80 Cases For The Study of Ethics - Luis Franco

COMMITMENT TO QUALITY
Eighty Cases
for the Study of Ethics
Luis Franco Gaviria

Ethics Program Teacher
DuocUC
Santiago de Chile
2008
DuocUC - Academic Vice Rector's
Office
General Training Directorate
Center for Applied Ethics 1
human capital formation
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Presentation
Introduction
I PART I Presentation of the Cases
Case 1
All things being equal. (Suggested for School of Health, Sports Careers)
Case 2 A good decision. (Suggested for School of Business and Management)
Case 3 What's the point, if they're going to die anyway. (Suggested for School of
Case 4 Health)
Principles must not be forgotten. (Suggested for School of Health)
Case 5 Misdirected loyalty. (Suggested for Business and Administration)
Case 6 Company "Torreblanca" (Suggested for Business and Administration)
Case 7 Not everything in life is done for the money (Suggested for Executive Assistant)
Case 8 No vision for the future (Suggested for Business and Administration)
Case 9 A Second Chance (Suggested for Business & Management)
Case 10 The offer (Suggested for Executive Assistant)
Case 11 Abuse of Power (Suggested for International Trade and Business)
Case 12 Use and Abuse of Medical Licenses (Suggested for School of Health)
Case 13 False Illusions (Suggested for Business and Management)
Case 14 Dialogue Companies (Suggested for Design School)
Case 15 The support Juan needed (Suggested for Business and Administration)
Case 16 Rivalry in the workplace (Suggested for Executive Assistant)
Case 17 A Wrong Decision (Suggested for School of Natural Resources)
Case 18 A sad return (General work environment)
Case 19 Teaching to steal (Workplace and family in general)
Case 20 Inclusion in the labor market (general labor field)
Case 21 Unemployment or layoff (Suggested for School of Natural Resources)
Case 22 In Vitro Fertilization ( Suggested for School of Health)
Case 23 Saturation of engineers (Suggested for School of Engineering)
Case 24 The case of hackers (Suggested for School of Computer Science and
Telecommunications)
Case 25 Ethics and Law (Suggested for School of Computer Science and
Case 26 Telecommunications)
Affective Responsibility (Work and Family in General)
Case 27 Like you wouldn't believe (Suggested for Design School)
Case 28 Furniture Design Company (Suggested for Design School)
Case 29 Righteous pay for sinners (Suggested for Construction School)
Case 30 The end does not justify the wrongdoings (Suggested for School of Computer
Science and Telecommunications)
Case 31 What a beautiful secretary you have (Suggested for Executive Assistant)
Case 32 Read before signing. It can happen to you (Suggested for School of Design)
Case 33 Virtue without dependence (Suggested for School of Design)
Case 34 The Contest (Suggested for Design School)
Case 35 Teacher by obligation (General Labor Scope)
Case 36 The Sales Executive (Suggested for Business and Management)
Case 37 The Double Deception (Suggested for School of Business and Management)
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Case 38 Ethics and Systems Security (Suggested for School of Computer Science and
Telecommunications)
Case 39 Professional disenchantment (General labor field)
Case 40 Not all of us are born to command (Suggested for Escuela de Salud)
Case 41 The story of the false friend (Suggested for School of Health)
Case 42 The Great Swindle (Suggested for School of Business and Management)
Case 43 Solidarity challenged (Academic and daily life)
Case 44 The stolen car (General family environment)
Case 45 Holidays during the week (Academic field in general)
Case 46 Moral responsibility towards others (Daily life area)
Case 47 Cellulose and the environment. The Eternal Dilemma (Suggested for School of
Natural Resources)
Case 48 What pain to get sick (Suggested for School of Health)
Case 49 A personal triumph at the cost of fragmenting family ties (General work
environment)
Case 50
Case 51 Medical mistrust in the face of death (Suggested for School of Health)
Case 52 A necessary lie (Ámbito académico)
Case 53 Loyalty to a loved one (Suggested for School of Health)
Case 54 Losing is also winning (Suggested for Escuela de Diseño)
Case 55 Unfair Competition (Suggested for School of Design)
Case 56 The Worst Punishment (Suggested for Executive Assistant)
Case 57 The Value of the Word (Suggested for Communication-Actuation-Design)
Case 58 Selling licenses and medical certificates (Suggested for School of Health)
Case 59 Respecting the privacy of the source (Suggested for School of Communication)
Case 60 Objectivity in information (Suggested for School of Communication) There is
Case 61 always a better alternative (Suggested for School of Communication) Wild
Case 62 competition (Suggested for School of Business and Administration) Unjustified
Case 63 harassment (Suggested for School of Tourism)
Case 64 Paying more for less (Suggested for School of Engineering-Mechanics)
Case 65 A change of mentality (Suggested for School of Design)
Case 66 The First Bitter Drink (Suggested for School of Tourism-Gastronomy)
Case 67 The perfect excuse (Suggested for School of Tourism - Gastronomy)
Case 68 Overconfidence (Suggested for the School of Business and Management) A Human
Case 69 Beastliness (General Labor Scope)
Case 70 Work is not a battlefield (Suggested for School of Design)
Case 71 Ambition breaks the bag (Suggested for School of Engineering - Mechanical)
Case 72 A terrible misunderstanding (Suggested for School of Business and Management)
Case 73 The Barrier of Prejudice (General Workplace)
Case 74 Meaningless (General labor area)
Case 75 Labor dehumanization (Suggested for Executive Assistant)
Case 76 Active resistance (General work environment)
The balance between ends and means (Suggested for Escuela De Administración
y Negocios)
Case 77 Not worth the effort (Suggested for School of Business and Management)
Case 78 False promises (Suggested for Executive Assistant)
Case 79 Loss of authority (Suggested for Business and Management school)
Case 80 Buying wills (Academic field)
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PART II Descriptions for case construction
Case 1 Executive Assistant

Case 2 General application
Case 3 Academic
Case 4 School of Tourism
Case 5 Executive Assistant
Case 6 School of Engineering
Case 7 Labor and Employment
Case 8 School of Engineering - Mechanics
Case 9 Family environment
Case 10 School of Tourism
Case 11 School of Business and Management
Case 13 School of Communication - Acting
Case 14 School of Health
Case 16 Construction School
Case 17 General labor area
Case 19 School of Design
General Conclusion
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Presentation
This work, composed of 80 case studies in ethics, with their respective analysis, outcome,
commentary and conclusion, plus 20 cases presented for analysis by teachers and students,
provides a selection of situations, most of them real, narrated by people who in their daily lives
have observed how human beings live in the midst of a strong tension between the desire to do
things well, with a clear contribution to humanity, and the temptation to do things badly, which,
consciously or unconsciously, are deteriorating the environment.how human beings live in the
midst of a strong tension between the desire to do things well, with a clear contribution to
humanity, and the temptation to do things badly, which, consciously or unconsciously, deteriorate
the work environment and personal relationships and harm society.
Under this premise, we offer this work of ethics with carefully selected cases so that
teachers and students have complete information that contributes to a better observation and
interpretation of reality, without this work constituting a "recipe book" for decision making. On the
contrary, this work is based on the conception of man as a rational being, capable of using
information to make judgments, evaluations and new ethical considerations within given contexts
and with elements of judgment that allow him, at some point, to make or stop making conscious
decisions.
Most of the cases are third-person narratives and, therefore, those who have told the
stories have described the decisions that others have made. Logically this generates a systematic
problem, namely that, in truth, the only cases in which one makes decisions are those in which
one is involved oneself. In this sense, only the subject directly immersed in the action can have
conclusive reasons for acting in a certain way, while those who observe the events from the
perspective of a third person will have inconclusive reasons, since they will never have all the
background information on the case. This does not disqualify us, however, from passing judgment
on the cases presented here. In fact, whenever we try to persuade someone to make a decision,
we are always using reasons that are not entirely conclusive, and yet we do so regularly.
When we talk about case studies or ethical dilemmas for study, we refer to the description
of a real or imaginary situation, but complex, because it involves, especially in the comments for
the observer, conclusions that may contradict the reader. A good case tells a story, focuses on a
problem that arouses the reader's interest, is recent, allows the development of empathy with the
main subjects of the case, requires the resolution of a management problem, teaches elements of
management and arouses the interest of solving moral problems from the rigor of analysis and not
from the intuition or heat of the people involved.A good case tells a story, focuses on a problem
that arouses the reader's interest, is recent, allows the development of empathy with the main
subjects of the case, requires the resolution of a management problem, teaches elements of
management and arouses the interest of solving moral problems from the rigor of analysis and not
from the intuition or heat of the people involved. This is intended to reinforce the rational nature
of the study of ethics and, therefore, requires a well-founded language that goes far beyond
reflections based on feelings, hunches or intuitions alone as a source for improving coexistence
with others.
However, this work aims to be a useful contribution, since it is aimed at developing in

people (teachers and students) the ability to solve complex problems and make decisions in
situations of uncertainty and pressure. This capacity includes the analysis of complex situations,
the elaboration of moral judgments about them, problem definition, decision making or
construction of arguments for persuasion and the appreciation of the consequences derived from
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the case.
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Center
Center for
for Applied
Applied1
Ethics
Ethics
On the other hand, applied ethics allows the use of some theories in real cases, without
this meaning a mechanical application of the concepts; on the contrary, in each situation it is
necessary to carry out a prudent judgment that allows to conclude correctly on the basis of the
analysis of the facts, to evaluate the problems and to establish decision criteria, that lead, in turn,
to each person to consider new alternatives for study and also for the solution or resolution of the
problems.On the contrary, in each situation it is necessary to carry out a prudent judgment that
allows a correct conclusion based on the analysis of the facts, evaluate the problems and establish
decision criteria, which in turn lead each person to consider new alternatives of study and also of
solution or resolution of the problems.
In the case study methodology, it should be noted that, regardless of its usefulness in
developing the capacity for rational resolution of complex problems, it is not intended to develop
moral dispositions or virtues, but to lead the dialogue to the attainment of moral criteria through
rational arguments. That is to say, it does not aim at a change of attitude towards life, although
the effects of a development of practical rationality may lead to it, by virtue of the unity between
personal convictions and habitual dispositions. In any case, for a correct use of this material,
conjectures or judgments about the moral condition of the people who are analyzing a particular
case, teacher or student, which could put them in an uncomfortable situation in front of the rest of
the community, should be avoided. Ethics can in no case impose points of view that may inhibit
people's willingness to dialogue.
Finally, we would like to thank those who made this work possible. In particular, our
gratitude goes to those students whose papers for the Ethics course were considered as part of
this manual and to Professor Andrés Santa María, who suggested several adjustments, both in
substance and form, included in the final version.
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Introduction
The invitation with this case study work is to develop the capacity of analysis for better
decision making, based on solid ethical principles, which invite us to make an effort so that we all
reach correct conclusions; namely: those that will allow us to advance towards a better
construction of society.
For a better reading and use of this work, several elements should be noted.
The first is that the analysis of each of these cases is limited to the realm of ethics itself.
This is important, because in reality, when cases of moral harassment, corruption, theft
and many other similar situations arise, most of them end up in the courts and tribunals,
leaving the case in the hands of the law. The aim here is to provide solutions that facilitate
the development of personal decision making skills, most of which are based on moral
principles. It is very easy to move from the realms of ethics to the realms of law, since
logically there is a link between the two, but confusing these two dimensions could hinder
the development of ethical criteria, which is precisely what this paper aims to do.
The second thing is that most of the cases allude to topics that are currently being taught
in the Ethics and Professional Ethics courses at DuocUC, so the reading will be very familiar
to teachers and students, which in turn will reinforce and give even more meaning to the
applied ethics taught inside the classroom.
The third element to be taken into account is that in the comments and conclusions of the
cases, as stated in the presentation, there are inconclusive reasons' because none of the
readers, for obvious reasons, makes decisions as the protagonist of the cases; that is,
what a spectator can do is to comment or give an opinion on the situation and make
decisions. To that extent, the narration of the cases will tend to provide all the necessary
elements to support a good discussion, although the situation experienced is never fully
communicable.
Finally, it should be taken into account that all human situations support an analysis from the
point of view of ethics, hence the cases cover the most varied human spheres: business,
family, sports, personal, academic, economic, social, cultural, political, among many
others, so it is expected that teachers of all DuocUc schools find in the cases elements that
deserve to be studied and valued within these schools. Every professor and every DuocUC
student has something to say about ethics, since we cannot forget that ethics is everyone's
mission. Therefore, this work is divided into two parts: The first part contains 80 cases
analyzed in the light of the contents of the DuocUC Ethics Program courses, and the
second part contains 20 cases with only the description of the situations, so that teachers
and students, in an effort to build ethical criteria, can make their contributions.
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I PART I Presentation of the Cases
Case 1 On Equal Terms
1. The facts
Harold and Juan Pablo were the two best athletes that the athletics league had for the
1500 meters. Their rivalry was sporting and the demand of each one of them to be the best was
taken advantage of by their coach and by the league, to the extent that they were willing to train
longer and with greater dedication. Each training was of maximum demand and the conditions of
each one of them improved ostensibly, to the point that the future they projected was to be in the
Olympics, and this was not only the dream of the athletes but also of their coach. Beyond the
demanding training, Harold, Juan Pablo and the trainer were good friends, on weekends they
shared barbecues, soccer games, movie afternoons at their homes and in the off-season, such as
December and January, they would go out for a "moderate" night out with their girlfriends.
However, the situation of Juan Pablo's proximity to his coach meant that there was much more
communication and trust between them, to the extent that Juan Pablo knew exactly what the
training schedule was, because on the way to the stadium the coach would tell him what they
were going to do. In any case, this did not give any advantage on the track, since they trained in
the same conditions, and besides, Juan Pablo always told Harold in the warm-up what they would
do in the training session.
Clearly the coach's communication with Juan Pablo was much better than with Harold. In
this context, the coach received a communication from the Athletics Federation, through the
league, stating that due to lack of budget, he could only present himself with a reduced group of
athletes at the Pan-American, a pre-qualifying event for the Olympic Games. In detail, they
suggested taking one athlete for each event: one for 100 m, one for 200 m, one for the 400 m
event. and so on in all the modalities, including the 1500 mts, where the two best athletes were
also his two best friends.
The coach's increased communication with Juan Pablo led him to first tell him what the
Federation had determined for the Pan American, with the intention of asking him, in addition, to
help him make a decision or find a way to favor him so that he would be the one to present
himself at the competitions and not Harold. Juan Pablo tells his coach that the decision is very
easy, since the idea was to take the athletes to the track and in a special session, make an
elimination for the best of them to go to the championship so that the conditions of each one and
the performance on the track would determine who was for the championship. Days later, the
coach scheduled the qualifiers and, three weeks before them, he suggested to Juan Pablo, asking
him to be very careful, to take some stimulants to increase his performance and thus, on the
track, earn the right to go to the tournament that would qualify him for the next Olympic Games.
Clearly the coach wanted to have Juan Pablo in the Pan American and not Harold, who would have
to settle for local and less demanding competitions, little reward for all his effort.
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2. Ethical issues involved: Prudence, Equality, and Respect.
Although the trainer asked Juan Pablo to be prudent in the use of stimulants, so as not to
tell Harold about it, it is easy to notice an imprudent attitude on the part of the trainer, who,
because of his preference for Juan Pablo, led him to make the aforementioned proposal, with the
intention that he would take advantage on the track and be the best. Such recklessness reflects,
on the one hand, that the coach has little notion of the value of equality, intimately linked to that
of justice, and, on the other hand, a lack of respect for Juan Pablo, believing that he would do
anything to win a place at the Pan American Games. Equality must be given in the conditions and
rules under which athletes compete, so that the conditional differences are the ones that mark the
distance between the first and the second. This does not mean that in pursuit of equality both
athletes should consume stimulants to improve their performance, but that they should compete
with what training has given them, thus avoiding dependence on stimulants, which in the end
bring irreparable consequences for their health. A coach's proposal for his athletes to dope reflects
selfishness, since he does not think about his team but about himself, his fame or the possibility
of a better contract, which leads him to use any method to appear. The end does not justify any
means.
3. Unraveling
Juan Pablo decided to tell Harold about the coach's proposal for him to dope and take
advantage in the playoffs, which of course angered Harold, while thanking his friend for his
loyalty. Two weeks before the qualifier, both athletes decided to talk to the coach to express the
decision they had made, which was to compete on equal terms, willing to fight more for
themselves, for their honor, regardless of the positive or negative effects this would have on the
coach and the sports organization. They made him understand that above the triumph, which is
circumstantial, what matters most to them is the friendship, which would be strengthened among
the athletes and would deteriorate with the coach, as a consequence of the imprudence of the
proposal.
On the day of the qualifier, Juan Pablo and Harold introduced themselves at the track and
wished each other the best of luck, reaffirming in passing their desire to go to the Pan American
Games with the best. Luck was on Juan Pablo's side, because just as the competitors were passing
through the 800 meters, Harold felt a strong pull in his left hamstring and had to abandon the
race and forget about his hopes of going to the Pan American and then to the Olympic Games.
The tranquility of the competitors for having done the right thing, contrasted with the face
of the coach who, in spite of counting on Juan Pablo for the Pan American, felt that he had made a
mistake with them and that in the end the feeling of guilt would end the trust and friendship that
he had worked so hard to build; in fact, in the short time left to prepare the athletes for the Pan
American, Juan Pablo reflected distrust in the instructions and planning of the event.In fact, in the
short time that remained for the preparation of the athletes for the Pan American, Juan Pablo
reflected distrust in the instructions and planning of the event. Nothing was ever the same again,
neither with Harold nor with Juan Pablo.
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4. Comment
In the sports field, the validity of a coach in front of a club or team is based on the results
obtained, which generates an environment of many pressures to achieve the proposed objectives.
This leads many coaches and also many athletes to do anything; and their instrumental mentality,
which does not value actions beyond results, can blind them to other types of evaluations. A
person based on a utilitarian criterion, that is, for whom the only criterion of morality is the
consequences of actions, will be able to affirm that in these cases what is important is the
maximum level that can be reached to obtain excellent results, even going beyond the principles
that the person may hold and what is really beneficial for him/her.
5. Conclusion
Indeed, the coach committed an imprudent act with Juan Pablo and the result of this bad
action was the breaking of the friendship and trust of his team members, because they concluded
that their coach, just as he had proposed to Juan Pablo to dope to win the playoffs, could later
propose anything else. A coach without limits or principles, in order to get what he wants, can end
up being very harmful. Definitely when one does not evaluate the lawfulness of the means to
achieve an end, in addition to the harm caused, the results can end up being very negative for
trust between human beings, which affects every human relationship.
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Case 2 A Good Decision
1. The facts
Pedro was a married man and father of 3 children, whom, because of his age, he still had
to feed and support. He was a young man, recently graduated and with few job opportunities
given the wide offer in the market of professionals of the same career, in addition to economic
problems, for which he urgently needed to get a job to meet the expenses demanded by his
family. Through information from a close friend, an opportunity arose to do a job; this consisted in
the adulteration of an investigation report, because he was outstanding in this kind of matters
(investigation of accidents at work), so he could save the job of some people who did a bad
preventive management. Of course, this job would solve his problems considerably and
immediately, but this implied a lack of professional ethics and betrayal of his own principles;
however, the economic problems weighed more heavily. Aware of the consequences of his bad
deed, during the performance of this work he felt frustrated as a professional, a feeling that did
not allow him to speak the truth even to his own family, because the idea was that they would
never know how he would earn the money to subsidize the household expenses, a fact that would
isolate him a little from the people he loved.This fact would isolate him a little from the people he
loved, since this work began to occupy too much space in his mind and in his conscience, which
would not allow him to be at peace, since his questions were getting deeper and deeper. What
complicated Pedro the most was that, once he did this job, he would continue to be sought after
for the same assignments.
2. Ethical issues involved: Strength, Honesty and Freedom.
Fortitude is a cardinal virtue that helps to calculate the means to be used to achieve goals
without sacrificing values and principles, thus overcoming the difficulties generated by
circumstances. A person with willpower, at the moment of making a decision, is able to avoid
sacrificing his principles and values for the urgency of immediate or particular needs; he resolves
difficult issues and allows him to be in what he has to be in order to put the right means to the
right end. Strength is the habitual disposition to successfully face obstacles in order to achieve the
proposed goal. In this sense, it is not enough to think about what you want if you do not know
how to achieve it correctly or, in Pedro's case, within the legal framework. For this, willpower must
reach a maximum level of development, which in the end makes an important difference between
a good professional and one who is not.
On the other hand, Peter's lack of honesty with his family (and especially with his wife) led
him to sink into deep concern because he knew he was acting wrongly. Guilt is a natural feeling
that occurs when we do not do the right thing, and sometimes it is the worst punishment for those
who, being aware of the consequences of their actions, go ahead with what they have proposed.
Therefore, more than eliminating guilt itself, we should try to eliminate that which produces it.
3. Unraveling
Pedro decided to accept the job, but the more he collaborated with the company and the
people who had hired him, the worse he felt. He knew that every day that went by he was
compromising his freedom, his honesty and that, in the end, his family would find out. He did not
last long on the job, thanked for the opportunity, but made it clear that he had not studied a
career to end up doing what he had been asked to do, while regretting that many companies were
dedicated to falsifying data and research results to collect higher dividends. that many companies
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are dedicated to falsifying data andhuman capital
research formation
results to collect higher dividends, because the
positive or negative effect not only falls on the company and the people who work there, but ends
up hurting the entire country. Once he resigned from his job, he began to look for new
alternatives to cover his family's expenses and was willing to do anything, as long as it involved
legal matters, because the situation he experienced made him understand that peace of
conscience, honest communication with his family and the freedom to choose without conditions
are much more valuable. Once he was calmer, he told his wife what the job was about, how bad
he had felt and why he had quit. Once the wife confessed the situation, she thanked him for his
sincerity and promised to help him in his struggle to resolve the economic difficulties.
4. Comment
In the end, Pedro made a good decision and the consequences were positive in the sense
that he felt he regained his freedom and strengthened his ties with his family, since being the
most important thing in his life, he should never have kept quiet about the situation. Pedro's
experience taught him that honesty and freedom are priceless and, although he would have
overcome his financial difficulties with the work he had been offered, he would never have been
able to regain his wife's trust and his children's affection. When Peter felt the weight of guilt, he
also understood that whether human law punished him or not, that feeling of bad conscience was
punishment enough for an action done wrong.
When this situation arose, this man ultimately made a good decision; good even though he
had previously found himself lacking in ethics and principles, which were important. One, as any
human being, is not alien to this type of situations, which make us doubt; however, there is
always the freedom to choose or reject what is good for us as a person, we must keep in mind
that work dignifies us, so we should not do a job that frustrates us. It is necessary to look for
possibilities that allow us to develop our capabilities and also allow us to satisfy our basic needs.
Then Peter, after starting his unethical action, realized that it was hurting him in many ways, so
he decides to quit his job. It was the best decision I could have made.
5. Conclusion
Never solve a problem with another problem, because this triggers a series of major
complications. Fortitude is a virtue that we can all develop to always look for the best alternatives
to face a difficulty without inadequately avoiding it, as this would imply further entangling the
situation. A lesser evil is not solved from a greater evil, i.e., a difficult problem probably does not
have an easy solution. Moreover, we must not forget that ethics is testimonial and that children
learn from what they see in their parents. An honest father, who dialogues and defends his
principles, will show his children what to do in similar situations and although fortitude is not
inherited, it can be taught by example.
Case 3 Why, if they are going to die anyway?
1. The facts
In the ICU of a major hospital in the city, patients with serious illnesses are cared for by
the medical team around the clock. Many of the patients with little chance of improvement are
subjected to long treatments that are costly for the relatives and tedious for the medical team in
charge. Some time ago, Rosario, a nurse, was assigned to cover some shifts due to lack of
personnel in that service and she was asked to work in the ward with these needy and sick
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patients. On that occasion the ward had six patients and two nurses, which meant that each nurse
had to care for three patients. At the beginning, with so many things to do with each of the
patients, Rosario concentrated on her three "old people", without noticing the treatment that her
partner Laura had with her own. As the days went by Rosario noticed that her partner was much
more relaxed with the treatment and the schedule of medications she had to give her patients;
apparently she did not do anything to them and limited herself to writing down what strictly
speaking corresponded in the notebook for the doctors' rounds. When Rosario confirmed that she
was indeed doing the same thing every shift, she became concerned and as time permitted, she
began to assume responsibility for the other patients as well, which included changing their
position, grooming them, changing their clothes, among many other cares.
At the end of one of the shifts Rosario spoke to her colleague Laura and asked her why she
was not attending her patients correctly and Laura's answer was one of those that leaves anyone
"cold". He answered: "Why am I going to wear myself out if these old people are going to die
anyway". The conversation became heavy and Laura's annoyance was not long in coming: she let
Rosario know that she had no reason to interfere in her business and in her way of taking care of
patients, first because Rosario was only doing replacements and, second, her long experience in
the ICU allowed her to understand that it was not worth wearing herself out so much.
The next day, at the end of the shift, the head nurse -whom Laura had contacted- called
Rosario and informed her that they had noticed that she had neglected her own patients because
she was taking care of her colleague's patients, so she was going to be changed to another
service, with a report from her boss about her poor performance in the ICU, which disqualified her
from returning to that service.
2. Ethical issues involved: Lack of professionalism and unfairness.
Laura clearly shows a lack of professionalism towards the service she provides and the only
thing her experience and time in the ICU is good for is "not to wear herself out with those who are
going to die", without thinking about the high sums of money and the trust that relatives place in
the hospital. Laura is a clear example of an employee that costs the institutions a lot of money
and that due to the lack of a stricter control of the functions in each of the services, these things
happen and will continue to happen.
On the other hand, Laura knows that what Rosario said is true, but her extensive
experience helped her to accuse Rosario to the head nurse so that she would not return to the
service, since she is an obstacle to her plans.
The question is: How many people in healthcare and other professions will work without
vocation, just hoping to have a salary to cover their basic needs, without contributing more than
what their mediocrity and lack of professionalism gives them? Now, the injustice is not only
committed against Rosario, who, because of her sincerity and solidarity with the ICU patients,
dared - as we shall see - to denounce the case, but also against the patients and their families
who expect dignified, professional treatment that is in keeping with the circumstances, since no
one expects their family member to be admitted to the hospital to lose their life but, on the
contrary, to recover their health.
3. Unraveling
The case was resolved in a positive way for Rosario and for the Hospital, since, when
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talking to the hospital director about human capitalthat
the injustice formation
was being committed by reprimanding her
in writing and with a copy of her Curriculum Vitae, supposedly for poorly performing her service in
the ICU, he had to go into the details of what had triggered such a situation. An exhaustive
investigation to verify the veracity of Rosario's words and after a year of closely observing the
care provided by the nurses in the ICU service of that hospital, the director strongly sanctioned
the head nurse and asked Laura to resign, who after much appeal had to leave her job. Rosario
did not return to the ICU service but has learned that care there has improved and patients are
now treated fairly; in fact hospital statistics say that ICU patients now recover much faster.
4. Comment
The lack of professionalism in the exercise of the work entails a 'forgetfulness' of one's own
vocation. No matter how interesting a career may seem at the beginning, if it is not lived
according to its own demands, the weight of routine will eventually erase any kind of passion and
ideal. The first thing people should ask themselves over and over again is whether they like and
are passionate about what they do and make the exercise of projecting themselves as a future
professional, especially in areas as complex as health. The other thing is that clinics and hospitals
should be concerned about knowing exactly what their employees do, while providing them with
constant training to renew not only their knowledge but also their vocation, since the comfort with
which they provide the service, as well as the comfort felt by the patient, depends on the latter.
5. Conclusion
Cases such as this one are not always resolved positively, which is why we must insist on
constant training of nurses and the entire medical staff in general. The courage of Rosario, who
consistently exposed the case and was able to take it to the management of the institution, should
be highlighted, since not many people say what really happens inside these services; out of fear
or complicity they allow this type of injustice to happen and continue to happen.
Case 4 Do not forget the principles
1. The facts
In the I.C.U. service. In a provincial clinic, a nurse who has been in the service for a long
time, prepares the medications to be given to patients at 3:00 p.m. After a long shift of 12 hrs.
Due to the lack of sufficient personnel in the clinic, she had to double up, which meant a great risk
for the patients and for herself, since the level of fatigue she reached led her to make several
mistakes, which, due to her ability and commitment, are not usual for her. While doing so, due to
an oversight caused by fatigue, he breaks an ampoule of lidocaine, which is of great commercial
value. The nurse, in order to avoid having to assume the cost of the medication, decides not to
administer the medication to the patient and records it as if she had done so, thinking that this
would cover the damage and avoid a reprimand from her immediate supervisor. However, within a
few hours, the patient began to have severe respiratory problems due to the lack of lidocaine. In
the end, the patient survived thanks to the timely intervention of the medical staff and the
cardiopulmonary resuscitation he underwent. Thus, with the patient out of life-threatening danger
and without any internal summary of which she could be accused, the nurse kept silent about her
actions, although she promised herself that she would never again make such a mistake that could
have cost the life of a patient, since she did not calculate the consequences of the decision she
had made.
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2. Ethical issues involved: Responsibility and Dialogue
Evidently we are facing a case of irresponsibility on the part of the nurse, who is
responsible for the care of the patients, and on the part of the institution which, because it does
not have enough nurses, has to double the shifts of many of them, who, due to physical
exhaustion, lower their quality of care. When we speak of responsibility, we are basically referring
to a moral value that human beings must develop and that allows them to be accountable for their
actions, first in terms of their motivation or purpose, and then in terms of their consequences.
This means that a responsible person thinks things through before making or not making a
decision. In this case, the moral responsibility falls not only on the nurse, but also on the
institution, who will ultimately end up placing the burden of the fault on the nurse, who in turn
must accept the shift because of the pressure of losing her job. It is in this sense that dialogue
also operates as a relevant moral value, since for lack of it, the nurse commits a double mistake:
on the one hand, not exposing her physical fatigue that prevents her from doubling her shift and,
on the other hand, not having dispensed the medication. In these cases what must prevail is the
confidence to express the points of view before the boss or the institution's directives. Once the
medication was broken, the nurse had to communicate the case to her immediate supervisor in
order to replace it and avoid putting the patient's life at risk. Having to pay the cost of the drug is
less serious than the guilt generated by putting the patient's life at risk.
3. Unraveling
The nurse kept silent and only discussed the issue with a co-worker a month after the
event. In this conversation, the dialogue between the colleagues led to the conclusion that she
should not have kept quiet about it and, even worse, should not have reported it. Fortunately for
the nurse, the patient overcame the crisis and is now at home enjoying a "normal" life. As a result
of the conversation, both believe that communication channels should be opened within the clinic
to avoid situations like these, which, due to a lack of dialogue and because employees are not
allowed to give their opinion on the operation of the clinic, are the cause of the things that
happen. The nurse continues to work at the clinic and continues to double her shifts by order of
her superiors, but she has launched a campaign to raise awareness within the clinic of how
dangerous it is for staff who have a direct relationship with patients to work under these
conditions. At the very least, and in the search for a solution to the problems that may arise, the
head nurse must know in what condition the assistants are in order to know what responsibilities
to delegate to them.
4. Comment
Health personnel have implicit in their daily work the Hippocratic oath that seeks that all
persons involved in the care of patients are aware that above all else, life is the basis of their
decisions. When this oath is not taken into account, irresponsible decisions can be made, such as
the one made by the nurse, where economic and private interests took precedence over the life of
her patient. This indicates that an effort must be made to make this oath a principle on the basis
of which all health personnel should act, so that clinics and hospitals are indeed centers of health
recovery and not a risk of death for those who visit them.
5. Conclusion
It is worrying that in many hospitals and clinics shift doubling occurs, but it is even more
worrying that it is done under the pressure of losing one's job if it is not done, as the
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consequences are obvious. Out of fear, human capital formation
communication within healthcare institutions breaks down
and employees opt for silence even in the most critical moments. It is obvious that if in this case
the patient dies, an investigation is opened that may result in the lack of supply of a drug and the
responsibility will be the nurse's; however, if the nurse expresses that she is frequently doing 24-
hour shifts, surely the responsibility will be shared between the staff and the institution, and a
solution may be sought.
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Case 5 Misdirected loyalty
1. The facts
Joaquín was a bank employee whom everyone appreciated for his solidarity,
companionship and loyalty to the institution. He was a young, single man with no other aspiration
than to do things well, in order to one day be recognized for his good performance by his
superiors. Every afternoon, when he finished serving the public, he had to carry out a cash count
in which he specified in detail all the movements that had taken place during the day. On several
occasions his direct boss asked him to exchange checks for cash without informing him, to which
Joaquín agreed. Although he knew it was wrong according to the Bank's policies, he agreed
because he was his immediate boss, a loyal man with many years in the company, which allowed
him to think that with this type of favor neither of them would be harmed. In fact, these facts had
not caused any problems, since they were kept secret and at the time of internal audits, Joaquín
was warned by his boss.
One day a general audit was carried out in the institution that was not reported by the
superiors, hiring an external company, since the objective was to detect any irregularities that
were occurring internally. When the external auditing firm reviewed Joaquín's cash, they found
that there were several unreported transactions. Joaquín was called to render a report of the
unreported transactions, which began to complicate his life, since he could not satisfactorily justify
these actions performed outside the Bank's regulations, nor did he report that his boss was the
one requesting this type of transactions, all for "watching his immediate boss's back". Joaquín
finally acknowledged the foul as his own.
The auditor, not being satisfied with the explanation, issued a report on the facts and
requested a historical review of the entries, finding that such transactions had been made on
innumerable occasions. The result of this report led to Joaquín's inevitable dismissal, without any
right to complain, since he had violated the bank's internal regulations.
On the other hand, his immediate boss turned a blind eye to the fact that any sign of being
involved in this process would also lead to his dismissal.
2. Ethical Issues Involved: Abuse of Power, Servility, Fortitude, Justice
In Marie-France Irigoyen's terms, we are faced with a typical case of a perverse

