Collegiate DECA’s Competitive Events Program allows students to put their experience, skills and knowledge to the test while representing their college or university. Students compete for top international honors in one of 25 different competitions. Collegiate DECA competitive events recognize student achievement, provide opportunities for traveling to conferences and networking with peers. The Collegiate DECA Competitive Events Program is recognized for helping to prepare students for their professional careers. Students are judged by business and industry professionals in all Collegiate DECA competitive events.
Learn more about DECA’s Competitive Events Program and choose an event that matches your career interests and strengths.
COMPETITIVE EVENTS BY CAREER CLUSTER
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT + ADMINISTRATION
Business Ethics
Business Research
Human Resource Management
Retail Management
Business Research
Human Resource Management
Retail Management
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Entrepreneurship Operations
Entrepreneurship – Starting a Business
Entrepreneurship – Growing Your Business
Entrepreneurship – Starting a Business
Entrepreneurship – Growing Your Business
FINANCE
Corporate Finance
Financial Accounting
Financial Statement Analysis
Managerial Accounting
Financial Accounting
Financial Statement Analysis
Managerial Accounting
HOSPITALITY + TOURISM
Event Planning
Hotel and Lodging
Restaurant and Food Service Management
Travel and Tourism
Hotel and Lodging
Restaurant and Food Service Management
Travel and Tourism
MARKETING
Advertising Campaign
Business Research
Business-to-Business Marketing
Emerging Technology Marketing Strategies
Fashion Merchandising and Marketing
International Marketing
Marketing Communications
Marketing Management
Professional Sales
Sales Management Meeting
Sports and Entertainment Marketing
Business Research
Business-to-Business Marketing
Emerging Technology Marketing Strategies
Fashion Merchandising and Marketing
International Marketing
Marketing Communications
Marketing Management
Professional Sales
Sales Management Meeting
Sports and Entertainment Marketing
INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDIES
Individual Case Studies are designed to measure a broad range of knowledge, skills and attitudes, both general business/marketing/management and industry-specific, identified by business and industry professionals as essential to success in a given occupation.
PARTICIPANTS
1 participant
EXAM
Career Cluster Exam
APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE
1 simulation; 2nd for finalists
PREPARATION TIME
30 minutes
PRESENTATION TIME
15 minutes
EVENT
CAREER CLUSTER
DESCRIPTION
RESOURCES
Corporate Finance
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving financial concepts and how those concepts apply to the disciplines of investment and corporate finance in both business enterprises and financial services institutions.Â
Entrepreneurship Operations
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving daily operations of entrepreneurship, which many include human resources, cash flow management and customer service management.
Fashion Merchandising and Marketing
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving marketing and management functions and tasks in retail establishments, wholesale establishments and manufacturing firms primarily engaged in the merchandising and marketing of clothing and related articles for personal wear.Â
Financial Accounting
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving financial accounting concepts.Â
Hotel and Lodging
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving marketing and management functions and tasks in any business enterprise primarily engaged in providing lodging, food and beverage services, special events, and meeting space.Â
Human Resource Management
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving one or more human resource issues in any type of business or organization.Â
Managerial Accounting
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving accounting concepts from an internal point of view.Â
Marketing Management
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving marketing and/or management. Environments may include, but are not limited to, place/location marketing, transportation marketing, charity/event marketing, marketing research, strategic marketing planning, distribution strategies, target marketing and Internet marketing.Â
Restaurant and Food Service Management
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving marketing and management functions and tasks in a restaurant or a food service business.Â
Retail Management
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving marketing and management functions and tasks in any retail establishment.Â
Sales Management Meeting
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world sales management case study situation, developing strategies to handle the situation, then conducting a meeting with one or more people with experience in sales.
Travel and Tourism
Students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving marketing and management functions and tasks in any business enterprise primarily engaged in satisfying the desire of people to make productive or enjoyable use of travel services.Â
TEAM CASE STUDIES
Collegiate DECA’s Team Case Studies involve the analysis of real-world case situations and the presentation of solutions to a professional (judge) with experience in the specific area of specialty.
