Friday, April 10, 1998
Running ethical businesses focus of biathlon
COMPETITION: LMU
juxtaposes athletics, academic presentations
By Teresa Jun
Daily Bruin Contributor
Some say lawyers and journalists lack it. Philosophers have
written countless essays about it. And next week, hundreds of local
students, faculty and area businesses will celebrate it.
Ethics will be the focus of Loyola Marymount University’s third
annual Business Ethics Fortnight Competition to be held April 14 to
23, open for the first time to USC and UCLA students.
Hosted by LMU’s Center for Ethics and Business, the event will
promote business ethics and environmental issues through education,
hands-on experience and community involvement.
"This was always part of the original plan," said Thomas White,
the center’s director. "The plan was to develop a national business
ethics competition to hold here. So we tried it at LMU to test the
kinks out for the first couple of years."
Now celebrating its third year of success and support from the
community, this annual event, which is also known as "L.A.’s
weirdest biathlon," will feature an academic competition as well as
an optional athletic component.
The academic competition consists of a case presentation in
which student teams address a specific ethical issue surrounding
business and the environment.
Each of the teams will be required to explain the legal,
financial, environmental and ethical dimensions of their issue
within a half-hour multi-media presentation.
With her group, Michelle Cipolla, a fourth-year economics
student at LMU, plans to address animal testing in the cosmetics
industry.
Through extensive research and preparation for the specific
topics, Cipolla said her group and others will try to show "how a
business can and should be run while still being profitable."
Other possible topics, some suggested by local businesses,
include industrial pollution, nuclear power and cloning
technology.
The presentations, which involve a preliminary and final round,
are judged by faculty and local business people. Scoring criteria
include presentation skills and thorough exploration of ethical
issues, including a description of the problem as well as a
solution.
"The success of this program is really driven by helping
students develop skills that will be helpful to them in any line of
work," White said.
"(Being able to) think clearly about ethical problems in
business, make a case, stand up and talk about it – if you can do
these things, it’s golden."
The second component of this biathlon is the annual "Run for the
Bay" 5K and 10K run/walk, which will take place April 18. LMU’s
fundraiser adds an immediate practical dimension to the fortnight
by donating proceeds to the local environmental organization "Heal
the Bay."
"If we really want to address ethics and environmental issues,
we have to do more than just talk about them," White said.
Within its two years of existence, the run/walk, which is open
to the public, has already raised $3,000 for "Heal the Bay."
"There are no pledges. Just an entry fee, which is where the
proceeds come from," White explained. "You’ll get a T-shirt. There
will be a band there. It’ll be a fun time. And it raises money for
a good cause, which is the reason why we’re doing this."
Providing students with the opportunity to learn how to conduct
business in ethical and environmentally-conscious ways, this unique
biathlon has received enthusiastic support from the students,
faculty and business people involved.
"This is something different," said Dorothy Eusebio, a
fourth-year business student at LMU. "You realize how business is
not all about profits. It’s about other people and how your
decisions affect other people as well as their environment and
community."
Since this is the first year that the competition invites
students from other schools to participate, event coordinators hope
for an enthusiastic turnout from various area schools.
"It’s just a positive project," said Eusebio, whose teammates
include UCLA and Cal State Los Angeles students. "It would be nice
for (outside students) to get involved. I encourage others to
join."
Interested UCLA students should contact Thomas White at LMU’s
Center for Ethics & Business immediately for details about the
event. Phone: (310)338-4523. E-mail: ceb@lmumail.lmu.edu.