ABOUT THE COMPETITION
The Business Cup Challenge (BCC) is a unique platform, designed to challenge high school students and launch them into the business world at a young age. The BCC was introduced in 2013 by Lancaster University Ghana in partnership with the Transnational Academic Group and its partnership schools and has increased in popularity since then.
This challenge is designed to provide a platform for aspiring business enthusiastic students to showcase their innovative ideas, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Through this competition, students will be encouraged to assess real-life problems, analyse critical business scenarios, develop, and implement business plans to solve those problems, and present a case to an academic and professional panel.
High school students will get the opportunity to work as part of a team, in a competitive environment and be guided by mentors.
This year the Business Cup Challenge will focus on Sustainability and its use in businesses.
BCC 2024 THEME AND TIMELINE
THEME: SUSTAINABLITY
Humankind is currently facing the most severe environmental and resource scarcity challenges in history. It is widely recognized that sustainability must be a major focus of every government, business, and individual. The United Nations has established Sustainable Development Goals for the world, and these are being implemented through government regulation, corporate action, and individual efforts. Many investors, and therefore investment companies, are now requiring companies to provide ESG reports (Environmental, Social, and Governance) every quarter and will only invest in companies that are moving in a sustainable direction.
This year’s Business Cup Challenge will be focused on helping companies achieve one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and will help students begin to think in a sustainable way so that, as the leaders of tomorrow, they can bring the world into a new age of sustainable living.
3 cases on the SDG’s will be addressed. The cases will be sufficiently broad to allow for many creative solutions. The case responses will be judged on the creativity / uniqueness of the solution, the technical and social feasibility of the solution, the financial viability, and the results of the PESTEL analysis.
GUIDELINES
THE FINE PRINTS: ELIGIBILITY AND REGISTRATION
- The competition is open to all high schools in Ghana.
- There is no entry fee to participate in this competition.
- Each school can register up to three teams from grades 11.
- Each team can consist of a minimum of four to a maximum of six members.
- Each school can register a maximum of 3 teams.
- Each participating school is required to nominate a Team Supervisor to liaise with the University.
- After each team has registered individually, Mentors/teachers must email [email protected] confirming the list of students and teams from their school for them to be eligible to participate.
- Registrations close at 5.00PM on 31st January 2024
- Cases and guidelines are released online (BCC Site) as per schedule for easy access to the Team Supervisors
- Certificates will be issued only to the teams who participate through the elevator pitch / grand finale. Teams that drop out before that point will not be awarded certificates.
- All answers must be submitted to the link provided, the submission link will be active as soon as the case studies are released.
- Case studies will be rated, and feedback given online. Please refer to the marking rubric for more information about markings.
- Teams will be awarded points according to the set criteria.
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY 1
Answers to be submitted by: 8th Feb 2024
Please note: Submissions are closed for Case Study 1.
CASE STUDY 2
Answers to be submitted by: 15th Feb 2024
Please note: Submissions are closed for Case Study 2.
FINAL CASE/GRAND FINALE
Live Presentation – 23rd Feb 2024
TIMELINES
Date | Activity |
15th January 2024 | Official Launch and Opening of Registration |
15th - 31st January 2024 | Orientation Workshops (in person and Virtual) Kumasi & Cape Coast) |
1st February 2024 | Case Study 1 Release – Preliminary Phase |
8th February 2024 | Case Study 1 submission – Preliminary Phase |
8th February 2024 | Case Study 2 Release – Semifinal Phase |
15th February 2024 | Case Study 2 submission – Semifinal Phase |
15th February 2024 | Case Study 3 release and Elevator Pitch – Grand Finale |
23rd February 2024 | Grand Finale – Case study 3 presentation and Elevator Pitch |
Cases Study | Case Study Question Released | Answers Submitted/ Live Presentation | Marking Period | Results Released |
Case 1 | 1st Feb 2024 | 8th Feb 2024 | 19th– 11th Feb 2024 | 12th Feb 2024 |
Case 2 | 8th Feb 2024 | 15th Feb 2024 | 16th – 18th Feb 2024 | 19th Feb 2024 |
Final Case/Grand finale | 23rd Feb 2024 | Live Presentation – 23rd Feb 2024 | Panel assessment – 23rd Feb 2024 | Awards – 23rd Feb 2024 |
LEADERBOARD
Congratulations to the first TOP 5 teams! You have directly qualified for the Grand Finale.
The results are combined from Case 1 and Case 2 submissions.
PRIZES AND AWARDS
Apart from medals and the BCC Trophy, Winners will also receive cash prizes, gadgets and scholarship to study at Lancaster University Ghana. Teams/participants that attempt and submit at least the first two case studies will be eligible for the participation certificate. Teams that drop out before that point will not be awarded certificates.
SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNERS
Citi TV/FM, Multimedia, Atlantis Radio, Business and Financial Times