BRITTANY YEAROUT
News Assistant
To investigate whether businesses can be both profitable and socially responsible, students used the documentary film “Wal-Mart-The High Cost of Low Price” as a springboard for discussion on Jan. 26.
The showing was sponsored by Net Impact, a student business organization that was launching its initiative at Pepperdine.
Pepperdine has joined the national organization under the leadership of Claire Kaufmann, a second-year graduate student at Graziadio School of Business and Management.
The group is made up primarily of MBA students who promote ethical business with profit. The hour-and-a-half film documented business practices that have been widely reported at Wal-Mart.
However, the goal of the event was not to bash Wal-Mart, but to use the film as a catalyst for creating dialogue about balancing business ethics, values and profit, according to Kaufmann.
“I realized that this is a really serious issue in business,” Kaufmann said. “I was hearing a lot about pro-corporate attitudes in my business classrooms, and I knew that there was another side, but I don’t think anyone knew how to go about discussing it. I think what is appropriate, is rather than always counteracting what someone says, to host an event in which people can discuss a real issue. It is not about touting your view points but creating a venue in which things can be discussed.”
The film, produced by Bravenew Films, was shown at a limited number of theaters with limited distribution. Although it is now available in video stores and book stores, it was originally shown only in approved, private viewing parties.
After the film, Kaufmann chose four professors to lead a discussion and respond to questions regarding the film.
Professor Molly Lavik, who is the faculty advisor to Net Impact, was one of the four in the panel. She said she hopes the students who attended the event realized that they have the ability not only as consumers but as future business leaders, to shape the business world and how future employees will be treated.
“I think this is such an exciting time to be a student here at Pepperdine University,” said Lavik. “You really have an opportunity to transform some of the adversity that was shared tonight in the film, into opportunity.”
Lavik also said the student’s questions were insightful and showed their interest in becoming leaders.
“I thought that the student questions were outstanding,” Lavik said. “They reflected the critical thinking and the high level of students we have here at Pepperdine because they were very in depth questions. No matter what perspective the students were reflecting from their questions, it showed that they cared about the issue and wanted to engage in a debate.”
Damion Trasada, a second-year graduate student in Public Policy, attended the event and said it was helpful and informative.
“You usually associate social responsibility with non-profits or community groups, but it is good to see that there are people in school who are active and caring on the so called ‘other side,’” Trasada said. “It is very important to have people in the business community who are concerned with the affects that business may have on other people.”
There are currently about 12 registered Net Impact members at Pepperdine.
“Net Impact is a national organization of about 13,000 MBA students and there is also some public policy, some law and some undergrad who are dedicated to using business for the good … It is a group of MBAs who are using sort of a business skill set in a new way that is helping to make business better for the world.”
If anyone would like to join Net Impact there is an annual membership fee of $25 and visit the Web site at www.netimpact.org.
02-02-2006