Manuel Oberascher, a second-year Master in Management student at ESCP Business School, played MEGA Learning's Customer Value Challenge marketing simulation during a three-day seminar in his Master in Management programme. He shares his experience competing as a virtual car manufacturer against teams of his ESCP classmates.
About Manuel Oberascher
Manuel Oberascher is from Austria and is in his second year of the Master in Management programme at ESCP Business School, specialising in Finance and Real Estate. The Customer Value Challenge was the most in-depth business simulation he had played. He had previously played a shorter, simpler simulation in an earlier semester, but nothing comparable in scope.
The Customer Value Challenge at ESCP Business School
Manuel and his ESCP Master in Management classmates were randomly assigned to teams of five to six people. Each team brought students from different specialisations across the programme, mirroring the cross-functional composition of a real management team.
Each team in the Customer Value Challenge runs a virtual car manufacturer. Teams decide which cars to produce, at what price points, and how much to invest in marketing and engineering. The Customer Value Challenge runs over multiple competitive decision rounds, with teams competing to win different customer segments.
"We were put in the shoes of a car manufacturer, had to decide what kind of cars to produce, at what price point, and with what marketing and engineering budget. Our competitors were the other teams participating in the experience." (Manuel Oberascher, ESCP Business School)
What Manuel Took Away from the Three-Day Seminar
Manuel had no specific expectations going into the Customer Value Challenge, but quickly became invested in the team dynamic.
"I got assigned to a great team with which I bonded quickly, which made the simulation a great experience. Throughout the three-day seminar, we had a lot of fun, learning what impact our strategy and actions had, and reading our classmates' moves." (Manuel Oberascher, ESCP Business School)
For Manuel, the combination of hands-on decision-making and team collaboration made the Customer Value Challenge stick in a way that traditional ESCP lectures do not.
"Because of the intensity of the hands-on experience combined with the teamwork, this is more engaging than a regular class and sticks in your memory." (Manuel Oberascher, ESCP Business School)
His Recommendation to Other Master in Management Students
Asked whether he would recommend MEGA Learning's Customer Value Challenge to other Master in Management students, Manuel did not hesitate.
"The simulation is fuel for teamwork and gives you a complete understanding of a business in a simplified and fun way. I would recommend it, especially for team-building purposes." (Manuel Oberascher, ESCP Business School)
About MEGA Learning's Customer Value Challenge
MEGA Learning's Customer Value Challenge is a marketing-focused business simulation used by ESCP Business School, HEC Paris, Columbia University, and other leading academic institutions in their Master in Management, MBA, and executive education programmes. The simulation is also distributed via Harvard Business Publishing. Duration: 12 to 18 hours, typically run as a multi-day seminar. Team size: 4 to 6 per team. Available in English and French.
Learn more about the Customer Value Challenge or request a free demo.
