ABG Stratos Case Study | Innovating Recruitment through Business Simulation Challenge

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In the league of Fortune 500 companies, Aditya Birla Group (ABG) is a conglomerate anchored by a workforce of over 120,000 employees from 42 countries. Over the last seven decades, ABG has grown into a global powerhouse with businesses in diverse sectors, including cement, metals, chemicals, pulp and fiber, textiles, carbon black, and telecom.

Today, over 50% of ABG’s revenues flow from overseas operations in 36 countries in Asia, Africa, and North and South America.

The Stratos story

The Stratos journey started in 2015 when Aditya Birla Group came up with the idea of curating a strategy case competition to inculcate a spirit of innovation and competitiveness among young B-schoolers. The thought behind the challenge was simple—ABG wanted to recruit future leaders with critical thinking and logical aptitude who could envision themselves making crucial decisions for the organization.

This was just the first step in ABG's plan to restructure its hiring process. The path ahead was much more intriguing! 

ABG wanted to recruit GMTs—Group Management Trainees who could later become CEOs of different companies. More importantly, ABG wanted to give B-school students an idea of the work they’ll be required to do once they join the organization, which is where it all started. 

Unstop sets all hurdles aside

ABG’s vision of laying the outlines of a unique hiring challenge was vivid and well-defined. With a clear picture of the problem statement in hand, the team at Unstop (formerly Dare2Compete) rolled up their sleeves and started painting the canvas with ideas and solutions. And after a thorough analysis, Stratos was born.

The only way to ward off ABG’s concerns regarding the hiring process was to give birth to a business simulation game challenge - a once-in-a-lifetime experience that would allow students to experience real-life challenges in a virtual setup. The participants had to step into the shoes of the CEO of a company and make consequential decisions that could make or break deals. Every decision taken by a team would affect other participants.  

The results spoke for themselves.
Students embraced the business simulation game's fresh, analytical approach, loving its real-world relevance. It encouraged multidimensional thinking, so much so that many found themselves reflecting on their decisions and strategizing the next steps even during classes and campus activities.

ABG Stratos 2019 left an indelible mark on students' lives, paving the way for subsequent seasons. The latest season, ABG Stratos 2024, ended in September 2024. 

The Structure of Stratos

ABG Stratos continues to inspire many to participate in simulation challenges. Open to top 15 B-Schools, the challenge is divided into four-rounds: 

Business Simulation Round—The simulation lasts two hours and involves five rounds. It tests business acumen in various domains, such as strategy, marketing, finance, operations, etc.

Executive Summary Submission Round - Selected teams from the business simulation round submit an executive summary (2-slider) of their solution to the business problem mentioned in the case. 

Deep Dive/Detailed Submission - Shortlisted teams dive deeper into their solutions and submit a detailed 7-slider presentation for further evaluation. 

Grand Finale - The finalists present their solutions to the jury, which consists of leaders from ABG. 

The outcome

The hiring challenge featured a business simulation game designed especially for ABG Stratos by the team at Unstop (formerly Dare2Compete). The game caught the attention of numerous students.

From 2022

To 2024

Here are a few key factors that came to light: 

• Students from select B-schools had the opportunity to witness the conglomerate's internal workings up close and gain hands-on experience making pivotal decisions.
  
  
• With Unstop’s execution platform and a promotion team unlike any other, ABG Stratos 2022 had a reach of 14,98,636. In 2023, this number grew to 22,86,281. Just a year later, it doubled to 44,80,418. 
  
  
• In the last three years, registrations crossed the 4,000 mark every single time.
• In all three years, the winners (3 teams, with 3 members each) received PPIs. 

Over the years, ABG Stratos has not only won the hearts of students but also set a benchmark in the industry for being a one-of-a-kind hiring challenge. A competition that only seems to grow every year, both in terms of numbers and popularity, ABG Stratos is all set and prepared to remodel the recruitment process in the near future. 

Looking for AI-powered, innovative solutions to hiring challenges? Then contact coffee@unstop.com.