Business Application Software Company Co-Sponsors Haub Business Competition

Last Updated Jun 2, 2014 by Erin Purcell

Business applications and software company SAP and the Promotion Optimization Institute (POI) co-sponsored a competition for Haub School of Business students. The competition required student teams to develop and present a comprehensive marketing plan for a product using real-world data and SAP’s proprietary software.

The Analytics Cup encouraged the students to apply their skills in predictive analytics and data mining.

“The response was incredible,” says Ron Klimberg, Ph.D., professor of business intelligence & analytics and the coordinator of the Analytics Cup. “This was a wonderful opportunity for our students. It brought together everything they have learned as BIA students.”

Students met with and toured the facilities of SAP, headquartered in Newtown Square, Pa. It was here that they learned more information about SAP’s Trade Promotion Optimization (TPO).

Students were then given a set of products (from a real-world data set) to which they applied SAP’s TPO package, as well as the other advanced analytics and visualization techniques and tools they learned in the class. The goal of the competition was to develop an understanding of their product’s past performance and build a plan for the next several periods.

“The area of TPO is growing exponentially and the need for employees who know the TPO process and technology is in high demand,” says Timo Wagenblatt, SAP’s director of innovative solutions. “Now that the students have masterd this [TPO], they can solve any problem using any technology, tool or techniques.”

The winning team included three seniors Caitlin Abbate, Deanna Hehl and Megan O’Reilly.