Take 219 energetic soon-to-be high school seniors from 71 high schools in all parts of the state.
Mix in nine teachers, 18 businesspeople who serve as advisors, seven staff members and 35 people who make presentations.Sprinkle in $60,000 contributed by 75 businesses, mix well and you have the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's 13th annual Business Week being held through Saturday at Utah State University.
D. N. Rose, president and chief executive officer of Mountain Fuel Supply Co. and chairman of the event for three years, said the purpose of Business Week is to teach young people about the free-enterprise system because they will be running America's business in a few years.
Rose said many young people have misconceptions about the free-enterprise system and believe the making of profits by a company is evil. He said the speakers don't "preach" to the students, but rather have them participate, ask questions and make decisions so they learn about business.
During the week, the students are divided into several fictitious companies, each with a product to design, manufacture and market through a computer program. Rose said that in the past, some of the companies failed, but even then the students learned why they went bankrupt.
To help the students make decisions about their companies, nearly three dozen people speak on a variety of subjects ranging from business ownership, supply and demand, advertising, marketing and sales, to how to raise money, research and development, competition and employee-employer relations.
William Chillingworth, senior vice president of CB Commercial, discussed supply and demand. He said that because commercial space in Utah is at a premium now, owners don't need to offer incentives to fill the space. When there is an oversupply of space, owners must offer something to entice lessees, he said.
He told the students they have the world in their hands and their participation in Business Week is a good example of them getting involved in quality experiences. "Quality people are in short supply and in big demand," he said.
Another speaker, Skip Branch, senior vice president of the advertising firm Harris & Love, described how a logo is helpful in identifying a business. The students will design a logo and a radio commercial for each company and Thursday evening they will be judged.
Kylie Nielsen, a Skyview High School student, said she learned about Business Week through participation in the Distributive Education Clubs of America program. She wants to learn how to prepare for a career in fashion merchandising and one day wants to a be a chief executive officer of a company.
Darin Yeager, a Clearfield High School student, said he attended Business Week because he comes from a business-oriented family and wants to learn more about the free-enterprise system. He also wants to learns how to successfully run a company.
Brandon Stillman, a Layton High School student, said his business-class teacher prompted him into business-oriented activities, so he joined DECA and learned about Business Week. He said the classes are helpful in making decisions and one day wants to own a series of karate studios.