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Which competition category is right for you
- 4. Misguided Approaches to Choosing Which category is easiest?
- 6. Misguided Approaches to Choosing Which do I not have to take a test for?
- 7. Individual Series Events Marketing Representative Events Team Decision Making Events Test Professional Selling Events Presentation Paper Online Events Business Operations Research Events Chapter Team Events Business Management and Entrepreneurship Events
- 8. Misguided Approaches to Choosing Which category has the best odds of winning?
- 10. Misguided Approaches to Choosing Working with my friends makes it easier, right?
- 12. Which do I Which not have to category is take a test easiest? for? Working with my friends Which makes it easier category right? has the best odds?
- 13. Which category right for me?
- 14. 3 Basic Types of Competition Individual Series Events
- 15. 3 Basic Types of Competition Team Decision Making Events
- 16. 3 Basic Types of Competition Written Events
- 17. Individual Series Events 100 points Scoring based on Multiple choice 5 Performance Indicators
- 18. Individual Series Events Scoring based on 5 Performance Indicators Example: 1 Describe the economic impact of inflation on a business. 2 Explain factors affecting pricing decisions. 3 Identify factors affecting a business’s profit. 4 Describe the concept of price stability as an economic measure. 5 Describe the role of business ethics in pricing.
- 19. The Category Provides the Context of the Situation Scoring based on 5 Performance Indicators Example: 1 Describe the economic impact of inflation on a business. 2 Explain factors affecting pricing decisions. 3 Identify factors affecting a business’s profit. 4 Describe the concept of price stability as an economic measure. 5 Describe the role of business ethics in pricing.
- 20. Accounting Applications You are an accountant at a pet store
- 21. Apparel & Accessories Marketing You are the manager of a jewelry store
- 22. Automotive Services Marketing You are the director of member services at Automotive Benefit Club
- 23. Business Finance You are a capital budgeting specialist for a safe company
- 24. Business Services Marketing You are a manager at a software company
- 25. Food Marketing You are a marketing director at a bakery
- 26. Hotel and Lodging Management You are the manager of a bed and breakfast
- 27. Human Resources Management You are a human resources assistant for a chain of dental clinics
- 28. Marketing Management You are the Chief Marketing Officer of a large plastics manufacture r
- 29. Quick Serve Restaurant Management You are the product manager for a regional fast food chain
- 30. Restaurant and Food Service Management You are the manager of a popular restaurant
- 31. Retail Merchandising You are the manager of an outdoor recreation superstore
- 32. Sports and Entertainment Marketing You are a product manager for a stadium seating manufacture r
- 33. Team Decision Making Events 100 points Scoring based on Multiple choice 7 Performance Indicators
- 34. Team Decision Making Events Scoring based on 7 Performance Indicators Example: 1 Assess information needs. 2 Obtain needed information efficiently. 3 Discuss the nature of information management. 4 Describe the need for marketing information. 5 Explain the nature of marketing research. 6 Describe options businesses use to obtain marketing- research data. 7 Discuss the nature of sampling plans.
- 35. The Category Provides the Context of the Situation Scoring based on 7 Performance Indicators Example: 1 Assess information needs. 2 Obtain needed information efficiently. 3 Discuss the nature of information management. 4 Describe the need for marketing information. 5 Explain the nature of marketing research. 6 Describe options businesses use to obtain marketing- research data. 7 Discuss the nature of sampling plans.
- 36. Business Law and Ethics You are a management team at an anti-virus software company
- 37. Buying and Merchandising You are merchandise managers for a brand of luxury bath towels
- 38. Financial Services You are financial services consultants hired to develop a personal monthly budget
- 39. Hospitality Services You are research specialists for an extended- stay hotel chain
- 40. Marketing Communications You are a sales team for a new health club
- 41. Sports and Entertainment Marketing You are the management team for a minor league hockey team
- 42. Travel and Tourism You are sales managers at a Broadway theater
- 43. Written Events Some have no test 5 / 11 / 30 page papers 1 – 3 participants 15 or 20 minute presentation
- 44. Written Events
- 45. Written Events
- 46. Written Events
- 47. Written Events Add screen shots
- 48. Written Events
- 49. Online Events
- 50. Narrowing Down Your Choices Do you work in any of these industries? Do you plan to work in any of these industries? Does a parent, sibling or friend work in any of these industries? As a consumer, do you have more experience in any of these industries than others? (Travel? Retail shopping? Dining out? Cars?) Have you taken any relevant classes? (Accounting?) What interests you most? What are your areas of strength? Testing, writing, presenting, problem-solving? Do you work best on a team or independently?
- 51. How Do I Prepare?