relationship of moral harassment that leads, among other things, to the abuse of power by the
boss towards the employees. In this case, the victim of abuse is a good, transparent person, but
at the same time guilt-ridden, which leads him to always take the blame for the things that do not
work around him and to try to do everything in the best way for his own happiness and that of his
coworkers. This obsession with perfection makes him vulnerable to the demands of the boss who
seeks favors outside the bank's rules, without having to take responsibility for his actions, since he
already has someone to do so. Abuse of power usually requires servile human beings, who obey
without questioning why they do so, who do not question orders at all and who naively assume
responsibility for the consequences. We could affirm that both cases are equally perverse; both
the abuser of power and the servile are harmful to the company, especially because either way
they will be going over the established norms. Joaquín, on the one hand, is willing to hide
information to avoid the anger of his superior, knowing that he was committing a serious offense
that could cost him his permanence in this institution, and the boss, on the other hand, goes over
the rules and the dignity of his employees, since he turns them into a means to achieve his
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purposes, which are not the same as human
those ofcapital formation
the institution.
Basically, the virtue at stake here is justice, which, together with fortitude, would allow
Joaquín to remind his boss that uninformed transactions are a serious offense and that, above his
order, are the bank's rules, which cannot be overlooked even by the bosses. In the face of
Joaquín's dismissal, which he deserved, his boss must also have been partly responsible for it.
3. Unraveling
After being interrogated, Joaquín realized that his boss had used him because at no time
did he try to help or justify it. After being heard, the comptroller decided to fire Joaquín, accusing
him of not respecting the internal regulations, which state that any transaction must be reported
as well as any order coming from a superior, even more so if it evidently violates banking
regulations; the latter because the comptroller suspected that someone had ordered these bank
movements, but because he could not find any proof, nor any accusation from Joaquín.The latter
because the comptroller suspected that someone had ordered these bank movements, but since
he could not find proof, nor Joaquín's accusation, he was unable to dismiss Joaquín any further. In
other words, the only one who took responsibility for everything was Joaquín.
Once the case was solved, the bank implemented a policy of charge rotation, assuming a
high cost in terms of the transparency that should reign in the entity for the trust and peace of
mind of customers.
4. Comment
Regardless of the fact that at work we are exposed to those who want to abuse power, we
must work much more on the character and dignity of the person, precisely to avoid such complex
situations for the human being and so costly for the institutions. By improving human aspects, we
will be aiming, among many other things, at respect for the work of others, respect for the rules
established inside and outside the company and the improvement of human relations. Abuse will
always need someone who wants or allows himself to be abused and, in that sense, lack of
character will lead a person to do things without questioning in the least the nature of the order.
Everyone in life, in one way or another, obeys. That is not bad, but what is bad is not knowing
why we do it, since that does not allow us to establish the limits of our actions. This is the case of
Joaquín, who notes that these requests do not correspond to internal regulations, but he does not
have sufficient strength of character to have refused to comply with the task entrusted to him by
his boss.
5. Conclusion
Loyalty on the part of workers to the company (bosses, colleagues, owners) is a principle
that must always be respected, as long as we know the limits of our work, so as not to lose the
ability to visualize when the tasks entrusted cross the limit of what is correct.
The lack of fortitude to refuse to perform acts that were not right, in order to demonstrate
loyalty and responsibility, clearly led Joaquín to make the mistakes that ultimately cost him his
job. You are strong when you have a firm attitude to overcome the obstacles or pressures that
arise on a daily basis.
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Case 6 Company "Torreblanca
1. The facts
Cristina Lopez, who is married to Antonio and whose marriage has produced three beautiful
children, for whom, in Cristina's words, "they would even give their lives", has been working in the
Cost Accounting Department of the "Torreblanca" company for five years. She works in the
company as an Accounting Analyst and her work performance is impeccable, to the extent that
she is always receiving congratulations and recognition, which obviously makes the work
environment for her very pleasant, despite the work overload she has, due to various changes
that have been made in the management of the department to which she belongs and the merger
of several companies in the same field. This work overload has had her very tense and worried
lately, since the other companies with which they are merging, bring with them a number of gaps
in the management of accounting and certain irregularities in the management of finances, which
will obviously take more time for the merger of these companies and the accounting department.
Pablo Contreras, Assistant Finance Manager and Cristina's immediate boss, has invited her
to attend a training course related to her area, arguing that it is a good opportunity to improve her
skills for her future responsibilities in the "Torreblanca" company. He also suggests that, while she
attends the training, she give him the key to the files she has in Excel of the accounting
movements for the splicing of the companies. Cristina thinks that, although the course is very
important for her professional growth, it is not the right time to take this training, and she also
considers it inconvenient to hand over confidential information for which she must answer at all
times. A tense conversation took place between Cristina and Pablo, in which Cristina, within the
respect that her boss deserves, made him understand the inconvenience of leaving open the Excel
files he is working on, not because of direct distrust of his boss, but because of the multiple
occupations he has and that may lead him at some point to leave the files open to other people's
access. Finally, in agreement with Pablo, she decided to stay and finish the splicing and prepare
the reports, despite the fact that the deadline for their delivery had not yet passed. Although Pablo
was not very reassured by Cristina's decision, he nods his head and leaves Cristina's desk.
Three days later, the company's personnel manager asks Cristina to come to her office.
Great was her surprise when she was informed that in another month her employment contract
would be terminated due to non-compliance with an order given by her immediate boss within the
company, which she did not comply with. Of course, he was referring to the training course to
which Cristina had been invited. This notification has also been endorsed and signed by the Chief
Financial Officer.
The head of personnel also informs him that Ricardo Sotomayor, currently a billing analyst
for one of the merging companies, will be promoted to replace him. Mr. Sotomayor has a year and
a half of experience in the company and is responsible for the accounting mess that his company
presents, but since he recently obtained his General Accountant degree, he is the right person to
handle Cristina's position. The order to leave the company has been given and what is left of the
month to leave will be used to instruct Ricardo in each and every one of the functions she
performs.
After two hours, the personnel manager calls Cristina back to her office and tells her that
despite having disobeyed an order from her superior, the company has decided not to tarnish her
work record, but that she must sign her voluntary resignation from the company. At the same
time, he gave him an extensive and flattering letter of recommendation, highlighting his
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professional qualifications and loyaltyhuman capital formation
to the company.
2. Ethical issues involved: Responsibility, Respect, Fortitude, Temperance and Justice.
Cristina has the image of a virtuous woman, because not only was she responsible in
taking care of the company's confidential information that she handled, but after being notified to
leave the position, she instructed Ricardo with all the professionalism that characterized her. Very
jealous of the company's information, she handed over her position to Ricardo with a detailed
report of the companies' accounting movements, in order to avoid misunderstandings in the
future. Cristiana was such a capable woman that she never felt afraid of becoming unemployed,
because her husband's support, plus her capacity to work and adapt to adversity showed her the
way to other companies. His strength made him see this as a great opportunity to renew his work
environment, make new friends and learn from other managers. He never broke down and, with
temperance, he was quick to recognize the mistakes he had made so far so as not to make them
again. She was never heard badmouthing her former bosses or her former company; on the
contrary, Cristina expressed eternal gratitude at all times for the opportunities provided.
On the other hand, Pablo Contreras knew perfectly well that he had committed an injustice
when he asked Cristina to go to the course and leave her password to the Excel files, which
contained important financial information, since his intention was to modify some figures. The
course offered to Cristiana was the perfect alibi to push her aside and allow her to act freely, and
her anger was nothing more than an excuse to dispense with her services and take over the
command of Ricardo, a new and supposedly manipulable employee. (The purpose is not clearly
specified purpose of these abnormalities, perhaps it was the Manager who asked him to disguise
the balance sheets, perhaps he did it because of some economic hardship or because he needed
to demonstrate that his work was so good that it would be reflected in positive figures for the
company).
3. Unraveling
During the month that Cristina had left in the company, she was able to corroborate the
suspicions she had about the accounting irregularities that had been taking place in the company
for some months.
This fact made her understand the reason for her dismissal. His work record was always
impeccable, he fulfilled his work efficiently and always on time. When the Assistant Manager
informed her that she had to attend a course and leave her files open for him, she did not imagine
that what he intended was to alter the figures in her balance sheets, but since she preferred to
stay and finish the work, he not only sensed Cristina's disobedience, but also could not at that
moment disguise the correct figures and saw Cristina as a threat to fulfill his intentions. but since
she preferred to stay and finish the work, he not only felt Cristina's disobedience, but also could
not disguise the correct figures at that moment and saw Cristina as a threat to his purposes.
Cristina no longer felt so bad about what had happened and also thought that without
realizing it, her boss had done her a favor by firing her because he might have involved her in his
dirty ends; that is, what comes with the merger of the companies is financial mismanagement that
she is not used to.
Ricardo was instructed by Cristina and thanked her for the noble gesture she had made to
him despite his dismissal. Cristina knew that Ricardo had nothing to do with his dismissal and only
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human
suggested that he should be very careful capital formation
in dealing with the accounts as that department could be
very vulnerable if mistakes were made. Ricardo will test his temperance to avoid the temptation to
mismanage figures in order to earn more money or to collect favors from bosses with promotions.
If Ricardo's temperance can be of any use to him, it is the same as it was to Cristina: to know
where he belongs and that the goals and dreams that one wants to achieve must be achieved with
hard work and effort and not through illicit games, which end up damaging the spirit of the
people, the company, the country and society.
4. Comment
Nowadays it is common for some companies to use certain accounting irregularities to

