Ethical Exercise

1.A customer (or client) asked for a product (or service) from us today. After telling him our price, he said he couldn't afford it. I know he could get it cheaper from a competitor. Should I tell him about the competitor, or let him go without getting what he needs? What should I do?

2.Our company prides itself on its merit-based pay system. One of my employees has done a tremendous job all year, so he deserves strong recognition. However, he's already paid at the top of the salary range for his job grade and our company has too many people in the grade above him, so we can't promote him. What should I do?

3.Our company prides itself on hiring minorities. One Asian candidate fully fits the job requirements for our open position. However, we're concerned that our customers won't understand his limited command of the English language. What should I do?

4.My boss told me that one of my employees is among several others to be laid off soon, and that I'm not to tell my employee yet or he might tell the whole organization which would soon be in an uproar. Meanwhile, I heard from my employee that he plans to buy braces for his daughter and a new carpet for his house. What should I do?

5.My computer operator told me he'd noticed several personal letters printed from a computer that I was responsible to manage. While we had no specific policies then against personal use of company facilities, I was concerned. I approached the letter writer to discuss the situation. She told me she'd written the letters on her own time to practice using our word processor. What should I do?

6.A fellow employee told me that he plans to quit the company in two months and start a new job that has been guaranteed to him. Meanwhile, my boss told me that he wasn't going to give me a new opportunity in our company because he was going to give it to my fellow employee now. What should I do?

7.A friend at my workplace asks to use my computer terminal while I'm away from my desk. He works in the programming group - why can't he use his own computer? Does he want to enter some data or program that he doesn't want his terminal ID to be associated with? How should I proceed?

8.I receive a certain weekly report that is necessary for me to this particular job. It is marked "Company Confidential". I was called away from my desk while I was working with the report and I left it lying out. When I came back, I found a co-worker looking at the report and making notes from its contents. Why is she doing this? How should I proceed?

Required: Answer each question as completely as possible

1. What are the facts?

2. Identify and define the ethical problem.

3. Who would be impacted by the decision?

4. What values are at stake in the decision?

5. What options do you see are available to resolve this dilemma?

a. Which options are the most compelling? Why?

6. How would you resolve the dilemma?

a. What values did you rely on to make your decision?

7. What consequences (if any) do you see your decision has on the others involved?