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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview

DECA Essentials

Competition Tips

Role Play Outline

16 20 22 23

Training 101

Activities

Important Dates

Contact Us

03 04 06 07

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What is this?

OVERVIEWHey DECA members, "Welcome to the 2014-2015 year! We know it’s going to be awesome, and we hope you’re as excited as we are. By choosing to be a part of DECA Ontario, you’ve joined a team composed of the top young business leaders in the country, ready to train, compete, and win. Pretty smart move, if you ask us. "Each year, DECA Ontario is famous for dominating on the international stage. Last May, our team travelled to Atlanta and brought home over 500 medals and 36 trophies, breaking all previous records. This year, internationals will be held in Orlando, Florida—we challenge you to make history. "To help you get off to a running start, we’ve created this booklet to serve as a resource for you to learn about, enhance, or master your competitive skillset. We’ve provided the DECA basics, plus some extra tips and tricks that Team Ontario has picked up along the way. Whether you’re wondering about competition or looking for new ways to engage your chapter, we’re sure this guide can help make your life a little bit easier. "Train hard, have confidence, and get ready for the ride of a lifetime. "We can’t wait to see you on stage. "With DECA love, "Your Provincial Officer Team

To speed your competition prep, we’ve compiled a list of DECA-ssentials that are likely to appear on your exam and as performance indicators in your role play. These business basics are divided into their respective clusters; however, they are interconnected, so we’d recommend going through all of them. Every chapter works differently, so we’re leaving the studying process up to you! Go at your own pace, and take advantage of the extra resources available on the USB. "

Marketing• Marketing mix (4 P’s of Marketing: price, product, place, promotion) • Product life cycle: development, introduction, growth, maturity, decline • Effective communication

- Active listening, verbal/written communication skills, nonverbal communication - Professional correspondence: email openings/closings

• How to prepare a SWOT analysis • Preparing a report (organizing, researching, editing, formatting) • Business ethics: confidential information disclosure, privacy rights, copyright/trademarks/patents,

workplace heath & safety • International business customs • Software and their functions: spreadsheets, presentations, database, groupware • Channels of distribution & respective functions (producer, wholesaler, retailer, agent, consumer) • Market research: methodology, how to interpret and analyze results • Promotional channels (word of mouth, commercials, print ads, trade shows, exhibitions)

- Reach, frequency, exposure; most/least effective promotional channels

Finance • Financial statements: income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statement • Basic economics:

- Supply/demand (graphs, changes in S+D, equilibrium) - Economies of scale - Competition - Business cycle - Market structures (monopoly, monopolistic competitor, oligopoly, perfect

competition) • Debt financing vs equity financing • Cost/profit relationships, law of diminishing returns • Financial assets: stocks (preferred/common), dividends, bonds, mutual funds • Accounting ratios • Basic business law knowledge, key laws (Dodd-Frank, Sarbanes Oxley, etc.) • Different types of risk • Impact of global trade • Methods of payment: credit, debit, cash, cheque • Types of currency: (paper money, coins, banknotes, government bonds, treasury notes) • Functions of money (medium of exchange, unit of measure, store of value)

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DECA ESSENTIALS What key concepts I should study?

• Sources of income (wages/salaries, interest, rent, dividends, transfer payments) • How to prepare basic financial statements • Personal finance: budgeting, monitoring expenses • Tracking flow of money "

Business Administration• Inventory systems • Channels of communication within a company (vertical, horizontal) • Different types of customers (slow/methodical, how to deal with difficult customers) • Teamwork — what characteristics make a good leader? • Purchasing activities • Conflict resolution strategies • Production: costs, productivity • Career planning: job seeking, interview skills, resumé/cover letter • Management/leadership styles • Human resource development: orient/plan/staff/lead employees "

Hospitality and Tourism• Position company/product to achieve desired brand image • Telecommunications in hotel and lodging

- PBX system, call accounting system, automatic call dispensing, voicemail systems • Cleaning and maintenance responsibilities

- Housekeeping standards, frequency schedules, fixed and variable labour (staff) • Functions of different departments within the lodging operation

- Food and beverage, maintenance, marketing/sales, accounting, HR • Room availability, status, payment options, reservation policies

- How to resolve booking conflicts, handling customers • Check-in/check-out procedure • Forecasting: maximizing occupancy • Safety: how guests are protected to minimize liabilities