obtain loans from banks or to avoid tarnishing their image as a solid company; and if it is not the
companies, it is the people themselves who are unable to control their ambition and their desire
for economic power. But without wanting to say that nobody controls their ambitions, we can also
find cases of good employees who get involved in these ethical faults in order not to lose their
labor source; that is to say, the labor environment has become a very demanding environment of
our principles and values. The competitiveness of markets and companies, on the one hand, and,
on the other, individual interests are strong obstacles that we must overcome in order not to
betray our principles.
The irregularities that were occurring were not only known to senior management but also
to middle management and they did not care about Cristina's efficiency and the loyalty she had
always shown. They wanted to cover up this lack of justice by giving Cristina an excellent letter of
recommendation. Cristina finally behaved not only as a good employee but as a noble person who
empathized with Ricardo by not confusing her situation of dismissal with Ricardo's insertion into
the department to which she had belonged for five years and which now left her adrift.
5. Conclusion
Throughout our life, we realize that we have the obligation to build it on the basis of our
decisions, which logically also include our professional and economic choices. Every choice we
make is, in a way, also a choice about what we want to be ourselves. And in this process of
personal configuration through our free decisions, the education of our passions and emotions
plays a fundamental role, to know how to use them in favor of our reason and not let ourselves be
dragged by them, which would provoke in us a lack of attitude. Those who develop virtues are
those who, even in problematic circumstances, know how to place themselves above external
conditioning, so that they can always do the right thing and contribute to the good of others with
their actions.
Case 7 Not everything in life is made for the money
1. The facts
Total Evolution launched a new line of "talking" elevators whose innovation consisted in
being an intelligent equipment that allows the customer to receive oral instructions at the time of
use, such as indicating the floor, stops, access, door control and, in case of emergency, small
instructions to allow the user to maneuver the equipment, among other information.
The Sales Department found it difficult to increase sales of these "talking" devices because
the operating instructions and the operation as such came in Korean, as it is their native language,
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human capital
and in English, as it is a universal language, formation
and most of their buyers are Spanish-speaking users
who represent 75% of their sales in the Southern Cone. In addition, projections for the next five
years include expansion into Central America and Spain.
The parent company in Korea contacted its subsidiary in Chile to get the required phrases
recorded in Spanish. The general manager, Mr. Alberto Urrutia, called to his office Miss Martha
Valenzuela, a secretary who has been with the company for five years and stands out for being
very qualified and having a good command of the language and excellent diction. In the Manager's
opinion, he is the right person for this job, so he proceeds to briefly explain the situation to him
and asks him to record some numbers as proof to be sent to the factory.
The following day, Mr. Urrutia informed Ms. Valenzuela that her voice had been chosen to
record the set of "loose phrases" that would be included in all the "talking" elevators, which would
allow them to overcome the difficulty presented with the language and at the same time to enter
strongly into new markets.
Ms. Valenzuela took on this new job without asking for any economic retribution for doing
so, although she always heard the general manager say how expensive it would have been to
make the recording in an audio studio. The work was completed and delivered within the deadlines
imposed by the factory and the elevators began to arrive in Chile in Spanish, to the delight of its
users and the economic benefit of the company.
2. Ethical issues involved: Justice
Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues, which inclines the human being to give to each
one what is due or belongs to him. In Martha's case, what happened was a great injustice, since
she did not receive any incentive for her work, something that would make her feel important in
the company's expansion process. Martha was aware that her contribution had not gone beyond
recording a few phrases with her voice, but because of the large amounts of money the company
saved and the real projections in the Spanish-speaking market, she thought that her participation
would give her recognition within the company. On the contrary, his normal work was slightly
delayed and he had to compensate for it with overtime, which was neither cancelled nor noticed
by his bosses. Martha was left thinking that people can be better employees with a simple thank-
you letter acknowledging their work within the company and promised not to do this type of favor
again without a minimum negotiation, because if the company goes over the employees' heads
because they only think about profits, she has no reason to put up with it. What is fair is that
everyone is given what they are entitled to for their work, avoiding exploitation and resentment in
people, something that can work against the interests of the company itself.
3. Unraveling
The subsidiary in Chile complied with the request of the Head Office and today the
intelligent elevators are being distributed in Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia,
Venezuela, Ecuador and Chile, opening a wide market that due to a language issue was stagnant,
since the elevators were brought without language software because of the metallic computer
voice.Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Chile, opening a wide market that due to a language issue
was stagnant, since the elevators were brought without the language software because of the
metallic computer voice that was included. Now that problem no longer exists.
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human
Once Martha finished recording capital
the voice forformation
the elevators, she returned to her usual work,
saddened by the fact that she did not receive any recognition for her work, which represented a
significant saving for the company. As committed as she has always been, she never asked herself
if she would receive any economic incentive, however, her sadness was not because of that, but
because of the lack of recognition, since what she had done was outside her duties as a secretary.
For Martha, a letter of thanks from her boss would have been enough to make her feel happy,
useful to the cause, because not everything is done for money.
4. Comment
At the moment of accepting the proposal to record the phrases with her voice, without
asking any further questions, Ms. Valenzuela showed great generosity and commitment to the
company. Now, that does not detract from the fact that it would have been fairer for the company
to have rewarded Martha in some way, since not only did she provide a selfless favor, but she also
had to make up for the time spent on that favor with overtime. Perhaps he avoided requesting any
retribution to make himself look good, or because of a lack of trust with the bosses to at least ask
for recognition.
However, the company itself took advantage of the situation and of the secretary's good
will, and that is not right, because a job well done and a good attitude should be valued. On
Martha's side, her commitment to the company is remarkable, which led her to go beyond
something that was rightfully hers, for the common good of the organization, going beyond the
simple personal economic objective.
For Martha, work represents the space where the relationship with the community takes on
meaning and value, because professional work is a work of art that requires great care and
dedication; it is not about doing things for the sake of doing them, just to comply.
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5. Conclusion human capital formation
For Martha and for every human being, the important thing is to seek the meaning of work
by linking it to one's own vocation, bearing in mind that what is important is not so much the
profession or the activity that is exercised, but the way it is exercised, which is something that
depends on ourselves, and not on the specific profession as such. It is up to each one of us to
ensure that our work has value, that it is personal, so that it gives a unique and irreplaceable
character to our professional activity. Now, to the extent that we all understand this, regardless of
the position we hold within a company, we will achieve mutual recognition of our work and
contributions to the company, avoiding resentment in each of the workers and this, of course, will
result in benefits for the company itself and for those who work there.
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Case 8 No vision for the future
1. The facts
TyT is a subcontractor in the telecommunications industry and its basic function is to

provide cable, internet and telephone installation services to larger companies. It is basically
composed of 2 partners, 2 secretaries, 2 administrative staff and 10 installers. One of the
partners, who dedicates less time to the company because he considers it to be small and of little
projection in the market, often uses T&T for other types of particular contracts and the installers'
time is divided between T&T and the engineer's particular services. In fact, the point of having two
secretaries in the company is precisely because they must attend to T&T subcontracting and the
engineer's contracts. What has never been clear in the company is what type of contract is the
company's, where the profits are to be shared, and what contract is the engineer's where the
profits are his alone. Likewise, there is no established salary responsibility of the employees, who
by payroll are T&C's employees, even though there are entire days in which they work for the
engineer. In the midst of all this, the installers have colluded with the secretaries to also do some
work on their own, which means that such a small company serves many special interests. The
truth of the matter is that under these circumstances, neither the installers nor the secretaries are
concerned about who is in charge of the company and who should cancel the extra work hours,
since they, for their part and taking advantage of the disorder of these partners, are rightfully
charging what they believe belongs to them. The second partner, who only contributes capital to
T&T, is an architect and, due to the small profits that this company represents, pays very little
attention to it; for him, the monthly report that the secretaries make to him about the company is
enough.
2. Ethical issues involved: Loyalty, Honesty, Dialogue and Trust.
The dishonesty of all the people within the company is precisely what has not allowed TyT
to emerge as a great company in the telecommunications industry. The Architect's lack of
attention to the small company's business and the Engineer's handling of the contracts, the use of
the material and the employees' time, has led the employees, taking advantage of the disorder, to
make the T&T company their company, the front for their contracts, with the erroneous notion
that they are charging what is fair. The secretaries receive their salary and a percentage of the
contract given directly to the installers without informing the partners, while the latter in turn
receive salary, overtime and take advantage of T&T's name and materials to do their own work.
As can be seen, this is a small company that serves everyone's interests and the lack of
communication and dialogue has generated this chaos in the company. The care taken by both
secretaries, together with those of the accounting area to ensure that there is a balance between
the company's income and operating expenses, has allowed the company to remain in the market,
because due to the multiple benefits that everyone there receives, it is in no one's interest for the
company to go bankrupt and have to close its doors.
If anything, the greatest injustice is done to the Architect, who works on the outside to
inject capital into T&T. The injustice is committed, in the first place, by the engineer, since he is
directly responsible for the company and also encourages irregularities through his practices. The
secretaries, who have always enjoyed and abused the trust that everyone has placed in them.
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The employees they have in them, are capital formation
also responsible for this, falling into cases of corruption and
abuse of power.
3. Unraveling
After years in the same situation, the architect and partner of the company decided to sell
his share to the engineer, at an almost derisory price, because the company's balance sheets
showed more debts than profits. As was to be expected, the engineer had to organize the
company to avoid economic collapse, since he no longer had a partner to inject capital into the
company. The first thing he did was to get rid of the secretaries, the administrative staff and most
of the installers, as all of these employees were too flawed to run the company with the same
people. Obviously all these changes brought some pretty big expenses that made the engineer
realize how badly he was running the company. Both the secretaries and the installers ended up
working temporarily because no one would hire them, since it was known that they had acquired
vices during their tenure at TyT, a company that ended up going bankrupt due to the lack of a
partner to inject capital.
4. Comment
It is clear that because of corruption and not because of market difficulties, TyT had to
close, since people through repeated practices used their functions and means of the company to
obtain particular economic benefits. They acted badly and did not think that due to their bad
practices they were endangering their source of employment and that of all their coworkers. It
could be said that the possibility of the company going out of business never crossed their minds,
which indicates a lack of vision and a lack of clear goals and policies for the benefit of the
company and themselves. This is what usually happens with corrupt people who do not calculate
the consequences of their actions and react too late, because the stigma of being corrupt is a sign
not only for the people who have worked with them but for the entire guild, which eventually
implies that all doors are closed. The owners of the company made an effort to invest in the
creation of T&T, provided employment to more than 12 people and placed a lot of trust in them;
which in the end condemned them, not so much because of the trust, but because in companies it
is a constant that when the subordinate sees reproachable conduct in the superior, he naturally
feels authorized to commit more irregularities.
5. Conclusion
Beyond the evil intrinsically present in an act of corruption, attitudes of this nature are also
evil insofar as they oppose the so-called "golden rule" - do not do to others what you would not
like them to do to you - now translated as the duty to defend the interests of others as strongly as
I defend my own. Those decisions that affect others, in one way or another, will end up having a
negative impact on oneself. In this case, the lack of professionalism of the employees and the
engineer led him to work at the lowest level of the sociology of work, which in the words of Alejo
Sison, belongs to those who only work for the money, without thinking about the importance of
doing things well so that others also act accordingly.
They were creating an adverse climate around the company and themselves and the
punishment, which does not necessarily have to do with jail, was that they lost their jobs and felt
that no one would ever hire them. An adverse climate was also created for people not involved,
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Ethics
human
who had no influence on the company's capital formation
wrongdoing. If the workers, on the other hand, had been
virtuous, with a high moral development, they would have generated a good working
environment, the company would have earned money and they would have ensured their
livelihood.
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General Training Directorate human capital formation ।
Case 9 A second chance
1. The facts
Executives from Alfa and Beta companies met to form a consortium to bid for a major
tender. Within the agreements, it was established that the meetings to prepare the project would
be held in the office of the manager of the Alpha company, so that the manager and a few
executives of the Beta company would attend the work meeting on a daily basis. After having
made considerable progress in the preparation of the project, the companies are in a pleasant
working environment, confident and well disposed, as they believe that by taking this project
forward, they will have a greater presence in the market. In this climate of trust, the two
companies and their executives have shared sufficient information, but each company has also
managed to maintain a reserve of its operations, as agreed by both parties.
While they were working on the project, the manager of Alpha company was called to a
meeting, so he was absent for an hour and left the Beta company executives in his office, who left
once the document they had drawn up for that day was done. When company manager Alpha is
left alone in his office, he checks his e-mail and realizes that he has a message "read" by Beta's
manager, even though Alpha had never sent any message. To be on the safe side, check the sent
items folder and there was nothing, so, when in doubt, check the deleted items folder and there
was nothing there either. In order to be reassured, the manager of Alfa companies resorted to the
systems department to check the server and there the traffic had been recorded, so it was verified
that a message had indeed been sent from the computer in the office of the manager of Alfa
companies. With this it was more than clear that someone had taken information from his
computer through the e-mail, and in a totally irregular way, since they had tried to erase the
possible antecedents, but they had not counted on the "message read" response.
2. Ethical Issues Involved: Prudence, Honesty
We are facing the typical case of the reckless person who does not calculate which are the
truly adequate means to achieve his objectives and, thus, loses control over the consequences of
his actions. In this way, the climate of trust that the companies had managed to achieve is being
undermined. Virtue must be built every day and sometimes it is not easy, because temptation
takes on a thousand forms. In many occasions we believe that the reckless are ignorant or
uneducated people, but to tell the truth, prudence or recklessness has no age, color or social
condition. In this case it was an engineer with a great intelligence, but unable to consider that
what he was doing was a wrong and harmful action, not only for the affected person but also for
himself, since, by acting wrongly we are also acting against ourselves. It is worth remembering,
as Aristotle said, prudence is the greatest virtue because it articulates the others, 'indicating'
when we should act justly, strongly or temperately. In that sense, it can be said that Beta's
engineer lacked the fortitude and honesty to respect the private information that was on the other
company's manager's computer. With this, he broke the written promise that both companies
would keep some of their information confidential.
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3. Unraveling
After a few days and having verified the theft of the information, the manager of Alfa
companies spoke to the board of directors of his company and decided to talk to the person
directly involved in the situation to hear the reasons for the case. A slightly more informal meeting
was held between the two managers to reach a cordial agreement on how they will continue
working after this impasse. As was to be expected, Beta's general manager, very embarrassed,
apologized for the mistake and promised that it would never happen again. The consequences of
this act will obviously bring to the companies a climate of distrust or extreme security measures
with the existing information in the computer files and e-mails of the employees. Although Alfa did
not sue and did not terminate the terms under which the consortium was intended to be built, the
climate was never the same and many people became aware of the recklessness of Beta's
business manager. To avoid further embarrassment, they determined to work on a "neutral
ground" that did not involve meetings at either company. To this end, the companies leased an
office and appointed a secretary to handle the corresponding information.
4. Comment
In the midst of this very uncomfortable situation, the handling of the situation by the Alpha
company is appreciated, since they could have sued and they did not, or they could have asked for
the resignation of the Beta company manager and they did not; because they prudently
understood that the worst punishment for the implicated party would be the embarrassment of
having been discovered in the theft or attempted theft of the information. In these cases it is best
to step aside and appoint another negotiator, but at the insistence of the Alfa company, the same
executives went ahead with the project, which in the end resulted and justified to a large extent
the opening of an independent office to manage the company. The lesson is given precisely by the
company manager Alfa, who in spite of what happened, continued to trust that person, an action
that committed her even more to the project. Guilt is one of the strongest moral feelings and acts
as a great regulator of our actions. Without this feeling, we would literally be "scoundrels". In a
situation of this type, one can try to eliminate the guilt by means of all kinds of explanations to
justify oneself, but this does not get to the bottom of the problem: what must be eliminated is
that which causes the guilt, repairing the wrong committed.
5. Conclusion
It is a great lesson that the Alpha company gives us with its executives, by supporting the
Manager of the Beta company and being able to "forgive" such a serious fault for an executive who
represents a company. Life gave the Beta company manager a second chance, like no one else
would have given him. A double-edged game for the Alpha company, since they believed that once
the fault was forgiven, the commitment of the Beta company would be greater, as indeed it
happened, to the extent that they were the ones who ultimately contributed more intellectual
capital to the achievement of the project. A moral responsibility that was paid with enough height
to recognize once again the validity of the words of the old Aristotle, when he points out that
society must be built among friends and not among enemies; a concept that applies perfectly in
companies and in any type of human project.
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Case 10 The Offer
1. The facts
Paula Salazar is a young and pretty 24-year-old executive assistant who works in a
financial institution as Assistant to the General Manager. Her job is good, well paid and with
opportunities to grow and continue training, since her own boss encourages her to permanently
attend seminars, training courses and diploma courses that make her feel more professional in her
work. Her excellent people skills, efficiency and high sense of responsibility have led her to be
recognized as one of the best assistant managers in the industry. So, one Monday morning, he
received a phone call from an HR company. to make her a job offer, and enter an application
process for the position of Assistant to the President of a large company, with the certainty that
the position would be for her if she accepted to change jobs immediately, since the proposing
company had sufficient background on Paula's work. This caught her attention and she asked how
they had obtained her employment history without her sending it. Ms. Valencia, (Psychologist in
charge of the recruitment process of the HR company) told her that there were databases in the
labor market with information on all the executive assistants of the General Management and
Presidency of Santiago, which is why she had been contacted. In addition, they had excellent
references from very important people in the city.
Her first reaction was not to accept the offer, since she was satisfied with her current job,
her income and work environment, but she decided to discuss it with the General Manager of the
company, Mr. Valenzuela. He recommended her to participate in the selection process in order to
measure her knowledge, and to keep her work history current. Obviously this process involved
undergoing all the rigorous examinations required by the HR company.
Paula told him that she would take his suggestion into consideration, but that she was not
interested in changing companies. Mr. Valenzuela also offered him all the schedule facilities to
attend the different interviews, in gratitude for the trust shown, because in normal cases people
do these processes in a way that the bosses do not realize and in the end they make a decision as
best suits them. Paula participated in the process as suggested by her boss and passed the
different stages (written tests, language skills and psychological tests). During the process, Mr.
Valezuela was aware of everything that was going on with Paula, until the final interview where he
would most likely be asked to sign the contract for a higher amount than his current salary at the
Bank.
2. Ethical Issues involved: Loyalty and Dialogue
In this case, loyalty stands out as the main ethical element to be highlighted,
understanding that Paula is free to inform or not the situation to her direct boss, but due to the
way the company has treated her, all the knowledge and training they have given her and the
excellent working environment, the least she can do is to tell her boss about the HR company's
proposal. But beyond the external factors, which are very important, there are the values and
principles with which Paula manages her life, among which is the unconditional willingness to
dialogue and express what she thinks in terms of a good family and work environment. This
characteristic of Paula reminds us of the value of consistency,
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Center for Applied
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which implies the concordance betweenhuman
whatcapital formation
is thought and what is said, and the advantages of
always expressing the truth, assuming the consequences of our words and thoughts, which are
key in the construction of human relationships.
3. Unraveling
In the final part of the process, Paula is informed by Mrs. Briones that the position is for
her if she so desires and that regardless of having been chosen in the recruitment process, due to
her conditions and work references in the Bank, it was always considered that it would be for her.
At this point in the process, Paula was informed of the name of the company she was applying to,
the scheduling requirements and the income assigned to the position, which far exceeded her
current salary. With this information Paula spoke once again with Mr. Valenzuela and expressed
her decision to continue with the Bank, thanking him for all the trust and facilities to participate in
this process, which allowed her to value her work much more and to recognize herself as a being
full of values and virtues, to whom life has given her everything.
Paula continued working at the financial institution alongside Mr. Valenzuela, who retired
three years later, but not before having opened enough space for Paula to continue studying and
achieve an important promotion at the Bank, with a better salary than she already had. It was the
reward for loyalty, sincerity and transparency, so difficult for many people in such a competitive
world.
4. Comment
There are three fundamental assets in the workplace that apply as criteria for choosing a
good company in which one can develop and grow as a person and as a professional. These are
material goods, operational goods and the common good. The first has to do basically with the
salary or remuneration received for the time, willingness and knowledge delivered to the company
and varies depending on the combination of these three factors; the second has to do with the
goods that allow the worker to train and continue to grow in knowledge, thus ensuring the validity
and currency in a competitive market. The third, and perhaps most important, has to do with the
common good, that is, with the sense that our work has when we are aware of the presence of
others, since we are motivated by the idea of doing things well with the assumption that others
are doing it well for us. It is the simplest equation in the division of labor, in the sense that I work
well for others because they work well for me. Paula somehow understood that, in the company
where she worked, the three goods that a worker expects from his company were combined and
that sacrificing everything for a better salary would be losing anyway. Those who are only able to
think about money will be losing a lot as human beings by not being able to recognize the other
goods of work that are fundamental to our professional and human development.
This is not to say that moving to a company offering higher compensation is disloyalty. In
a highly competitive market, this is a daily occurrence and can actually be a reward for a job well
done. However, it is important to point out that, although economic goods are the minimum basis
for the necessary gratification of work, they are not the most important good, since personal
development, which has to do with operative goods and the common good, without which work
ends up losing its true meaning.
5. Conclusion
From Paula's point of view, she values the capacity she has developed to go beyond an
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excellent remuneration, for example: She was able to value the pleasant work environment,
flexible working hours, professional projection, empathy with her boss and coworkers, as well as
the comfort of doing what she really wanted to do. In terms of classical ethics, Paula was a free
woman, not so much because she had many options, but rather because, being truly in charge of
herself, she did what she wanted and not what she had to do, as happens with slaves; that is,
those who sacrifice even their quality of life for money.
Another relevant point in this case was the position assumed by Mrs. Briones, who from
the beginning stated that the position was for Paula if she wanted it, without having to go through
the recruitment process, which indicates the irregularity with which they work in this other
company and the risk that exists when the rules of the game are not respected. Just as one
arrives easily, one can leave just as easily.
Another very important point of view to highlight, as mentioned above, was Paula's
preference in choosing her current job, since among her projects was to continue working with the
manager, in whom she found the trust we were talking about.
From the boss's point of view, it is interpreted that people with this human quality promote
and achieve loyalty in their employees, which leads companies to spend less on achieving an
environment of trust, a value that ends up being a saving for any company.
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Case 11 Abuse of Power
1. The facts
ASOJOVEN is an international institution dedicated to benefiting low-income youth with

scholarships for their studies. This association, after a rigorous sociological study, offers the
possibility of study to those who need it and covers the basic, middle and high school levels as
long as the student maintains excellent grade point averages. The resources are delivered directly
to the educational institutions, which, after meeting certain requirements, may apply to have
these beneficiaries in their classrooms, no more than 10 per institution, as a diversification policy.
However, due to the splendid coverage of the scholarship, the institutions manage to take
advantage of the resources for the provision of laboratories, library, sports fields and
infrastructure in general, which implies a strong competition among these institutions to have
these young people, in addition to the academic level that they must exhibit, since their academic
rigor manages to involve many other students who, without enjoying the scholarship, maintain a
healthy competition with the beneficiaries. ASOJOVEN, as an internal policy, resumes its Board of
Directors every two years and the people who belong to its board are foreigners, which in a way
guarantees objectivity and impartiality in awarding scholarships to young people and quotas to
institutions.
The board is composed of six people and the only permanent members of the association
are the administrative staff. Within this administrative group was Mrs. Lorena Acuña, Secretary of
this institution, who receives all the information regarding scholarships, institutions that apply for
benefits and, in general, everything related to the payment of resources allocated by international
organizations. Although Mrs. Lorena Acuña is the one who reports the allocation of such resources,
it is the board of directors that has the last word, however, on a couple of occasions, taking
advantage of the rotation of the board members, she allocated resources to institutions that did
not comply with all the legal procedures for such allocation and favored young relatives and
friends of relatives who ended up paying her for the favor received.However, on a couple of
occasions, taking advantage of the rotation of the members of the board of directors, she
allocated resources to institutions that did not comply with all the legal procedures for such
allocation and favored young relatives and friends of relatives who ended up paying her for the
favor received. The most serious of all is that she herself, with years of experience and dedication
to ASOJOVEN, ended up doing all the admission processes and reception of documentation,
charging good sums of money in the process. In 2007, an international commission different from
the board of directors assigned to Chile, came as observers of the processes being followed in the
country and were surprised to find Doña Lorena Acuña, owner of the whole process, and the board
of directors outside and signing documentation that even they did not understand. In a meeting
with the international observers, Mrs. Acuña gave a report and explained how the processes were
carried out in ASOJOVEN, arguing that in previous years, this had been the way of working, and
the reason had to do with the rotation of foreigners by the board of directors, which did not allow
them to fully understand Chilean legislation or the selection process.The reason had to do with the
rotation of foreigners by the board of directors, which did not allow them to fully understand
Chilean legislation or the selection process.
An unconditional support in Mrs. Lorena Acuña had resulted in the abuse of power. The
management and international monitors reacted immediately with the dismissal of this person,
adhering to labor laws and their enforcement. Lorena, upon being notified of her dismissal,
accused the board of directors of alleged abuse of power and poor treatment of personnel, which
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DuocUC to the different levels of the institution.
Vice Rector's
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2. Ethical issues involved. Abuse of power, corruption, prudence
We are clearly facing a case of abuse of power and corruption on the part of Mrs. Lorena
Acuña, who, taking advantage of her years of experience in the association, began to make
decisions over the board of directors, which in many cases, out of naivety, allowed her to make
the decisions. At first it was only a matter of speeding up the processes and being more efficient in
the allocation of resources, but then it realized that it could take advantage of the situation by
charging each young person and each institution a percentage or commission per scholarship
assigned. Obviously, Mrs. Acuña over the years had acquired a lot of power by generating
dependence on the board of directors and the institutions. Nothing moved if it was not with the
decision of Mrs. Lorena Acuña.
3. Unraveling
When this scholarship irregularity was uncovered, Ms. Lorena Acuña was questioned about
her lack of professional ethics. She was immediately fired, but not before the authorities had in
their possession all the evidence confirming the abuse of power, although it is precisely Doña
Lorena, in a letter to the board of directors of the headquarters who says that they have abused
her, her time and her ability as a worker of ASOJOVEN. The different missions of the organization
were informed and took the case of the mission in Chile in order to create a new regulation for
awarding scholarships and resources, in addition to clearly establishing the roles of the
administrative staff in each country.
4. Comment
Although the efficiency of a person in a position normally depends on the knowledge

he/she has of his/her functions, time and dedication do not necessarily mean righteousness. In
fact, one of the biggest problems in public and private institutions is the abuse of power by those
who feel they "own" the position or the company. It must be said that legitimate domination,
according to Max Weber, is based on respect for norms, institutions and the socially established
order, which in any case is and must be a rational domination, the basis for understanding politics
on the basis of collective interests and not particular interests. People who work in international
organizations such as ASOJOVEN, must perfectly understand their public work and their dedication
to others, because whoever fails to understand this, such as Mrs. Lorena Acuña, must abandon
their position, otherwise, they will enter into a state of corruption. This is what is ethically correct
in the exercise of the public function, to avoid falling into authoritarianism.
5. Conclusion
Professional ethics is not only reserved for the highest positions in organizations or for
those people who make transcendental decisions. On the contrary, ethics starts with the simplest
decisions and reflects in all cases the moral development of individuals. This means that the ethics
and morality of individuals does not depend on positions: it is, above all, a human disposition that
allows us to live well in society, imparting justice, respect, responsibility, solidarity and tolerance,
in a way that is independent of the condition in which we find ourselves. This is the universal
proposal of ethics, difficult to understand by its nature, which, in any case, proposes that we go
beyond our particular needs to embrace the needs of the collective.
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Case 12 Use and abuse of medical licenses
1. The facts
The maternity service at Clínica del Sur has approximately 75 auxiliary nurses, 35
midwives, 5 secretaries and 4 cooperation assistants, who report directly to the Nursing
Department. In recent years, the volume of medical leaves has increased considerably, the most
common diagnoses being "tendinitis", lumbago and depression, in addition to obstetric leaves.
The units are composed as follows:

