Student Case Competition 2012 - International Leadership Association

Student Case Competition 2012
Guidelines
The purpose of the ILA Student Case Competition is to provide undergraduate and
graduate students the opportunity to compete and showcase their leadership
knowledge through the analysis of a leadership case study concerning
contemporary leadership issues.

ILA Student Case Competition Goals
1. To increase student attendance and networking at the Annual ILA Conference.
2. To advance the study of leadership as a discipline.
3. To provide non-student ILA members and conference attendees an opportunity to help
develop the next generation of leadership scholars and practitioners by providing students a
forum in which they can:
a. Engage in conference dialogue that may strengthen the case analysis.
b. Develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of leadership in various contexts.
c. Apply leadership theory and research to a real-world scenario.
d. Gain experience in presenting ideas and leadership analyses in a professional setting.
e. Receive encouragement and constructive criticism on their case analyses and
presentations.
f. Receive personal leadership knowledge and wisdom from established leadership scholars,
educators and practitioners.
ILA Case Competition Committee
Thank you to the following members of the planning committee:
● Tiffany Anderson, University of Colorado Boulder
● Jessica Briggs, Claremont McKenna University
● Bridget Chisholm, International Leadership Association
● Natalie Coers, University of Florida
● Brent Goertzen, Fort Hays State University
● Dan Jenkins, University of Southern Maine
● Eric Kaufman, Virginia Tech University
● Rob McManus, Marietta College
● Mark Menaldo, Texas A&M International University
● Todd Murphy, Northwestern University
● Kerry Priest, Kansas State University
If you have questions related to competition, please direct them to the planning committee chair,
Eric Kaufman, via email: ekaufman@vt.edu.

Competition Overview
Team Composition: Each team will be comprised of three to five students. Students may enter
as a team representing their respective college or university, or individuals from multiple
institutions may join together to form a team. Schools may register multiple teams into each
division of the competition (i.e. Undergraduate and Graduate).
Competition Divisions: The competition will consist of two divisions: Undergraduate and
Graduate (Master and Doctoral). Teams including students of both levels will compete in the
Graduate Student Division.
Registration: The cost to participate is covered with conference registration; however, each
team must register separately via the registration link on the competition website.
Structure: The Student Case Competition is divided into three rounds of competition. The
structure enables students to use campus resources and develop the foundation of their case prior
to the conference, while the best teams will continue to improve their case analyses during the
conference.
Round One – Case Study Brief: Registered teams will receive the selected case study
and initial questions on September 17, 2012. Teams must prepare a case study brief of no
more 1,600 words (excluding references). Please see the Appendix A for guidance on
appropriate content and the criteria used for evaluation. The case study brief must be
submitted electronically for judging no later than October 17, 2012.
Round Two – Poster Showcase: Each team must prepare a poster of their analysis to be
presented during the Student Poster Showcase near the start of the conference. Posters
will be evaluated during the Showcase. Please see Appendix B for more details
concerning poster composition the criteria used for evaluation. The top three teams in
each division will advance and compete in Round 3.
Round Three – Finalists’ Presentations: Finalists will continue building on their case
analysis, using the ILA Conference sessions for further learning and supporting material.
Each team will deliver a 15-minute oral presentation to a panel of judges and participate
in a question and answer discussion of an additional five minutes. These presentations
are open to all ILA Conference attendees, and will be held on Friday evening. A
computer and projector will be provided in each room. Results will be announced on
Saturday during the closing session of the conference. Final results are based on the
cumulative rankings of all competition rounds.

Case Preparation: Teams may be advised prior to the competition; however advisers, coaches,
or other individuals may not contribute to any of the team’s products (i.e. case brief, poster, and
presentation). In preparing their submissions, teams may explore any public information source
that would be accessible by a professional consulting group. Teams may consult books or
articles, search libraries, use the Internet, and so forth. Teams are free to receive verbal feedback
on initial drafts and practice presentations.
Team Check-In: A representative from each competing team must check-in and receive final
instructions on Wednesday, October 24, 3:30-4:30 pm, in the Centennial Foyer (poster showcase
location). A Case Committee Member will be present at a check-in table in the Foyer to assist
and answer questions at that time.
Awards: The top 3 teams in each category will be recognized during the conference's closing
session for their achievements. The first and second place teams in each category will receive 1-
year ILA memberships for each team member. In addition, the first place team in each category
will receive $1,000 to divide among the team members.
Important Dates:
September 17
October 17
October 24
October 24
October 25
October 26
October 27
Case narrative is distributed for analysis
Written case brief due electronically
Team Check-In, 15:30-16:30, Centennial Foyer
Poster Showcase, 18:00-19:30, Centennial Foyer
Finalists in each division posted by 08:00, Mineral Foyer
Presentations by Finalists, 17:00-18:00 (Location TBD)
Winners announced, 13:00-14:30, Centennial Ballroom

