The University of South Carolina’s Department of Retailing in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management is pleased to announce a partnership with the Walgreen Company in sponsoring the 2014-2015 Retail Management Strategies Course Case Competition. 

During the semester, students work in groups on specific retail business problems, enhancing both their critical-thinking skills and teamwork development. Four groups will be selected to present their final recommendations to executives from Walgreens with a specific focus on factors such as industry research, impact on performance, timing and action plans and return on investment for the proposed solutions. The top two groups will receive scholarship support from Walgreens, to be divided among the winning team members. 

“This is really a great way for our students to get the experience of working on real-world industry problems and dealing with industry executives in a small group setting,” noted Dr. Jeffrey Campbell, who is spearheading the competition for the Department of Retailing. “Our students get to know the executives and learn from them as coaches rather than bosses, and over the course of the semester the solutions become more developed as students continue to integrate their book learning with industry practices. It is a win-win for both the students and for Walgreens.” 

Shauna Peterson, District Manager for the Columbia West area Walgreens, also noted the benefits of the competition.  “We are so pleased to be teaming up with Dr. Jeffrey Campbell and the USC Department of Retailing on this case. This is a great opportunity for us to support students and expand their operations and business acumen for their future endeavors.”