- 52. Don’t Forget It! I just learned about #DECAPrep.net Text a friend: “Check out DECAPrep.net!”
Editor's Notes
- Which DECA competition category is right for you? If you are a new DECA member or an experienced competitor, this presentation will help you begin your DECA journey this year. I’m glad you’re here!
- If you have competed before, pat yourself on the back. Because you are viewing this presentation, you know just how awesome competition is.If you have never competed before, prepare for an experience that is unlike anything you’ve done in high school. DECA is awesome and it is about to change your life.Those of you who have competed before, look near you and find someone with their hand up. Then tell them this: “DECA is awesome. You’ve come to the right place.Raise your hand if you have competed before.Reach that hand over your shoulder and pat yourself on the back. Because you are sitting here with me today, you know just how awesome competition is.Raise your hand if you have never competed before. Keep your hands up. Those of you who have competed before, look near you and find someone with their hand up. Then tell them this: “DECA is awesome. You’ve come to the right place. You are going to rock at competition this year. Can I have a piece of gum?”Hands down.
- By the end of this session, you should have an idea about which competition category is right for you… or at least have it narrowed down to your top 5.
- Let’s begin by discussing how you SHOULDN’T choose your competition category. One of the most frequently asked questions I hear is, “Which category is easiest?” The answer is simple: DECA will challenge your to grow and expand both academically and on a personal level. All of the categories are rigorous and will push you to new heights.
- Champions are not made by taking shortcuts. To succeed, you must be willing to practice and give it your all.
- Another question I often hear is “Which category do I NOT have to take a test for?” Some students genuinely prefer to challenge themselves in other ways, while some are simply searching for an easier path to success.
- There are dozens of competition categories, each with different combinations of requirements. But whether you are taking a rigorous exam, writing a lengthy research-based paper or giving a presentation to judges, DECA competition gives you the opportunity to stretch yourself. This diagram illustrates how. The Individual Series and Team Decision Making Events include a test and impromptu presentations or “role plays.”The Marketing Representative and Professional Selling Events include all three components.Business Operations Research, Chapter Team and Business Management and Entrepreneurship Events include a paper and presentation but no test.There is another group of competitions that doesn’t include a test, paper or presentation – online events. More on those later.
- Sometimes a student will ask me, “Which category has the best odds of winning?” Although this is an interesting way to approach competition, its not the approach I’d recommend.
- At the Area/District level, the odds are based upon how many people compete in any given category that particular year. Those numbers can change dramatically from year to year, so there is no way of predicting your odds. Basing your selection this way is not a gamble I’d be willing to take.
- An assumption some students make is that working with their friends is a picnic. Or they assume that working with a team takes the pressure off them so they don’t have to work as hard. From my perspective, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
- Working with a partner is not necessarily easier. In fact, it presents its own challenges. You have to work very well together and be well coordinated. This means sharing in the work equally. Working on a team also requires trust. Test scores are averaged, so you have to trust that your partner studies, is well-prepared and gives his/her best effort. Finally, if a partner is absent from any stage of competition, your team risks disqualification. But as we know, working on teams can yield synergy, where the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts. It can be extraordinarily rewarding and can really take you to new heights as competitors.
- Now is the time to clear your mind of all of these misguided approaches to selecting your competition category…
- The only thing that matters is which category is best for you? Which do you have a career interest in? Or previous experience in or background knowledge of? Which will challenge you to grow the most? Which is best suited to your unique skills and abilities?
- Let’s take a look at the 3 basic types of competition. DECA offers events in the Individual Series…
- In Team Decision Making Events, where students work in pairs…
- And in the broad category I’ll call Written Events. Depending upon the specific category, these events can have 1 to 3 participants.
- Competing in the Individual Series involves taking a 100-point multiple choice test and doing 2 role plays with a judge. The role plays are based upon 5 Performance Indicators.
- The Performance Indicators measure your understanding of business and marketing concepts. Your challenge is to address each of these during the role play. The Performance Indicators are fairly universal, meaning you could see the same ones in any of the competition categories. In this example, the role play asks the participant to:Describe the economic impact of inflation on a business. Explain factors affecting pricing decisions. Identify factors affecting a business’s profit. Describe the concept of price stability as an economic measure. Describe the role of business ethics in pricing.
- The category simply provides the context of the situation. It is the backdrop or the setting in which your role play is taking place. For example, you might addressing these Performance Indicators… in a diner! The following 13 categories set the scene for the role plays in the Individual Series:
- The first category is Accounting Applications. This is a great category if you have taken an Accounting class or like working with numbers. An example of a role play situation asks you to assume the role of an accountant at a pet store. Accounting is a service that all businesses need, so your role play could take place virtually anywhere.
