November 29, 2004
McCombs
School Team Places Third in
International Operations Case
Competition
In the most recent example, a team of four MBA students traveled from McCombs to the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University to win third place in the ninth annual International Operations Case Competition.
As operations and supply chain management have become increasingly hot topics in the business world, more schools are incorporating the subjects into their course offerings. McCombs has strong records in both disciplines, as evidenced by popular undergraduate and graduate courses, leading international researchers and even a recently established Ph.D. program concentration in Supply Chain and Operations Management.
“With this being my first year, it was good to see other schools from around the country and the backgrounds they come from. Everyone seemed to be on the same level, and by winning third place, it proved to me that the education I am receiving at McCombs is on par with the best schools around,” said Richard Valdez, a member of the team. “And on a more personal note, it will allow me to get further exposure to companies with operations careers and to build up enthusiasm in the school for the operations discipline.”
For 12 hours, McCombs MBAs Valdez, Diego Dyer, Francisco Llosa and Alberto Van Oordt brainstormed on how to help Union Pacific Railroad minimize the $65 million the firm spends annually on van costs. They presented their plan to a panel of judges.
“By finishing in third place in this competition, which involved top programs from MIT, Wharton, Michigan, Darden, and other great schools, the McCombs team helped to reinforce our reputation as one of the best MBA programs overall and in supply chain and operations management specifically,” said Steve Gilbert, an associate professor of management at McCombs.
The winning team, which hailed from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, impressed Union Pacific Railroad executives with their plan to reduce the vendor’s power and build accountability. A team from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management placed second.
For information on specific programs at the McCombs School, consult our contacts page. For media information, contact the Communications Director by phone at 512-471-3314 or by email at CommunicationsDirector@mccombs.utexas.edu.