Unit Nursing Assistant Clinical Midwife Chief Midwife Collaboration
(AE) (MT) Secretary (SS) Assistant (OO)
4º North 16 12 1 1
4º South 18 12 1 1
Pavilion 32 10 2 2 4
Both leaves of absence and vacations are covered by a replacement. Summer vacations
from December to April are also covered by replacements as well as winter vacations which are
granted to personnel who work in 4th shift (day, night, off, free) and who have completed 3 years
in the institution and an absence of less than 12 days in the year (from April to April).
During the first half of 2007, 17 leaves of absence were granted, not including leaves of
absence of less than 15 days, which also influence, although to a lesser extent, the daily shift
schedule. Among such licenses, we may note the following special cases:
Special Cases Nursing Assistants:
Unit AE Description
4º
South
3
• MP: replacement who underwent breast cancer surgery 1
year ago returns for a couple of shifts and goes back on leave
for depression
• JB: constant licenses, traumatological (every time she has

been involved in infractions to established rules). In recent
times it has been known that the leaves of absence for
depression were taken to care for his father (who was suffering
from terminal cancer).
• MA: conflictive person, so she does not communicate well

with her peers; after 15 years in the institution, she has been
on leave for long periods of time during the last 2 years, when
•
she feels overwhelmed by the demands of her work.
MM: presents leave of absence due to depression after the
death of his father.
Pavilio
nn
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- LS : presents a leave of absence for depression due to

personal problems for 1 month, then 1 month due to death of
mother
- VB : very special person in the service, constantly

questioning the work of her boss and criticizing the system,
^ Special cases Midwives:

Unit MT Description
4NºNorth 2
• CR: leave of absence as head midwife due to pregnancy,

in previous situation she returns once her baby is 6 months old, in
spite of a diagnosis of hip dysplasia.
• SA: third child since joining the institution. In the case of

her 2nd daughter with down syndrome, she returns once she
turns one year old, at that time she becomes pregnant with her
3rd child, presents a leave of absence at the 2nd month of
pregnancy and still does not return, at the end of her maternity
leave she evaluates her resignation from the institution (child 7
months old).
4th South 1
- VA : during the last 3 years continuous leaves of absence
due to hand problems (operated) for which she is not asked to
cover the ward unit as this demands more effort, in the few
opportunities that she is asked to cover a couple of hours in the
ward the following day she presents a leave of absence of 15
hours.
CC
days.
Pavilion 1
- : last 3 years depressive leave of approx. 3 months in
the same period.
Special case Secretary:

Unit SS
Pavilion 1
Description
-EJ : 18 years in the institution, chief secretary, first leave

for depression 7 years ago, when she was also 5 months
pregnant; she returned after a year and a half and was
transferred to another service unit. She has been on leave for 8
months (she claims that her depression is the result of pressure
from her boss), since her return she has had short periods of
leave, currently she has been on leave for a month and a half for
the same diagnosis (her boss of 2 years ago is no longer in the
service).
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2. Ethical Issues. Responsibility, prudence, Vocation
In the presentation of these licenses, in ethical terms, several things are of concern. The
first is that most of the leaves are obtained and discussed openly with their peers, which in turn
leads to a lack of motivation on the part of those who have never responsibly requested a medical
leave, but when they see that many of their colleagues openly talk about this type of practice,
without the consequences of dismissal or calls for attention, they also opt for this type of habit,
which is detrimental to the maternity service and to the image of the clinic.However, when they
see that many of their colleagues talk openly about this type of practice, without the
consequences of dismissal or reprimand, they also opt for this type of habit, which is detrimental
to the maternity service and to the image of the clinic. The other thing is that if licenses are
obtained without the person really needing them, it is because there are doctors who either lend
themselves to these practices or lack professional criteria to establish the need for the license, and
this does not exempt them from the moral responsibility that they should have as individuals,
since in both cases the situation is critical, since they call into question the quality and criteria of
doctors in general.
Also, on the one hand, an injustice is being done to those honest and responsible
employees because they have had to bear the irresponsibilities of their colleagues, since the
patients themselves perceive this situation and with their criticisms of the system increase the
tension between bosses and assistants.On the other hand, there is scathing criticism of all those
who request leave and really need it, because they are seen as false and irresponsible. The above
shows that the system is on the verge of collapse, as distrust is rife among all the employees, to
such an extent that many of the nurses who become ill avoid asking for leave so as not to have to
bear the criticism of the others.
3. - Unraveling:
The situation of the nursing assistants in the south unit is one of the most critical when
compared to the other units, which represents a difficult relationship among colleagues and with
the rest of the service, such as clinical midwives, head midwife and patients in general. The
relationship with their peers is affected due to the fact that the auxiliaries on leave openly state
that their leaves are often "obtained" through acquaintances, because by doing so repeatedly they
put pressure on the system to be dismissed, thus avoiding, if they are dismissed, losing the years
they have worked in the institution.
The rest of the service is affected in the sense that many of their colleagues have actually
been sick (lumbago) and have worked the same or taken a minimum leave of 7 days and not a
month, which comparatively shows a disproportion when comparing leave time.
On the other hand, the midwives on duty, who are their direct bosses, are beginning to be
overwhelmed since they know with concrete facts that many of these licenses are obtained but
they cannot question them since it would go against the medical resolution (what about medical
ethics?).), in addition many of these assistants are verbally aggressive as a mechanism to avoid
questioning; aggressiveness that in one way or another is absorbed by the patients, which has
increased the number of claims for poor service and lack of competent personnel.
The head matron, in a sincere attempt to improve the unit's service, has had a dialogue
with the assistants and with the chiefs, without achieving anything effective other than the
rejection of her managers, which increases the tension in the atmosphere.
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The situation is still going onhuman capital
at the formation
clinic, but in a dialogue between the Nursing
Department, Human Resources Management and the Workers Union, they have hired an external
company to evaluate the situation in order to take the necessary measures, which will probably
end up suggesting a series of layoffs, which implies a high staff turnover.The company will
probably end up suggesting a series of layoffs, which implies a high turnover of personnel. The
clinic is willing to assume the cost of such rotation.
4. Comments
It is a complicated issue because it depends not only on the principles of the profession,
whatever it may be, but also on the teaching of values and principles that people have from an
early age and the external pressures of our society, which has led many people to engage in work
that is not their vocation. Unfortunately, many nursing assistants are assistants because they had
no other choice; as many of them say: "because it's their turn". All people in health care require
an infinite vocation of service that allows them to take on even the pain and suffering of patients.
The situation at the southern clinic has caught the employees in a vicious circle that will
unfortunately have to be broken by the dismissal of those nurses who are inefficient for the
maternity service. When we enter the world of work, we encounter so many things that no school,
institute or university teaches us, but which must be learned and deeply reflected upon by each
individual, in order to link theory with practice.
In the health area, the lack of responsibility is even more complicated, because the
meaning of the work is in the care of another human being and in the well-being that can be
provided to them while they are sick.
5. Conclusion
Each professional committed to life, its quality and meaning, as a source of inspiration for
the dynamics of his or her own personal history, finds in the profession a life option whose
exercise will be understood as a particular contribution to the construction of the community, but
also as a particular form of fulfillment. The profession is a form of closeness to others. In the
human sense, we recognize the other in fraternity, assuming that we are interacting and co-
responsible elements within the same community.
Fidelity to nature cannot be affirmed if it is not based on fidelity to the other person;
moreover, man cannot access his self-understanding from the profession exercised but through
the full experience with the other (patient) and with the world. Without self-understanding, there
is no self-realization; this means that we cannot be ethically professional without first being
authentically human. If any professional is obliged to understand this principle, it is the health
professional, since human dignity is directly involved in his or her work.
Case 13 False illusions
1. The facts
Teresa is a 22 year old young woman who lives with her parents in a modest apartment in
Santiago Centro, where her 3 year old daughter also lives. He studied technical administration at
an institution near his home. After graduating from college, she applied for a job where other
women from different institutes and universities also applied, with a clear advantage over her
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Curriculum Vitae, which only showed her recently completed degree. As she herself suspected, in
the final phase, she was not accepted because her rivals came from more prestigious institutions
or with proven experience.
After several attempts to get a decent job, he decides to work in a nightclub because of an
ad he saw in a newspaper. With many doubts as to whether she was doing the right thing, but
with a strong need to work to bring money home and not be so dependent on her parents, she
shows up at the site, and is immediately hired because of her physical appearance. At first the
experience was shocking, because of the condition in which she herself had to attend to clients,
but when she received her first payment, she realized that in that place she could earn almost
triple or even more than what she would earn working in her specialty. As she could not tell her
parents that she would work as a nudist, for fear of disappointing them, she decides to lie and tells
them that she has started working in a telephone company where they work evening shifts.
Fortunately" for her, her parents immediately believed the version given by Teresa, thanks to the
confidence they had in her.
After some time, and already established in the place, she learned to make more extra
money by having sex with clients, the same as her companions did, from whom she learned a lot
of tricks to make money quickly, because her illusion was to work there for enough time to make
a significant saving and continue with other levels of training that would allow her to get a decent
job. long enough to make a significant savings and continue with other levels of training that
would allow her to get a decent job, because beyond the fact that her parents were calm with the
lie, she had a boyfriend for 3 years, with whom she had serious projections.
2. Ethical issues involved. Sincerity, strength, human dignity
One of the main ethical conflicts in Teresa's story is the deception to which she subjected
her boyfriend and her parents for so long, since they did not know about the double life she led
and that, logically, at the moment of knowing the truth would cause a terrible family pain and
couple drama, because the indiscriminate sexual practices will lead her -as we will see- to contract
the terrible AIDS virus.
Another ethically incorrect problem is the fact that Teresa has made the determination to
enter the sex trade, sell her body for money and waste the effort to obtain her higher education,
since possibly with a little more sacrifice she could have found a decent job and not given up so
easily. Lack of fortitude led her to make hasty decisions when the economic situation was not so
pressing, because in a limited way but with the love of her parents, they still supported her and
her daughter. Little by little she became the instrument through which many men satisfied their
sexual needs and, although she earned a lot of money, she lost the most valuable thing a human
being has: respect for his dignity.
3. Unraveling
The outcome of this story is quite sad, but not unexpected. During one of her sexual
encounters with one of her clients, Teresa is infected with the HIV virus, which she corroborates
with a routine examination three months after being infected. During that time, unaware of the
disease, he spreads it to his partner and quite possibly to many other clients. Once she learned of
her contagion, she was devastated, because what seemed to be the solution to her financial
problems, now meant the total ruin of her life. Through her mind flashed the image of her
boyfriend, her daughter, her parents and what awaited her with them once she had the courage to
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human
tell them. Over time, her boyfriend had capital
become formation
suspicious of her practices because of the physical
changes she was experiencing. The argument generated that day ended in blows from her
partner, and in order not to aggravate the situation further, she decided not to tell him about the
disease.
The following days were hell for Teresa. As he retires from the nightclub, he begins to think
about his future, as well as having that feeling of regret for having thrown his life away. One day
Teresa decided to find her ex-partner again to tell him about her illness and, with courage, she
finally told him what had happened, it was the least she could do for her shattered life. As
expected, the ex-boyfriend was totally stunned by the news, and just like the last time they had
seen each other, it all ended in a fierce argument. From that day on, they never saw each other
again.
Finally, after several months, he decides to disappear from the lives of his parents and
daughter, leaving them a letter in which he tells them the reason for his escape and the number of
a bank account where there was enough money for the girl's future. In the letter he also asks for
forgiveness for everything that happened and for having lied to them for so long.
Her parents never heard from her again until they received a call from the hospital where
she died after a long physical and moral agony.
4. Comments
When analyzing this true case, we realize that the story is quite dramatic since the needs
of a person, together with the frustration of having an education and not being able to find a job,
resulted in the loss of life. When it comes to building virtues and doing things well, human beings
have to make an effort and be very vigilant of their life process, because a single mistake can
throw away what we have worked so hard to achieve. Unfortunately, Teresa's frustration came in
her first attempts to get a job, without taking the time to appreciate all that she had achieved
despite her difficulties. To tell the truth, Teresa's situation was not untenable since she and her
daughter enjoyed the protection of her parents. Surely they would never have allowed Teresa to
do what she did for money, something that ended her life.
Teresa's lack of character was what allowed her to make such a mistake, because when a
person has solid principles, she does not let herself be defeated so easily at the first difficulty.
Ethics, in a first sense, has the task of showing us how to deliberate well in order to make good
choices. But ethics is not a recipe book that tells us what decision to make in a particular case, but
rather it invites us to forge a good character, to make good choices, and to turn the tensions that
arise between reality and ideality into an opportunity and not a frustration. Creative tension is
fundamental to personal mastery. The term tension does not mean anguish or stress, it is not any
particular sensation, but it is the situation in which we find ourselves when our own vision is at
odds with the current reality. When we embrace a vision that differs from the current reality, and
there is a gap (the creative tension), it can be bridged in two ways: Accommodate the vision to
the current reality because it costs too much to change the same reality, or open the door to
frustration and failure: this is the life of those who feel trapped by their circumstances, i.e. what
happened to Teresa.
5. Conclusion
From this story, we can conclude that sometimes we should try a little harder before
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making a wrong decision, as we may affect our loved ones. In addition, we must have more
perseverance when looking for a job and not give up in case we are rejected in any company;
because seen in a positive way, each rejection is a sign to make us stronger and believe that
failure is simply a setback, a test between the vision and the current reality. Failure is simply an
opportunity to learn. Failures are not a symptom of a lack of worth or an inability to perform; they
are first and foremost an opportunity to grow and become better. That is what mastering creative
tension is all about, leading to a fundamental change in our attitude towards reality. The current
reality ceases to be an enemy and becomes an ally. An accurate and penetrating vision of the
current reality is as important as a clear vision. Unfortunately, most of us have the habit of
imposing prejudices on our perception of the current reality and we learn to rely more on the
concrete things we have within our reach than on the adventure of a better future.
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Case 14 Dialogue companies
1. The facts
The company "Al pie" is dedicated to the design, manufacture and sale of footwear; it has 30
years of experience in the market and has always been in the hands of the same family. In recent
years, sales have decreased considerably and imported inputs are becoming more and more
expensive, in addition to the fact that Chinese footwear is about to bankrupt them, due to the low
prices of their shoes. The alternative analyzed by the manager is a massive dismissal; however,
due to the trust and appreciation he has for his loyal employees, he asked the administrator to
draw up a list of the people who, according to his criteria, should leave the company, but not
before talking to them and explaining the reasons for such a painful decision. The intention of the
dialogue with the employees is to leave them on three months' notice so that they can look for
another company to leave. On the list were names of employees with fewer years of experience or
whose responsibilities could be easily replaced, although he did not count on the fact that on that
list would appear the name Diana Peralta, an assistant accountant of the company with whom he
had at some point had affairs without the relationship becoming something serious.
As the days went by and after having analyzed each of the options and the names on the list, he
opted, together with his brothers, to make a significant capital injection into the company, always
with the intention of avoiding layoffs, although he made clear the need for many of them to look
for other alternatives. His nobility and respect for his employees, whom he considered his family,
led him to look for work in other companies for those who were on the list of those who had to
leave the company, including Diana Peralta. Fifteen out of 60 employees were able to move to
other companies and after the reduction of the payroll, the company still survives in the market,
despite the global competition in the footwear industry. Among the people who left the company is
Ms. Peralta.
2. Ethical issues involved. Respect for human dignity, justice, dialogue and prudence
The human condition of the family that owns the company is evident, especially the respect for
the workers who have shown loyalty to the company and have allowed, with the quality of their
work, to sustain the company in the market. Regardless of the emotional ties with some or with
others, the criteria of the manager who drew up the list was respected, and according to his
criteria, these were the people who should leave the company. In a situation like this, the
manager showed leadership in talking with the affected employees, without this implying a loss of
authority; on the contrary, the fairness with which he dealt with each case awakened the
employees' solidarity with the company. the employees' solidarity with the company, who
accepted the nomination with nothing more than the welfare of the company, in fact, they
themselves undertook the task of looking for work, with the excellent recommendation that "Al
pie" could give them as employees.
On the other hand, the owners were very far-sighted and began the changes without going to the
extreme as many companies tend to do. Three months' notice was sufficient for the employees
who had to leave to look for and find work. In this case, the prudence with which they handled the
situation achieved the necessary adjustments without major trauma. Resisting fears, diminishing
fears, overcoming the barriers and obstacles that are in our lives, are symptoms of the strength
with which the owners overcame the crisis, because despite the adversities they were willing to
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raise the company. human capital formation
3. Unraveling
Afterovercoming the crisis, the owners of "Al pie" improved the working conditions of the people
they helped in the difficulties and proposed to a couple of employees who were having a hard time
in their new jobs to return to the company. In the midst of all this, there was the feeling that with
this way of running the company they would never go bankrupt, because the solidarity awakened
in the employees led some of them to express their desire to work harder and longer without
being paid more than their salary. Today the company has 50 employees, maintains the quality of
its products and its new designs have opened up markets in other countries, consolidating the
brand in a very demanding and competitive market. As for Ms. Diana Peralta, even though they
suggested that she return to the company, she preferred to stay with the other company that had
welcomed her as an opportunity not to make the mistakes of the past when she mixed work with
pleasure.
Felipe, the company's manager and older brother of the family, continues to run "Al pie", with no
other ambition than to see his 50 employees in good conditions, always concerned about the
quality of life of each one of them. The expression "quality of life" is used both in scientific
literature and in everyday language, and although the scope of the concept varies from one
discipline to another or from one colloquial context to another, there is a common denominator in
all of them: the conditions and circumstances in which the existence of a person or a social group
in a given environment unfolds.
4. Comment
Those who care about the quality of life of people have an exceptional human condition, full of
virtues and concerned about the common good, a fundamental objective of any company, and
under these conditions it is easy to think that the working class will not feel afraid of the constant
threat of dismissal, since the reasons are clear and above all, it will be understood that the
intention of the company at no time is to harm the worker. This work environment can result in
greater productivity for the country and a better quality of life for workers, without implying a
greater economic effort, simply a human condition that allows us to recognize each other as
equals, without the hierarchies imposed by the market weighing so heavily on workers.
5. Conclusion
Beyond the virtues and respect that Felipe showed for his employees, the vision he had so
that the results obtained would benefit the majority of the employees is worth mentioning. Once
the company had stabilized, his concern continued to be the welfare of all of them. A weighting
judgment such as the one described above requires consideration of the total reality of what is
involved in the decision. The consideration of actions cannot be made apart from the situations in
which they occur. The action constitutes a concrete totality where all the elements - the object,
the circumstances and the end - concur as the elements to pronounce an ethical judgment.
Good for Felipe, his brothers and his company that with their actions full of moral
responsibility, are an example for other companies that face the same situation and the only thing
they think about is to cover their particular needs regardless of the human condition of their
employees.
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Case 15human capital formation
The support Juan needed
1. The facts of the case
Juan Perez is a young commercial engineer who graduated from a prestigious university in
Santiago a couple of years ago and after a lot of struggle with a series of adversities that life
presented him, such as his modest rural origin and a life full of effort with his mother, who was
widowed and maintained their home with hard work as a home advisor, he managed to get ahead
with his studies. life, such as his modest peasant origin and a life full of effort with his mother,
who was widowed and maintained their home with hard work as a household assistant, he
managed to get ahead with his studies and now his dream is to help his mother with the
household expenses.
His responsibility and commitment allowed him to develop his career without major
problems. Thanks to his school performance and with the support of a Christian entity, he
obtained an entrance scholarship, which, based on his academic performance, allowed him to
study on scholarship throughout his career, the only way to pay the tuition costs of his commercial
engineering degree each year. Juan was able to fully integrate himself into the extracurricular and
private activities at the university, which allowed him to meet many people and make good friends
during his studies. His economic status was not relevant since, like him, there were people from
different social realities and Juan's strength of inclusion was always his intelligence.
He earned his degree with honors for academic excellence. His thesis was developed in
Marketing, focusing on the positioning of export fruits in the Asian market. With this résumé and a
thesis that was attractive to exporting companies, he began his job search, which was not difficult,
as within a month of graduating he applied to one of the best fruit exporting companies based in
Santiago.
The offices of this company are located in the Golf sector, in a well-to-do residential
neighborhood, with large gardens, luxurious decoration and furniture, it was an economic reality
that Juan had rarely had the opportunity to see, it was a totally different world to the one he was
used to, even through his university life. In his job placement meetings he was very well received,
he was a person who was confident of his knowledge and had an affable, polite and prudent
manner at the time of expressing opinions.
After a week of meetings and introductions with his line management, Juan was introduced
to his colleagues on the floor of the Foreign Trade section of the company. As the days went by,
he discovered that his peers were very different from him. It was a homogeneous group with an
average age of 33, five men and four women, mostly commercial engineers like Juan.
Most of the people who worked in this company lived in the same commune, many of them
had their own vehicle, while Juan had to travel long distances daily by subway and minibus to get
to his job. But for him it was just one more difficulty in his personal development and his desire to
emerge, that did not discourage him, on the contrary, he was very satisfied with the job
opportunity he had found and he was aware of being able to achieve great achievements in it. As
time went by, he got to know his coworkers, with whom he related only at work, since they did
not integrate him into their groups. Although this did not bother Juan, as he never had a large
number of friends, he felt that this lack of integration was due to the difference in social realities
that he lived with respect to the rest.
Juan had a calm and respectful personality with his colleagues, and despite his efforts to
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be accepted, giving and showing interest in the extra-work relationship within this group, the gap
was not broken and he felt that every day that passed, it was bigger. This caused that in these
first months he had never gone out with any of his colleagues, not even to share a beer.
Four months later, the company's first extra-curricular activity took place, the Anniversary
Party. Juan, like the rest of his colleagues, had to attend, it was part of his job duties. He
prepared himself and invested part of his salary in acquiring the appropriate clothing for the
occasion. He was aware that this could be the perfect opportunity to relax the non-work
relationship with his colleagues.
At the party, unfortunately, things did not work out, apart from the greetings and protocol
introductions, his companions never made any attempt to integrate Juan into their groups, and he
ended up alone in a corner. It was at that moment that Juan thought that the relationship with his
colleagues would not improve. In spite of this, he did not grieve, and tried to integrate with his
coworkers, who treated him gently, but only to keep up appearances. It was evident that they had
no intention of making him a participant, since once he withdrew, the comments behind his back
began in a mocking manner.
2. Ethical issues involved. Tolerance, equality, respect and solidarity
The issue of social differences is one of those that most requires tolerance and respect for
difference, especially because we are in a world where we all struggle for social mobility that
allows us to improve or maintain decent living conditions. The strength that Juan had allowed him
to overcome the environment presented at the party, because when he noticed the existing
discrimination, he simply assumed himself as a being in different conditions and since they had
not been able to understand him, he would understand them. It sounds strange, but Juan
sympathized with his peers' skewed view of life and did not blame them for not knowing the world
he came from. Equality, so proclaimed since the French Revolution, is a value that, rather than
being part of a programmatic declaration, is rooted in the equal dignity of all men. This value calls
for the preservation of political rights and the protection of so-called "second-order human rights",
i.e. economic, social, cultural and educational rights, among others. Clearly, apart from the fact
that Juan's companions did not know his world, they had not approached this discourse of equality
and the protection of second-order rights; rights that should not only be promoted by
governments but by each of the human beings that inhabit this society.
3. Unraveling
The calm that Juan maintains in the face of constant mockery from his classmates, who
discriminate against him because of his humble origin, shows that he knows how to handle his
discomfort in the face of hostile treatment and does not fall into the game of disqualifications or
aggressive responses, which in the end will make his classmates look ignorant, because Juan's
intelligence is not limited to technical knowledge, but transcends all aspects of life. As Juan tries to
be incorporated into his new environment, his coworkers are unwise to discriminate against him in
a group setting. Although Juan tried to join and participate in the group, they did nothing to try to
integrate him; on the contrary, they always tried to keep him out of the group.
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They were treated in a derogatory manner and without the spirit of coexistence. Juan focused on
his work, trying to avoid this situation, and at the same time began to pass his résumé to other
entities, since the company that initially welcomed him served as a platform for the labor and
social mobility he needed, and surely, when he arrived at another company, with a background
that hid his origin a little, the environment would be different, as indeed it was.
After a year of working for the company, he was hired again by another export company,
but not in the fruit industry, so he never heard from his former coworkers again.
4. Comment
Due to the complexity of the relationships between people, it is not always necessary to
force the conditions of coexistence and in this sense, each person finds the environment in which
he/she can develop as a person and as a professional. The loss has to be assumed by the
companies and managers who do not realize the hostile environment among employees and the
cost of losing such valuable people as Juan is very high, because he not only had knowledge of
what he was doing, but also a fundamental human condition at the time of projecting the growth
of an exporting company, since it is known that they will export fruits, but they will need people
who will be able to approach foreign and financial entities.It is known that they will export fruits,
but they will need people who can approach foreign and financial entities; that is, someone with a
global vision of the world and the needs of the consumer.
The fact that the company seeks the profitability of its business does not have to go
against good human relations; on the contrary, it should promote them as a principle from which
they are more productive. However, good treatment within the organization is much more than an
efficient strategy; it is something required by the very nature of the person, which is essentially
social. Therefore, it is not surprising that a company that takes this into consideration also has
high levels of productivity; hence, humiliating practices and inconsideration are out of place.
5. Conclusion
Juan's prudence is reflected in his change of company without mentioning any reasons
other than those of a person who wishes to continue learning about exports, without ever
mentioning the hostile work environment he had to live in, as this was not the case. The one who
had to be supportive was Juan, as well as tolerant and respectful of the strange positions he found
in those who have never considered the universally proclaimed principles of equality and freedom.
Not always the endings in these cases are happy, it takes very intelligent people not to
sink into meaningless arguments and to finally give each one the position they deserve.
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Case 16 Rivalry in the workplace
1. The facts
Laura is a woman who has been working as a bilingual secretary for a prestigious company
for approximately three years. She feels comfortable at work because she is surrounded by a
pleasant work environment, with excellent interpersonal relationships with her colleagues.
However, she is not satisfied with the salary she receives, as it is not enough to cover her basic
needs and the demands of her three children. One day she was offered the opportunity to change
jobs, a proposal that from the beginning excited her, since the offer consisted of a salary increase
and permanent training to broaden her knowledge. After much thought, he opted for this new
possibility, certain that it would positively change his life and that of his family.
Today, although she has acquired knowledge and has become an integral professional with
a salary that allows her to live comfortably, she is surrounded by a work environment that day
after day becomes more unbearable, with frequent threats of dismissal, insults and shouting to
pressure her to perform better in her work. In addition to this, the relationship with female
coworkers is quite hostile. This situation has caused her to live in torment and insecurity; she is
afraid to discuss the situation with her bosses, as the threats from her coworkers threaten her
family.
Her colleagues tell her on a daily basis that this situation can end as long as she hands in
her letter of resignation. She does not know what to do, whether to resign or not, since she needs
the money to support her children.
2. Ethical Issues Involved. Strength, Negative Values and Envy
Envy is a negative value that evidences the weakness of human beings and their inability
to excel with their own values. It is the denial of self-reflection and self-improvement because it is
more focused on the other, not to value him but to criticize all his decisions and actions. Laura's
coworkers do not accept her achievements and recognition, because they fear that this new
worker will take away the place they have worked so hard to occupy. In the midst of this work
environment, the indignation of those who believe that an injustice has been done to them and
the resentment, especially Laura's, for the injustice done to her work and her achievements are
mixed together. As can be seen, this is a very low level in the moral development of people, who
do not even reach a rational level to analyze the situation and are motivated by their passions.
Laura feels guilty for having accepted the new job, with the sole argument of improving
her financial situation. She feels unhappy, discouraged and above all she fears for the danger to
her children, thinking that if she had stayed in her old job none of this would be happening. On
the other hand, although the aggressors want her to resign and stop feeling that this person is
competition, they also feel guilt for the physical and psychological abuse they deliver to her on a
daily basis.
3. Unraveling
To put a definitive end to this situation, Laura decided to tell her bosses about the pressure
exerted by her coworkers, but not before gathering sufficient evidence to substantiate her
complaint. In delivering the evidence to his bosses he had the unconditional support, not only of
them as representatives of the company, but also of the competent justice system, since the case
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transcended the field of justice, since death threats to his children as pressure to resign, is a crime
that can be punished, beyond the punishment and social rejection to which they are subjected for
such delicate threats. Once he overcame his fears, he sought the protection of justice and went on
with his work. She never heard from her coworkers again, although one of them said before
leaving the company that the threats were just a joke and that they would never have made an
attempt against her or her family, a comment that gave Laura peace of mind to continue with the
company.
4. Comment
This dilemma of mistreatment and envy that occurs in companies is often hidden, both
within the organization and in families. This is because many female employees are afraid of
losing their jobs or simply do not want to involve their families in a problem that only concerns
them. There is no doubt that within the workplace interpersonal relationships are extremely
important, if this is positive we feel satisfied, comfortable, with joy to attend daily to our
workplace. Moreover, positive interpersonal relationships can generate greater productivity, since
we feel motivation and enthusiasm when performing the corresponding functions. In this way, if
there is respect, freedom of expression, tolerance, dignity, empathy, solidarity, prudence, etc.
within the company, we can, as a society, achieve a good level of personal development and thus
contribute little by little to social development. On the contrary, if within the companies there is
only a climate full of envy, unfair competition, abuse towards people, as Laura experienced, it
brings disastrous consequences for the victim, who suffers both psychologically and physically,
ending mostly with the abandonment of the job, because of the unbearable situation.
5. Conclusion
Finally, it is necessary to mention that although these pressures are often hidden in the
work environment, they are part of everyday life, since many people in the workplace are affected
daily by discrimination, intolerance, envy and professional hatreds that are destroying
environments conducive to professional development and people in general. In the face of this, it
is important to break the silence, since these behaviors will never be eliminated if those affected
do not raise their voices. These must be respected, leaving behind the fears of the multiple threats
received. In fact, if these people do not know how to respect, we have the mission to teach them
that respect is essential in human relationships. In this way we can be completely free, without
fears and insecurity that undermine our human existence.
Case 17 A wrong decision
1. The facts
Luisa Martinez, graduated in 1994, with a degree in Aquaculture Engineering from a

