The 2009 International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition will culminate with a conference in San Diego, California. University business students have been competing each year since 1965 in the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition. Over the years the number of participating business-student teams has grown from nine teams in the mid 60s to 30 to 35 teams in recent years. The geographic scope of the competition has expanded from the Western United States to include teams from Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East as well as from all parts of the USA. The competition has been hosted by the University of Nevada, Reno; by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; by San Jose State University and currently by the University of San Diego.
The Business Policy Game has been the official medium of the competition since its preliminary development in 1967. This computerized simulation, now in its fifth edition, is an international simulation designed to enable advanced business students to integrate and apply the theories of their various business courses. The students become strategic managers of simulated companies competing against other business students acting as managers of their own companies. The simulated environment incorporates the economies of two countries, and requires consideration of global and domestic strategy. Over the years many students have exclaimed that participating in the international competition has been the single most beneficial educational experience of their college careers.
The international competition starts with student teams organized in "worlds," with five or six teams in each "world" competing directly against each other. Trophies are awarded separately in each "world." The competition extends over five years of simulated competition, one calendar quarter at a time.
The early (remote) phase of the competition starts in early February each year and lasts about ten weeks. Students make decisions at their home campus, upload the decision sets via the Internet about once a week, and download the results of each quarter's competition after the game has been run. During the remote phase, each team prepares a comprehensive strategic business plan including a statement of its mission, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans.
The schedule for decisions for the 2009 remote phase is as follows:
| Year 3, Quarter 1--February 3 | Year 4, Quarter 1--March 3 | Year 5, Quarter 1--March 31 |
| Year 3, Quarter 2--February 10 | Year 4, Quarter 2--March 10 | Year 5, Quarter 2--April 7 |
| Year 3, Quarter 3--February 17 | Year 4, Quarter 3--March 17 | Year 5, Quarter 3--April 10 |
| Year 3, Quarter 4--February 24 | Year 4, Quarter 4--March 24 |
Then, for the intensive phase, all teams gather for a three-day conference (this year in San Diego, California) where they continue to make about ten more sets of decisions, give oral presentations to the judges, sometimes react to situations of crisis proportions, submit annual reports on attainment of their strategic objectives, and even have a few minutes to play. The competition always closes with a gala awards banquet where the winners are presented trophies for their excellent performance.
Click here for an invitation to participate.