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Nifty Business Acronyms HR human resources LLC limited liability company MSRP manufacturer suggested retail price PR public relations ROI return on investment SEO search engine optimization CAD computer aided design COGSs cost of goods sold CSR customer sales representative GDP/GNP gross domestic product/gross national product SWOT strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats CPA chartered professional accountant B2B/B2C business to business/customer 4 P’s of Marketing product, price, place, promotion

Here’s a role play template you can use as a guide - get creative and start practicing! We’ve also included some extra tips and tricks you can use to impress your judge. "

Role Play Presentation Sample "1. Introduction (0.5 minutes) - Firm handshake, eye contact, smile - Introduce your name, position, and purpose of your presentation - Sit up straight, keep your hands on the desk (never on your lap) - Thank the judge for their time "2. Roadmap (0.5 minutes) - Tell the judge what you will be talking about for the next 10 minutes, this prepares them for the

content of your presentation - List out all 5 or 7 performance indicators in order, and how they relate to the case study at hand - Tell them that at the end of the presentation, after you’ve talked about the PI’s, you will give your

thoughts on what should be done to solve the case study "3. Performance Indicators (2.0 minutes) - Highly suggested to go in the order that is presented to you on the case study sheet - Always answer the questions: “Why does this performance indicator matter to the judge? Why

does it matter to this particular case study?” "4. Solution (4.0 minutes) - Present your solution for the case study - Use the performance indicators you talked about to back up your choices - Why do you believe your solution is the best solution for the company? "5. Summary (1.5 minute) - Briefly sum up the performance indicators - Summarize the highlights of your proposed solution "6. Outro (1.5 minutes) - Thank your judge for their time - Formalities: “I hope my proposed solution will help elevate your company; I wish you well in the

future”, something of that nature - Politely ask the judge if they have any questions (they will always have questions) - When answering questions, think WHILE you talk - do not pause for too long to think of an

answer - Final handshake, and remember to push in your chair ""

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ROLE PLAY How do I plan out my role play?

Role Play Tips"1. Wearing a watch allows you to keep track of your time during preparation and the

actual presentation. 2. Make use of scrap paper! Organize your notes so you can easily access information

you’ve written down. 3. Give yourself 30 seconds at the end of the prep to review everything you have before

meeting with your judge. 4. Props are 100% personal preference. Some people have done extremely well with

them, and others have done well without them. Only use them if you know they will enhance your presentation. (Graphs/charts can be useful in visually presenting your ideas) *Remember that no props can be pre-made! You must create your props during your role play preparation time.

5. BONUS: Keep up with recent news! There’s always something you can use for role plays. ""

Exam Tips"1. Fill in every question. If you don’t know the answer, take a guess! 2. Pace yourself — don’t spend too much time on one question; mark it down and come

back to it later. 3. Use all the multiple choice tips you’ve learned from test-taking in other classes!

(process of elimination, grammar checking, go with your gut, etc) 4. After you’ve finished, go back and double check questions you were uncertain about. 5. If you have time left, don’t leave! Go through your exam as many times as possible. 6. If you want a good score, complete as many exams from previous years as you

can. Questions do indeed repeat. "

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COMPETITION TIPS How do I ace competitions?

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TRAINING 101 How can I train my chapter?

"• Each week, develop a plan of what

you want to focus on with your members

• If you have a large chapter, you can break members off into their clusters and divide your executives amongst the clusters

- This way, you can specialize the training to the cluster

• Leave time for questions and talking about upcoming dates to remember each meeting

• Make handouts so your members can follow along and keep a physical copy of the notes

• Share additional resources so members can study on their own time

CHAPTER TRAINING SESSIONS

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MOCK EXAMS• Set a time limit to simulate a real exam

• Always give members access to the answer key - it is explanatory and useful as a study guide

WRITTEN COMPETITORS• Don’t forget about members

competing in written events! Give them opportunities to practise their presentation in front of executives, members, or teachers

• Consider separating the written competitors from the rest of the group during training, to give team members time to collaborate and practice together

CHAPTER EXECUTIVE MEETINGS "• Create a list of goals at the beginning of the DECA season - keep these goals in mind

when brainstorming events and training sessions • Give chapter executives a calendar with important dates so they can share this info with

members

• Make sure meetings are on a consistent day of the week

• Have one of your executive record minutes during the meeting

• Have your meetings early to allow chapter executives to discuss what you want to focus on that week as a chapter

