The other schools taking part in the competition included the MIT Sloan School of Management, Harvard University, Stanford University, Duke University, Carnegie Mellon University, Boston College, Northeastern University and George Washington University. Each team was given two weeks to work on a case study focused on issues in education technology and ultimately prepared a presentation detailing their recommended solutions to the issues in the case study which they delivered to the panel of judges during the competition. As the winner, the team from UC Berkeley received a cash prize of $3,500.
The case focused on an all–digital HMH consumer education product currently in development – the teams were challenged with how to market and promote the program to a parent audience while ensuring access for families across all economic backgrounds. The winning team presented an impressive plan to bring the product to its core audiences by segmenting the market and then prioritizing customers within those segments. The team also developed a specific value proposition for each group, outlining the strategies for engaging them separately, including social media, word–of–mouth marketing and community outreach. The plan included well–thought–out tactics and approaches to serving the needs of parents who might face increased challenges due to a lack of economic or technological resources.
“Houghton Mifflin Harcourt was thrilled to sponsor the MIT Sloan School case competition and bring together the best and brightest graduate students nationwide to tackle some of the most critical questions facing education and technology today,” said Deb deVries, Vice President of Marketing for HMH division SkillsTutor and one of the competition judges. “Our congratulations go out to the team from UC Berkeley and all other participants.”
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
With education products and services used by 57 million students throughout all 50 U.S. states and 120 countries, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global education and learning company. The world’s largest provider of materials for pre-K–12 learning, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is leading the way with innovative solutions and approaches to the challenges facing education today. Through curricula excellence coupled with technology innovations and professional services, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt collaborates with school districts, administrators, teachers, parents and students, providing interactive, results-driven learning solutions. Its Educational Consulting Services group works to increase student achievement in underperforming schools by developing, implementing and supporting education transformation through sustained district partnerships. With origins dating back to 1832, the Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning literature for adults and young readers. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.