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MBA Ethics Case Competition
The David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership helps to carry out the annual MBA Ethics Case Competition, assembling the team of judges, providing the case, and aiding in logistical support. Our undergraduate Certificate Program in Leadership and Ethics, students also get involved by staffing the registration desks during this two-day event and attending the luncheon and awards ceremonies.
The competition, which is part of the integration of ethics into the MBA curriculum, requires MBA students to participate in team-based ethics-case discussion.
The next MBA Case Competition will be held on Friday, January 11, 2008.
About the recent competition
On January 26, 2007 the Katz Graduate School of Business held the fourth annual MBA Ethics Case Competition. The competition, part of the integration of ethics into the MBA curriculum, requires MBA students to participate in team-based ethics case-discussion. The David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership helps to carry out the annual MBA Ethics Case Competition, assembling the team of judges, providing the case, and aiding in logistical support.
This year’s winners were Chenchun Liao, Aaron Andrew Santavicca, Ying Pin Wang, Christopher Taylor Williams, and Ying Nee Yap. In the first round, teams analyzed an ethical dilemma involving unauthorized genetic testing of employees by an airline company and the issues that ensued when a pilot was found to have a possible dangerous genetic defect. This year, for the first time, finalist teams were given an entirely new case to analyze in the second round. This year's second-round case involved a bicycle-manufacturer employee with vital information for a supplier—and a non-disclosure agreement with his own company.
Judging the 24 teams this year were representatives from U.S. Steel, WPXI-TV, Kennametal, Bayer, MSA, Mellon Financial, Alcoa, NOVA Chemical, Cohen & Grigsby PC, Wabtec, Federated Investors, Freddie Mac, Aetna, and PNC. Seven faculty judges also took part.
The event included a luncheon during which participants enjoyed a lively keynote address from L. Patrick Hassey—chair, president, and chief executive officer of Allegheny Technologies. When Hassey became CEO of Allegheny Technologies in October 2003, the specialty materials company's stock price hovered near $6; its current stock price is near $100. Hassey told students what it takes to build a great company, saying, "There’s a difference between doing things right and doing the right thing."