BUSINESS ETHICS
Business Ethics recognizes members who demonstrate the ability to present solutions to ethical situations encountered in the business world and the workplace. This competitive event consists of an individual objective test, report and presentation.
Event Overview
Division: High School
Event Type: Team of 1, 2 or 3 members
Event Category: Presentation
Event Elements: Objective Test, Pre-judged Report and a Presentation (with a Topic)
Objective Test Time: 50 minutes
Pre-judged Component: Three-page report due by date specified in the SLC registration packet
Presentation Time: 3-minute set-up, 7-minute presentation, 3-minute Question & Answer
NACE Connections: Career & Self-Development, Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, Technology
Equipment Provided by Competitors: Sharpened pencil for objective test, Conference-provided nametag, Attire that meets the Florida FBLA Dress Code, Technology and presentation items for presentation
Equipment Provided by FBLA: Table for presentation
The Daniels Fund, in conjunction with a grant provided to MBA Research, is the sponsor of this event. The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative provides principles-based ethics education to students and focuses on practical, real-world application of ethical principles as a basis for decision-making. Click HERE to learn about the Daniels Fund ethical principles.
Objective Test Competencies
· Business Law
· Communication Skills
· Emotional Intelligence
· Professional Development
Note: There is no test composition available for this objective test.
District
Check with your District leadership for District-specific competition information.
State
Eligibility
· FBLA membership dues are paid by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on December 1 (or earlier date specified by District Director) of the current program year.
· Members may compete in an event at the State Leadership Conference (SLC) more than once if they have not previously placed in the top ten of that event at the National Leadership Conference (NLC). If a member places in the top ten of an event at NLC, they are no longer eligible to compete in that event.
· Members must be registered for the SLC and pay the state conference registration fee in order to participate in competitive events.
· Members must stay in an official FBLA hotel in order to compete.
· Each district may be represented by participant(s) based on the Florida FBLA scaled quota system found on the Florida FBLA website.
· Each competitor can only compete in one individual/team event and one chapter event (American Enterprise Project, Community Service Project, Local Chapter Annual Business Report, Partnership with Business Report).
· Only competitors are allowed to plan, research, and prepare their pre-judged component. They must also set up their presentation by themselves.
· Each competitor must compete in all parts of an event for award eligibility.
· All members of a team must consist of individuals from the same chapter.
· Each section of the event must be completed by the same individuals. Competitors must participate in each level to be eligible for an award.
· If competitors are late for an objective test, they may be disqualified or permitted to begin late with no extension of the time as scheduled.
· If competitors are late for a presentation time, they may be disqualified or placed later in the schedule. The decision is solely up to the judges.
· Participants must adhere to the Florida FBLA dress code established by the Florida Board of Directors or they will not be permitted participate in the competitive event.
Recognition
· The number of competitors will determine the number of winners. The maximum number of winners for each competitive event is 5.
Event Administration
· This event has three parts: Objective Test, Pre-judged Report, Final Presentation based on a topic
· Objective Test
o Objective Test Time: 50 minutes
o This event has an objective test that is administered at the SLC.
o No reference or study materials may be brought to the testing site.
o Competitors on a team must test individually, starting within minutes of each other. Individual test scores will be averaged for a team score.
· Pre-Judged Report
o Submission Deadline: A PDF of the report must be uploaded in the conference registration system by the date specified in the SLC registration packet.
o Number of Pages: The report will be no more than three (3) pages.
o Competitors must research the topic and prepare a one-page summary (called a report) prior to the conference.
o Competitors must interview three local businesspeople as part of their research and explain how the interview findings factored into their recommendations. This information must be addressed in the report and the presentation.
o The first page of the report must include only the title (Business Ethics Summary) on the first line, names of all competitors on the second line, the name of the school on the third line, the state on the fourth line and the year (2024-25) on the fifth line.
o The second page of the report is a one-page summary of the topic and findings, with the following headings: Why the Ethical Issue Happened, How the Ethical Issue Should be Resolved, What Could Have Prevented the Ethical Issue. The one-page summary can be single spaced.
o The third page is a works cited page.o Restricted Items: QR codes and links cannot be included in the report.
o Competitors must prepare reports. Advisers and others are not permitted to write reports. Reports must be original, current, and not submitted for a previous NLC.
o Pages must be formatted to fit on 8 ½” x 11” paper.
o The report is pre-judged before the SLC.
o Pre-judged materials will not be returned. Reports submitted for competition become the property of FBLA. These reports may be used for publication and/or reproduced for sale by FBLA.
