FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MBA STUDENTS FINISH WITH HIGHEST STOCK PRICE IN NATIONAL BUSINESS STRATEGY SIMULATION

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., May 17, 2002 - Three Master of Business Adminstration (MBA) students at Southeast Missouri State University recently completed a computer, Web-based business simulation in which their mock company finished with the highest stock price among more than 1,000 collegiate teams competing across the nation.

Jakob Thoisen of Denmark, Felix Kreh of Germany and Daniel Copeland of Germantown, Tenn., won first place among 1,085 teams in the nation in Management Simulations, Inc.'s (MSI) "Capstone" business simulation in the category of stock price. The group's ending stock price reached $489.65.

Students entered the competition in order to fulfill the requirements of "Strategic Decision Making," a course which examines the importance of effective strategy development to long-term business success. The course is taught by Dr. David Kunz, a Southeast professor in the Department of Accounting, Finance and Business Law.

Other teams finishing behind Southeast in the top 10 were from: Emory Riddle Aeronautical University, Groves City College, University of Colorado-Boulder, St. Louis University, University of Connecticut, University of Colorado, Ohio University, Georgia Tech and Appalachia State.

"It does say a lot about the quality of the students at Southeast," said Kunz. "Obviously, these three really got involved." Kunz says, "other Southeast teams have broken into the top 10 in the past, but none has finished in the top 10."

In addition, Thoisen, Kreh and Copeland went beyond the classroom to compete in the "Capstone Challenge," a voluntary business simulation. On May 10, they were named "Champions of the Capstone Challenge" for spring 2002 and have been added to the "Capstone Hall of Fame."

Students who participated are divided into competing teams that ran $100 million companies that manufacture electronic sensors used in the computer industry. Students learn about the company's inner workings-how corporate departments must integrate; developing a business strategy; and analyzing the marketplace. Students were asked to make business decisions based on market demand, customer buying criteria and competing product lines. Corporate decisions were made in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, human resources and finance.

"This is a pretty complex board game," Kunz said. "The market keeps shifting and they have to respond to the market's needs."

More than 400 university business schools compete in the "Capstone" simulation in undergraduate and graduate business programs. They include: DePaul University, Penn Sate, Emory University, Wake Forest University, University of California, College of William and Mary, Brigham Young University, Michigan State, Pepperdine University, Auburn University, Indiana University, Ohio University, University of North Carolina, Rutgers University and George Washington University.

The "Capstone" business simulation is the most widely used simulation in the world. It has been adopted by Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of colleges and universities around the world. The "Capstone" simulation's flexibility allows it to be a dynamic learning tool for a variety of audiences - from General Electric's senior managers to MBA candidates to undergraduate business students. It creates a hands-on environment where students learn to run - and coordinate - several business functions: marketing, research and development, production, human resources and finance.

The "Capstone" simulation includes three elements: decision support software, which is a series of spreadsheets and reports; a textbook, which explains the simulations and the importance of a functionally-integrated company; and a Web site, which allows teams to upload decisions and download results for each simulated year.

MSI is a leading innovator in business education. Their computer-based simulations create a hands-on learning environment that emulates real world conditions. MSI also offers simulations in business and environmental law and management. Their product line is constantly upgraded by working with clients in higher education and major corporations to tailor solutions that meet their goals.