A team of Sussex students have triumphed in a national business competition.

Michael De-Graaff, Russell Goatcher, Essel Hagan, Alex Rankin and Stephen Readman from the University of Sussex, won the annual Universities Business Challenge, which was held on February 28, at the London headquarters of IBM.

Six teams were given a business scenario and competed to end the day with the highest share price and the greatest profits.

The team's path to victory and the £1,000 prize began last October when they had to complete a number of email-based case studies which reflected simulated company strategies through typical trading periods.

More than 100 undergraduate teams from universities across the UK competed to achieve maximum profit, win new business and enhance customer satisfaction.

To be successful, the students needed to take into account not only the financial performance of the company but also its responsibilities to its various stakeholders including suppliers, customers and employees.

Team leader Alex Rankin, who is from London and is studying business management and engineering said: "The challenge gives a sense of working to budgets and schedules.

"It illustrates that often a company has to react to things that are out of its control such as inflation, recession and unemployment."

Having won the first stage of the competition, the Sussex team was then victorious in one of six regional semi-finals held last month.

Essel Hagan said: "I have been able to put into practice what I have been taught in lectures and tutorials.

"I have learnt about what goes into the decision-making process within companies and how results are affected by bad decisions."

Stephen Readman, who, like teammate Russell Goatcher is from Goring said: "It has given us the chance to apply our business acumen to a 'real' application."

The team's tutor, engineering lecturer Richard Verrall said: "It has certainly given the students a view of business in a way that is not possible in lectures."

The challenge was supported by Scottish Courage, Guinness, Knowledgepool, the Royal Navy, Vodafone and IBM.

Mr Hagan said: "More Sussex students should try and get this experience because it is organised by good, experienced companies. The encounter sharpens your business skills and gives you an added edge."