• Start an Facebook group and email list so that all the executives can stay connected and share information and resources

"Sample Role Play How it works: Find sample case studies online and conduct sample role plays with your chapter executives acting as judges! How you do it is up to you - we recommend making the process as realistic as possible (checking name badges and ID, correct timing, walking in to a separate room for judging). "Why? Practice makes perfect! Practice role plays are a perfect way for members to put what you’ve taught them to the test. The more comfortable they are with the role play format, the more likely they are to score higher. "Handshake Who-Dun-It? How it works: With everyone’s eyes closed, the moderator chooses 2 or 3 people (depending on the size of the group) to be the handshake crooks. Everyone gets up, mingles, and starts shaking hands. The handshake crooks will secretly botch handshakes (either squeezing too tightly, not tightly enough, or via terrible form). If someone feels a botched handshake, it means they lost the job position - they must wait 5 seconds before sitting down. In the end, the last non-crook standing wins! (This game is a variation of murder wink). "Why? First impressions are key. This game is a great icebreaker and energizer, and it also serves as practice for people who aren’t comfortable with delivering firm handshakes. "Pitch-It How it works: Divide members into teams of 5. Choose a random object (the more unique, the better). Using the Marketing Mix, each team will have 1 minute to plan a 45 second sales pitch using for a panel of judges (the trainers). They can make up the functions and features of their product! Make sure every member of the group plays an active role in the presentation. When all groups have presented their pitches, judges choose the most convincing pitch. "Why? With Pitch-It, members will have to think on their feet and deliver a convincing pitch, much like what they are expected to do during a role play. "No Um’s But’s or Uh’s How it works: Get members to write topics (ex. cheese, hockey, your favourite TV show) on a piece of paper. Each round, choose one member to stand in front of the class and draw a topic. They will then have to talk about the topic for 1 minute without using any filler words (um, but, uh). Each time they do, it’s recorded as a point against them. This game works better in smaller groups (5 - 7 people), so if you have a large group, or if you have a few members who are uncomfortable presenting in front of everyone, get everyone to pair up and present to a partner. "Why? This will test how well members are able to think on their feet. In a role play, you won’t have the luxury of planning out the answer to the judge’s questions - once you start talking, keep going and build a well-developed answer! Also, this game helps cut down on unnecessary filler words.

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ACTIVITIES How do I engage my chapter?

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IMPORTANT DATES When?

Fall Symposium September 29th @ Capitol Banquet Hall

Registration due September 24th "Presidents’ Summit

September 29th @ Capitol Banquet Hall Registration due September 24th "

North Atlantic Regional Conference (Power Trip)

November 19th - November 23rd

@ Washington, DC Registration due October 3rd

Regional Competition Registration for all regionals due October 15th "

York Regionals October 21st @ Seneca College "

Peel Regionals November 1st @ Lincoln Alexander SS "

Toronto Regionals November 14th @ Mary Ward Catholic SS "

Waterloo Regionals November 15th @ Sir John A. MacDonald SS "

Nor-eastern Regionals November 16th @ Sinclair SS "

Hamilton Regionals November 18th @ Hamilton Convention Centre "

Online Regional Testing Wednesday, October 29th, 2013 "

Written Events Online copy due

4pm on January 15th @ Turnitin "Hard copy due

January 15th @ DECA Office, Sheraton Centre "Provincial Competition

February 5th - February 7th, 2015

@ Toronto Sheraton Convention Centre Registration due December 5th

International Career Development Conference

April 23rd - April 30th @ Orlando, FL Registration due March 1st "

ICDC Prep Meetings Written Event Training

March 29th @ Capitol Banquet Hall "Pre-ICDC Meeting

April 12th @ Capitol Banquet Hall

ICDC 2015

CONFERENCES COMPETITION

Here’s an overview of our conferences and competitions for the 2014 - 2015 DECA year.

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emily@deca.calucy@deca.caChapter Development Officer Chapter Development Officer

CONTACT US How can I stay connected with DECA Ontario?

@DECAOntario @decaontario

/DECAOntariowww.deca.ca

/DECAOntarioOfficial

decaontario.tumblr.com

Reach out to us with your questions.We’d be happy to provide you with additional information and resources!