Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Winners of Harvard Business Case Competition organized by AKFA University (AU) Business school received the opportunity to visit the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta (USA).

AU Business School held Harvard Business Case Competition in February-April 2022 among students of Akfa University. The final round of the competitition, which took place on April 10th was opened by the Dean of the AU Business School Dr. Odiljon Abdurazzakov.

As part of the competition, the participants had to analyze the Harvard Business School cases about different companies and develop their proposals to improve the financial and economic position of these businesses.

The competition was held in several stages. In the first step, AU students had to register their team. Teams consisted of four members. Twenty-two teams registered to take part in the competition.

In the second stage, teams took part in an information session, during which the organizers briefed the teams on the purpose and rules of the competition. Based on the results of this stage, 16 teams advanced to the third round.

In the third stage, the team went through interviews. The jury, which included the dean and professors of AU Business School, assessed the knowledge of the participants.

In the fourth stage, the participants took part in training, during which they gained knowledge on the analysis of the financial and economic performance of companies. As part of the trainings teams analysed Harvard Business School cases of three companies: Delta Airline, GM and Monmouth.

Seven teams advanced to the semi-finals of the competition based on the results of the previous stages. In the semi-finals, the teams were given the task of developing a new business model for Coca-Cola. On 9 April, the teams presented their work to the jury members. As a result of this stage, three teams advanced to the final, which took place on 10 April on AU campus.

The finalists in the last stage continued the analysis of the Coca-Cola case and presented their visions for the further development of this global brand.

The final round of the competition were attended by guests and judge panel from five countries – Adviser to the Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade – General Director of the Direct Investment Fund of Uzbekistan Atabek Nazirov, Senior Franchise Manager of Coca-Cola Shadab Khan, entrepreneurs Khasan and Khusan Mamasaidovs, head of AKFA Group Kamran Gulyamov, doctoral candidate of Harvard Business School Botir Kabulov, Downstream Strategy and Capital Planning Manager at Saudi Aramco Saad BinMatlig, Vice President of the CBS International Business School Markus Raueiser and Ambassador Alisher Shaikhov.

As a result of the presentations, Bobur Madiev, Abror Ikromov, Rukhsora Tursunkulova and Khidoyat Saifullaeva (all students of the AU Business School) became the winner of the Harvard Business Case Competition. The second place was taken by Durdona Nosirova, Akmaljon Makhmudov, Muhammadali Akramov and Khojiakbar Obobakirov (also students of AU Business School). The international team of AU students consisting of Aslidin Nazhimidinov, Keerthan Kumar, Biybimaryam Joldasbaeva and Shokhin Sadiev (students of the AU Medical School and Business School) were third.

The winning team received a prize of 20 million soums, which they can use to pay their tuition fee at AU. The team that took second place received a prize of 12 million soums and third place – 8 million soums.

While announcing the winners, Coca-Cola Senior Franchise Manager Shadab Khan and the head of AKFA Group Kamran Gulyamov made a pleasant surprise for the winners of the competition. During the awarding ceremony, they announced that the winning team would visit the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, USA. World of Coca-Cola is a museum dedicated to the history of Coca-Cola, located in Atlanta on Baker Street, not far from the place where John Pemberton first created the formula of this drink.

Kamran Gulyamov also said that AKFA Group is working on the transformation of the company. After the arrival of the winning team from the USA, they will be involved in this process and will analyze various cases in the company.

Kamran Gulyamov announced that the next competition will be dedicated to the business case of AKFA Group and the winning team will have the opportunity to visit Silicon Valley in the USA.

Coca-Cola manager Shadab Khan said that the winners will have the opportunity to take part in a paid internship at Coca-Cola Uzbekistan. Shadab Khan also selected two students from the second and third placed teams, who will also take part in the internship. They were Khojiakbar Obobakirov and Aslidin Nazhimidinov.

Atabek Nazirov, Advisor to the Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade, Director General of the Direct Investment Fund of Uzbekistan, said in his speech that the Direct Investment Fund of Uzbekistan will provide an opportunity for paid internship to the second-placed team.

Entrepreneurs Khasan and Khusan Mamasaidov provided twenty-three students with vouchers worth 1 million soums each. Vouchers were handed over to all finalists of the competition, some semifinalists as well as 8 members of the audience. These vouchers can be used to receive the services of the companies of the Mamasaidov brothers.

“We held the Harvard Business Case Competition for the first time in Uzbekistan. Harvard University uses the method of business case analysis in the learning process. We thank Shadab Khan, Kamran Gulyamov, Khasan and Khusan Mamasaidov, Atabek Nazirov and others for their assistance and prizes for our students. I am sure that this will serve as a motivation for the further development of AU students,” said Dr. Odiljon Abdurazzakov, Dean of the AU Business School.

AU University Rector Bekhzod Djalilov said that such competitions are an important step in preparing students for real life. Universities mainly provide theoretical knowledge, and such competitions, along with internships, allow students to apply their knowledge in real conditions, he added.

On behalf of our team, we would like to thank AU for organizing the competition, and Coca-Cola and AKFA Group for the opportunity to visit the United States and undergo an internship. During this competition, we found out our strong and weak sides, now we will work to improve our knowledge, – said Bobur Madiev, a member of the winning team.