Reference: Management: A Practical Introduction, 10th Ed., Angelo Kinicki & Denise Breaux Soignet Book

Based off Chapter 3

Chapter 3 on the Ethical Responsibilities of a Manager. A manager must be prepared to deal with Ethical Dilemmas from time to time.

The chapter presented four approaches to ethical decision making:

• Utilitarian
• Individual
• Moral-Rights
• Justice

Now its time to put your working knowledge of Ethics to the test by exploring the hypothetical Business Ethics Scenario presented here.

Scenario:

Employee confidence: You are having coffee with your long-time friend and fellow employee (but not someone directly in your chain of command), when she discloses to you in-confidence that she has stolen money from the "petty cash" drawer to cover the cost of prescription drugs for her child that is sick. She says her intention is to pay the money back as soon as she has extra cash and just hopes the money doesn't turn-up missing in the meantime. She asks you to keep her secret and not report her.

• Using the four approaches to ethical decision making, how would you respond?
• What is your obligation to tell your company, knowing that if you do you will probably lose her friendship and she, her job?
• What additional information might you wish to consider in arriving at your final decision?
• How would you implement your decision?