- The next category is Apparel and Accessories, and our example puts you in the role of a manager of a jewelry store. This category might involve clothing or shoes or it might be as much of a stretch as dealing with cell phone accessories at a mall kioske.
- Automotive Services deals with any kind of service that a car or driver might require. Oil changes, tires and car maintenance come to mind. A car rental agency would fit this category as well. This example has the participant playing the role of the director of member services at Automotive Benefit Club, a service much like triple-A.
- Business Finance is a relatively new category. Similar to accounting, it deals with numbers. Also similar, finance is a service that is in high demand in many areas. In this example, the participant is a capital budgeting specialist for a company that manufactures safes.
- Business services marketing is a broad category that deals with business-to-business exchanges. In this case, the participant is a manager at a software company that provides software used by businesses.
- If you work at a grocery store, this category is for you! Food marketing deals with all food outside of the restaurant industry. In our example here, the participant is a marketing director at a bakery.
- Hotel and lodging management is up next. In the role play, you could be asked to play the part of a variety of different jobs in the hotel industry. For example, you might be the manager of a bed and breakfast style hotel.
- Human Resources Management was new during the 2011-2012 school year. HR departments exist in all types and sizes of companies. HR manages recruiting and hiring and oversees and manages workplace issues. In this example, the participant is a human resources assistant for a chain of dental clinics.
- Marketing Management is another broad category in that the event could take place at any type of company. In this case, the participant plays the part of a Chief Marketing Officer for a large plastics manufacturer.
- Quick Serve Restaurant brings to mind typical fast-food restaurants. But it might also include healthier alternatives such as a sub sandwich restaurant, or it might take place at a coffee shop. Our example here asks the participant to play the part of product manager for a regional fast food chain called “Tasty Burger.”
- The difference between Quick Serve and Restaurant and Food Services Management is easy to understand when you visualize whether or not you’d read a menu on a wall (Quick Serve) or at your table (Restaurant and Food Service). This is the category I competed in when I was in high school because I worked at a local full-service Italian restaurant. This role play challenges the participant to assume the role of manager of a popular mid-priced restaurant.
- When you think of retail merchandising, picture the heart of the retail market – the mall. A role play might take place in a book store, a gift shop, or any other retail environment. In this case, you are the manager of an outdoor recreation superstore – like REI.
- Sports and Entertainment ranges from selecting a new mascot for a minor league team to promoting a Broadway musical. I’ve had plenty of students fall into the trap of thinking they are good at sports or can easily memorize sports statistics and would therefore excel in this category. This category, as fun as it is, can surprise you. And let us not forget it is about MARKETING. In this case, the participant is a product manager for a company that manufactures stadium seats.
- The next group of competition categories is the Team Decision Making Events.Each team member takes the 100 point exam and the two scores are averaged.Together, the team participates in one role play that is based on 7 performance indicators.
- Just like in the Individual Series Events, your goal is to demonstrate your knowledge of the marketing content through the role play. This particular role play asks the participants to:Assess information needs. Obtain needed information efficiently. Discuss the nature of information management. Describe the need for marketing information. Explain the nature of marketing research. Describe options businesses use to obtain marketing-research data. Discuss the nature of sampling plans.
- The category you chose sets the scene of the role play. Let’s take a look at the team 7 categories offered:
- Business Law and Ethics comes first. A fairly self-explanatory category, this is a great choice for an aspiring lawyer. This example challenges the team to play the role of a management team at an anti-virus software company.
- Have you ever thought about who chooses which products to sell in a store? Buying and merchandising deals with just this. Our example here has the team playing the part of merchandise managers for a brand of luxury bath towels.
- Financial services deals with financial and investment planning, banking, insurance, and business financial management. As a team, you might assume the role of financial services consultants that have been hired to develop a personal monthly budget.
- Hospitality Services prepares your for employment in areas in such as restaurant and food/beverage services, lodging, travel and tourism, recreation, amusement and attractions. This role play asks the team to play the part of research specialists for an extended-stay hotel chain.
- In the information age, marketing communications is ever evolving. How do you get your message out? This role play challenges the team to function as a sales team for a new health club that has just opened near a retirement center.
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing is a category in both the individual series and the team decision making series, so you can compete alone or with a partner. In this sample role play, the participants are a management team for a minor league hockey team.
- This category is very similar to hospitality services, although it focuses travel and tourism aspects of hospitality. For example, this role play asks the participants to serve as sales managers at a Broadway theater, a popular tourist destination.
