During your career, you will face morally ambiguous situations. While your alternatives may be legal, even profitable, they may not be ethical. Ethical behavior may not pay off right away, but in the long run, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Examine the following scenario, and identify the ethical guidelines that will help a business maintain a high ethical standard.

To add a personal touch to this quarter’s shareholder’s report, you write short biographies of some of the major shareholders. You find pictures of them on the Internet as well.

Is it appropriate to use the publicly posted images in the report without permission?

a. Maybe, as long as the owners of the images do not find out.

b. No, using the images may break the law.

c. Yes, images on the Internet are freely available.

Were you to get permission to use the images in the report, how should you use them?

a. You should include a citation of the image’s original source.

b. You should cite yourself as the image’s original source.

c. No citation is necessary because the report is a business document.

Facing and resolving ethical dilemmas is challenging. However, ethical guidelines, combined with self-examination, can help you identify key issues and choose the correct ethical path.

When presented with ethically ambiguous situations, which of the following questions can help you make good decisions?

a. How can you influence others to agree with you?

b. How would you see the problem if you were on the opposite side?

c. How do others involved with the problem perceive you?

Employees who report unethical behavior in their own workplace (whistleblowers) are protected by law. However, many are reluctant to draw negative attention to their companies because of loyalty to the company or fear of reprisals. Chances are good you will encounter questionable behavior at your workplace at some point during your career. How you respond will be a measure of your ability to analyze issues and choose the responsible option.

How can you blow the whistle legally and ethically?

a. Rely on gossip to flesh out details.

b. Make sure you have your facts straight.

c. Speculate based on the facts you have.