prestigious University of Valparaiso, has worked in the company "Cultivos del Sur", as head of the
center for 8 years. She joined this company doing her professional internship in a center with the
lowest production of salmon and thanks to her contribution, performance and trust shown to her
superiors, she was hired for an indefinite period of time and taken to work in another center with
higher production, where she could develop, due to her good management. Cultivos del Sur
exports 70% of its salmon production to Asian countries, which is processed in a plant belonging
to the same company for subsequent distribution. In addition, the company has 30 seawater
centers and 10 freshwater centers between the Tenth and Twelfth Regions.
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Among the guarantees granted by the company is the free housing benefit. This allows her
to live peacefully with her husband and two children. Luisa's fortune is that her husband earns a
good salary, which allows her to work for vocation without her interest being the money she
earns. In conclusion, Luisa is a successful woman, with a career that will allow her to grow rapidly
as a professional, in addition to her great dedication that leads her to cover work days that begin
at 7:00 a.m., with a general inspection of the center and delivery of the tasks to be performed
during the day to the operators. Within her responsibilities, Luisa performs harvesting of the cage
rafts, depending on customer demand. This also implies keeping a record of the harvested
production in the company's database and detailing it in the dispatch invoices for each harvest. On
a weekly basis, Luisa must submit a detailed report of all activities, abiotic parameter control,
disease control, feeding and harvesting to the head of the production department, Mr. Eduardo
Valenzuela.
One day, Luisa went to deliver the report to Mr. Valenzuela, who, after analyzing the crops
harvested during the last period, offered her a considerable increase in her income, independent
of what the company had granted her. The idea was to send part of the produce harvested at the
center where she worked to an associate of her boss, who would process the product with a view
to sending it to markets other than those regularly served by the company. Profits would be
distributed between the two partners with an important participation to Luisa. In the first instance,
Luisa's reaction was to flatly refuse this proposal, since it went against all her personal and
professional principles. At the same time, Eduardo slyly warned him that if he did not do what he
asked, he would be forced to terminate his contract. In addition, he told her that if she told on him
to his superiors, he would not have the credibility with them, since he is a higher position and has
more experience and has the confidence of the company's directors.
The feeling of anguish that invaded Luisa in the face of this ethical dilemma, which took
her by surprise, did not produce an immediate answer, so she asked for three days to decide
which was the best option. Over the course of those three days, she thought that if anything went
wrong, she would be the one who would be hurt the most, since her boss would have the
authority and credibility before the managers to prove that he was innocent and that he was not
aware of what had happened, since he was in agreement with his partner, in any eventuality.
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human
Luisa preferred to remain silent capital formation
and discreet with her husband and family, for fear that he
might complicate the situation even more by trying to intervene in the company. Once this
deadline was met, Eduardo turned to Luisa in search of an answer, which would finally be the one
he was waiting for, since she agreed to his requests and thus carried out the hidden transaction of
five tons of salmon per month. In order not to arouse suspicion, she decided not to involve more
people working at the center, so she had to hire another driver from one of Cultivos del Sur's
trucks to transport the cargo to the other destination.
The job she had to do was to record less production than she actually did. At the time of
harvesting, Luisa recorded the number of fish in the normal way, but the load that was dispatched
for this other purpose did so in parallel. Once the fish were on the trucks, the shipment was
finalized and the illegal truck went to another processing plant, agreed upon by these two
partners. Six months later, the monthly meeting of the company's board of directors asked Luisa
for a report that included Eduardo's strange behavior, since she was the closest to him. The
suspicion arises with unsubstantiated monies in his name and gaps in relation to production, which
could have some connection with these accounts. Despite the pressure Luisa felt, she did not have
the courage to tell the truth, because somehow she was already involved. Once the meeting with
the owners of the company was over, she decided to talk to Eduardo to alert him to the suspicions
raised by his sudden enrichment and finally convinced him not to make parallel dispatches again,
for the good of the company and for their own good.
2. Ethical issues involved. Mix of virtues and vices
In the story presented, there is a mixture of both virtues and vices on the part of the
protagonists, especially Luisa, who at first refused Eduardo's initiative, but then showed weakness
in accepting. Although it is noteworthy that the company finally decided not to continue making
the shipments, it is nevertheless noteworthy that this last decision was not taken because of the
values that were being set aside, but because they could be discovered by the board of directors.
However, the reconstruction of the road does not exempt them from moral responsibility before
the company and before their own conscience. Clearly we have the abuse of power by Eduardo
Valenzuela, who takes full advantage of the benefit of his job, to offer Luisa the business in an
almost obligatory way, which was clearly a theft, despite what she thought and her personal and
professional values. Intimidation is evident, as Eduardo used threats to achieve his goals,
regardless of her well-being.
Although Luisa could have left the company in order not to play along with her boss, she
did not do so for her professional development, which also gives her a degree of responsibility for
the events, despite her boss's pressures. The honesty and responsibility to respond to the trust
placed in her work is something that Luisa clearly failed to do by hiding that robbery, of which she
was a fundamental part, as well as hiding what was happening to her husband, since she never
told him what was happening in the Company and the anguish that all that pressure had caused
her. Most importantly, he failed to fulfill an obligation, not only to the company but also to an
internal obligation, a moral duty.
Finally, at least Eduardo's loyalty can be mentioned, because in spite of being discovered in
an illicit act with the Company, he did not unmask Luisa, considering that she obeyed his mandate
in that business.
3. Unraveling
Two and a half years have passed since the incident, and Luisa is still working as head of
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the center. However, for her, this situation in which she was involved put her values and ethical
principles, both personal and professional, to the test. In the present, she has to carry a feeling of
guilt for not having been able to face the problem in the right way, because she knows that she
lacked the strength to try to persuade Eduardo not to make any parallel shipment. Luisa feels that
she failed herself and the company, which clearly could have been avoided if she had not acceded
to the pressures of her direct boss and if she herself had not betrayed her principles, this has
meant that even though two years have passed since what happened, Luisa does not forget the
crime she committed, and she remembers it every time she looks at the faces of her bosses,
because not even the money received for those illicit loads of salmon could free her from all the
weight she felt and still feels.She remembers it every time she looks at the faces of her bosses,
because not even the money received for those illicit loads of salmon could free her from all the
weight she felt and still feels, because the truth of that fact was never known, but the worst
punishment is inside her.
4. Comment
What would society be if human beings did not feel guilt? Guilt is one of the strongest
moral feelings and acts as a great regulator of our actions. Without this feeling, we would literally
be "scoundrels". In a situation of this type, one can try to eliminate the guilt by means of all kinds
of explanations to justify oneself, but this does not get to the bottom of the problem: what must
be eliminated is that which causes the guilt, repairing the wrong committed. An "apparent
justification" for her actions is pressure from the boss, but she has none, since she knew from the
beginning what she had to do and did not do it for fear of losing her job.
5. Conclusion
The characteristic of a virtuous person is that he is the master of himself and, therefore,
he is freer, since he does not let his actions be determined by external circumstances, but, in a
way, he is above them, so that he can decide for himself. In this sense, the attitude of the
virtuous person is opposed to that demonstrated by the characters in this story, who only knew
how to make the right decision because of the fear of being discovered, that is, the decision is
finally taken in a bad way. In a way, the situation is similar to that faced by a student when taking
a test: if that student avoids copying the classmate next to him just because there is a teacher or
assistant who might discover him, logically he would do well not to copy, but he is still far from
displaying the virtue of honesty, since surely if he is presented with the opportunity to copy
without being discovered, he will do it anyway.
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Case 18capital
A sad formation
return
1. The facts
After two years of arduous university studies in the capital, Julian had no choice but to
return to his hometown, and leave behind what meant to him the dream of his life: to one day
become a great architect. Disillusioned by all the problems he had and by those that lay ahead, he
still could not understand why all the bad things, all the problems, debts and family problems,
were robbing him of the chance of a lifetime. He felt like a failure and had no reason to keep
fighting.
When he returned to Chillán, to his home, he found the strength to try again, in a more
modest university, but aiming for the same career and, convinced of his abilities, he tried it
without a positive result and his other option was to choose, a year later, another career, totally
different from the previous one. But what started out as a simple hobby, born from a year of
doing nothing, came to occupy his mind and his desire to continue. He began to study Computer
and Informatics Technician at the Universidad Informática, but this time the dream was also cut
short, since he only lasted another two years in the career. Money problems prevented him from
continuing his studies, he sent letters to the rector, but the university did not give him a chance to
continue.
Julian believed that nothing made sense: watching his sad story repeat itself over and over
again and, at the same time, watching other young people realize their dreams.
One day, unsuspectingly, he received an invitation that he could not refuse, as it came
from his own father, whom he had not seen for a long time and whom he considered the best
architect. They worked together for a year, long enough to raise a good sum of money that gave
him new hope in life and in his career as an architect, which had been abandoned due to the bad
economic situation.
Unfortunately, because of debts that were not settled at his former university in Santiago, he
could not get access to the necessary papers for a validation, which meant starting his career
from the beginning, but he, as a persevering person, did not care and went ahead. His reward for
perseverance was meeting a great friend who will help him overcome many difficulties. He divided
his time between the University and any job that allowed him to earn some money, since he also
had to help his family. One of the jobs he took to work in his free time was driving a vehicle for a
butcher's shop that was opening branches in other cities, so Julian basically had to travel all
weekend. Exhaustion began to take its toll on him, as he not only had to drive a truck in poor
condition, but also load and unload meat, without any implements to support that weight, let
alone a helper. Julian inadvertently makes a big mistake that puts him in serious trouble. One
day, his boss decides to offer him a motorcycle to be deducted from his paycheck. This offer was
made so that Julian could more easily commute from the University to work and vice versa. Julian
accepted the offer without knowing the condition of the motorcycle and its origin, what mattered
was to move easily. To Julian's great regret, his dream of studying would be frustrated again, and
all because his money was no longer enough for his studies, the payment of the motorcycle and
the house, and he had to suspend for the third time his career of Architecture. One day he met
with his boss in the office to talk about the economic issue, since Julian had left the University and
started working full time without any salary increase or social security. The boss's response was to
refuse to pay him more for the time worked, without Julian being able to resign because of the
debt he owed on the motorcycle, which absolutely conditioned him because of the type of
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document he signed with the boss.
2. Ethical Issues Involved. Fortitude, temperance, justice
The virtue of fortitude goes hand in hand with prudence, by which we can estimate what ends
are possible and worth pursuing. However, the virtues are articulated in such a way that it is
impossible to think of true strength without prudence, nor vice versa. Without fortitude, we would
not be able to achieve the goals we prudently set for ourselves, and without prudence we would
not know on which objectives to apply our willpower.
The acts of fortitude are mainly two: resisting and attacking. Acts presented in Julian. First,
because it resists adversity and does not allow itself to be defeated by problems. If Julian learned
anything from life, it was the ability to face difficulties in order to achieve his goal. Perseverance
makes it easier for us to face not the difficulty, but the delay in achieving the goal. Thus, fortitude
with constancy stands the test of time and overcomes fatigue. The second thing is that Julian
attacks the problems he faces with proactivity. The one who knows how to attack is the one who
has the necessary attitude to face problems with the spirit of solution and does not wait for the
problems to be solved by themselves, although being patient he waits for the right moment for
the action to be effective in the solution of problems. Linked to the attitude of attack is
perseverance, which is persistence in pro-activity despite discomfort. Perseverance, as well as
patience, is the virtue of the intelligent person, who realizes that reality almost never conforms to
his desires.
The case of injustice is presented with Julian's boss who took advantage of the situation to
exploit him and make him work more for less, in addition to deceiving him with the business of
the undocumented motorcycle, which in the end ended up being confiscated by the police.
3. Unraveling
Julian's boss looked for an excuse to threaten his employee and try in one way or another to get
him to leave the job without having to terminate him, but Julian confessed to him that this was
not the idea, but that he felt he was asking for what was fair, what was due for so much overtime.
He had no choice but to look for a way to stay in the company, but as expected, problems
and depressions began and our protagonist started to go to the doctor, who opted to give him a
medical license and medication. Until the third medical leave, once expired, he receives a letter at
home notifying him of his dismissal for not showing up for work.
No longer able to contain this injustice, Julian went to the Labor Inspectorate of his city,
and with the few papers he had in his possession, he began to denounce the unpaid wages,
unpaid hours, and the deception for the motorcycle, which is currently seized.
After the layoff, Julian found a new job, in a slightly quieter environment, which, oddly
enough, serves as a way for him to try to return to his second career in IT.
4. Comment
Undoubtedly, the story presented here is quite sad and tragic at a certain point, but at the
same time we must keep in mind that many of the people who walk next to us on the street, live
similar stories. In any case, it is inevitable that we will encounter problems in life; indeed, we
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could say that they are part of it. Thehuman capital
dilemma formation
is precisely how to deal with them. One possibility
is to maintain a reactive attitude, typical of those who simply wait for problems to solve
themselves so that they can then develop personally or professionally. These types of people tend
to spend their lives waiting and "blaming the cobblestone". The proactive attitude, on the other
hand, is typical of those who face problems, looking for solutions, with strength and perseverance:
they do not get entangled thinking about "why me" or about the luck of others. This type of
pondering is ultimately a waste of time and distracts us from our objectives: if we do not start by
changing ourselves, it is impossible for the environment to change itself.
5. Conclusion
It is more than clear that the permanent cultivation of the cardinal virtues yields its fruits,
since we have an example like Julian, who never gave up or stepped back.
It teaches us that we must be persevering and strong to achieve what we long for, to
make our dreams become more than dreams, so that they become reality, like Julián, who wanted
to put an end to the injustice of his boss, to take the reins of what happened and make his
problem public, to continue looking for a profession that would give him economic stability and
avoid the labor injustices that occur especially with those who are not professionals. How many
are there who do not report abuses or are simply not aware of them? When one denounces an
injustice, one seeks a correction towards humanity, because the denunciation has repercussions in
other situations that generate a change of conscience in each one of us; by being fair and
demanding justice, we can aspire to have fair bosses, fair coworkers and fair societies.
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Case 19 Teaching to steal
1. The facts
Pedrito was a boy who studied at Liceo 40 in Puente Alto. His life has always been full of
difficulties since his father suffered from a very complicated cancer and his mother with frequent
depressions has tried to leave them on several occasions. Because of everything that surrounds
him, the boy has been rebellious and his disorderly behavior led him to earn the reputation of a
terrible child, a stigma that accompanied him throughout elementary school and now in middle
school. However, as a child, the fact that he was terrible was not so bad, because his antics were
impregnated with some naivety, but his behavior went from gray to black, until he became the
leader of a gang where his peers respected and admired him for his recklessness. No one dared to
contradict him and simply did what he said. One day it occurred to him to steal inside the school,
not out of necessity but just to prove to himself that he had no limits to his misdeeds. For
example, he would wait for the children from the other classes to go out for physical education so
he could enter the room and steal their cell phones or empty their lunch boxes. His thefts became
so frequent that the school authorities had to take strict measures within the school, investigating
until the thief was found. In this way he was caught red-handed.
When he found himself in this situation, he felt neither cornered nor threatened with being
kicked out of school, since he knew that his mother would help him in some way, because his
mother's complacency towards his misdeeds made her protect him unconditionally.
On the day of the teachers' meeting to deliberate on the future of the students at the
school, the teachers had decided that the way to teach him to respect the canons of society would
be to take him out of school, and for that all the teachers had agreed. The minute the inspector
general raised his situation, the teachers spoke of a cancellation of enrollment, alluding to the fact
that the student was a danger to others and that he acted in this way because he knew that his
parents would not put limits on him and that in one way or another they should take charge of
this matter so that they could apply an exemplary sanction and give him proof that he was not a
danger to others.They said that the student was a danger to others and that he was acting in this
way because he knew that his parents would not put limits on him and that one way or another
they should take charge of the matter so that they could apply an exemplary sanction and give
him proof that he was not doing the right thing.
In the middle of the discussion something very surprising happened: the general inspector
and his head teacher defended him at all costs, arguing that the boy had problems at home and
that was why he was behaving that way, to call attention to himself, and that an expulsion from
school would not be the way to teach him a good lesson, but a way to turn him into a delinquent,
since by cancelling his enrollment he would not be able to find another school.In the face of this,
an expulsion from school would not be the way to teach him a good lesson, but the way to turn
him into a delinquent, since by cancelling his enrollment he would not be able to find another
school. The proposal was to give him a new opportunity and keep him under close control to avoid
his excesses. The case definitely divided the school's professors between those who defended him
and those who simply wanted him off campus.
In the end, at the time of voting again on this child's case, the teachers came to the
determination that the student should continue in school, with a strong warning on his academic
record.
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human capitalresponsibility,
2. Ethical issues involved. Moral sentiments, formation ethical judgment
The previous case shows how the parents' lack of criteria could lead a child to not assume
responsibilities, since it is at this stage where the child and the student begin to mature and
become aware of ethical issues, to establish their morals and values for their future as an adult.
The learning of ethics at a child's age finds its main source in the example, which he did not have
in his family. The boy, without any remorse in his actions, continued to be the leader among his
friends and already knew how to deal with his teachers to get out of complicated situations
victoriously, which shows that he was very conscious of the wrongness of his actions, and that the
parents, as well as the teachers, were losing more and more control over his education.he was
well aware of the wrongness of his actions, and that the parents, as well as the teachers, were
losing more and more control over his education.
3. Unraveling
After several meetings, an agreement was reached in which Pedrito's enrollment would be
renewed while maintaining his conditionality for the next year, but in exchange, he would have to
improve his conduct and grades in order not to be expelled from the school. Pedrito did not
understand the situation he was in because he was simply not interested in it. After talking to him,
he agreed to improve, but with some misgivings in front of everyone around him.
At first he continued to make mistakes that constantly called him into question and a new
agreement was reached between parents, student and teachers whereby the student was to see a
psychologist to understand and try to improve not only his academic performance, but his entire
socialization process, which had deteriorated due to the vices of stealing, manipulating information
and ordering other classmates to do what he told them to do.The student's academic
performance, but also his entire socialization process, which had deteriorated due to his vices of
stealing, manipulating information and ordering other classmates to do what he told them to do.
The Social Worker hired to see Pedro's case had enough criteria to order him and guide him in the
right direction. After some time, Pedro improved in all aspects, changed his attitude towards life,
supported his father in his illness and matured his way of thinking and acting. In this way, they
were able to strengthen their family and recover the union that they had lost with the illness of
their father and Pedro's behavior. As a youth, he continues to be a leader, but in good deeds,
those that transcend the walls of his home and benefit the entire neighborhood.
4. Comment
The family, as a stable entity (father-mother-children relationship), is indispensable for the

