Three groups of students from the Master of Science in Business Administration participated in the competition. The winning team walked away with a total of 40.000 NOK.
– It has been very fun. Busy, but incredibly educational. If anyone wants to take this course next year, I would really recommend it, Susanne Sigstad Sirnes says.
In the course Economics of Motivation the annual competition UiS Rogaland Sparebank Case Competition took place on November 12th.
Three groups had the chance to compete for the grand prize of 40.000 NOK from Rogaland Sparebank. In the end, it was the students Oda Sundseth, Maren Refsland and Susanne Sigstad Sirnes who walked away with the big check.
– We were very happy when we were announced as winners. This was great, the students says.
Workplace motivation was the theme. Over the past few months, the students taking the course have worked close with a company they've chosen, interviewed managers and studied how they keep their employees motivated. Each group has come up with ideas and recommendations based on the academic literature, which can make a real difference in the workplaces.
The students are in the final year of the Master of Science in Business Administration at University of Stavanger.
Wanted to look at motivation in a company that stood out
In the winning team's project, they investigated the mechanisms that affect motivation among the employees at Møller Bil.
– It was a bit random that we chose Møller Bil, but we heard that they were working on motivation now, and that they were interested in learning more about it, Maren says.
The students wanted to learn about a company that is different from what they want to work with later:
– Everyone who visits UiS School of Business and Law, are large accounting firms and office companies. It was interesting to look at how motiviation is for those who actually work with their hands and use their bodies. Those who don't sit in an office. Something completely different from what we know, Maren says.
The three girls all agree that it's nice to work on a real case – where they can see the theory in practice, and that it's very realistic in relation to working life.
Rogaland Sparebank: – A great way to bring academia in to the business world
Finance director Tomas Nordbø at Rogaland Sparebank was in the jury together with professor emeritus Aslaug Mikkelsen from UiS School of Business and Law. He explains what made the group stand out in the competition:
– They were the best at understanding the business they had chosen. They understood the problem very well, and managed to incorporate the academic literature into their project. They had some great suggestions that can be easily implemented.
He also praises the collaboration with UiS School of Business and Law at University of Stavanger.
– We have been doing this for several years now. We at the bank think it's a great way to bring academia into the business world. I think it's mutually beneficial for both the companies and the students.
Nordbø believes this is a very useful experience for students entering the workforce:
– First, they must understand the practical issues of the companies, and then they must also write it down and present it. Having presentation skills and key points to sell, is important when entering the business world.
– A good exercise before the master's thesis next semester
Sadaf Basharat is a PhD candidate at UiS School of Business and Law, and together with professor Mari Rege, she has been responsible for the course.
– Since the course is about motivation, we thought that the prize of 40.000 NOK would greatly influence how the students work. We want to motivate them to do well.
She explains a bit about the process:
– The groups have conducted two interviews with an informant in the company at two different stages of the project. Based on these interviews, they determine the level of motivation among the employees. Using the academic litterature from the lectures with Mari Rege, they try to identify some key mechanisms that affect motivation.
Basharat says that she really enjoyed guiding the students through the process.
– For me, it was also important to emphasize academic writing. The students will write their master's thesis next semester, so this is a good exercise to prepare for that, she concludes.