NEWS

On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, two teams from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) achieved outstanding results at the Asia-Pacific Sustainable Marketing Case Competition (APSMCC), hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi’s Shidler College of Business. The APU teams claimed both first and second place in the event.

The APSMCC aims to deepen knowledge of sustainability and promote leadership among university students across the Asia-Pacific region. Thirteen teams participated from the University of Hawaiʻi, the University of Hong Kong, Griffith University and the University of Western Australia (Australia), the University of Canterbury and the University of Auckland (New Zealand), Yonsei University (Korea), Waseda University (Japan), and APU.

This year’s case centered on Allbirds, a pioneer in sustainable footwear. Participating teams were tasked with analyzing the company’s marketing and financial challenges, identifying misalignments with changing consumer awareness, and proposing strategic repositioning solutions focused on sustainable marketing. The teams were required to submit both a recorded presentation and a written case analysis, followed by a Q&A-based evaluation.

APU’s Team Soles took first place, impressing judges with their sharp insight into the company’s disconnect with current customers, a well-structured strategy rooted in sustainability, and effective financial modeling. APU’s Team Beats also delivered a strong performance and won second place, further demonstrating the strength of APU’s School of Management.

Both teams were supervised and supported by the following APU faculty members: Professor ACKARADEJRUANGSRI Pajaree (College of International Management), Associate Professor USUI Rie (College of Sustainability and Tourism), and Associate Professor KC Dipendra (College of Sustainability and Tourism).

[Competition Results]

• 1st Place: Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University – Team Soles (Japan)
• 2nd Place: Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University – Team Beats (Japan)
• 3rd Place: The University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
• 4th Place: Yonsei University (South Korea)

Team Soles Members

• JHA Ashmi (College of International Management, 3rd year, India)
• SALSABILA Nur Amelia (College of International Management, 3rd year, Indonesia)
• SU Myat No Wai (College of International Management, 3rd year, Myanmar)
• WUNNA Hone (College of International Management, 3rd year, Myanmar)
• ZAHRA Nuryasa Syafitri (College of International Management, 3rd year, Indonesia)

Team Beats Members

• AZAD Aditi (College of International Management, 4th year, India)
• RAMSHARMA Kalpana (Graduate School of Management, India)
• RATWITTAYAKORN Aumporn (Graduate School of Management, Thailand)
• SHAREN Graciella Erisimo (College of International Management, 3rd year, Indonesia)