Students on the case to encourage women in consulting

Krupali Patel and Bianca Lim are both hooked on consulting and case competitions – and while they love the thrill of the case chase, they’d relish it even more if it wasn’t such a gender-lopsided scene.

But that looks set to change, as these enterprising Commerce students have recently launched a new initiative – the Women in Consulting Case Competition.

For the uninitiated, case competitions involve teams of students being given a business problem or ‘case’ to solve within a limited time frame. They help hone problem-solving, teamwork, and presentation skills – all of which form the bedrock of a career in consulting.

Beyond the accrual of useful skills, the case competition scene is also highly addictive. Bianca, now in her second year of a Bachelor of Commerce and Science (majoring in Finance with a minor in Computer Science) is a recent convert.

“There’s something incredibly rewarding about tackling a challenging problem in a short time frame with an amazing team. I love the mix of pressure and creativity, turning ideas into real-world solutions that actually make sense.

“What really keeps me coming back is that moment when everything clicks, when the team’s collaboration and energy come together and you know you’ve created something you’re proud of,” Bianca says.

Krupali, who is doing a Master of Business in Data Science, is a seasoned case competitor and has represented New Zealand as far afield as Hungary.

“I enjoy turning my learnings into feasible, real-world ideas while working in a team. Case competitions are a really great way to grow your knowledge alongside your studies in a practical way. It’s also a good feeling to have your ideas recognised and enjoyed by judges,” Krupali says.

It was during her three years on the case competition circuit that Krupali clocked a distinct lack of female participants – and it’s this gender imbalance that she wants to change.

“The Otago Consulting Club is currently highly male-dominated. Presenting your ideas in front of judges to be critiqued can be quite intimidating, so we wanted to create a setting for more women to give it a go in a supportive environment,” Krupali says.

The pair hatched a new woman-centric competition through the Otago Consulting Club (OCC) and found a keen sponsor (Deloitte). Bianca suggested they also collaborate with Women in Business (WIB) – a newly established student club – to leverage its sizeable network of more than 300 members.

It worked a treat. Eleven teams took part and presented a case analysis on Rent to Dress – a dress rental business founded by Amanda Shallard, WIB Vice-President.

“It’s been great to see Women in Business members make time to participate in this case competition – an experience that challenges their intellect and requires significant time and effort. It was also a privilege to have so many thoughtful and innovative ideas put forward for my small business,” Amanda says.

The winning team, ‘Consuladies’, comprised three students with a complementary mix of subject backgrounds: Nora Paicu (BComSc in Agricultural Innovation and Management), Danielle Jones (MBus in International Business), and Isabella Miscisco (BA in Psychology).

Krupali says this sort of University-wide spread is ideal, as case competitions are not just the preserve of Commerce students.

“It’s actually highly beneficial to have a team made up of those from different backgrounds, as it brings a diverse range of perspectives and skills,” Krupali says.

Otago Consulting Club Coordinator Dr Natasha Podgorodnichenko is very keen to cement this new competition in the schedule.

“The success of this event reflects both the growing interest in consulting among female students and the importance of creating inclusive opportunities for skill development. We’d love to establish Women in Consulting as an annual event and invite teams from across the country to participate. Auckland and Wellington clubs have already said they’re keen,” Natasha says.

Krupali says it was very fulfilling to see the students putting themselves out there to share their innovative ideas.

“It highlighted the talent that the consulting scene may be missing out on due to women making up a smaller portion of the industry,” Krupali says.

She and Bianca feel vindicated by the creativity, collaborative energy, and strategy smarts that came to the fore at this inaugural event. They hope it might be the promising tip of the women-in-consulting iceberg.

–  Kōrero by Claire Finlayson, Communications Adviser (Otago Business School)