Sophomore Reno Morris Wins Third Place in Worldwide Business Simulation Competition

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WACO, Texas (May 31, 2013) -- Baylor University sophomore Reno Morris, a business student from Lewisville, Texas, has placed third in a competition for running a business, sponsored by Capsim Business Simulations, in which roughly 200 students from Baylor and more than 1,750 students from around the world competed this spring semester.

In the competition, a student or team of students runs a virtual, simulated business and must make management decisions in a competitive environment.

"Basically, you take care of all the parts of business," Morris said. "You had to take care of the funding for your product and try to boost sales process."

Challenge coordinator Anthony Illuzzi offered his congratulations to Morris and his professor Blaine McCormick, Ph D., an associate professor of management and entrepreneurship at Baylor.

"It still amazes me to see how students can execute their own strategies with such accuracy and precision," Illuzzi said.

Morris was introduced to the Capsim Global Challenge in McCormick's business, economics and world affairs class, in which students used Capsim's Foundation Business Simulations to apply learned business skills.

"The Foundation Business Simulation is a massive multiplayer online game, much like World of Warcraft or any of those other massive multi-player games, except the goal is to make a profit and increase your holder profit," McCormick said. "In class, we used the simulations as a tool to teach and increase business acumen, and so the students play one another in class. I tell the students, 'Hey, they do this global tournament. It's one of the best things you can do to build your skillset for the final exam.' It's hands-on, competitive decision-making. It's tough, it's hard."

Morris' involvement marks the ninth semester Baylor students have participated in the Capsim Global Challenge.

"[The simulation] shows how smart decision-making and poor decision-making can drastically affect the outcome of your business," said fall 2011 Baylor participant Eric Marshall. "When working in a team, in the classroom, it can show how multiple minds think differently and how in a business, one person cannot make all the decisions. Compromises have to be made, for the good or the bad, and you need to overcome these hurdles in the future."

Placing third provides much opportunity for Morris, McCormick said. "This is something that he can say, 'I managed a company in a competitive environment against people around the world.' It does show a great deal of managerial and business acumen."

Morris plans to use what he's learned from the Capsim program toward a career in accounting and is entertaining the idea of attending Baylor Law School after graduation.

"If I go into accounting it'll open a lot of doors in aspects of business," he said. "The simulation introduces you to each of the different parts of business."

by Rachel Miller, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

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Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.

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