Learning Objectives

Identify ethical issues created by diverse situations and relationships and the level of decision making required to address them.

Distinguish between ethical management and the management of ethics, and each of the three main roles of a manager.

Analyze how ethical business conduct is challenged by decision making on individual and organizational levels. General Information

The examples provided for this activity give some idea of the ethical issues that arise at all levels of business. The individuals in these cases are faced with questions about the ethics in their relations with customers, employees, and members of the larger society. Frequently, the ethically correct course of action is clear, and people in business act accordingly. Exceptions occur, however, when there is uncertainty about ethical obligations in particular situations or when considerations of ethics come into conflict with the practical demands of business.

You are the EEO Director and representative on a hiring committee for the Technology department. There are several candidates that are being considered for the position of software developer. After one of the candidates interviewed, a committee member $($also the Director of IT$),$ made a point to trash and bad mouth the candidate. $$Oh$,$ I know this guy I used to work with him years ago at Company XYZ$.$ He is terrible! I don$$t like him.$$ This bashing occurred in front of the other hiring committee members.

$*$Note$*$ EEO stands for Equal Employment Officer. They monitor and evaluate compliance with equal opportunity laws, guidelines and policies to ensure that employment practices are fair. In this case, the EEO Director would need to ensure that the hiring practice at this company is fair and unbiased.

Questions:

What is the problem?

Please explain, what level of decision making is this for the EEO Director? For the Director of IT$?$ For the hiring committee? $[$Refer to Table $1\mathrm{.}1$ below$]$

As the EEO Director what would you do and why?

Please explain what the hiring committee should do $($ie$.$ would you proceed with hiring process, freeze position, cancel and restart recruitment process$)?$ Why?

The Vice President of marketing for a major brewing company is aware that college students account for a large proportion of beer sales and that people in this age group form lifelong loyalties to particular brands of beer. The executive is personally uncomfortable with the tasteless gimmicks used by her competitors in the industry to encourage drinking on campuses, including beach parties and beer$-$drinking contests. She worries about the company$$s contribution to underage drinking and alcohol abuse among college students.

Questions:

What is the problem?

Please explain what level of decision making is this? $[$Refer to Table $1\mathrm{.}1$ below$]$

Should the marketing executive follow the competition$$s practices? Please explain?

What recommendations can you make for leadership to act in an ethical manner? Please explain.

Hint: Your recommendations should address all of the problems you identified.

The Director of Research in a large aerospace firm recently promoted a woman to head an engineering team charged with designing a critical component for a new plane. She was tapped for the job because of her superior knowledge of the engineering aspects of the project, but the men under her direction have been expressing resentment at working for a woman by subtly sabotaging the work of the team. The director believes that it is unfair to deprive the woman of advancement merely because of the prejudice of her male colleagues, but quick completion of the designs and the building of a prototype are vital to the success of the company.

Questions:

What is the problem?

Please explain what level of decision making is this for the director? For the men working under a female boss? $[$Refer to Table $1\mathrm{.}1$ below$]$

Should the director remove the woman as head of the engineering team? Please explain.

How should the director address the men that work for this woman $($Example: should they be fired, suspended, trained, placed on probation, nothing at all etc.$)?$