Business Masters student wins global business simulation competition
15 January 2020
Mila Lee, a Business Masters student from the University of Auckland Business School, has won first place in the 2019 MikesBikes World Championship, which took place over two weeks in December.
MikeBikes is a business simulation from e-learning pioneers, SmartSims. It is used in business courses around the globe to provide students with real-world business management experience.
The simulation involves students managing a fictional bicycle manufacturing company in competition with other student-run companies. Students have to make a multitude of decisions on how to run the company, adapting their strategy to get the largest shareholder value against other competitors from around the world.
There were 163 students from around the globe who competed in the 2019 MikesBikes World Championships, including competitors from Arizona State University, Santa Clara University and University of Oregon. Mila Lee’s fictional firm, PedalPals, achieved the highest shareholder value out of 97 firms, at US$136.18
Senior Lecturer Peter Smith and Professor Darl Kolb have been using MikesBikes to teach business management at the University of Auckland for over 20 years now, and our students have a successful track record with the MikeBikes World Championships.
In 2018 team Whatever-Go from the University of Auckland won first place, with a final shareholder value of $490.59. In 2017 it was University of Auckland students again who took out first, second and third places in the competition.
The MikesBikes simulation combines elements of strategy, marketing, operations, product design and human resource management within a complex competitive environment.
Professor Darl Kolb, who uses MikesBikes in his Business Masters course, BUSMGT 711: Managing People and Organisations, explains: “The MikesBikes simulation combines elements of strategy, marketing, operations, product design and human resource management within a complex competitive environment. Seeing so many of our students do so well on the world stage makes me immensely proud.”
In March 2019, the Business School hosted a MikesBikes Reunion event, which celebrated 20 years of the school and students using this engaging business simulation. Many alumni from across the years attended, including Smartsims CEO, Dennis Gain.
The MikesBikes programme holds a special place in the hearts and minds of many Business Masters alumni, with many saying that the learnings from MikesBikes have truly influenced their careers and the way they do business now.
Here’s to many more years of MikesBikes, and congratulations once again, Mila!