BGF Business Game 2008 - Autumn semifinalists

On the picture from left to right Laurent Müller, Vesa Vilkas, Jani Virtanen, Erik Tigerstedt from GE Healthcare Finland.

September, October and November business games are finished and we are proud to announce the new semifinalists that have qualified their way to the BGF Global Semifinals 2008, taking place in September. Congratulations to the semifinalists and also to all the teams who were participating in the BGF Business Tournament.

- LLC Stora Enso Packaging (Russia)
- GE Healthcare (Finland)
- NOKIA CMO (Russia)
- Metsäliitto Osuuskunta, Puutuoteteollisuus (Finland)
- Perstorp AB (Sweden)
- Kaupthing (Finland)
- SEB (Finland)
- Skanska Project Support (Sweden)
- Svenska Handelsbanken Centrala Ekonomiavdelning (Sweden)
- Schenker Sp. z o.o. (Poland)
- Forsmark Kraftgrupp Ab (Sweden)
- SMP CZ (Czech Republic)
- KPMG (Sweden)
- Accenture (Spain)

BGF is the world leader in web based business tournaments and organizes the biggest and most exciting business tournament in the world where leading international companies are fiercely competing for market shares and profits while developing managers and key people to lead their business in a profitable and more effective way. Just like pilots in flight simulators, only in business. Why should pilots have all the fun!

Northeastern University, Boston, Chooses BGF (Business Game Factory) for Team Competition Integrating Business Disciplines

Boston, Feb. 12, 2008 – Northeastern University has long been regarded as one of the nation’s top business schools for cooperative education, graduating students with an in-depth understanding of the linkage between their learning and the real world. Now the business school at Northeastern has taken the commitment one step further, by requiring undergraduates to compete in a business simulation designed by BGF, a BTS company and the world leader in web based business simulation tournaments. The program, included in the college’s “Strategy in Action” course, requires students to work collaboratively in teams while integrating several disciplines learned during their studies. Coming at the end of their degree program, the experience powerfully demonstrates, to business undergraduates of all concentrations, the cross-functional linkages inherent in business enterprises.

Hiring trends at Fortune 1000 companies have shifted away from “content knowledge” to “systems knowledge” and an understanding of businesses decision-making across functions. Typical business education is taught in “silos” such as Accounting, Marketing and Management courses. Northeastern is on the forefront of modern business education emphasizing the interdependencies across functions within dynamic business environments. The BGF simulation tournament, in tandem with faculty lectures and support, helps counter “silo” curriculums in businesses education and expand overall business knowledge from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Northeastern runs the BGF simulation in the last three weeks of the semester. “We wanted a challenging capstone experience for a capstone course,” said Bert Spector, professor of International Business and Strategy, Northeastern University. The course included 200 participants in Fall 2007 and will have 250 in Spring 2008. The simulation itself involved teams of 5 students working together to run a business against other student teams. At the end of each ”round” of simulation, teams submit their decisions on dozens of financial and resource inputs online; simulation results are sent to the students within 24 hours.

“In the past, we’ve done simulations because it requires the students to integrate their knowledge across disciplines and also shows the impact executives have on other functional areas in a way that typical course work can’t.” said Spector. “BGF delivers business simulations for the most successful international companies, so we’re giving our students a rigorous experience.”

Northeastern selected BGF early this year because they were impressed with the simulations done for BGF’ private sector clients. In addition, they wanted a company that would provide high customer service during the process.

“We felt like we were getting a team by choosing BGF, not just a program,” said Spector. “The fact that the simulation was used in industry and not just in schools was critical to our decision.”

“Together with BTS USA we were able to create a win-win solution for Northeastern that will be a break through application also for other leading universities internationally and strengthen our position significantly in the university simulation tournaments,” says Taavi Thiel, CEO and founder of BGF.

Taavi Thiel
CEO
Business Game Factory Ltd.
taavi.thiel@bgfactory.com