POTSDAM -- Student teams from SUNY Potsdam's Department of Business Administration recently won trophies at the intercollegiate International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition (IBESCC) sponsored by the Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. The winning local students included Sean O'Gorman of Potsdam, and Payton Felix of DePeyster.

"I found it relatively easy to lead our Powerplay Consulting team effectively, largely because we are a group of like-minded individuals-business majors with a shared interest in the economic side of industry and a common background in competition," said O'Gorman, who served as team manager. "That foundation fostered a natural sense of discipline, communication and mutual respect, which translated seamlessly into our teamwork. We carried that same competitive edge and strategic mindset into our presentation on the ethical dilemma surrounding Uber's classification of drivers as independent contractors. The virtual competition was an intense and dynamic experience. We had to remain sharp and adaptable, as the questions were unpredictable, mirroring the pressures and critical thinking demanded in real-world business scenarios."

"Preparing for this competition was challenging but also a great experience. We were able to focus on our own parts for the competition, making sure we were accountable for our own work to make our whole team successful," said team member Felix. "Being online competing against other teams made us strive to be more prepared. With our team practicing consistently throughout the semester, that made us try hard to achieve our goal. During the competition, I believe we felt more confident in answering questions and presenting our topic to the judges. This experience really helped me improve my presentation skills, and I was able to learn so much from the judges while they gave us feedback."

Some teams competed virtually, while others traveled to California to present in front of judges composed of corporate ethics compliance officers, corporate executives, academics and business owners from around the world.

Two SUNY Potsdam teams competed virtually in the competition, among 250 students on 49 teams representing 32 universities who took part overall. Each team presented their arguments and made ethical recommendations for corporations during the competition. Teams were split by graduate and undergraduate levels, virtual and in-person groups, and divided into 36 divisions.

The presentations consisted of a 25-minute presentation, followed by another 25 minutes of questions from judges, a 10-minute presentation only, and finally a 90-second business ethics elevator pitch. A unique feature of IBESCC is inclusion of the United Nations global sustainability principles.