A Case for POS

May 15, 2013

may-bannerA proposal featuring creative, yet easily-implemented, recommendations for building a positive work culture won the Center for POS’s first case competition, which was open to all University of Michigan students. Christy Vanek (BBA, 2014), Bridget Labe (BBA, 2014), and Zarin Singh (BA, 2014) comprised Team Sunbeam, and took the $1,500 first prize. Their recommendations were all based in POS research, and included a spotlight on the importance of expressing gratitude and its positive impact on mood.

The competition drew proposals from 18 teams; an elimination round yielded three finalists, who presented their proposals before an audience that included staff from the Michigan Telefund, the organization that was the subject of this based-in-reality case. A special feature of this competition was the opportunity for the entrants to visit to the Michigan Telefund worksite and observe the environment firsthand. Michigan Telefund aspires to be the best place on campus for student workers, and the case competition provided a great vehicle for identifying strategies to employ. We will check in with Michigan Telefund in a few months, to see what results the winners’ recommendations yielded!

Rebecca Beagan (BBA, 2013) took the second prize of $1,000, and Team Super POD, which included Elizabeth Matzen (MBA/MS, 2013), Kara Davidson (MBA/MS, 2013), and Stephanie Judd (MBA/MS, 2013), shared the $500 third prize.

Judges for the case competition included:

  • University of Michigan alumnus and Wharton School of Business Professor Adam Grant. Professor Grant also gave a talk on his recent book, Give and Take, right after the case competition.
  • Meghan Yuhasz, Sales Manager, Google. Ms. Yuhasz’s team reaches out to small- and medium-sized businesses to optimize their experience with Google AdWords.
  • Sabriye Gill is a graduating LSA senior who worked at Michigan Telefund during her four years at Michigan.
  • Tom Baird serves as Executive Director for the Campaign at the University of Michigan, and as a board member of the Ann Arbor Public Schools Education Foundation.

Newcombe Clark (MBA 2013) coordinated many details of the competition, and served as MC during the final judging event.