· Presentation Information
o Equipment Set-up Time: 3 minutes
o Presentation Time: 7 minutes (one-minute warning)
o Question & Answer Time: 3 minutes
o Internet Access: Not provided
o Based on the objective test and case study summary combined scores, the five highest scoring teams will move on to the presentation round of this event.
o Presentations may be open to conference attendees, space permitting. Finalists may not view other competitors’ presentation in their event.
o Competitors must research the topic and be prepared to present their findings and solutions. The presentation must address why the ethical issues happened, how it should be resolved, and what could have prevented it.
o Technology
§ Competitors present directly from a device which includes a laptop, tablet, mobile phone, or external monitor (approximately the size of a laptop screen). Competitors can present with one or two devices. If presenting with two devices, one device must face the judges and one device must face the competitors.
§ Projectors and projector screens are not allowed for use, and competitors are not allowed to bring their own.
§ Wireless slide advancers (such as a presentation clicker or mouse) are allowed.
§ External speakers are not allowed. Only device audio can be used.
§ Power is not available.
o Pre-judged reports, materials, notecards, visual aids, and samples related to the project may be used during the presentation; however, no items may be left with the judges or audience.
o When the equipment set-up time has elapsed, the timer will automatically start the presentation time.
o If performing as a team, all team members are expected to actively participate in the presentation.
o Facts and data must be cited and secured from quality sources.
o Restricted items: animals (except authorized service animals), Food (for display only; may not be consumed by judges during the presentation), Linds and QR codes (for display only; cannot be clicked or scanned by judges before, during, or after the presentation).
o Preparation for and presentation of the entry must be conducted by chapter members.
o The individual or team must perform all aspects of the presentation. Other chapter representatives may not provide assistance.
Scoring
· The objective test score (worth 50 points) and pre-judge score will be added together to determine the finalists.
· The report score and objective test score will be added to the final presentation score to determine the top winners.
· Ties are broken by the objective test score.
· Decisions of the judges are final.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
· FBLA meets the criteria specified in the Americans with Disabilities Act for all competitors with accommodations submitted through the conference registration system by the registration deadline.
Recording of Presentations
· No unauthorized audio or video recording devices will be allowed in any competitive event.
· Competitors in the events should be aware FBLA reserves the right to record any presentation for use in study or training materials.
Penalty Points
· Competitors may be disqualified if they violate the Competitive Event Guidelines or the Honor Code.
National
Be sure to see the National guidelines at https://www.fbla.org/divisions/fbla/fbla-competitive-events/
2025 Business Ethics Background and Topic:
Background Info
In 2022, FTX, one of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, declared bankruptcy after extensive financial mismanagement and dishonesty were discovered throughout the company. FTX had been hiding billions of dollars in liabilities from the public and allowed sister companies to borrow nearly unlimited funds in customer deposits. FTX’s customers lost billions, and the worldwide crypto market collapsed.
At the center of what became one of the biggest financial scandals in American history was the young, talented inner circle of FTX executives who went from rising stars to fraudsters. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried—who was 30 years old at the time of the scandal and once dubbed the “crypto king”— was sentenced to 25 years in prison. FTX’s former chief executive officer (age 28), chief technology officer (29), and director of engineering (27) all pleaded guilty to fraud as well.
As extreme as they were, the actions of these prodigious professionals present a learning opportunity for younger generations entering the workforce. Young professionals need more than just technical skills in the workplace. They need a strong ethical framework to help them distinguish right from wrong and make difficult decisions. Without it, they run the risk of making the same mistakes as the once-promising leadership at FTX. Not every employee can defraud millions like them, but any employee can demonstrate dishonesty, greed, or a lack of integrity if they don’t uphold their own ethical principles.
But what are ethics? Ethics are the basic principles that govern your behavior. Although people often have different views on what ethics exactly means, following ethical principles means one’s ethical beliefs remain unchanged no matter the circumstances, including—and especially—in professional settings like the workplace. Ethical principles can guide any employee through dilemmas with coworkers, superiors, and customers. Examples of ethical principles include honesty and integrity (adhering to a set of personal ethics).
And the need for greater integrity in the workplace has never been more relevant. According to a 2024 study from ethics education firm LRN, Gen Z employees are 2.5 times more likely than any other generation to agree that it’s OK to break the rules to get the job done. In addition, 22% of Gen Zers admit to violating their company’s code of conduct in the past year, a far higher number than Millennials, Gen Xers, or Baby Boomers.
What explains these statistics? Do Gen Zers inherently struggle to be as ethical as previous generations? Or does Gen Z’s ethical culture simply differ from those of their predecessors? Whether the answer is one or the other—or both—does not change the underlying need for young professionals to develop a strong understanding of ethics in the workplace.
