Kellogg Students Part of Deloitte Advanced Degree Consulting Case Competition Winning Team
The following article was originally sourced from the news piece “Team Effort” published on Kellogg’s News & Events page.
A small group of students with members from the Kellogg School of Business won the Deloitte Advanced Degree Consulting Case Competition this past May. The six-team contest awards its winner $1,000 for using a “truly complete, holistic” approach to deal with an undersupply of their assigned product.
Jesse Chang ‘16 and three of his classmates, Michael Jung ‘15, Kieren Patel ‘16 and Rushi Talati ’15, took off, spending one all-nighter after another in an effort to improve Maker’s Mark bourbon.
Team members worked together to research data, model out finances, develop business projections and debate the bourbon’s quality. The result was a three-prong, comprehensive solution for the product with solid explanations for why five other potential options were not viable.
The team approached modern solutions to their working environment as well. Thoughout the process, Chang participated in meetings via video conferencing from Los Angeles.
Despite being the over half a country awat, Chang noted the “very intense” discussions that went on among the team members. This wasn’t “group think,” he said, adding the team used a systematic process and not personal opinions to identify and discuss potential ideas.
“It was like I was in that room,” he said, crediting Kellogg’s technology infrastructure for making it possible.
Jung also emphasized how the team’s varied backgrounds and different lines of thinking comes from the subjects they study— Chang and Patel are in the JD-MBA program, while Jung is an MD-MBA candidate. Talati attends medical school. Patel also has a doctorate.
About the Author
Max Pulcini
Max Pulcini is a Philadelphia-based writer and reporter. He has an affinity for Philly sports teams, Super Smash Bros. and cured meats and cheeses. Max has written for Philadelphia-based publications such as Spirit News, Philadelphia City Paper, and Billy Penn, as well as national news outlets like The Daily Beast.
