Competition Rules
Overview
- The AUBCC rules have been developed with an understanding of a commitment from the organising committee, competing teams and advisors to a competition based on fair play, honesty and trust.
- The rules are to set clear standards, processes and to ensure equity for all teams in all aspects of the competition, including access to resources and preparation.
General Conditions
- The competition consists of 16 teams.
- There will be three preliminary rounds of competition, weighted as follows:
- Case 1: 20%
- Case 2: 20%
- Case 3: 60%
- Results will be announced at the completion of each of the preliminary rounds.
- The four highest scoring teams across the three preliminary rounds will compete in a Final Round of competition.
- The results of the preliminary rounds are not considered in determining the results of the Final Round of competition.
- The detailed format and conditions of each round of the competition will be provided at a briefing on the opening day of the competition.
- Participants are expected to participate in all organised activities.
- Each team will consist of four team members, and a faculty advisor.
- Teams may choose to undertake secondary research to prepare, but should not be approaching partner organisations.
Eligibility
- Participants must be over 18 and under 25 years of age as at the first day of competition.
- Participants must be enrolled full time in an undergraduate bachelor’s degree program. Students enrolled in a double/combined bachelors and master’s degree program may not have enrolled in any master’s level units.
- Participants may be enrolled in a double bachelor’s degree but cannot have been awarded any component of that degree. Participants enrolled in a top up honours degree are permitted.
- Participants must be full degree students at the university and may not be study abroad or exchange students.
- Participants must not have previously competed in the Australian Undergraduate Business Case Competition.
What to Bring
- Participants should bring one laptop or tablet per competitor. Wireless access will be provided in all preparation and presentation areas. QUT uses Eduroam on its campuses, which allows participating universities to gain secure access to a wireless network using home institution username and password. Alternative access will be provided on campus for teams from universities which are not part of the Eduroam network.
- Australia uses standard 10A/240V power, and a three-pin power socket. Teams should bring appropriate power converters, as these will not be supplied by accommodation or the host university.
- Computers must use a minimum of Office version 2010 or later. All PowerPoint and other documents submitted are to be saved in the 2010 version or later and in 16:9 format.
- A presentation clicker will be provided in presentation rooms.
- No textbooks or other printed materials can be brought into preparation rooms.
- Research, support and preparation materials, including PowerPoint decks and templates, can be saved to laptops prior to the commencement of each round of competition.
- Specific rules for each case will be provided during the Opening Ceremony.
- We will provide you with a stationery pack consisting of post it notes, white board markers and eraser, permanent markers, flip chart, power board and extension cord. We do not provide power converters.
Analysis, preparation and practice stage
- In each round of the competition, all teams are provided with the same amount of working time for analysis and preparation. Full details of the time allocated in each round will be provided at the briefing on the opening day of competition.
- Teams will be provided with an appropriate working space for each round of the competition, dependent upon the nature of the case.
- Each team will be provided with a USB. Presentations in each round of the competition should be saved to the USB. A representative from the host university will collect the USB at the end of the analysis and preparation stage.
- Any team that cannot provide the USB with saved files by the assigned time will be reported to the organising committee. Generally, late submission will result in the team receiving the lowest ranking or score in that round of competition. The outcome and decision will be announced at the end of the round of competition, so all teams can still participate in the round.
- All teams will have access to the internet during the analysis and preparation phase. Teams may access password protected databases, social media sites or cloud-based repositories during preparation and presentation times in each round of competition.
- Teams must not have any contact with any individual outside the team. Teams should not discuss the analysis or ideas with representatives from the host university.
- Teams must not take any resources, eg. computers, tablets, phones, paper or pens into holding rooms. Before their presentation, teams must remain in their allocated holding room until they are called to present.
- At the completion of all team presentations in rounds one and two of the competition, teams may communicate with their faculty advisor.
- At the end of round three of competition, teams cannot communicate with any person the details of the case until the finalists are announced. Teams that are not finalists can communicate with their faculty advisors after the announcement.
- The four finalist teams will not be allowed to communicate with any person about the case, and on announcement of finalists, will be taken to a holding room prior to finals presentations.
During the presentation
- All teams will have the opportunity to see the presentation rooms to familiarise themselves with layout and facilities.
- The time allocated for each presentation and question and answer session will vary between rounds of competition. Full details will be provided at a briefing on the opening day of competition.
- All presentations will be made using PowerPoint 2010.
- Teams not presenting will wait in an assigned area, where they will be permitted to practice their presentation.
- Advisors may watch their own team and any other team during rounds of competition. Advisors must not speak to teams or judging panels during rounds of competition. Advisors will not be permitted to enter or leave a room once a presentation has commenced. No presentations from any team, including the advisor’s own team, can be filmed or recorded by an advisor.
- Advisors are not permitted to provide feedback to students from any team in any form until all presentations have been completed. This includes feedback in the presentation room through gestures or signals. Breaches can be reported to the organising committee and generally will result in the advisor’s team being ranked lowest in that round of competition.
- Teams will be given notification at assigned times to indicate remaining time in presentation.
- All team members must present.
- Teams must not identify their university during the presentation, including team name, logos and other identifying material during presentations.
Breach of rules
Any team member, faculty advisor, event staff, volunteer, or member of the organising committee should report any observed or alleged breach of competition rules to the Chair of the organising committee. A panel comprising advisors and members of the organising committee will investigate and discuss any alleged breaches and make recommendations for appropriate penalty or action. The final decision will be made by the Chair of the organising committee.