Nigerian student, Oladipupo Olutade, alongside other representatives from Auburn University Alabama, has clinched 3rd among the competing universities at the just concluded 2023 National Black MBA Case Competition.
The 2023 National graduate case competition sponsored by Stellantis corp – a global car manufacturer – was held between September 12 and 16 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has been held over 30 years featuring top business programs from the United States.
Oladipupo, a process improvement and project management practitioner, who hails from Ibadan, Oyo state, achieved this impeccable feat after competing with diverse representatives from more than 20 top business schools.
The project management practitioner, who had his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Federal University of technology Akure, excelled in both academics and sports and represented the University in sporting activities.
Tribune Online learnt that the business case for the year focused on marketing strategies to improve the adoption and sales of Electric vehicles, with focus on the Iconic Dodge Charger Cars. Graduate Students from the participating schools created consultancy groups, and presented recommendations which were judged by a panel of corporate and academic professionals.
The first position was won by Clark Atlanta University with a cash prize of $25,000 while Vanderbilt University placed second with a prize of $15,000. The Auburn team, which was awarded $10,000, after clinching third position, was hailed for its innovative and data-driven approach to solving this challenge.
Tribune Online gathered that the National Black MBA, which is the foremost business organization for blacks and other professionals, was founded in 1960 and has more than 11,000 members. The association prides itself in helping its members grow in their professional capacity by providing networking and personal development opportunities.
Speaking with Tribune Online, Oladipupo explained that as a passionate project manager, his focus is on managing process improvement projects by leveraging on his experience and knowledge.
Continuing, Oladipupo stated that as a member of the project management institute and a green belt holder in Lean Six Sigma with focus on combining his knowledge of business operations and project management in identifying and eliminating wastes in processes and value streams, he also seeks to pioneer improvement projects in healthcare, supply chain and Information technology.
According to him, there lies improvement opportunities within every process, and this provides opportunities for Innovation. “With the worldwide disruption caused by COVID and the increasing prevalence of Artificial Intelligence, there exists improvement opportunities within every sector, and improvement practitioners will be at the forefront of identifying these opportunities, as well as driving the changes.”
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