- Next we come to 5 new competitive areas that I have gathered together under the umbrella term “written events.” The categories are diverse as are the competition requirements. Some require a test but some don’t. All require a written entry, although the lengths of papers range from 5 to 30 pages. Depending on the category, 1 to 3 participants are allowed. And presentations vary from 15 to 20 minutes. Scoring varies by category as well.Yes, this is very confusing. Don’t worry. The DECA website spells it out for you very clearly. Let me show you how.
- When you go to DECA.org, you can easily look up the High School Competitive Events Guidelines. Here you will find lists of ALL the events, including those that require a written entry.Business Operations Research Events come first. The number of participants allowed to compete together is 1 to 3. There is NO written exam. Papers cannot exceed 30 pages. Participants have 15 minutes to present to judges. You can also look at sample events and get extra help by looking at DECA Images Resources – just click on the links. To learn more about these or any other events, click on the category name under “Event Guidelines.”You can chose Business Services, Buying and Merchandising, Finance, Hospitality and Tourism and Sports and Entertainment.
- Next we have the Chapter Team Events. The expectation is that most or all of your chapter completes a project together, but 1 to 3 members present the project to the judges. Last year my students developed and sold a monopoly-style board game to our community and submitted the project for competition in the Learn and Earn Project category. Other options are Community Service Project, Creative Marketing Project, Entrepreneurship Promotion Project, Financial Literacy Promotion Project and Public Relations Project.The competition requirements are the same as the Business Operations Research Events.
- The Business Management and Entrepreneurship Events are a great fit for students enrolled in an Entrepreneurship class or who dream of owning their own business. These events challenge students to write a business plan, the road map to a successful business. The number of participants range from 1 only to 1 to 3. Papers can be up to 5, 11 or 30 pages long. Presentation times are 15 or 20 minutes long. None of these categories require a written exam.You can choose from Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan, Entrepreneurship Participating – Independent or Franchising, Entrepreneurship Written, Entrepreneurship – Growing Your Business and International Business Plan.
- The Marketing Representative Events really showcase students’ creativity. Category choices include Advertising Campaign, Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan and Sports and Entertainment Promotion Plan. All categories can have 1 to 3 participants, do require a written exam, and have an 11-page paper that is presented within a 20 minute time period.
- The Professional Selling Events are relatively new still. There are two categories, Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling and just plain Professional Selling. These events are individual, they do require a written exam and have a presentation time of 20 minutes.
- Finally we have that “other” category I mentioned earlier… the online events. These stand apart from the other events. The options are Stock Market Game, H&R Block Dollars and Sense Challenge, and Virtual Business Challenge – Restaurant, Retailing or Sports.Your teacher must enroll you in any of these competitions and software is required. You compete against other students from around the world in a virtual (online) environment. Online events are extremely fun, very exciting and hugely competitive. But you have nothing to lose by trying. Ask your advisor about online events!
- By now your head might be spinning. But figuring out which category is right for you can be quite simple.There are a few questions you should ask yourself to help narrow down your choices. Do you work in any of these industries?Do you plan to work in any of these industries?Does a parent, sibling or friend work in any of these industries?As a consumer, do you have more experience in any of these industries than others? (Travel? Retail shopping? Dining out? Cars?)Have you taken any relevant classes? (Accounting?)What interests you most?What are your areas of strength? Testing, writing, presenting, problem-solving? Do you work best on a team or independently?
- So… once you know what category you want to compete in, how do you prepare for competition? I’m excited to share with you an online resource I made just for you to help you out, DECAPrep.netDECAPrep.net assists students with:Preparing for role playsStudying for the written exam (including 4 online practice exams)Writing a written entryPresenting a written entryIt also contains links to the all 38 chapters of Marketing Essentials vocabulary terms on Quizlet and competition tips from DECA advisors and judges. It is students' one-stop study resource. This presentation will be posted to the website, so you can revisit it at any time.
- Let’s take a minute so you can remind yourself – and inform others – about DECAPrep.net. Get out your phone and tweet about it, text a friend, or post a new status update. After all, if you post something, you’ll have the website written down somewhere in case you forget about it between now and… when the studying begins. You’ll also want to tell your friends about this who have not seen this presentation. Help spread the word!
- Nothing beats the thrill of competition or that excitement that comes over you when you hear your name called to the stage. DECA is life-changing. But don’t take it from me. Take it from other students.
- A student from Bethel Park High School in Bethel Park, PA says, "Marketing and DECA have prepared me the most out of any single class or activity that I have ever participated in high school.”
- A student at Ballard High School in Seattle, WA says, "The skills I learn in DECA, the networking I have, and the memories I make are things that I will not only cherish, but use throughout my life.”
- This is your moment. This is your moment to shine. This is your moment to become a champion. Seize the moment.Thank you.