Azerbaijani Team Wins International Business Competition
The USAID School Economic Education program’s (SEE) alumni team (from the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy) became world champions at the 12th Annual Hewlett Packard Global Business Challenge. The contest, held in Prague, brought together the world’s strongest economics and business students from Canada, Lithuania, Argentina, Russia, China, and Azerbaijan.
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USAID’s School Economic Education program alumni team members Azer Ismayilov and Irina Lesnyak won first place
Photo Credit: Junior Achievement |
Since 2003, USAID’s SEE program has supported 750 students’ participation in the competition, with Azerbaijani teams reaching the finals two years in a row. In 2006, a school team from Baku took third place.
Organized by Junior Achievement Worldwide and the Hewlett-Packard Corporation, the contest gives thousands of students the opportunity to take on the role of business leaders, managing hypothetical companies and steering them to success. Beginning in February 2007, the teams participated in an intense 21-round competition, making decisions on product pricing, production units, marketing, investment, scientific research, and charity. Eight SEE teams reached the semifinals; the alumni team and a team from School #95 (eventually receiving eighth place overall) progressed to the finals.
At the awards ceremonies, the SEE alumni team, consisting of Irina Lesnyak and Azer Ismayilov, received $3,000 dollars and a certificate. In describing his team’s strategy, Azer explained, “Throughout the contest, we strived to make rational decisions addressing existing market demands. Businesses have to consider the state of the market, consumers’ needs, the company’s capacity and resources, production costs and other elements outlined in the company report. All of this and the ability to see prospects helped us to win.”
The School Economics Education Program is funded by USAID, administered by Project Harmony, and conducted by Junior Achievement Azerbaijan.
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