By UOW Malaysia KDU

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, four students from UOW Malaysia KDU School of Business retained their positivity and motivation to compete in the Capsim Spring 2020 Foundation Global Challenge, a global business simulation competition. Wilson Kong, Chong Feng Cheng, Thiam E Loong and Wan Mei Yan emerged as the first runner-up team in the 2-day online finale held from 1 – 2 May, 2020.

Their outstanding success was inconceivable, as they are only in the second year of their Diploma studies. The success of this team further establishes that age is not a barrier to success if you have the drive and determination to continually learn. The team has a good mixture of both business knowledge and professional practice, with team members drawn from both the Diploma in Accountancy and Diploma in Business Administration.

Commenting on their motivation for joining the competition, they stated “we wanted to gain real-life experience before joining the corporate world upon graduation. Although the challenge was intense, we truly enjoyed the thrill and excitement while immersing ourselves into the simulation. The simulation experience has helped in abundance to further increase our business knowledge and acumen by allowing us to experience that profit is not the only business goal and there is more to it. Each and every decision made was critical and we had to meticulously wade through each stage of the challenge. We are looking forward for the next Capsim challenge”.

The Capsim Challenge takes Capstone and Foundation alumni and pits them against each other in a bi-annual competition to crown the world’s best in running a simulated multi-million-dollar company. Held twice a year, Capsim alumni have the opportunity to test their business acumen against competitors from around the globe. The challenge requires students to demonstrate their decision-making skills in the areas of research and development, marketing, production and finance. To win the title, the team must score the highest ‘Balanced Scorecard’ among the competing finalists.

In the qualifying round of the challenge, UOW Malaysia KDU’s team was ranked in 6th position out of the 74 teams that participated globally. The top 6 winning teams advanced to the finale. With a twist of scenario and proper strategic implementation, the team of four were able to emerge as the top Malaysian team while also being the 1st runner-up institution globally.

Participating in simulation based competitions establishes a path for students to showcase their talent and skills. Students are exposed to complex situations in a safe simulated learning environment, that prepares students to face the challenging business world later. Simulation gaming is an integral part of the learning experience at UOW Malaysia KDU’s School of Business, as it improves students’ decision making and teamwork skills, allowing them to become agile and decisive business thinkers before they enter the corporate world. Success is just a stone’s throw away for them.