 On June 2, 2009 a group of Graduate MBA Students from the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB) participated in an interactive judging session to select the Top 10 entries in the United States for the 2009 DELL Global Small Business Excellence Award (GSBEA). The judging session saw students first divided into two randomly selected groups where top ten lists were generated independently. Following the first sessions, judges were brought together to collectively discuss their selections and ultimately form a final, consensus Top 10. These entries are now considered US Finalists and will be eligible for selection as the 2009 US National Winner.
Our twelve judges are students who are currently enrolled in Dr. Erik K. Winslow's Strategic Entrepreneurship class at the GWSB. Dr. Winslow, with assistance from the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) and Dr. Ayman El Tarabishy, has incorporated the Dell GSBEA competition in his curriculum and has given his students the task of analyzing, judging and learning from today's leading entrepreneurs. From case studies of last year's winners to this year's new submissions, students are given the unique opportunity to evaluate a wide range of data relevant to today's growing small businesses enviornment. They are able to see first hand how small businesses with less than 100 employees are using information technology (IT) in innovative ways to grow their business and improve the customer experience.
 
During our interactive session, the judges held varying viewpoints as regards the definition of innovation and the means in which applicants realize their end result. More than once during the discussions, judges had to remind their peers of the competition's objective - to identify innovation with an industry and against the competition. Some judges held a more receptive approach to selecting a top entry, while others became champions for specific applications. This dynamic resulted in a process of persuasion that brought a vibrant atmosphere to the discussions. As a whole the group weighed the pros and cons of each application and then individually took a stance on each issue. Judges compared entries to existing businesses and used today's business environment to determine the innovation present within certain industries. As one student stated, ‘the IT infrastructure of applicants doesn't wow me, but the IT usage within their industry is impressive and innovative.'
The event also drew the participation of additional GWSB faculty members Dr. Paul Swiercz and Dr. Jaclyn Jensen. In addition to recording the event for class presentation, our faculty has grown attached to the competition. By using today's leading entrepreneurs as a learning tool for tomorrow's business leaders, students gain an invaluable knowledge that will help them to recognize how small businesses can use IT to be innovative and grow their business exponentially. |
