International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition

TXST IBESCC Competitors 2018

IBESCC is an opportunity for students to compete in an academic competition on the international level. Teams are to cultivate a business persona (consultants for a corporation, executive committee members, human resources representatives, etc.) and present their solution for a specific ethical and sustainable dilemma that their respective business persona has encounters. These teams, made up of three to four members, will create presentations that explore the legal, financial, ethical, and sustainable issues that may arise from the dilemma chosen. Solutions will then be given for each problem area, and then tested against a panel of judges (in a Q&A session).

This is a fantastic occasion for students to exercise creative problem solving, show technological innovation, sharpen their presentation skills, and learn to navigate through a professional setting. The competition is also important for networking. Many of the judges run Fortune 500 companies, law firms, pharmaceutical companies, and have shown that they know how to conquer the business world. It is an invaluable chance for those interested in business, ethics, or sustainability to become acquainted with the very people that may grant you a foot in the door later on in your career.

 

For more information, please contact

Carrie Crisp: cc1021@txstate.edu

 

For information about the competition and its history, please visit the official IBESCC website.

Expand FAQ List

  • Please note that this competition is a public speaking event. All team members are required to speak in front of a room full of people, including a panel of judges. All team members are required to answer questions asked by the judges after the 25 Minute Presentation.

    From the event website:

    “The International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition (IBESCC) consists of three separate competitions: a 25 Minute Presentation followed by Q&A and feedback; a 10 Minute Presentation and a 90 Second Presentation.

    25 Minute Presentation

    Students put together teams of 3 to 5 members and select an appropriate case that relates to one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each team prepares a PowerPoint presentation in which students explain the legal, financial, and ethical dimensions of the problem. They then recommend a solution that must be viable on all counts. Presentations should last roughly 25 minutes and will be judged by executives with experience in corporate ethics, compliance, corporate social responsibility, executive leadership, and sustainability. After the presentation, teams are questioned for an additional 20 to 30 minutes by the judges, followed by judge feedback on their performance.

    The aim is to help students explore the moral imperatives of sustainable development. Teams are asked to think of themselves as either an internal committee or outside consulting group that has been asked by senior management or the Board to analyze the problem and propose a solution. Teams will be expected to specify their "business identity" and that of their audience before they begin the presentation. An executive summary will be required before the presentation and teams may provide additional handouts to the judges.

    10 Minute Presentation

    This presentation focuses solely on the ethical issues and is given by two or three members of the team. Teams imagine that this presentation is the result of being called back after their full presentation in order to give a shorter presentation strictly about the ethical issues of their topic. There is no Powerpoint presentation, no handouts, and no Q&A.

    90 Second Presentation

    This presentation focuses solely on the sustainability issues and is given by one member of the team. The speaker imagines that he or she is now an employee at the company and encounters an executive who asks why sustainable development is important and how is it linked to the team's topic. That team member is asked to give a 90-second "elevator speech" explaining why the topic needs to be addressed. There is no Powerpoint, handouts, or Q&A.”

  • Funding for IBESCC is made through awards from the Student Service Fee, the College of Liberal Arts and the Philosophy Department. For the past four years, the IBESCC travel costs has been fully covered. Please do not let the fear of funding keep you from participating. The philosophy department will assist students with applying for funding if the trip is not fully covered.

    Graduate Students, let us help you share your work at professional conferences around the globe! The Graduate College provides funds to support student participation in conferences in Texas, the United States and beyond. 

    Please visit the graduate college for more information