Home Competition Stories This is How Team Strikers from SCMHRD Pune (Second Runners-up, Tata Steel-a-thon 2021) Paved its Trajectory to Strike the Right Target!

This is How Team Strikers from SCMHRD Pune (Second Runners-up, Tata Steel-a-thon 2021) Paved its Trajectory to Strike the Right Target!

Team Strikers - SCMHRD Pune

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This is How Team Strikers from SCMHRD Pune (Second Runners-up, Tata Steel-a-thon 2021) Paved its Trajectory to Strike the Right Target!

0 min read

Awaiting the results post our presentation, a million thoughts raced through our minds. The words "Jury Deliberation" on our screens along with rhythmic background music made the atmosphere very lively. After a short deliberation, it was time for a live declaration of the results, which was one of its kind on an online platform. The jury announced the first good news of a shared position for the 2nd Runners-up. It was finally time to roll out the trophies for the National 2nd Runner-up and when it was announced, "The team from SCMHRD, Team Strikers", we were taken by surprise and were out of emotions. That moment brought back memories of how we started the journey of Steel-a-thon 2021 right from forming a team. Presenting to you, an excerpt from our exciting journey.

TATA Steel's Steel-a-thon is an annual business challenge that revolves around the current problems faced in their organization. This motivated us to take it up as a challenge and brainstorm competent ideas to provide efficient solutions. As the competition was organized by one of the most respected legacies of India, TATA, the case of Sustainable HRM was itself very interesting and unique to work on.

Steel-a-thon Season 8 was one of its kind as it provided a variety of nine cases in four different tracks to choose from. The cases had been framed meticulously and in a very systematic way. The objectives and areas to touch upon were clearly detailed in the case, which made the entire process easier. This in turn reflected on the way the judgments were delivered after each round. The quality of judgment can be rated as top-notch by the way we were posed with questions by the senior leadership of TATA Steel. It made us think in every small detail and deliver suggestions within a short span of time. We focused more on our research and qualitative analysis throughout the case competition which helped us improve our learning curve in a holistic way.

Winning strategy: Setting the mind in motion

The overall duration of Steel-a-thon'21 has been roughly 30 days. We prepared for the research and analysis phase in a holistic manner by covering various dimensions and pillars of the problem. The initial phases of preparation included a concept study of the problem statement and its supporting information. The next phase involved the collection and presentation of ideas in a logical manner, which was the most crucial and challenging phase.

Working on an online platform extensively for a case competition was a unique experience. Not being in direct touch with teammates had its own challenges. Live brainstorming and ideation sessions would have been more interesting and engaging had it been on campus. It would help us delve deeper into our proposed solutions. We mitigated some of these challenges by having frequent discussions and also by talking to various stakeholders living nearby us, which helped us in bridging the gap in communication.

The team had very smooth dynamics of approach towards the case. Due to a mutual understanding of concepts and methodology of research, we faced very few conflicts while devising the solution. The conflicts were related to the priority of information gathered and the sequencing of ideas. We collectively resolved them by aligning them with the timeline of activities planned as part of the solution.

Learnings that matter

A quote by Phil Jackson rightly summarizes OUR learnings, “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."

The team was comprised of diverse skill sets distributed equally among the three members. While all of us brainstormed novel ideas for the case and connected with experienced industry leaders, one of us could research qualitative data and design the presentation very effectively, while the second member would segregate information and implement strategies, and the third member improvised the delivery of ideas by making the information more communicable.

We learned that efforts in the right direction are a must for any Corporate Case Competition. Detailed and step-by-step analysis of problem statements is highly essential as that acts as the pitch for our solution. Along with qualitative and quantitative research of the current trends, we learned that the way we present our novel ideas makes a prime difference in the case solution.

Also, how can we forget one of the very special moments of the entire journey - the day of team formation. On that red-letter day, Anushruti and Rashika approached Pradyumna with an invitation for the team of Steel-a-thon. This defined the strong bond and changed all of their individual tracks and aligned them for the rest of their journey in the case of competition and beyond!!!