Oklahoma State University

12/09/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/09/2024 13:39

Spears student earns Best Q&A Award at National Business and Ethics Case Competition

Spears student earns Best Q&A Award at National Business and Ethics Case Competition

Monday, December 9, 2024

Media Contact: Stephen Howard | Manager of Communications | 405-744-4363 | [email protected]

Oklahoma State University MBA student Bryson Diener earned the Best Q&A Award at the National Business and Ethics Case Competition in Ethical Leadership held Nov. 13-15 at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Diener, along with teammates Elizabeth Rosson, Reagan Sims and Shianna Woods, competed against 14 other prestigious MBA programs, including Carnegie Mellon, Texas A&M and Minnesota. The team had 24 hours to analyze Boeing's business practices and present strategic recommendations focusing on financial health and ethical improvements.

"My teammates and I had the privilege of representing OSU at the National MBA Case Competition in Ethical Leadership, and over the course of 24 hours we were presented with a challenging case that required us to identify key ethical issues, develop actionable solutions, and create a comprehensive 20-minute presentation," Diener said. "We then delivered our proposed solutions to a panel of real-world industry experts in ethical leadership and participated in the Q&A portion of the competition, during which judges posed questions about our proposed solutions. I was honored to receive the Best Q&A Award during the competition, but I view it as a reflection of my team's collective efforts. Our thorough preparation and collaboration ensured we were aligned on every aspect of our solution, which positioned me to respond confidently and effectively during the judges' questions. It was truly a team achievement, and I'm proud of what we accomplished together."

MBA manager Rodrigo Tello co-leads the Spears School of Business case consulting course alongside MBA director Dr. Matt Bowler. This required class teaches students analytical and presentation skills that prepare them to participate in these competitions, as well as skills that translate to business settings.

"Witnessing how our MBAs put into practice what they learn in our 8-week case consulting class, and receiving this award, signals that we are preparing our MBAs to excel not only in competitions but also in real-life business scenarios," Tello said.

The MBA case consulting team will continue its competitive season at two upcoming national events: BYU's Faith and Belief in the Workplace Competition in February and the Big 12 Business Case Competition in March.

The Spears Business MBA is tied for 16th on U.S. News & World Report's list of the 2024 Best Online MBA Programs.