UPEI students demonstrate passion for coffee fertilizer and pellet industries
UPEI Business 391 students finished the semester on a strong note, as their Strategic Management course provided them with the opportunity to analyze a privately owned and operated waste management company interested in pursuing coffee pellet and bio-solid products.
Each year, UPEI's Business 391: Strategic Management course provides its students with opportunities to analyze real companies and to develop strategic plans for the company's future. This semester, Dr. Juergen Krause, associate professor and director of UPEI's Centre for Health and Biotech Management Research, approached Maritime Waste Services (MWS).
'We are thrilled to be able to provide our students with yet another opportunity to work for a PEI business sponsor, like Maritime Waste Services,' said Krause. 'Not only does it provide our students with the opportunity to apply their learned knowledge in a practical setting, but it also supports local businesses, and allows them to see first-hand how our students can offer invaluable advice.'
Three teams were selected from the class to present their projects to the client on April 5. Chosen based on their scores on a previous class case, 'Querdenker-The Global Consultants,' 'nGage Consulting Group,' and 'MJ Consulting' delivered their plan to three representatives from Maritime Waste Services.
Kirk MacKinnon, Phil O'Halloran, and Adam Doiron from Maritime Waste Services judged the student presentations and their strategies. MacKinnon was impressed by the research put into the projects, 'All three groups demonstrated that through hard work, comes great results. The groups had done their homework and were passionate during their presentations.' MacKinnon was happy that Maritime Waste Services was able to provide this real-life opportunity to the students. 'This wasn't just an opportunity for the students; we were also able to gain fresh perspectives and strategic advice from them which will go a long way.'
After a difficult deliberation, the judges dubbed 'MJ Consulting' the winners and Maritime Waste Services presented them with a $1,000 cash prize. Team members Jamie Currie, Jamie Lawlor, JP Paquette, Michelle Ward, and Mark Wilson recommended MWS focus on establishing relationships with local buyers who are willing to purchase the coffee pellets, and to connect with local golf courses and landscaping companies in regards to their fertilizer pellets. The team also advised MWS to advertise the products to educate the public that their products are made with 100% recycled products, which supports a 'Green Movement.' The team also came up with a catchy new name for the business initiative, the 'Pellet King' along with a company logo.
'We would like to thank MWS and the UPEI School of Business for giving MJ Consulting the opportunity to work with a local business,' said winning team member, Michelle Ward. 'Giving us the chance to develop a future strategic plan for a real company allowed us to apply what we learned in the classroom to a real business opportunity.' Ward completed the rest of her Bachelor of Business Administration courses this week and said the win was a great way to end her undergraduate years.