Appendix A
ILA Student Case Competition
Round One – Case Study Brief
After reviewing the designated case for the competition, students are to formulate a response to
the case in the form of a case study brief. Judges will have the opportunity to review and score
each team’s Round One submission prior to arrival at the conference. Judges will submit a rank
order of teams based on the written brief prior to the poster showcase.
Written submission: The case study brief should be no more than 1,600 words (excluding
references) and must be submitted electronically via an online survey form. Teams should use
the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) to guide preparation
of the case study brief, particularly with regard to crediting sources.
Round One Judging Criteria
CRITERIA WEIGHT CONSIDER THIS…
Rationality and logic of points and 30% Are the suggestions or observations made feasible to
recommendations
implement or change
Are sources noted and points supported
Connection made to related
40% Is the theory to practice/application connection made
leadership theory and research
Awareness of risks or limitations
of points made
Connection to conference theme
or experience
Professionalism (grammar,
spelling, APA formatting, etc.)
10% Are participants aware of the implications of their
actions/decision Were they strategic
10% Is a connection made to relate personal experience or
the conference theme to the analysis or
recommendations
10% Is the content formatted professionally Following
provided instructions

Appendix B
ILA Student Case Competition
Round Two – Poster Showcase
The poster showcase offers student teams the opportunity to share their work on the case with the
ILA membership at the conference. The poster showcase provides a location for discussion and
questions from conference participants. Judges will visit with each team about their poster
during the showcase to ask questions and discuss their perspective on the case. At the
conclusion of the showcase, judges will submit a rank order of the teams. The Round One and
Round Two rankings will be combined to determine the advancing teams in the competition.
For guidance on preparing an effective poster, see http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters. The
poster should be no larger than 4 feet high by 4 feet wide. It should encompass the general ideas
presented in the written brief submission. Self-standing boards, 4 feet wide by 4 feet high, will
be provided at the conference. Teams should bring their own tacks or Velcro to attach the poster
to the board.
Round Two Judging Criteria
CRITERIA WEIGHT CONSIDER THIS…
Organization of content 25% Does the poster design flow well Can someone understand
the case if you are not present
Persuasive strength of
recommendations
15% Are the participants knowledgeable of and believe in their
recommendations
Clarity of presentation 25% Does the poster summarize the recommendations
Team participation 10% Do all members contribute to the presentation
Response to questions 25% Do students fully understand the case, their analysis, and
recommendations

Appendix C
ILA Student Case Competition
Round Three – Finalists’ Presentations
The final presentation allows teams to formally present their thoughts on the case. The formal
presentation allows 15 minutes for each team, in addition to 5 minutes of questions from the
judges. Student teams should have a strong, prepared presentation on their analysis of the
situation and utilize the final 3-5 minutes of the presentation to address any additional prompts
provided for the final round of competition. At the conclusion of the presentations, judges will
submit a rank order based on the final presentation; this ranking will be combined with the
rankings from Round One and Round Two to determine the final results of the competition.
Round Three Judging Criteria
AREAS CRITERIA WEIGHT CONSIDER THIS…
Analysis Organization of content 5% Is the content formatted professionally
Following provided instructions
Evidence presented in 5% Are sources noted and points supported
support of points made
Connection made to
leadership literature
25% Is the theory to practice/application
connection made
Connection to conference
sessions or experience
10% Is a connection made to relate the conference
theme to the analysis or recommendations
Awareness of risks or
limitations of points made
5% Are participants aware of the implications of
their actions/decision Were they strategic
Rationality and logic of 10% Are the suggestions or observations made
recommendations
feasible to implement or change
Presentation Organization of content 10% Does the presentation flow Can someone sit
down and understand their view without
knowing the background
Persuasive strength of
recommendations
5% Are the participants knowledgeable of and
believe in their recommendations
Clarity of presentation 10% Is the presentation direct Easily understood
Are recommendations clearly identified and
explained
Team participation 5% Do all members contribute to the
presentation
Response to questions 10% Do students fully understand the case, their
analysis, and recommendations Can
participants think on their feet