What is IBECC?
The International Business Ethics Case Competition (IBECC) is a collegiate business ethics competition where teams of 3-5 present the legal, financial, and ethical dimensions of a business case study. This competition consists of three main events: a 25-minute presentation to a panel of judges, followed by a question and answer session, a 10-minute presentation of solely the ethical components of the case, and a 90-second presentation wherein the presenter must convince a listener of the importance of the team’s case. In every competition, the judges give the teams feedback on how they did in their performance and how they can improve.
IBECC 2022
The 2022 Saint Anselm College IBECC team was composed of Natalie Bender ’23 (Great Books/Music), Erin Doyle ’25 (Psychology), Anders Larson ’23 (Philosophy), Kathleen McCarthy ’22 (English/Theology), and Catherine Roberge ’24 (Biology).
This year’s team investigated the use of echo chambers in Twitter. The team explored the ethical dimensions of this and proposed a solution that would alter the algorithms of Twitter in a way that would make diverse conversation more accessible on the platform but should not pose any noticeable financial risks. The team took first place in the 25-minute and 10-minute presentations, and second place in the 90-second presentation.
“Working as a member of the 2022 Saint Anselm IBECC team was an immensely rewarding experience. My critical thinking skills were challenged throughout the research process as I learned to think and speak about an urgent ethical issue in a professional manner. I also gained confidence as a public speaker through the experience of presenting my team’s case before a distinguished panel of judges. I am very thankful to everyone who made this opportunity possible and will apply the skills I learned as an IBECC team member to my future professional life.”
“This experience has introduced me to a new side of professionalism, teamwork, research, and organization. Since I am a freshman, I am still developing many of my skills and participating in this competition has helped to expand my strengths, like time management. It has also helped me work towards fixing some of my weaknesses in group presentations, like communication. This has been an amazing opportunity and I am so grateful that I participated in IBECC! The lessons and skills I have developed through this competition I know I will utilize for the rest of my college career and life!”
“Participating in IBECC gave me a unique way to develop my presentation skills. As captain of the team, I also learned some things about how to effectively lead a group of people. I found the process of writing our arguments and assembling our slides, considering problems from ethical, financial, and legal points of view, was challenging yet intellectually broadening. I sincerely thank everyone who made the Center's IBECC team possible; I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to compete, and I hope future Saint Anselm College students get the opportunity as well.”
“IBECC was a great experience for me. Getting the opportunity to research the relevant social media phenomenon of echo chambers allowed me to explore the intersection of business and ethics in a profound way. Working closely with my team members to create a convincing presentation sharpened my communication skills and allowed me to develop the ability to solve problems within the discipline of business practices. My favorite part of the competition was interacting with the judges because they gave such helpful feedback and advice for future presentations. They are each distinguished members of their fields and they care so much about helping young people become passionate about upholding ethical standards in business. Thank you for the chance to compete in IBECC!”
“Being a part of the 2022 IBECC team was an incredible experience. As a biology major, with my Philosophy core requirements completed, I was afraid there would be less opportunity to explore topics outside of my major. Fortunately for me, I was invited to be on this team. Working with my teammates was a very educational and fulfilling experience, and it was an amazing opportunity to practice my public speaking, presentation preparation, and collaboration. Each of my teammates brought a different strength to the team, and in the end, we ended up doing incredibly well. I will certainly not regret being a part of this team, and I am very grateful to have been selected to participate.”