development of the human community. It is the fundamental social cell and is, for moral
education, above the State or any other association. However, as a social entity, marriage must
be regulated by the State, especially to safeguard the rights of disadvantaged families. The State
may, for social reasons, regulate civilly recognized marriages in terms of age, rights, etc...
However, each person is free to choose his or her own partner regardless of race, social class,
ideology, etc. and to educate his or her children according to his or her own criteria as long as it
does not clash with the established social laws. Of course, each couple can have as many children
as they can responsibly educate and maintain within their specific personal, economic and social
situations, keeping in mind that the responsibility for the children lasts a lifetime and, in this
sense, the education of children should be guided primarily by the family, the cell directly
responsible for the formation of society.
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For its part, the school also human
has a capital formation
responsibility in the permanent education of moral
values and is justified by the need for individuals to commit to certain ethical principles that help
us to evaluate our own actions and those of others. Thus, there are three fronts to consider. The
values of the individual, the values of society and the way in which these model the internal
values of an educational institution, giving it a style, its own culture and an identity with which
each of the agents feels fully identified.
5. Conclusion
Finally, the task of some teachers was carried out, to teach him not only subjects, but also
a behavior in society with moral and ethical values, guided by a Social Worker who understood
that Pedrito, with his actions, called attention to the lack of affection and love, without anyone
discovering the value that the child had inside. Definitely the development of people's morality
takes place in society and for society and the effort that educational institutions must make with
students is to make them understand this fundamental principle of coexistence; not understanding
it can lead us to make irreparable mistakes in the formation of children, young people and adults.
Teachers must have the ability to understand that in life things happen that are
inconvenient but that can eventually be transformed into positive values that contribute to
society; this is the real challenge of education.
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Case 20 capital
Laborformation
Inclusion
1. The facts
Roberto pleasantly remembers his time at the university and everything he learned in his
relationship with his professors and classmates, however, the difficulties he faces today have to do
with his air of superiority acquired with his professional degree, from which he believed he was the
best of all. In his first job, he was well paid despite being new to the industry, which gave him
confidence in the working relationship and for the future. It was clear to him that it was not going
to be easy to work, but it turned out to be more comfortable than he thought, and he realized that
it was an advantage not to have to support a family as some older colleagues had to do.
After working in different places, Roberto meets his future wife. Undoubtedly, this would
change his life expectations, as it made him more aware of what was at stake and his ambitions
grew. Roberto married at the age of 26 to a 23 year old professional woman; both promised to
help each other with the desire to have a beautiful family.
Two years went by and everything seemed to be going normally at work, but pride led him
to pressure his boss to promote him, arguing that he was the best employee and that his
knowledge was underutilized. Although his boss somehow found Roberto right, the company had
economic difficulties and in winter, things became difficult, as customers no longer requested the
company as in spring or summer, a time of the year when the company even hired more people.
The year Roberto got married, the winter was much more intense, leaving the company with a
deep deficit and the solution that could be seen coming was to cut personnel. Roberto, always
sure of his knowledge and good relations with his boss, assured that he would never leave the
company, also because he was one of the few professionals there. However, against all odds,
Roberto was notified that his contract would be terminated in fifteen days, news that he could not
believe. When he was able to talk to his boss, he told him that his knowledge was good for the
company, but not exclusive, and that there were others in the company who could do what
Roberto was doing without believing that they should earn more money for it. Roberto, in a
haughty action, left the boss's office saying that with his knowledge and experience he would
quickly get a job, and that deep down he didn't need anything from them.
Despite this drastic and harsh news, his enthusiasm was still intact and he was confident
that he would find a job that suited him. However, months and months went by and the situation
did not change and he became involved in a personal and professional crisis. He took refuge in his
wife, who worked in a more modest but stable work environment. His wife told him that she was
three months pregnant, news that made him very happy and at the same time put extra pressure
on him to find a new job. Several things worked out, he submitted several interviews, but nothing
suited his broad job expectations. After 8 months and with the birth of their first child, they had to
move to their in-laws' house. This moment of job instability led him to think about the possibility
of working in the first job that came along.
These hard conditions that Roberto had to go through were accompanied by discouraging
thoughts; questions tormented him and he came to think that he was not really fit to work, that it
was not only bad luck but that there was something in him that made him incompetent when it
came to work.
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2. Ethical issues involved. Prudence, Humility
Although Roberto felt very confident of his knowledge, pride led him to act recklessly, not
only because of the conversation he had with his boss when he left the company after the
dismissal, but also because of the interviews he held afterwards, in which he showed himself with
airs of superiority that ended up hurting him. It should be remembered that college is a very
important step in professional development, if you will, the first of many that must be taken,
which means that once this academic stage of life is over, what remains is to continue learning,
not only in the classroom, but also in the workplace. Prudence should allow us to understand that
in life and knowledge there are people below us, but also many above us and our position in any
case will be to continue learning from those who have a greater path than ours. If Roberto had
been humble with his knowledge and prudent with his comments, perhaps he would have kept his
job or would not have been laid off for so long.
3. Unraveling
Not being able to work and becoming part of the group of unemployed from one moment
to the next, made him wake up from his absurd position in front of the labor reality and he says
that it served him to value even more any job opportunity, to the extent of considering it a
privilege of the few, in the sense that the occupation represents a recognition in itself of the
knowledge that the person has, parallel to the responsibility of delegating a function that involves
the social commitment of professional knowledge.
Thus, his thoughts regarding the reality of work are now a little more humble, but at the
same time somewhat discouraging, in certain aspects, since many people's conception of the
profession is reduced to considering it only as a means to earn more money, since today's society
does not value people so much for their collaborative spirit or for enhancing their skills. Motivation
aims to obtain more money, to be able to work in something that allows moving up the social
ladder, that is, to have a "privileged" position in society, in which money is the main parameter to
measure how much you are worth.
In spite of everything, he accepts the conditions of this new society, where work is the
engine that drives human development and his conclusion is that it is better to be on the inside
than to be on the outside. It is a game we must learn to play and simply try to accommodate with
others. In any case, the best way to change that mentality is to persevere in a job well done and
in the willingness to continue learning from those who know more than you.
Today Roberto has a job and he values this enormously, as it is an opportunity to develop
his potential, learn from people and make up for what life has given him. In this sense, he is not
only looking for a living wage, but also for the possibility to develop as a whole person.
4. Comment
A person who poses the benefits of the profession in the short term, assumes a suicidal
position in the sense that the responsibility with knowledge is in the long term, as a guarantee of
survival. Curiously, the business groups that manage to survive in the market are those that
understand that the profitability of knowledge has to do with consistency or validity over time, in
addition to the conviction that people's belonging to the company is inside and not outside it. It is
not a matter of saying how long ago a student graduated from his or her career, but rather how
long he or she has been working and with what regularity, since such regularity speaks of the
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ability to share knowledge, teamwork, human capital formation
adaptability to the system, among many other indicators.
When beliefs that arouse people's interest are shared, it is not only a matter of a morality of duty,
of a deontological framework that does not offer any reward in return for its fulfillment, but also a
matter of a morality of profitability, understood in a peculiar way, it is economically profitable.It is
economically profitable , because any organization, in order to survive, must today have a solid
group of people with beliefs and knowledge on which to base its policies and actions.
Thus, in line with ethics, the idea of an entrepreneurial cultureis born -just as the idea of a
medical or ecological culture has been born - which configures peculiar ways of life that are less
and less optional and more and more "obligatory" for those who are eager to survive. Because, in
this case, the company needs to legitimize its existence and actions through the trust instilled in
the public by its employees and through what has been called a "sympathy-capital", an
attunement with consumers, which leads them to prefer that particular company and its products.
Entrepreneurial culture generates, among other things, this capital, which is not financial, but
beneficial.
Ethics thus recognizes the human condition of knowledge, of the company and of the
profitability of business, while people, professional employees or not, accept the logic of survival
over time through constancy and regularity in work. It is the only way to grow professionally.
5. Conclusion
In times of competition for existence, recognition and work experience, many professionals
look alike, have similarities among themselves, which allows them to perform in different jobs
without being able to exhibit their own culture, a difference among so many colleagues who "know
the same", an identity or a well-defined profile, which requires moral values to which society
aspires to reach, as a letter of introduction and professional triumph in the struggle to be always
in force. Roberto needed humility, but also temperance, fortitude and prudence to enter the
business world again.
However, to speak of professionals who make long-term decisions, obviously under

conditions of uncertainty, and who are responsible for the future, is to surreptitiously introduce a
belief that is fundamental to this field of applied ethics: that companies are organizations,
irreducible to the simple sum of their members; that they enjoy a type of entity that is spread
over past, present and future; and that such organizations make moral decisions, without the
responsibility of individuals being diluted in that of the company as a whole.
CASE 21 Unemployment or Unemployability
1. The facts
Mr. Pablo Tapia works as a deck crew member on fishing vessels in the area, with 8 years
of experience, which is good considering the turnover of employees and employers as a result of
the rotation of personnel in this labor system due to current legislation, catch quotas, work
responsibility, excessive available labor, among others.
With no record of his previous work qualification (in the fishing industry), one day he did
not show up for his scheduled shipment at 23:00 hrs. on the ship on which he was working under
a current contract and a letter of embarkation from the Maritime Government (complying with the
requirements of the authority to work in this position). His employer, because of his unreported
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absence, asked his family for the telephone number to find out for sure what had happened and
whether or not he would arrive to start the fishing trip and the corresponding fishing activity. Once
it is proven that he would not show up, he is subject to the penalty of abandonment of work, and
is dismissed. Some time later, his reasons for not showing up for the sailing were known: his
partner's drug addiction problem and concern for his minor children, reasons that were not
sufficient for his employer, since he should have requested a replacement for his position as soon
as possible, so as not to interrupt the production process.
He presents himself as a person who is not stable, that is to say, his interests are not
100% focused on his work but on his family (rather on his children), so that his interest in work
lies primarily in the future of his children, but for this reason, in the event of difficulties in his
home environment, he prioritizes his children and leaves his obligations and responsibilities
acquired in a contract. During the period of unemployment, which lasted several months, he
suffered the effects of not being paid. The debts and losses of the basic systems (electricity,
water, gas, food for him and his family), marginalized him from society due to his unemployed
and almost marginalized condition, which forced him to look for new work options in remote
places within his field, having to leave his family for long periods of time, reducing his
concentration and work capacity. He had to leave his family for long periods of time, reducing his
concentration and work capacity, having to live with the permanent worry of his children and the
risk of losing his job.
2. Ethical issues involved. Creative tension and discipline
From an ethical point of view, the decision of the different employers to fire Pablo is
correct, since he does not demonstrate or justify his absence from work responsibly, which makes
him irresponsible for not complying with the pact agreed upon by him and his bosses, in which he
committed himself as an employee to obey all the rules imposed by the company as stipulated in
the contracts. This should be clear, since in the event of dismissal, employers are usually
considered to be the unfair ones, but each company is a group of people with a clear commitment,
as should be the profitability of the invested capital, and in that sense, each of the workers must
understand their responsibility within the corporate gear. Pablo understood this situation, but
family problems overcame him, to the extent that they destabilized him and made him lose his
job. In the end, the lack of discipline was evidence of a lack of ability to articulate their family and
work commitments.
3. Unraveling
After an unsuccessful search, he managed to reinsert himself in the labor field in the south
of the country, with a position of greater responsibility, having to take training courses in order to
meet the minimum requirements demanded today in the field he occupies (first aid, survival at
sea and motorcyclist, etc.). Pablo was fortunate enough to enter the job without having the
necessary courses and knowledge to work, but once inside, he managed to overcome these
problems with the help of a good employer who gave him the possibility to enter the job in order
to be able to take these courses. Thus, he goes from deck crew member to engine assistant. But
despite this new condition, he was not able to cover the traces left in his life during the previous
period of unemployment, since the debts acquired are not easily solved, besides the condition of
his wife and the abandonment to which the children are subjected threaten to repeat the situation
of unemployment.
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4. Comment human capital formation
The meaning of life lies in the balance between work, family and personal life. The level of
balance between these areas of human life determines the success or failure of individuals. In this
sense, the human must have a good dose of vocation, because it is the engine, the motivation of
our actions and the comfort of what we do for ourselves and our families. Now, the fact of putting
on the table the problem of the meaning of life should never be interpreted as a symptom or
expression of something unhealthy, pathological, abnormal in man or an overly philosophical
attitude that has no relevance to life. Far from it, it is the true expression of the human being in
its essence. The wrong thing to do is to divert the concern for the meaning of life and make of
existence only a meaningless present, precisely because of the lack of future. Thinking always in
the present is a deformation of life that consists in believing that one can renounce any
orientation, any goal or any vocation. The important thing to give meaning to work and to link it
to one's vocation is to be clear that what is important is not so much the profession that is
exercised but the way it is exercised; that it depends on our attitude towards life and not on the
specific profession as such or on external factors. It is up to each one of us to ensure that our
work has value, that it is personal and specific, so that it gives a unique and irreplaceable
character to our professional activity and meaning to our life, as well as stability over time.
5. Conclusion
Beyond the fact that work allows us to earn an important economic income to cover our
basic needs and to try to grow economically and socially, it is also the appropriate means to
socialize and share with others the construction of a better, more habitable world, so that future
generations can do their part and thus guarantee the permanence of the human species on earth.
Work is the perfect pretext for the human "construction" from the human, hence regardless of the
profession or work activity that is exercised, what matters most is the sense and reason why we
do it. It is true that many people, especially neurotic people, claim that they would have been able
to fulfill their mission in life if they had had another profession, but in expressing themselves in
this way they mistake reality and the true meaning of professional work and deceive themselves.
When a particular profession that is exercised does not produce in man a feeling of satisfaction, it
is not the profession and even less the family that is to blame, but the man himself.
Case 22 In vitro fertilization
1. The facts
Luis and Valentina were an engaged couple who had been together for 7 years, until one
day they decided to unite their lives in marriage, with the illusion of forming a family. The
ceremony was beautiful and attended by many people close to both of them, all wishing them
prosperity and happiness. At the end of the reception they said goodbye to their guests, leaving
for their honeymoon. They spent two weeks enjoying the beautiful beaches of Bahia, while making
plans for the future, which of course included the children they both wanted to have. When they
settled back in Santiago, they decided to buy an apartment for themselves and their soon-to-come
children. Everything was working out great for them. Luis continued to work as a lawyer in the law
firm he owned with three childhood friends, while Valentina worked as an interior designer in a
prestigious agency.
They were a very happy and emotionally complete couple, however, they were beginning
to feel that it was time to have children, since they were both consolidated as professionals and
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now they wanted to become parents. Because of this, they decided to stop using the
contraceptives that had accompanied them during their 9 years of dating. After a long time of
trying to conceive a child, they began to worry, as they did not understand why they were not
able to become parents. At first it was believed that it was because Valentina had used
contraceptives for many years and therefore her body might have suffered some alteration.
They argued often and blamed each other, so frustration began to build up between them.
The frustration they felt as a couple was so great that they were beginning to drift apart and have
conflicts more and more often, which did not go unnoticed by those around them.
One day, in desperation, Luis decided to tell his sister what was happening to him. She
advised him and his wife to undergo a fertility test. Luis was annoyed by her comment, as he felt
hurt as a man. After some time of meditating and realizing that their relationship was getting
worse and worse, he decided to talk to Valentina, who immediately agreed to the proposal and
they decided to see a specialist together.
Once in the office, the couple explained their problems to him. To which the doctor suggested
they undergo fertility tests. After a week they went for a consultation to find out the result.
Unfortunately, the result was negative for Luis. He was deeply depressed by his infertility. It was
then that the doctor proposed alternative methods for them to achieve their goal of becoming
parents. Among these were adoption and artificial insemination. They discarded the first one
because it brings with it many requirements and associated problems, both in terms of
bureaucratic procedures and possible deficiencies that the child could eventually bring, so they
opted for the second alternative, since they considered it to be a less cumbersome mechanism
that would allow them to become parents using their own genetic information.
2. Ethical issues involved. Manipulation of life
In order to achieve a successful in vitro fertilization, several eggs are extracted from the
mother and fertilized in their entirety since the fertilization rate is low and a first attempt may fail.
This results in the remaining embryos being used for aesthetic and/or cosmetic purposes,
removed or re-implanted in other women. The other thing is that the method tries to imitate
artificially what nature does naturally, which implies the manipulation of human life. A third ethical
problem involved is the deprivation of a fertilization resulting from or linked to the solemn
biological and spiritual union of the parents together with depriving the interpersonal
communication that should exist between the spouses, impoverishing and degrading the act of
procreation. A fourth ethical implication refers to the genetic manipulation developed during the
maturation period in order to successfully achieve fertilization, since congenital malformations
may be caused in the future embryo, due to a high percentage of error caused by possible cell
damage.
When genetically manipulating reproductive cells, both female and male, for the purpose of
fertilization, errors can occur due to their small size, which can cause total or partial damage to
the genetic information they possess, thus causing a high probability of congenital malformations
during the embryonic period.
A fifth point is given by the fact that sometimes when performing in vitro fertilization, the
uterus of the biological mother is not suitable for fertilization, so a donor uterus is needed, in
other words, a surrogate mother to which the fertilized egg of another woman (biological mother)
will be implanted. In this case, the three individuals involved are followed during the entire period
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humanbond
of pregnancy, trying to create an affective capital formation
between them and the process in which they are
involved, however, there are cases in which during the moment of delivery, the surrogate mother
may completely refuse to hand over the human being she is carrying in her womb, since she
believes she has all the rights of a biological mother for having nourished and cared for the fetus
for 42 weeks, which becomes even more problematic when there is a legal vacuum in the
countries where this method of fertilization is developed.This becomes even more problematic
when there is a legal vacuum in the countries where this method of fertilization is developed.
3. Unraveling
After undergoing fertilization, Valentina and Luis felt hopeful again as a couple, as there
was a real possibility that they could become parents. After a few attempts, Valentina finally got
pregnant, which brought a lot of happiness to both of them and served to strengthen them and
make them feel like a family. Months later, the long-awaited son was born and they baptized him
with the name of Tomás. He came into this world without any physical problems and with optimal
psychomotor development.
After two years, Valentina and Luis decided to undergo in vitro fertilization again, using the
same gametes as the first time, since they were frozen and in optimal conditions for their use.
4. Comment
Cases of artificial fertilization involve a host of ethical problems that are often evaded by
identifying the position against this practice as an initiative simply linked to conservative groups.
But the truth is that the issue is much more complicated, and has several edges that must be
clarified prior to any discussion.
First of all, it is true that there are many parents who, for various reasons, are unable to
father their own children, a situation that often generates great pain, as it clashes with the
couple's expectations. It is true that this understandable situation of pain does not authorize the
application of any means to find a solution.
But beyond the above, the most important ethical problem generated by this type of practice
is the number of abortions that occur, given that the in vitro fertilization method operates, as
mentioned above, by fertilizing a large number of eggs with the paternal genetic material, and
then implanting the one that, in the doctor's opinion, has the best chances of success.In vitro
fertilization operates, as mentioned above, by fertilizing a large number of eggs with the paternal
genetic material, and then implanting the one that, in the doctor's opinion, has the best chance of
success. But what about the other fertilized eggs, which already have a personal life and should
therefore be recognized as the children of their parents? Usually they are simply eliminated or else
stored for future fertilization, which in any case inevitably ends in their elimination because no
mother could have all the zygotes that were stored.
This brings us back to what we said above. It is true that having a child is a beautiful thing,
but the end does not justify any means; even more so when it is human life that is at stake.
Therefore, rather than being an issue of conservatives versus liberals, it is a matter of defending
the most basic of human rights. Even if we were to consider that a couple has a 'right' to have a
child -which is, in fact, highly debatable-, this right cannot be above the right to life.
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5. Conclusion
Fertilization is a personal act of the couple in which a human being is engendered, the fruit
of their mutual love for each other. This fact involves the spouses both in their responsibility as
future parents and in the destiny of the unborn child. Therefore, the use of artificial methods to
overcome fertility problems is, in a way, against nature.
Specifically, the case of Luis and Valentina generates all the problems we have discussed.
Although their dream of parenthood was finally fulfilled, it came at the cost of sacrificing many of
their other children, although the doctor who performed the treatment would probably not have
told them about them.
Case 23 Saturation of engineers
1. The facts
Claudio is a young engineer from the Bío Bío Region who finished his degree with honors
for his academic performance. After graduating as an industrial mechanical engineer, he worked in
several companies and in a variety of positions, always showing himself to be responsible and
intelligent, which is not enough, however, to avoid job mobility given the supply of engineers in
the area.
Claudio acknowledges that his career choice was not entirely in line with the ideal of his
aspirations, although he was never clear about them either. Due to family pressures, he ended up
choosing what his parents suggested, always thinking about the high amounts of money that
engineers earn with their contracts. However, the remuneration he received was far below what a
professional of his characteristics could aspire to, because the companies always told him that
they would fix his salary later, a situation that never happened. As time went by and with the
desperation of not being able to find a stable job, I ended up accepting any job offer with terrible
salaries. This is a characteristic of the regions that are saturated with professionals with the same
careers, a situation that exposes them to exploitative companies that seek young graduates, with
little experience and need to gain ground in the labor field, in which there is still no real ethical
awareness, seeking the development of professionals in their region.
In this context Claudio thinks that this is a country in which the largest labor force is in
small and medium-sized companies, with very narrow and still primitive organizational cultures
that have a short-term vision. In addition, production is at a primary stage, with little added
value, where training is not recurrent. There are many parts where the profile of the worker who
is desperate and who accepts any condition to his or her own detriment is still sought after. These
are companies that do not seem to know the concept of 'common good', but see employees as
mere instruments of their production, overlooking the dignity of these human beings.
2. Ethical issues involved. Talent, fairness, ethical salaries
As DuocUc students can read in the topclass, talent is the possession of a certain ability
that we have not acquired voluntarily, but simply have it. We can become skilled in an activity,
but that is not talent. Talent is the ability that we are simply born with. It can be a physical skill,
such as stage poise or camera handling, as well as an intellectual skill, such as numeracy or public
speaking. However, just because we have a particular talent does not mean that we are always
better than others when it comes to that talent. Talent is an advantage, but it is not an assured
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triumph. From this perspective, it must capital
be said that formation
Claudio was suffering the consequences of not
even knowing his talent, that is to say, not knowing for sure what it is for or what it is that he
should enhance and in this sense he will be lost and exposed to the exploitation of those
unscrupulous companies and businessmen who seek to exploit workers willing to do anything to
gain experience. Without the detection of talent, professional success is strongly questioned,
because the disposition will not be the same as the one who knows what he is for and exploits his
knowledge for his own benefit and that of the community. However, for any professional, it is
hardly obvious that
their knowledge is strengthened when it is put into practice and developed by acquiring a good
habit or virtue, not before. Being a professional does not mean finishing a degree or having a
professional title, it is above all, a combination of attitudes and aptitudes for the benefit of oneself
and others.
Beyond the fact of having talent or not, there are external factors that can determine labor
success and it has to do with the corporate policy of lowering the salaries of professionals in order
to increase the company's profits. When there is no minimum rate for each profession based on
study time and complexity of responsibility, companies often abuse their employees, because
there will always be those who are willing to earn less in order to have a stable job.
3. Unraveling
Eventually, Claudio thought that if he resumed higher education that would give him a
higher status in his profession, he could improve his situation, so he began studying at night to
become a civil engineer. Unfortunately his reality did not change and again he had to work in
functions that had nothing to do with his real profession, teaching in high schools, private math
classes and some consulting, but nothing stable.
His work situation has been arduous and laborious. At the beginning, he worked with the
enthusiasm and motivation typical of people who seek through work a worthy form of well-being
and personal fulfillment, but now the things he does lack real motivation, since he finds that his
work could be done by a technician with fewer years of schooling and at a lower salary, which
motivates companies to hire this type of professional.He now finds that his work could be done by
a technician with fewer years of schooling and at a lower salary, which motivates companies to
hire this type of professional.
In Claudio's case, he believes that you can be fired not only for bad work, but also if you
are paid the right amount. Added to this is the discomfort generated by working with a creative
and entrepreneurial attitude in such a limited work environment, because it scares many middle
managers within an organization, as they perceive themselves as competition.
Today Claudio continues to work in the same way he has been doing since he graduated
from his career, without stopping to think about saving a few pesos to set up his business,
something with which he can survive.
4. Comment
Claudio's alternative is to demand the right to dignity at work, the same as he has with the
freedom to develop his creativity, because a personal life requires dignity. Without dignity, there is
biological or animal life, but no personal life. Therefore, the correct approach to basic needs
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cannot be based on subsistence, but on human dignity, which confers inviolable rights to man. In
this perspective of dignity and rights, food is not the first of the basic needs, but work. Man does
not "receive" subsistence through the benevolence of others, but gives it to himself through work.
To those who give up their work for food and allow companies to exploit them, it is
necessary to tell them that life has a deeper meaning that the same companies have to promote
and develop.
5. Conclusion
With this case we have to appeal to the principle where the concept of the human person
over capital should prevail. Although this principle may seem self-evident, history shows us that in
a capitalist society it is often denied.in the capitalist system the interests of capital have always
been placed above the good of the people. Companies are organized according to the principle of
maximum profitability. A country's economy, its finances blindly obey the laws of capital. The
problems of unemployment, infant mortality, hunger, insecurity, lack of housing, illiteracy, etc.,
are always solved in the same way: "we cannot do anything for the moment"; "the economic crisis
does not allow us to solve them"; "the country lacks the resources to reduce the unemployment
rate". All this translated into another language means: "capital cannot vary its plans to take care
of these people; that would lead to the ruin of the country".
But, on the other hand, the awareness has gradually been created that, after all, the most
important 'capital' is the people themselves, for it is they themselves who do the work. In other
words, the more satisfied people are with their jobs, the better the economy will function. This
process is certainly not complete, but the performance of certain companies that promote a vision
of work in the light of ethics is an interesting testimony to the principles that should guide the
economy.
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Case 24 The Hacker Case
1. The facts
In the mid-1970s, in Silicon Valley, a group of hackers and budding computer enthusiasts
were using software that had been passed from hand to hand, i.e., they occupied it without regard
to who owned it. In the beginning, there was no problem, but when companies or organizations
began to appear that profited from the production of software, difficulties began to arise. This was
an impediment for them to realize their professional potential and since then they began to see
that the solution was to organize themselves as a community to seek the common good. Bill
Gates, in a letter to consumers and buyers of operating systems, wanted to point out to the
hacker and hobbyist community that they were devaluing the salaries of all those involved in the
development of projects that were affected by the misuse of copies. In addition, there was theft,
even if it was of something intangible such as software, it is theft after all.
2. Ethical issues involved. Theft and violation of private property
In contemporary society, which is clearly pluralistic, it is evident that it is its members who
must recognize the rules that regulate coexistence and the living conditions that ensure social
welfare. Do universal ethical principles or individual group or class interests prevail? This will
depend on the moral conscience of the citizens, on the values embodied by the different groups
that make up the plural society. Consistent with the ethical perspective that we have assumed
from the beginning, we propose the value of personal life as a guideline for social coexistence. The
demands of the common good will result from the social conditions of life that ensure the
maximum state of well-being in which people in solidarity can realize their own vocation.
This means that private property today determines the social structure and that regardless
of its use, an equally universal principle, such as respect for such property, must prevail.
Attempting against this structure means violating private property; what in other terms we call
robbery.
3. Unraveling
Upon realizing this problem, the community began to organize itself to be able to use
software without legal problems. For this he had to put a lot of effort in developing his own tools
and this is how a free operating system for community use and customizable for everyone, called
Linux, was born. Along with this, a number of useful applications appeared to occupy them on this
platform.
With the emergence of Free Software many benefits are achieved, among which it is worth
mentioning that no harm is being done to anyone by using it. Moreover, you can help by using it,
finding bugs, reporting them, or even fixing and publishing them. When Bill Gates asked if a group
of amateurs would be able to develop quality software, the results are obvious today, with Linux
being the most stable operating system in the computer market, far surpassing its competitors
and with an exponential growth every year in the number of users that use this operating system.
It is worth noting the following: One wonders what these people are going to live on if they
give away the software they make for free. There are a large number of people who know the
source code of the program and with this you can modify the software as you need it and there is
the vein to achieve an economic opportunity.
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human
Not everyone is capable of taking capitalcode
a source formation
and modifying it to make their application
work the way they want it to. They are then forced to hire professional support services to fulfill
these functions. And here there is a big difference with proprietary software because if one does
not like the support service they are providing, there is the possibility of switching to another
company that provides that service because everyone can have the source code. Instead, as with
Microsoft, if you don't like the service, you are condemned to them alone, since only they know
the source code.
In conclusion, it can be said that through relationships between people who formed a
community and that these people each contributed, and continue to do so, with their professional
knowledge, they were able to contribute to improving the quality of life of many people with good
quality software and without committing any crime.
4. Comment
Life, the ultimate good of man, cannot be understood simply as an individual good. Life is a
collective good, individually participated, that the community has the commitment to respect and
increase in each of its members and to transmit qualitatively improved to future generations.
Beyond individual concern for one's own life, therefore, is society's concern for the life of all.
The life of each individual poses a set of needs, such as food, relationships, rest, etc.,
which each individual is forced to satisfy in order to survive. These needs affect society, which
must ensure the survival of its members. But, in addition, society has other needs to satisfy to
ensure the survival of the collectivity, such as organization, peace, sufficiency of goods,
autonomy, respect for private property and intellectual property, to ensure decent conditions for
those who dedicate a lot of time to the creation of operating systems. Thus, the economy is
oriented precisely towards the systematic organization of the material goods required to satisfy
individual and collective needs. To respect the private property of others is to ensure respect for
our own property. Hence its close relationship with the common good, since the latter must be
concerned primarily with concrete goods that ensure the satisfaction of the needs of the
population.
5. Conclusion
It is difficult to understand the basis of private property where everyone produces

