Promotional Contests
Here a simulation is used as the basis of a management contest and partially or fully sponsored by a company.
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Promotional ContestsHere a simulation is used as the basis of a management contest and partially or fully sponsored by a company. |
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The following were developed for management contests:
- Management Challenge
- Retail Challenge
- Service Challenge
- INTEX
- TEAMSKILL
- (Buyplay)
- (RENTRA)
- (TEMEwork)
After the contests, the first six, because of their scope and
training purpose became available for general use (and so
provided an ongoing promotional benefit). The last three (Buyplay,
RENTRA & TEMEwork) were very complex and so their duration
made them unattractive for management development purposes.
National and International Contests - Generally this will involve the development of a special simulation or version of a simulation.
Local Contests - Usually, one of our existing simulations can be used for these.
Traditionally, sponsorship has been concerned with recreational interests - sport, the arts etc. But, Management Contests focus on vocational needs and so, by their nature, are visibly different from conventional sponsorship.
SPECIFIC TARGETING
For companies selling goods to business, traditional sponsorship does not focus on their target audience. In contrast, Management Contests focus on business people - executives and aspiring executives. Further, the choice of simulation can focus this further. Thus, an operations based simulation will focus on production executives, manufacturing engineers and buyers. A general management simulation focusing on marketing and cash flow is appropriate for use as a contest for small business people.
PRESTIGE
The "serious" purpose of the simulation reflects the concern the sponsoring organisation has for good management and economic development. For example, a contest run in a developing nation obtained considerable support from industry leaders and one run in the UK obtained government support.
SYNERGY
The Management Contest's educational purpose and the way it targets contestants means that there is often synergy with the sponsoring organisation. Computer companies have regularly sponsored simulations. Besides the promotional value of the contest (one such contest obtained over eleven thousand-column centimetres of editorial coverage), it builds a relationship between the sponsor and the contestants. At the very least this can be used to build the sponsor's mailing list.
PRACTICAL ISSUES
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
A properly designed management contest will have significant, real educational benefits for the participants. Thus, even losing teams will gain from the experience. However, the size of contests with several hundred to several thousand participants precludes individual tutoring. The tutor cannot support and advise one team at the expense of any others. Learning can be enhanced through suitably designed software that documents team progress and identified strengths and weaknesses. Another approach is to write a short article at the end of each round that documents the key issues of that round.
PROMOTIONAL PLAN
Although an educational experience and presented as such it is important to plan and resource the promotion. There is a risk that this will not be done and the sponsor or sponsors will not exploit the promotion sufficiently. This promotional plan should include press relations, phased press releases, pre-written local interest stories etc.
DEGREE OF SPONSORSHIP
Sponsorship can range from paying for a completely free contest to the situation where there is an entry fee that pays part of the cost. Where there is an entry fee the sponsors might provide free advertising, accommodation for the finals and prizes. There may be several sponsors - a main sponsor and secondary sponsors providing accommodation, prizes, publicity etc.
ELIMINATION ROUNDS
Except the smallest promotion, management contests consist of a series of elimination rounds were the number of participants are progressively reduced. Early elimination rounds are usually on a postal basis. A final where the remaining teams meet and compete face to face follows these.
A very large or geographically spread contest may consist of several postal rounds followed by regional finals and, finally, a "grand final". The regional finals and grand final involve contestants meeting face to face and provide opportunities for press coverage.
The length and format of the elimination rounds is a balance between learning, promotional opportunities and cost.
CHOICE OF WINNER
During the elimination rounds success can be based on meeting a few objective criteria. The choice of winner for the finals can be based on this or, alternatively and, perhaps, advisable, on a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures. If the latter is chosen, a panel of judges is needed. This panel should consist of three or four "authorities". These may be academics, business gurus or leading business people.
EXPERTISE
If successful Management Contests provide good publicity. However, if badly run there is a risk of bad publicity. This is especially true if there are significant prizes and recognition. This has implication in terms of the experience and expertise of the team and the choice of simulation.
The number of teams in the elimination rounds means that logistics are key. Postal submissions must be turned around rapidly and correctly. Telephone queries must be answered accurately, completely and quickly. The simulation must be designed to allow for this.
The finals present different problems. Pressure on the contestants and the team running the final can be extreme. To obtain maximum publicity, the press should be present. They have to be managed, encouraged to become involved but not interfere.
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Most recent update: 06/09/08
Hall Marketing, Studio 11, Colman's Wharf, 45 Morris Road, London
E14 6PA, ENGLAND
Phone & Fax +44 (0)20 7537 2982 E-mail jeremyhall@simulations.co.uk