Students in teams of 5 will craft a 2-3 minute pitch that highlights the importance of their
research and explains why it matters in real-world applications. The focus will be on
demonstrating the impact their research can have on businesses, consumer behavior, policy, or
society. Teams will need to make a clear and concise case for the relevance of their work, while
also showing their creative approach to the topic.
Assigned Topics (Examples):
Each team receives an assigned economic paradox or behavioral phenomenon to explore.
They’ll need to craft a pitch around the real-world implications of their topic:
1. "Too Many Netflix Shows, Too Little Time" (Paradox of Choice)
○ Pitch how the overabundance of choices in media consumption leads to decision
fatigue and how businesses can help customers make quicker, better decisions.
2. "Why Free Pizza Makes Us Work Overtime" (Zero Price Effect)
○ Explain the psychological effect of offering free incentives on workplace
motivation and how this insight could be used in employee retention or
marketing campaigns.
3. "Everyone’s Laughing at the Same Meme" (Bandwagon Effect)
○ Discuss how the social influence behind trends and viral content impacts
consumer behavior, and how businesses can harness this to boost product
adoption.
Competition Flow:
1. Preparation Phase (30 Minutes):
● Teams are given their assigned paradox or phenomenon
● They should use this time to:
○ Research the real-world implications of their assigned paradox.
○ Think about how the phenomenon can affect businesses, consumers, or policies.
○ State the problem or paradox clearly in simple terms.
○ Explain why the research matters: Highlight the real-world impact and
practical applications.
○ Keep it engaging: Use relatable examples, humor, or visuals to make the pitch
memorable.
○ Plan how to deliver a clear and engaging pitch in under 3 minutes.
3. Presentation Phase (2-3 Minutes per Team):
● Each team presents their research pitch within the 2-3 minute time frame.
● The pitch should:
○ Clearly describe the paradox or phenomenon.
○ Explain why the research matters: Focus on the practical implications (e.g.,
how understanding this phenomenon could help businesses, policymakers, or
consumers).
○ Use engaging delivery: Make the audience care about the topic.
Judging Criteria:
1. Relevance & Impact (40 points):
○ Does the team effectively show why their research matters in real-world
scenarios?
○ Do they present a clear and compelling case for the importance of their research?
2. Creativity & Engagement (30 points):
○ Is the pitch creative, engaging, and fun?
○ Does the team use relatable examples, humor, or visuals to make their point?
3. Clarity & Communication (20 points):
○ How clearly does the team communicate the research idea and its practical
relevance?
○ Is the message easy to understand in just 2-3 minutes?
4. Feasibility & Practicality (10 points):
○ Does the team show how the research can be applied in real-world contexts like
marketing, business, or policy?