according to their capabilities, while at the same time it marks the differences between human
beings who can be more or less productive. On many occasions the lack of respect for private
property results from the resentment of those who believe that life has been unfair to them and
see their human condition outside of what they themselves are. By this I am saying that both
poverty and wealth will depend on the development of each individual and how to take advantage
of it for their own and the common good.
We are all obliged to collaborate in the pursuit of the common good. Therefore, we are all
obliged to take an active part in political, social and economic life in one way or another. We have
become accustomed to holding the government responsible for all the ills of society, as if
everything that does not work is the fault of bad governments. As responsible as the rulers are for
the injustices and disorder in social life, we are the citizens who either disengage ourselves from
political, social and economic life or seek in it the pursuit of particular interests.
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Case 25 Ethics and Law
1. The facts
On Wednesday, January 29, the President of Banco Popular, Mr. Pedro Andrade, alerted
the IT Department about some irregularities found in his e-mail. After an investigation, it was
detected that Ms. Carolina García, Mr. Pedro Andrade's second secretary, was using his e-mail
account to send messages to her personal account, and then forwarding them to third parties
outside Banco Popular.
After questioning Ms. Garcia and her acknowledgment of fault, her employment contract
was terminated for serious non-compliance with various regulatory provisions and the contract
itself. The company filed a complaint with the courts for offenses related to the disclosure of
confidential information. With new information gathered, it was discovered that the information
was given to William Vásquez, who was the General Manager of Invercrédito Corredores de Bolsa
S.A., and the Superintendency of Securities and Insurance was informed for the corresponding
legal purposes.
2. Ethical issues involved. Moral responsibility, information theft, liability
This case obviously transcends the field of ethics, which evaluates the moral responsibility
of individuals and its punishment is generally of a social nature, without having to go to the
courts, but when we are facing such delicate cases where employees for one reason or another
agree to sell information of their own company, it is the law who has to act. What one regrets is
that ethics as a great regulator was not enough to contain the bad actions of Ms. Garcia and Mr.
Vasquez. It is noted that the existence of so many lawyers and so much law in our society speaks
of a low moral development of people. Kohlberg speaks of the moral development of individuals
from the pre-conventional state through the conventional to the post-conventional state. In the
first state are the most primitive, primitive beings, who require rewards and punishments to act,
without any principle or conviction of anything, as they simply attend to external stimuli. These
beings are in charge of relativizing the principles on the basis of which societies have been able to
coexist. The second level corresponds to those who, knowing the law, accept it, but require it for
their functioning in society. But the ideal of development, individual and social, is found in the
post-conventional state, where there are the Autonomous beings; that is to say, those who,
knowing the laws, do not need them, "can forget them", because they have made a process of
internalization so deep that they have the capacity to act according to their own principles and not
according to the circumstances. This is the same thing that Aristotle referred to many centuries
before, when he pointed out that "the just man has no need of laws".
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3. Unraveling
The Bank verified and evaluated the seriousness of the facts that affected it, took the
actions that legally corresponded to it and made the background information available to the
Courts, the only bodies competent to investigate crimes and apply sanctions.
The complaint is based on the violation of Article 150 bis of the Criminal Code, regarding the
improper use of confidential information by a public employee; Article 160 bis of the Criminal
Code, on bribery, in the case of Carolina García; and Article 170 of the Criminal Code, on bribery,
in the case of William Vásquez.Article 160 bis of the Criminal Code, on bribery, in the case of
Carolina García and Article 170 of the Criminal Code, on bribery, in the case of William Vásquez.
In addition, the complaint is based on Articles 2 and 4 of Law 20,117, which criminalizes the theft
of confidential information.
On February 18, 2003, the State Defense Council became a plaintiff in the case and on
February 21, 2003, the Superintendency of Securities and Insurance filed a complaint based on
the violation of the rules applicable to privileged information, as referred to in Article 60 of the
Securities Market Law.
4. Comment
Taking into account the purposes of the conduct of a profession, it is concluded that the
defendants in this case are above the law and human dignity, since the behavior of Miss. Garcia
was not dignified, by removing the information from the company in which she held the position of
secretary and from Mr. Garcia. Vásquez for being the author of the bribe imposed on Ms. Vásquez.
Garcia. On the other hand, it also overlooks the principle that work acquires its authentic meaning
in the search for the common good, since the good sought in this case was rather monetary, and
not for the common good of all people.
From a moral responsibility, workers must also respond to the trust placed in them by their
superiors in a company. In this case, Miss. Garcia did not fulfill his ethical responsibility and failed
to do so.
5. Conclusion
Human action, in any field, is a moral and contextual action, to the extent that every
action is part of a complex web of decisions that eventually defines a certain cultural structure.
What the characters in this story keep silent about is that every human being's actions, indirectly
or directly, benefit or harm another human being. According to Aristotle's statement that "man is
a social animal", we would also have to agree that the exercise of freedom is the responsibility of
the individual, but this responsibility has its raison d'être in the context in which the individual
acts. From this perspective, the exercise of freedom always in context (cultural, social,
institutional), is properly the territory in which moral responsibility and civil ethics are centered.
Case 26 Affective responsibility
1. The facts
Clemencia is a 35-year-old woman who has been married to Mateo for 8 years. Their
marriage, like any relationship, has had some conflicts, but they have always been able to
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overcome them, because there is a deep love between them. Clemencia feels very comfortable
with her marriage, she is very happy, because her husband gives her stability, security,
protection, and he is also very attentive to her. However, one day at work, Clemencia meets a
new employee named Pablo. The latter is very funny, outgoing, risk-taking, adventurous and has
a very special charm. In the face of all these characteristics, Clemencia feels very attracted to
Pablo, and while it is true that Clemencia loves her husband very much and would not leave him
for anything in the world, the attraction she feels for Pablo is very strong. As the days go by, his
new partner becomes aware of Clemencia's feelings for him and proposes a secret relationship.
Faced with this situation Clemencia is perplexed and very confused, because on the one hand
there was the stability of her home and her love for her husband, but on the other hand there was
the possibility of an affair that was supposed to remain a secret and that would most likely be
short-lived and without much future. Should he decide to enter into such a relationship, it would
only be a fling, but one that would still give him a guilty conscience.
2. Ethical issues involved. Respect, guilt, betrayal
Clemencia's case is the case of many people, only that the way of dealing with the
situation may vary from person to person. Clemencia, for her part, decides not to betray her
husband, because deep down she is betraying her own principles. We do not need a watchman to
know what we have to do, if we have really achieved a high moral development. In the work
environment opportunities are given, but you have to know how to intelligently prioritize your
actions; first, because we are there for work and not for personal matters and second because
marriage is above an affair. On the other hand, guilt, like temperance, exists to control our actions
and thanks to this human condition, Clemencia, for example, calculated the prudence of her
decisions, which in the end would have deteriorated her dignified condition as a woman, mother
and wife.
3. Unraveling
After much thought and analysis, Clemencia decides to opt for her marriage and be faithful
to her husband. To reach this conclusion, the protagonist of the story weighed the negative effects
that this fact could bring, concluding that the risk of this extra-marital relationship was too high,
and that she was not willing to lose, nor to put at risk her marriage, nor the eight years of union
with him.
Hypothetically speaking, if Clemencia had cheated on her husband, this affair would have
brought her serious conflicts, the costs of which could be very high, since no one ensures that this
extra-marital relationship remains a secret, which obviously increases the risk of being discovered
and the consequences of this situation. If Pablo and Clemencia were to enter into a relationship,
the chances of it remaining a secret in their workplace are very slim. This, in addition to the
awkwardness, discomfort and typical hallway rumors, could cost them their jobs.
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human with
An extra marital relationship brings capital formation
it the possibility of getting involved in it and not
being able to get out of it, since it becomes a situation that given the characteristics and the
adrenaline situation can cause a lot of pleasure, which makes it much more difficult to get out of
this relationship.
If this extra-marital relationship existed, Paul would feel very disappointed and let down by
his wife. He would lose confidence in her and probably feel that she is not the woman he fell in
love with, and that he may have wasted eight years of his life on someone who is not worth it.
4. Comment
When it is stated that marriage is the basis of society, it is because of two things. The first
because it prolongs the couple's love for their children, who will be under the protection of the
parents until they achieve full autonomy, by which time the couple has consolidated the union and
have begun to seek other spaces in which their children can relate to each other. Second, because
society functions in the same way as the family functions, which means that the family is the
appropriate place to learn social, moral, cultural and political values, among others, that will allow
us to adapt to society, where the scheme of family roles is reproduced. Thus, marriage being so
important for the proper functioning of society and any organization, it is not worth destroying it
for an affair, because it is like sacrificing the essential for the accidental in the human being, which
would be typical of an absurd being without values.
Logic leads us to assume that we are mature beings and that when we choose to establish
a bond, we cease to be one, hence the need for dialogue to make concerted decisions. Now, the
above is the ideal, it is what should happen in our lives, however, it does not always happen. We
often act as irrational, pre-conventional beings, moved and driven mainly by our passions. In the
end, it is up to each one of us to think and analyze what we would do in this given situation, and
based on this, to determine how high or how low is the level of moral responsibility we have as
human beings.
5. Conclusion
The case just presented, although fictional, is based on situations that occur more
frequently than we think and would probably like to see happen. This is how we see that more and
more families are destroyed because of these irrational acts, because they obey more to the
passions than to reason, which not only causes damage to the people involved in the relationship
and those directly responsible for the infidelity, but also many times, the most damaged are the
children, who are not to blame.This not only causes damage to the people involved in the
relationship and those directly responsible for the infidelity, but also, many times, the most
harmed are the children, who are not to blame. These, in many cases, are the most harmed and
damaged, as they must suffer and separate from one of the parents. Of course, all this brings
consequences and imbalances not only at the family level, but also at the individual level. Families
that have experienced first-hand the consequences of infidelity begin to face a crisis for which
they were not prepared. Thus, some choose to cut ties and take different paths, while others
begin family therapy in order to overcome this painful episode.
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Case 27 Like you wouldn't believe
1. The facts
This 3 and a half hour class, with the same teacher, had become a real martyrdom; in the
same room, with the same people, the same humiliation and boredom.
I had to present my project, in which I had invested five months of work in which I had
practically not slept, it is incredible how much can happen in this time; you can be left without a
girlfriend, without siblings and without parents, all because of a job; at least that's what I thought.
After exposing, the professor says to me "AND FOR THIS GARBAGE YOU WORKED SO HARD, HAVE
YOU THOUGHT ABOUT STUDYING SOMETHING ELSE?", it was not the first time that the professor
said with words what my grades in that subject reflected, and that therefore, I was about to fail.
I felt discriminated against, I felt that my work was worthless, until one day I happened to
wait in the teachers' lounge and I had access to a computer with an open folder and, obviously,
my curiosity was stronger, until I got to the conversation of "el profe". I began to read and
discovered, among other things, that he used his students' projects to present them in his work
and, "coincidentally", one of the students who "contributed" the most to the company was me,
because that's what the "professor's" open folder said: "but without his projects my company
wouldn't do so well".
2. Issues involved: justice, prudence
Between the seriousness of the student for reading information that did not correspond to
him and the abuses of the teacher, obviously the teacher is much more serious. It is about taking
advantage of the intellectual capacity of the students so that the professor can move forward with
his projects in the office, without at least the minimum recognition such as a good grade. When
we talk about power, we are talking about the capacity of one will to subdue others, and abuse
has to do with the advantageous position of the teacher to make his students act according to the
teacher's will. The result of this abuse is the theft of intellectual property that constitutes a crime
not reported by the student who ignored the situation all the time.
3. Unraveling
Finally, I talked to the professor asking for help to face the exam and be able to "save" the
course, to which he replied: "don't worry, you can take the course next year with me". Hearing
this filled me with rage thinking that he was preparing to use my work to his advantage for
another semester, which I obviously would not allow.
I printed out the conversation and left it on my desk for my career manager, sent it to the
TV in case they "got back to me", and uploaded it to the Internet. The next day, everyone was
talking in the hallways, whispering everywhere, so my career manager called me to his office, and
there was "el profe" and I said to myself "I won!", until I saw that they shook hands and "el profe"
came out.
4. Comment
The situation experienced by this student is perhaps the situation experienced by many
others who have to face abuses of power that contribute nothing to the education of new
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professionals with ethical foundations, ready to contribute to society with justice and
responsibility. To the extent that these cases are reported and institutions create objective
evaluation mechanisms, these abuses will be avoided. However, there are several things of
concern here. The first is the procedure for the complaint, the second is the receptiveness of the
head of the career and the third is the continuity of this teacher in the school, who takes
advantage of the students' work for his own projects.
With regard to the complaint procedure, it should be said that it was not the most
appropriate, that it would have been preferable to have talked to the professor first and let him
know, with the information in hand, that the student was already aware of the injustices and the
use he was making of the work. That way the teacher would have changed his attitude and this
student would have passed the course. If in this way the student had not achieved anything, he
could have gone to the school and even to higher instances, in pursuit of the transparency of the
case and under no reason, it looks good that the student publishes "the conversations" of the
teacher on the Internet, because the damage can be incalculable, product of a reaction that shows
rather a rage and thirst for revenge that in nothing contributes to clarify the facts, because we
cannot be judge and part of the case. When one takes justice into one's own hands, one usually
ends up generating more injustice.
The second thing that worries is the attitude of the head of the career, who seems to be in
cahoots with the professor, because otherwise there is no reason to be so complacent with this
teacher, without even having attempted an investigation of the case. What one suspects when
these cases of abuse of power occur is that there is a very strong support behind them, otherwise
the teacher would not act the way he does.
Finally, there is concern about the continuity of this teacher in the career and that he
continues to commit the same outrages, the same abuses and giving the same destination to the
best jobs. For this professor, it is clear that the last thing he intends to do is to teach, since his
goal is to have, for a fee, "employees" who will work for him.
5. Conclusion
Sometimes I think that everything falls under its own weight, and that sometimes it is
better to play dumb and follow the path laid out, but what would the world be like if we all kept
quiet about injustices and let those who deserve to be punished go unpunished? This question
raises the eternal dilemma of prudence. To speak or not to speak, to denounce or not to
denounce? And a thousand questions that are becoming increasingly complex, such as: How far?
or until when? Although prudence is a virtue that is lived on a 'case by case' basis, and there is no
universal recipe to apply it, in any case, a good element to take into consideration in these
situations is to ensure that the decision aims not only at the individual good, but also at the
common good and justice. If we add to this that it is always good to know how to ask for advice
from other people who are more prudent than us, we will probably be much more successful in our
decisions.
Case 28 Furniture design company
1. The facts
In a furniture and lamp design company, a new project began one ordinary working day
that involved designing furniture with its own style according to whoever needed it.
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On the day of the main meeting, they decided to call the youngest designers who had
recently graduated in order to give them job opportunities and integrate them into the design
industry. They began by calling professionals, with data obtained from the databases of the city's
universities and institutes. Once the interviews began to select the most suitable candidates, there
was a young man who came through a contact of the company, he was the nephew of the boss,
who lied and said that he had already left the university. In this way he passed the first selection
stage and had to do an interview with the same boss who had taken him. No one knew that they
were closely related. There were very good applicants for the interview, all of them passed the
interview with the boss, but the nephew was hired. He started working in the company and
already in the second week, he was having a lot of problems due to lack of program information.
Since no one in the office was very helpful, he turned to the boss for help, who turned him away
and told him he was no good at this and fired him.
2. Subjects involved: Lying, responsibility, prudence, prudence, etc.
Lying in the workplace always brings with it multiple complications, which in most cases
results in loss of time and money, because when important information is hidden for the company,
especially in recruitment processes, it is because what is hidden is not good.
A professional's responsibility is not only to what he/she knows but also to what he/she
does not know. As imperfect human beings, we have to recognize and acknowledge to others our
achievements in order to avoid impasses such as those that occur on a daily basis. This also has
to do with the prudence of the professional who knows what he knows and what he has.
3. Unraveling
The outcome of this story is simple: The nephew of the person who was interviewing for
the job, due to his limitations in knowledge, was not able to handle the responsibilities given to
him in the company, having to start another interview process to incorporate a new designer. This
has a high cost for a company, not only in time and money, but also in the image it projects to
customers, where the lack of seriousness can have incalculable consequences. However, in this
case there is a double responsibility, not only of the person who lied on his resume by saying that
he had already finished his career, but also of the boss who obviously managed all the selection
procedures to favor his relative, discarding professionals with excellent capabilities.
In the second selection process it was difficult to find interested people with excellent
capabilities as those who applied in the first process, since a good part of the first group was
either already working in other companies or simply did not believe in this new process.
4. Comment
Fernando Savater thinks that a virtuous person is one who is capable of being what he
appears to be, which means that he is a person who says and shows what he knows, what he is,
what he knows and takes responsibility for the good or bad that he has to offer to others. If
someone is capable of showing himself as he really is, with transparency and sincerity, he will
provide the necessary trust with which to build and share projects, because trust is the basis on
which societies, companies, projects, friendships and the whole of life are built. The relationship
between people must be based on trust, otherwise it will be very difficult for the foundations of
what we build to be sustained. The strength of each human being is based on the number of
relationships he or she is capable of building, because a person without relationships, without
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social fabric, is much more vulnerable than is believed.
5. Conclusion
The social character of ethics and morality of each individual says that everyone must be
responsible and aware of the positive or negative impact of their actions. In each individual a
series of social relations are knotted in a peculiar way, and the very way of affirming, in each
epoch or in each society, his individuality has a social character. There are a series of channels
that, in each society, model individual behavior: their way of working, feeling, loving, etcetera.
And they vary from one social community to another, and therefore it makes no sense to speak of
a radical individuality apart from the relationships that individuals enter into in society, which is
why the effect of our actions on others is an important element - though not the only one - when
it comes to ethically evaluating a decision. We have to be very vigilant about this, to avoid
imprudence, injustice and irreparable mistakes. What is the point of lying about something so
delicate if we are weakening the foundations of our social and professional being? It's something
to think twice about.
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Case 29 Righteous pay for sinners