PARTICIPANTS
2 participants
APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE
1 case study; 2nd for finalists
PREPARATION TIME
60 minutes
PRESENTATION TIME
15 minutes
EVENT
CAREER CLUSTER
DESCRIPTION
RESOURCES
Business Ethics
A team of two students are challenged with analyzing a business situation containing an ethical dilemma and then presenting a resolution of the dilemma. For the purpose of this event, an ethical dilemma will be defined as a situation where competing values are being weighed and can reasonably be argued both for and against. Case situations will not involve a question of whether a certain action (or lack of action) constitutes a violation of law (i.e., stealing), nor will the situation have a seemingly simple answer (i.e., taking credit for a co-worker’s idea).Â
Business-to-Business Marketing
A team of two students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case situation that deals with marketing/business activity between organizations and then presenting solutions.Â
Event Planning
A team of two students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation that deals with planning an event and then presenting solutions.
Financial Statement Analysis
A team of two students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case situation and corresponding financial statements and then presenting solutions.
International Marketing
A team of two students are challenged with analyzing a real-world international case situation and then presenting solutions. For the purpose of this event, the case situation will relate to performing marketing activities in enterprises primarily engaged in exporting or importing industrial or consumer goods in world markets. Particular interest is given to but not limited to one or more of the following areas: trade controls, foreign trade operations, locating markets, negotiation practices, monetary issues and international public relations.Â
Marketing Communications
A team of two students are challenged with analyzing a real-world marketing communications case study situation including marketing functions and tasks that inform, persuade or remind a target market of ideas, experiences, goods or services and then presenting solutions.Â
Sports and Entertainment Marketing
A team of two students are challenged with analyzing a real-world sports and entertainment marketing case situation and then presenting solutions. Environments for the case study may include, but are not limited to, amateur or professional sports or sporting events, entertainment or entertainment events (concerts, theaters, etc.) or businesses primarily engaged in satisfying the desire to make productive or enjoyable use of leisure time.
PREPARED BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS
Collegiate DECA’s Prepared Business Presentations provide students the opportunity to prepare ahead of time a written prospectus and/or to present to a professional (judge) with experience in the area of specialty identified for the event.
PARTICIPANTS
1 to 3 participants
WRITTEN ENTRY PAGES ALLOWED
15 pages
APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE
Presentation
PRESENTATION TIME
20 minutes
EVENT
CAREER CLUSTER
DESCRIPTION
RESOURCES
Advertising Campaign
One (1) to three (3) students prepare and present an advertising campaign for any service, product, company or business.
Business Research
One (1) to three (3) students partner with a local business to conduct research in the local market. A new research topic, or area to improve, is presented annually in the event guidelines. Students will prepare a written research report and present findings and strategies for improvement.
Entrepreneurship – Starting a Business
One (1) to three (3) students develop a proposal to start a business. As entrepreneurs seeking start-up capital, the participant(s) will present the proposal to judges acting as potential investors or financial institution representatives. The proposed business may be a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or franchise.
Entrepreneurship – Growing Your Business
One (1) to three (3) students analyze their current business operations and identify opportunities to grow and expand the business. Options may include franchising, expanding into new markets, opening a second location, licensing agreements, merging with or acquiring another business, diversifying product lines, forming strategic alliances with other businesses, expanding to the Internet, etc. This event is for businesses currently in operation.
PARTICIPANTS
1 to 3 participants
APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE
Present strategies
PRESENTATION TIME
20 minutes
EVENT
CAREER CLUSTER
DESCRIPTION
RESOURCES
Emerging Technology Marketing Strategies
One (1) or two (2) participants design a marketing strategy for a product or service using emerging technology solutions. The participant(s) will then demonstrate and explain the marketing plan to the potential client. The objective for the emerging technology marketing strategy changes each year, and is presented in the detailed event guidelines.
PARTICIPANTS
1 participant
APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE
Sales presentation
PRESENTATION TIME
20 minutes
EVENT
CAREER CLUSTER
DESCRIPTION
RESOURCES
Professional Sales
The Professional Sales event involves the participant’s selection of a product(s) and/or service(s), and the organization and delivery of a sales presentation to a group of potential buyers of any item or items to be sold to a company for resale; or any industrial or trade product or service to be used in a company, firm or store in the operation of its business; or a product or service to be sold to the ultimate consumer.