Senior business major Andrew Enjaian has placed second in a worldwide business simulation competition among college students.

This is the first time a BJU student has placed in the competition sponsored by Capsim Management Simulations, Inc.

Mr. Andrew Cropsey, faculty member in the School of Business, began assigning the simulation project in his Small Business Finance class eight years ago.

To complete the project, students create a business plan for an imaginary business.

While the project is required as a group assignment in class, students are not required to enter their project in the competition.

According to Cropsey, his class uses the entry-level form of the simulation program, and students who enter the international competition also enter at the entry-level division.

“It requires students to take everything that they’ve learned in their other business classes and apply it around the business [simulation],” Cropsey said.

At the national competition, Enjaian competed against computer-simulated businesses in the first round. Then the top six teams competed head-to-head for eight rounds.

During rounds three through eight, Enjaian had one hour per round to make decisions about research and development, marketing, finance and total quality management.

“I had to devise a strategy to design, market, manufacture and fund electronic sensors in low- or high-tech markets,” he said.

Enjaian said he was able to use a strategy he had previously developed in class for the semifinal round. But during the final round, he had to create a strategy for which he had not extensively prepared.

“During the final round I used a strategy that I hadn’t gotten to test as much, but [it] allowed more growth in both market segments and a steadier increase in both sales and profits over the long term,” he said.

During the Jan. 28 University Business Association forum, Cropsey presented Enjaian with a plaque to congratulate him on his accomplishment.

Capsim released the results of the competition on Nov. 20. Enjaian placed second out of nearly 1,800 students from more than 280 schools.

Enjaian said the project and competition increased his business operations knowledge. “It really helped me understand how finance is important to running a business,” he said.

Enjaian advises future competitors to get a head start on the project early in the semester before other class work starts to pile up.

According to Enjaian, by getting most of the project completed early in the semester, participants will be able to focus more on their team and on the competition.