Important Note: - Check the Schedule and remember when your team is expected to present. Be there.
- Two ways to transfer your presentation files (Powerpoint slides) to my computer.
- Email: FI414.HUANG@gmail.com
- USB flash drive (bring to class; please arrive early)
Advice:- My grading criteria can be summarized by one question that you can ask yourselves:
- "Can someone who hadn't read the case material beforehand learn from our presentation some basic ideas what the case is about and what problems we are trying to solve?"
- Ask yourselves this question as you rehearse.
- Because I will ask myself this exact question when I grade your performance.
- Do no over-prepare and do not try to cover every aspect of the case.
- Your team has maximum 25 minutes.
- You are more likely to run out of time than having not enough to say. Trust me. You will find out.
- If you have perfect answers to all of the questions, what am I here for?
- You have 30 minutes. I have 130 minutes. Do the math.
- Don't try to ANSWER ALL of the "suggested" questions listed in the Cases section.
- The "food-for-thought" questions are food for thoughts for the whole class.
- They are not exam questions for you - the presenting team.
- You job, instead, is to supply relevant information that can help the class think about the case, by:
- Providing background information.
- Explaining what the important questions are.
- Presenting plausible answers to the questions.
- Most likely you won't have much time to elaborate after the first two steps.
- There are no RIGHT answers to the questions, only sensible and well-presented arguments.
- Suggested planning strategy:
- READ the case material from cover to cover.
- Every team member should do that, so that you have something to add value to the team
- Sit down together and share your thoughts (and maybe pizzas as well).
- Reach a preliminary view about the case. Write down the main points that you want to stress.
- It is impossible for you to cover all of the suggested questions!
- Pick those easier ones to tackle.
- Devise a presentation plan.
- Allocate tasks among members.
- I highly encourage every member to speak on stage.
- However, if you wish, you can also give more time to the most eloquent members.
- Do a dry run (Remember: practice makes perfect).
- Let your teammates help you. They are motivated because their grades depend on you.
- What if you feel really nervous?
- Drink water. Breath deeply. You can even write a script.
- Don't worry about time. Don't look at your watch every 10 seconds.
- I will be doing just fine no matter whether you leave 10 minutes or 100 minutes to me.
- Even if you are not sure whether what you say is right, pretend that you are an expert.
- In the real world, most likely your boss didn't go to a business school. He probably tried to get into the Broad College, but his GPA was too low.
- Therefore, he would trust whatever comes out of your mouth, UNLESS, you look really nervous (in which case, he will suspect that you have stolen money from his bank accounts).
- It is unlikely that you will overnight obtain all the knowledge, skills, and experiences of a successful Wall Street banker.
- Don't try to be perfect.
- Focus on what you know and what you've got, and spend more time practicing what you are going to say in class.
- Don't be too technical in the presentations. Don't present big tables with too many boring numbers. Your audience can't follow them.
Grading: - Grades are based on collective performance of a team.
- Allocate tasks accordingly among members.
- Know each member's strength and weakness.
- I am grading your performance mostly based on:
- How organized, informative, clear, and smooth the presentation is;
- How much your classmates can learn from your presentation.
- Most important: "Can someone who hadn't' read the case material beforehand learn from our presentation some basic ideas what the case is about and what problems we are trying to solve?"
- The presentations account for only 10 points.
- Don't over-prepare and kill yourself for it!
- I don't grade based on whether your answers are correct or not.
- I repeat: there are no CORRECT answers (in this course or in real world business scenarios), only sensible arguments and useful information.
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