignment & Business Acumen, Leadership & Management, and Sales. BTS also has strong capabilities in Operational Excellence & Project Leadership and offers an innovative Engage for Change process.

BTS serves its clients from offices in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Scottsdale, Stamford, Beijing, Bilbao, Brussels, Helsinki, Johannesburg, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Oslo, Singapore, Stockholm and Sydney.

For more information please visit www.bts.com.