The University of Utah David Eccles School of Business’ team took second place in the national Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative’s fifth annual Consortium Case Competition in Denver on April 14 and 15.

The five-member team of Ben Caine, Carly Ho, Paxton Klein, Howard Reeve and Jan Ostusinik competed against nine other teams from around the country. Associate Professor Jeff Nielsen served as the team’s faculty advisor.

Before the competition started, the team received the ethical-dilemma case. The team acts as hired consultants for a firm, and members have to incorporate the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Principles of integrity, trust, accountability, transparency, fairness, respect, rule of law, and viability.

Teammates must present their recommendations to a panel of judges. The team is then given a twist to the case, and teammates have four hours to reassess their original recommendations and make a second presentation to the judges.

Cases are meant to present ethical issues that students may one day encounter in their careers. The competition is designed to provide students with the tools necessary to make ethics-based decisions, challenge students’ ethical reasoning and raise awareness of the importance of principle-based ethics.

The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative’s Collegiate Program was launched in 2010 with a $7.5 million grant and eight schools. It was later renewed with an $11.25 million grant for another five years, through 2019. Three more schools also joined the program at that time. For more information about the program, click here.

To find out more about the David Eccles School of Business’ Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative program, and how to get involved, please click here.