Tough Competition and Valuable Lessons: The Team of Corvinus University Gained Valuable Experience at the International Competit

The 2024 CECC (Central European Case Competition), an international case study competition held in Budapest from November 24–29, offered unique experiences and invaluable lessons for the team of Corvinus University. The team consisted of four undergraduate students, including Bence Balázs, Dénes Hermann, Levente Spilák, and Sára Török, who were selected based on their performance in the CIBS and Case Track courses. Their preparation was guided by Péter Zombori. 

This year’s competition posed a true challenge for our team: they competed against students from other renowned international universities, such as Maastricht University from the Netherlands, Queen’s University from Canada, Erasmus University from the Netherlands, and Chulalongkorn University from Thailand. The competition included a five-hour Lime, and a complex 24-hour case study, concerning WizzAir’s strategic plan. 

During the five-hour Lime case, the team had to devise a comprehensive strategy, which they presented to the jury in a 10-minute presentation, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session. The solution involved attracting new target audiences, expanding existing ones, optimizing the fleet, and creating new revenue streams for the company. Given the time constraints, the team had to focus on identifying the key points of their solution for their presentation. It was crucial to emphasize the most important questions and present their strategy accordingly. The team of Corvinus Case Track Community prioritized creativity and visualization, but the jury also evaluated the feasibility of implementation, which influenced their solution’s assessment. 

For the 24-hour WizzAir case, the team was tasked with presenting solutions for revenue reallocation and expansion strategies in a 15-minute presentation, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session. Several creative ideas were proposed, and despite the time pressure, the team performed well. The jury emphasized balancing creativity and detailed implementation, and the team secured second place in their division. Levente Spilák commented:

We also need to learn that everyone thinks differently and looks for different aspects in solutions.

Péter Zombori, a master’s student, experienced competitor, and the team’s mentor, shared his thoughts on their preparation and performance:

It was particularly rewarding to see how much they developed both individually and as a team during such a short preparation period. The time and effort invested before and during the competition definitely paid off. The fact that both of their solutions stood their ground against the experienced teams of 15 prestigious universities proves this. Although they narrowly missed reaching the finals, it’s highly positive that the companies providing the cases appreciated the team’s performance. For example, the head of WizzAir’s ancillary products team mentioned that they heard solutions from the team that are already on WizzAir’s to-do list and could be implemented the next day based on their presentation. This is undoubtedly very positive feedback.

Dénes Hermann highlighted the importance of team cohesion:

We gained a lot of experience, and from the first preparatory meeting to the final presentation, we became a true team. This was thanks to both the team members and our advisor’s dedication. I believe this process and the lessons learned during the competition provided the most significant professional insights.

The competition offered the team many valuable experiences. Not only did they expand their professional knowledge, but they also had the opportunity to learn about the challenges of the international business world and to build connections with students from other countries.

I’ve always felt that an international case competition must be a huge experience, and fortunately, this was proven true. Péter, our advisor, prepared us exceptionally well, and we learned many techniques from him that I’ll gladly apply in the future. Both the Lime and WizzAir cases were exciting, and it was fascinating to see how they were structured. I think we came up with useful and creative ideas that we’d love to see implemented ourselves,

 said Bence Balázs, who emphasized that despite the time constraints, working together was enjoyable. 

The competition definitely revealed our strengths and weaknesses, as we watched the other teams’ presentations in the finals. The most positive aspect for me was the networking – I met and talked with many excellent students from around the world, from New Zealand to Australia, Hong Kong, and Vienna. Our team also performed remarkably well, especially considering we started preparing just a month before the competition. We worked together effectively and seamlessly,

added Levente Spilák. 

The importance of learning from one another was also highlighted by Sára Török: 

This was a week that I will always cherish as a tremendous experience. The competition itself provided immense professional insights. I believe we managed to deliver a performance that we couldn’t typically achieve within classroom walls. We learned a lot from other teams’ solutions, the jury’s feedback, our shared opinions, and, not least, from our advisor, Péter, who not only prepared us professionally but also provided great motivation.

During CECC 2024, our school’s team had the opportunity to showcase their talent and knowledge while competing with students from internationally renowned universities. The competition provided an excellent opportunity for them to develop their professional skills and gain valuable experience in the global business environment. 

As the team’s mentor, the competition was also a particularly positive experience for me. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the team. It was gratifying to see their progress, and beyond that, the focus was also on ensuring they gained valuable experiences during the competition, which was achieved to the fullest. This competition was a great example of the high-caliber students emerging from the university’s CCTC student organization focused on case-solving and how the university’s Case Track program can absolutely rival similar programs at any university worldwide,

 summarized Péter Zombori. 

As the academic director, I am immensely proud of the core values our competition embodies. Co-opetition, the unique blend of cooperation and competition, allows students from diverse global backgrounds to collaborate while striving for excellence. This experience not only enhances their academic and professional skills but also fosters an international network of future leaders. We are particularly proud of the Corvinus team for their outstanding participation and readiness to seize future opportunities.

– emphasized Miklós Kozma, the academic director of the competition and associate professor at the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. 

Congratulations to the team and their mentor and thank you to the instructors of the Case Track courses and the senior members of the Corvinus Case Track Community for their assistance in preparation!