This development does not begin the first day on the job; it starts years before, in the classroom and at home. Every day, young adults encounter many situations in which they can demonstrate ethical principles such as integrity and honesty. They may not realize it in the moment, but these everyday actions can have a profound impact on their life and future.
High School Scenario
Valerie works in the purchasing department for Longcloth Merchandising, a nationwide chain of clothing and department stores. As an associate procurement specialist, Valerie is responsible for building relationships with suppliers and securing the materials needed for Longcloth’s products.
The company’s fiscal year just finished, and Valerie has been given a special assignment by her manager, the purchasing director. They request that Valerie compose the purchasing department’s annual report, to be submitted to Longcloth’s executives for review. The report will review relationships with key suppliers, including the types of goods and services rendered, purchase order cycle times, delivery information, and sales data. This is an important assignment, especially because this is Valerie’s first job out of college, so the purchasing director gives her three weeks to complete the report.
However, the weeks go by and Valerie still hasn’t started the report. At first, she didn’t see this as a big deal, especially amidst all the other projects she’s working on. After all, she kept telling herself, in school, I always waited until the last minute to start an assignment—and I always got a good grade. I can always get started on it tomorrow. But too many tomorrows have passed, and now the report’s deadline is only a few days away. To make matters worse, her manager wants to check in with her today to discuss her progress on the report.
Valerie must now decide what to do next. One option is to proceed as normal and tell the purchasing director that the report is going well and will be submitted on time. Her manager would obviously be thrilled to hear this, but now Valerie must deliver on that theoretical promise. She knows she probably can’t create a quality report in just a few days, so whatever she submits to leadership will be unsatisfactory.
The other option is to admit to her boss that she procrastinated doing the report and she won’t be able to get it done on time. In response, her manager would likely enlist others in the department to help get the report done on time, which would throw off their schedules and might even cause them to work overtime. However, admitting this would damage the trust between them. Valerie worries that in the future, the purchasing director won’t select her for special assignments—or maybe even promotions—because they think she can’t handle increased responsibility.
What do you think Valerie should do? Should she hide her procrastination from her manager and proceed as planned, even if there’s a high risk that the report will be lousy? Or should she admit her mistake so that the report can get finished—even if doing so leads to her manager not trusting her in the future?
Suggested Questions to Cover in the Event
· What ethical principles (e.g., respect, transparency, integrity, trust, fairness, accountability) play a role in this dilemma? Does one play a larger role than others? Which one—and why is that the case?
· Who are the parties that stand to be impacted by Valerie’s actions (or lack thereof) in this dilemma? Is one stakeholder more important than another?
· Is Valerie’s work on other projects a legitimate reason for her procrastination on the report? Would this scenario be different if Valerie had not been working on other projects? Why or why not?
· Do you consider Valerie’s work habits to be unethical? Why or why not?
· What are the short- and long-term consequences of Valerie’s actions? How will these consequences shift depending on how Valerie chooses to proceed?
· Is there a course of action not described in the scenario that Valerie should pursue? What is it, and why?
Objective Test Study Guide: Competencies and Tasks
Sample test questions are provided in the yearlong Ethical Leadership course guide from MBA Research’s online store at www.mbaresearch.org.
A. Business Law
1. Comply with the spirit and intent of laws and regulations.
B. Communication Skills
1. Demonstrate active listening skills.
C. Emotional Intelligence
1. Describe the nature of emotional intelligence.
2. Recognize and overcome personal biases and stereotypes.
3. Assess personal strengths and weaknesses.
4. Assess personal behavior and values.
5. Demonstrate honesty and integrity.
6. Demonstrate responsible behavior.
7. Demonstrate fairness.
8. Assess risks of personal decisions.
9. Take responsibility for decisions and actions.
10. Build trust in relationships.
11. Describe the nature of ethics.
12. Explain reasons for ethical dilemmas.
13. Recognize and respond to ethical dilemmas.
14. Explain the use of feedback for personal growth.
15. Show empathy for others.
16. Exhibit cultural sensitivity.
17. Explain the nature of effective communications.
18. Foster open, honest communication.
19. Participate as a team member.
20. Explain the concept of leadership.
21. Explain the nature of ethical leadership.
22. Model ethical behavior.
23. Determine personal vision.
24. Inspire others.
25. Develop an achievement orientation.
26. Enlist others in working toward a shared vision.
27. Treat others with dignity and respect.
28. Foster positive working relationships.
29. Assess long-term value and impact of actions on others.
D. Professional Development
1. Set personal goals.
2. Follow rules of conduct.
3. Make decisions.
4. Demonstrate problem-solving skills.