The USTC Campus Breakout Competition, a prelude to the Second China Management Case Competition 2014, concluded at the 2nd-floor Lecture Hall on East Campus. A total of 14 teams from classes MBA1206, MBA1301, MBA1302, MBA1303, MBA1304, MBA1305, MBA1306, MBA1307, MBA1308, MBA1309, MBA1310, and MBA1311 participated in the competition, where each team thoroughly analyzed cases and provided wise responses, followed by the judges' careful investigation and incisive questions, hence pushing the event to a new height of success.

Seated in the judges' chair of this year's campus breakout competition were Prof. Hua Zhongsheng, vice dean of School of Management, Prof. Yu Yugang, also vice dean, Mr. Qu Qifa, assistant dean, Mr. Zhang Shengliang, director of MBA Center, Mr. Zhu Ning, deputy director of MBA Center, and Mr. Guo Jiangping, deputy director of EMBA as well as Ms. Dai Qi and Ms. Mo Hongfang, both MBA teachers.

Prof. Yu Yugang addressed the competition before it kicked off. As he pointed, the case competition is a platform for students to demonstrate their overall capabilities because it is imperative to be highly developed in theoretical knowledge; thoroughly profound and extensive in actual investigation of business; and remarkably distinct and clear in presenting case opinions. He expressed his hope that each team could jointly cooperate to register good scores in the competition, and strenuously aim at later rounds of competition to win an honor for the School.

For each stage of the competition, there were two teams on stage competing against each other. The competition includes spot presentation, cross questioning, and QA with judges. First, each team will present their slides within 8 minutes, then perform cross question each for 5 minutes, followed by questions from other teams. Each round of QA is limited to 10 minutes maximum. In the end, judges will raise questions for each team on stage for a maximum of 5 minutes.

"Where to go for organic fish in Qiandao Lake" and "Jingwei Yuanhua Medical Company: How to Realize Synergy Operation of on-line and off-line Businesses" had been chosen as cases for the competition. Participants are required to analyze the challenges currently encountered by the company in its operation and development and suggest how to respond to them by collecting relevant information including the company background, industry background, and competitor relations on the basis of the available information given in the cases, and then come up with responsive resolutions.

During the competition, 14 teams provided comprehensive analyses of cases, interpreted the given cases under the guidance of prepared PPT presentations, and proposed their respective resolutions. Each of the participating teams, through in-depth analysis of cases and smart answers, gave full play to their talents on stage. Through communications with judges in QA sections, participants had a more profound understanding as to how to perform case analysis, and improved themselves both in thinking and choice of approach.

Eight judges provided both careful comments and tough questions on the participants' presentation in the QA section, during which distinct views and wisdom rendezvoused with each other.

After fierce competition for over eight hours, finally the team "Chaoqun" representing class MBA1301 crowned with a unanimous vote; "Kunpeng" representing class MBA1306 and "Feima" representing class MBA1302 won second-level prizes; "Haohai Xingyun" representing class MBA1305, "Yunmeng" representing class MBA1309, and "Running MBAer" representing class MBA1310 won the third-level prizes. In addition, Sun Ya, contestant #3 from team "Jianhui" representing MBA1301 and Wang Biying, contestant #2 from "Zhengtu" representing MBA1303 were granted the Most Valuable Award; while the Best Style Award went to Yu Daquan, contestant #3 from "Zhumeng" representing MBA1308 and Rong Yuning, contestant #3 from "Running MBAer" representing MBA1310.

At the end of the competition, Prof. Hua Zhongsheng made concluding remarks, in which he pointed out that as the best platform to demonstrate what has been learned, the case competition attaches greater importance to "application" and an opportunity to improve one's overall qualities. He also proposed proper advice, commended the students' positive attitude, and extended best wishes to students to advance further in this competition.

The campus breakout competition marks a prelude to the national management case competition, and we believe excellent contestants from USTC will register more achievements through later rounds of competition.

The Second China Management Case Competition 2014 is jointly organized by the National Supervisory Committee for MBA Education, China Management Case Sharing Center, China Management Case Center Alliance and Management Case Research Committee under the Chinese Research Council of Modern Management. The event is intended to maximally simulate the real business competition and improve the comprehensive analysis and decision-making capabilities of MBA students through analysis and discussion of social and economic hot issues, further boosting and prospering MBA education in China, testing case teaching results, and enhancing exchange and cooperation among business schools. The competition is divided into three phases: campus breakout, regional competition, and national competition.