1. The facts
Caliche, as Carlos López is known, is the right-hand man of Architect Luis López, who has
his own company and constantly bids on public projects. In general terms it can be said that Luis
is a successful Architect, he is never short of work and his greatest happiness is to give work to a
whole crew of faithful and unconditional men with whom he has been able to make an important
capital, enough to live well.
Luis began to attribute more and more responsibilities to him, he knew him from an old job
from which Caliche was fired for theft and mistreatment, however, knowing this, Luis shook his
hand and invited him to work with him as foreman of the construction site, he had to be in charge
of the materials and the people who would work there, a total of 20 people.He had to be in charge
of the materials for the construction site and the people who would work there, a total of 20
people, one of whom was at his entire disposal for the transfer of materials, personnel and
whatever else was required for its normal operation. So Mr. Esteban Zuluaga, an employee and
second in command of the Architect, enters the scene, but at Caliche's order and disposal.
The daily routine consisted of picking up Caliche at 7:00 a.m. to take him to his house to
take him to the construction site, but not before taking his children to school, which was in the
opposite direction. When Esteban asked Caliche if this was part of the job and if Luis knew about
this routine, Caliche replied that this was part of the privileges outlined in the contract, so he
should not worry. Esteban was reassured, because Caliche indeed enjoyed all of Don Luis' trust
and appreciation. However, every week when Luis paid for the fuel vouchers at the gas station, he
kept complaining about the high fuel consumption of the truck, which was clearly putting
Esteban's job at risk, as it was becoming unprofitable for the company due to costs. In addition to
these abuses, Caliche was known for obtaining material illegally and at low cost, which he insisted
on carrying in Esteban's truck. The latter, knowing the illegality of the situation, demanded the
signing of dispatch and transfer documents, to which Caliche objected and looked for another way
to transport the material. The problem with this situation arose when Caliche took the material to
his boss, Luis, who, without consulting the origin of the supplies, bought them at very low cost to
increase his profits in the works. In this way, he was becoming an accomplice in the situation,
since the way of obtaining the materials was very unusual and obviously raised suspicions. In the
meantime, there was talk at the construction site about Caliche's lack of transparency; in a way, it
was an open secret.
One day, Caliche was climbing a ladder to assemble tools to perform a job and without
further ado fell from a minuscule height resulting in several fractures and a leave of absence of
several months.
2. Issues involved: Theft, breach of trust
Theft is one of the most serious and frequent offenses in the construction sector, to the
extent that the stigma of "Corrupt Sector" covers them all, when it does not necessarily have to
be that way. In this case, the just pay for the sinners, because while some steal, others are
accomplices to the theft because there is no one to report it to; or because of the
cumbersomeness of the issue or the fear of losing their jobs, a deadly weapon of those who steal,
since fear is a great controller in sectors of low academic preparation.
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3. Unraveling
Once he left the construction site, his absence began to be noticed, and not precisely
because of the lack of order on the site, but because of the increase in profits and the fuel
efficiency of the truck that Esteban was driving. Luis realizes this and calls his second in
command, whom Caliche had discredited and tried to remove from the company, to inquire about
the strange wonder that was happening, and he replies quite naturally that the performance of the
truck had always been the same, but with the daily transportation of Caliche's children, the
expenses were greatly increased. Gradually the other workers began to tell about the known
abuses committed by the foreman and the decision was made to dismiss Caliche from the
company once he returned from leave. Somehow everyone felt complicit in keeping quiet about
the situation at the construction site.
4. Comment
Theft is one of the most serious problems that the construction sector faces, to the point of
being one of the most corrupt trades in the world, where more problems of irresponsibility are
reported and denounced on a daily basis. And the opportunity is up to date, between so many
purchases of materials, skilled and unskilled labor and high public and private budgets, capital is
being squandered. All this forms a never-ending chain, as anything can happen between suppliers,
buyers and supervisors. The most complicated thing is that many of the people dedicated to
construction do not even understand the meaning of ethics, because they see it as something
abstract that has nothing to do with them. Indeed, it has nothing to do with them as executors of
a given technique, but as human beings, who work for the quality of life of other human beings,
who in one way or another bear the consequences of theft and irresponsibility. If a work costs
more than budgeted, or is built with second-rate materials, it is the users who have to pay the
consequences when problems arise, because it is very easy to point the finger at someone to
blame for the problems and never solve them; The architect says it is the foreman's fault, the
foreman says it is the master builder, who in turn says it was the workers, but among them there
is no one responsible, so we have to point the finger at the electricians, those who point the finger
at the foreman, those who point the finger at the foreman, those who point the finger at the
electricians, those who point the finger at the foreman.The electrical workers, who also point to
the painters, but there is no one responsible, so the carpenters, who in the end, since they have
nothing to do with the matter, point to the construction company's engineer, who in turn believes
that the bank is to blame because the money was not paid on time, and the latter defends himself
with the bank.The latter defends itself with the insurance company, which will take two years to
investigate whether or not to pay the claim, and so on and so forth, the chain of accusations never
ends.
Definitely someone is doing things wrong and as there is no one responsible who wants to
take the blame, the guild is becoming discredited and everyone will have to bear the stigma, even
those who have the intention to do things right because they really care about the other, as the
meaning of their work.
5. Conclusion
Respect for the agreed rules and compliance with the law are an absolute condition for
collective coexistence within the guilds, including the construction industry.
This explains to a large extent the situation that the construction industry is going through. Hence
the importance that the norms of collective coercion or of internal regulation of moral acts that
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have social incidence, be constructed by the members of the guild that are affected, hence also
the importance that all individuals participate in the elaboration of codes and the surveillance of
individual actions, in order to avoid the negative stigma that is currently endured by all those who
want the common good.Hence the importance that all individuals participate in the elaboration of
codes and in the surveillance of individual actions, in order to avoid the negative stigma that today
is borne especially by those who want the common good.
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Case 30 The end does not justify the wrongdoings
1. The facts
The cellular telephone companies are covering a vast group of the national population, and
to meet this expansion they have a series of salesmen or executives who travel around the cities
offering plans with a series of benefits for the contracting parties. Every day there are more and
more requirements from companies to request a telephone plan, always thinking of lowering the
loss rate due to non-payments or unusual contracting. As the amount of salary settlements is
increasing, better professions are making it more and more difficult for salespeople, who earn
commission on sales, to secure contracts. This situation has caused great desperation among the
people working in this field, and the situation is aggravated by the goals that companies set for
their executives to achieve a salary that meets their needs month after month. Thus, in the midst
of the desperation of working in a saturated market, Juan, Diego, Elena and Omar began to buy
client documentation from executives of large banks in order to achieve the goals required by
their supervisors. This was evidenced when a lawyer with residence in Easter Island found in his
records 4 telephones in his name, which he had never requested; also a school principal of the
East sector, who had hired 1 telephone for her personal use, appeared with 3 telephones in her
name, among other multiple cases of people who, having a good income and an unimpeachable
commercial background, have had complications due to the illicit handling of confidential
information.fono for her personal use, appeared with 3 telephones in her name, among other
multiple cases of people with a good income and an unimpeachable commercial background who
have had complications due to the illicit handling of confidential information. All the cases are in
court, with lawsuits filed by those involved and by the company where the frauds were carried
out.
2. Subjects involved: Lying, responsibility, prudence, prudence, etc.
The fraud committed by cell phone plan sellers involves, among other things, lies,
irresponsibility and recklessness, and although they have in their favor the high monthly fees they
must meet to make a living wage, there is the freedom to be there or get another job. One could
imagine that if they do not meet the goals despite being good workers and very honest, the
companies would be forced to lower the requirements for contracting telephone plans and the
problems would be foisted on the companies and not on the employees. It cannot be that because
of the pressure among vendors, they are the ones who assume a responsibility that does not
correspond to them.
3. Unraveling
The four friends were exposed and argued on their behalf that this was a product of the
demanding and poor working conditions they had, which is why they had to enter into situations
outside the law, otherwise they would not be able to earn a living wage. The case is in the hands
of the courts and they are awaiting his conviction for fraud. The outcome is in the hands of justice,
but once again, from the point of view of ethics, the need for the rectitude of the people who work
is raised, since if people had unwavering principles and moral values, no proposal or idea would
change what is defended on principle.
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4. Comment
It is not even possible to think that the common good can be respected in a country where
a large part of the population lives in misery while a powerful minority enjoys great wealth that
allows them to enjoy every luxury. The great social inequalities constitute a violent and blatant
violation of the common good, inasmuch as the power of a minority opposes the satisfaction of the
basic needs of the powerless majority. Now, if the common good is the moral norm of social
action, the economic organization of our society is openly immoral and the same common good
demands that we fight it by all means and change it for an organization that guarantees, as a first
measure, the satisfaction of basic needs of all members of society, in order to avoid breaking
individual principles, as happened to the four salesmen, which are a minimum sample of the
things that usually happen when it comes to selling a product.This is a minimum sample of the
things that tend to happen when it comes to selling a product.
5. Conclusion
However, nothing justifies fraud or theft by an employee from a company and in order to
avoid this situation our society requires a work of ethical reflection that allows citizens to be firm
when they are forced by circumstances to act against the moral principles that warn us that
something is wrong. There is no better judge than one's own conscience and, in the end, ethical
reflection is only given so that people can make better decisions that benefit each individual in a
society, a company or an organization. In this sense, the vision we should have of ethics is of a
positive ethics that suggests actions and not of a negative ethics that prohibits or prohibits.
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Case 31 What capital formation
a beautiful secretary you have
1. The facts
At a company that exports and imports spare parts for heavy machinery, the secretary
resigned voluntarily because she had found a better place to work. When the company's managers
found out, a meeting was called to draw up a professional profile for the next secretary. During
the meeting it was agreed that the secretary should have a technical degree, possess great social
and communication skills and above all excellent presence, given the characteristics of the clients
they received. They placed an ad in the newspaper and the resumes of applicants began to arrive.
They went through a week-long interview schedule, and in the end, 4 young people with similar
conditions were selected.
Daniela, Ignacia, Florencia and Juanita were summoned for a Monday morning at 9:00 a.m.,
having been told that their presence was essential. The girls arrived punctually at the company,
the managers called them separately and then met to deliberate.
The General Manager was not yet familiar with the resumes of the applicants and had been
left with the information that they themselves had submitted. One of the applicants, who stood
out for her physical beauty, was the manager's favorite, who at the meeting convinced the others
to hire her because of the "joy it would bring to see her every day in the mornings". Florencia was
hired, who from the first day had problems "due to the lack of transportation to arrive on time",
day after day Florencia was late, until the General Manager told her that she should do
"everything in her power to arrive on time"; she began to call radio taxis from the company's
management agreement and she definitely arrived every day on time.She began to call radio cabs
from the company's management agreement and definitely arrived on time every day. He told the
General Manager about the abuse she was committing and the boss in turn told Florencia that this
was out of the ordinary and that he would deduct from her salary in 4 settlements the expense
she had made. She, furious, knowing her boss's weaknesses, hinted to him that she would do
anything to keep her job, so she would take it upon herself anyway to improve the situation.
From that day on, Florencia, in order not to be late, missed work, then asked for a week's
leave to leave early because her father was very sick, and then she was absent for 5 days due to
her father's death.
The managers were bored with the case, since instead of improving the office situation,
Florence's presence was destroying the little order that existed there. They decided to fire
Florencia and sent a registered letter to her home to notify her.
2. Ethical issues involved. Prudence, fairness
In this case, the imprudence is committed by the General Manager of the company and by
the hired Secretary. In the case of the Manager, because he knew the requirements for the
position of Secretary and, nevertheless, he set them aside, dazzled by Florencia's beauty, when
the other candidates had a better profile for the position. On the other hand, Florencia was not
only reckless, but unfair, since she knew about her late hours, the abuse committed by using the
radio cab service on company account without telling her boss and the multiple absences to the
office and after the dismissal notice the only thing she could think of was to accuse her boss of
sexual harassment to keep the job, the salary and the lie. How long will we continue to make the
same mistakes, where we privilege the essential on the altar of superficiality, when this does great
harm to companies and to the productivity of the country, which urgently needs to improve
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productivity levels? Surely when meritocratically formation
people occupy the positions they deserve, some
will move up and others will have to improve or definitely move down.
3. Unraveling
However, she had filed a lawsuit against the company for sexual harassment and abuse of
authority, since she argued that for human reasons at a time like that, due to the death of her
father, it was an infamy to fire her. She won the case and the company had to give her her job
back and compensate her for damages. Today Florence continues to beautify the boss's office,
along with a couple of ornamental plants. The only thing her boss expects is for Florencia to resign
after the demands made on her schedule, which she has so far complied with without tardiness to
avoid accumulating grounds for justified dismissal.
4. Comment
While it is true that the good physical presence of a secretary can be pleasant for the work
environment and for customer service, it cannot be a determining factor when hiring her,
especially if she is aware that beauty is her only attribute, since academically she had many gaps.
Regularly, beauty in the absence of intelligence is given to manipulate bosses who are weakened
by female beauty and end up paying the consequences of hiring ornamental women. In these
cases, the important thing is to be very clear about the profile of the person required for the
position and the objectives sought with his or her hiring. In this way, the roles will be very well
defined and at the moment of having to dispense with the services, the reasons for dismissal will
be clear to both parties, avoiding the inconvenience of lawsuits.
5. Conclusion
This is yet another case that shows that when a decision is made irrationally, or for
reasons that are too whimsical, the consequences end up paying dearly. It is not for nothing that
today we can see how companies are paying more and more attention to ethics and transparency
in their decisions, since working seriously and without unnecessary pressure increases the
satisfaction of the members of the organization, which is ultimately reflected in the productivity
that the company shows. Acting in accordance with justice and aiming at the common good
generates greater benefits for the company for the simple reason that it is made up of human
beings, who will naturally live and work better when the values that are proper to human nature
are respected.
Case 32 Read before signing. It can happen to you
1. The facts
Gabriel was a 28-year-old graphic design graduate who had recently been hired in the
advertising department of a prestigious and nationally recognized company. His job within the
company was to create the advertising graphics and give the best advice to make the product
promotion as effective as possible. One normal working day, he was called to a meeting with the
entire advertising department, and they were informed that the company would be taking a new
direction, for which they needed to generate a new image. The employees' job was to propose
different possibilities for the rebranding, for which an internal contest was called, and the reward
was a higher paid and more important promotion in the company.
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Gabriel began to make a study human capital
based formation
on what people were interested in, and what was
their possible niche to attack. After days of study he concluded that the best population segment
was teenage girls, and decided to generate an advertisement closer to the generation, for which
he cited relevant and typical situations in the lives of young women. relevant and typical situations
in the lives of young women; he took these situations, captured them with photographs and
generated sublime graphics with emotional content.
As the company was going through a time of great pressure and many employees wanted
to opt for a better life, it turned out that a colleague close to Gabriel and in knowledge of his
studies, came one day to the office saying that Gabriel had to sign some documents that were
part of the protocol and that were internal errands, without any importance. Gabriel confidently
signed the papers, as he knew that due to the stage that the company was going through, it
would need them to sign documents many times, so he thought it was prudent and signed the
document without any objection.
The next day, when he arrived at the office, he realized that most of his photographs were
on display, and he, very happy believing that he had won the contest, went to his superior's
office; but when he got there, he discovered the most unexpected situation; his friend had been
the winner of the contest and therefore he was the one who would receive the promotion. But
when he got there, he discovered the most unexpected situation; his friend had been the winner
of the contest and therefore he was the one who would receive the promotion. But that was not
his surprise, but that his friend had been able to access this promotion through lies and deceit,
since among the documents he made Gabriel sign, was the document of authorship of information
and images, which the friend claimed to himself as his own creation all the work done by Gabriel.
When Gabriel found himself involved in such a confusing situation, he argued, making it
clear that he had been the manager of the advertisement; to which his superior replied that it was
inconceivable that there was envy within his employees and even more, that they were capable of
lying about the authorship of creations, just because there was a lack of creativity in them.Without
hearing another word, he asked Gabriel to resign because he considered the young man's actions
to be incorrect.
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2. Ethical issues involved. Intellectual property theft, lying, deception, breach of trust
Clearly in the situation presented above, we can find a serious fault on the part of Gabriel's
friend, since he used friendship as a pretext to achieve his goal. Through deceit, lies,
manipulation, and a clear abuse of trust, he was capable of betraying and stealing a creation that
was not of his own authorship, just to obtain better remuneration; but the fault is even worse,
since as a result of his lie and lack of morals, he produced the unjustified dismissal of Gabriel, who
only sinned because of his faith and credibility in a friend.
3. Unraveling
Gabriel's friend was promoted with honors for the creation of effective advertising, with
which the company achieved its own identity and was able to double its sales and profits and
enlarge its market segment. Nobody believed Gabriel until he could be in another company where
he began to show his true talent, while his friend, with lies and falsehoods began to use the last
year design students to help him in his creations; that is, the promotion served to pay the
students who worked for him. We could say that in the long term there is "payback", that is to
say, that with time everyone shows what they really have to give.
4. Comment
The situation presented is clear evidence of a lack of ethics and people being self-
absorbed, thinking only of money and promotions at any price, overstepping the limit of what is
right. Gabriel thought that the end justified the means and he had no scruples about deceiving his
friend; now, if he does this with a friend, what could he do with someone with whom he has no
ties? This type of person generates situations that damage the environment and his habitual
deceit will end up determining his character, characterized by a lack of talent and virtues, which
will end up sinking Gabriel in a sea of mistakes.
5. Conclusion
From the situation described above, it can only be deduced that nowadays the lack of
criteria to discern which are the best paths to access a particular and previously established task,
degrades coexistence and alters the balance that should exist in interpersonal relationships. If
people continue to think about being favored in every act and for their own benefit, improper acts
will continue to be committed in social behavior and will threaten the unity of design
professionals. Gabriel forgot that professionals today are required for their professional and ethical
development to be interdisciplinary, which implies dialogue with other professions and is promoted
by professional ethics, or else they are cut off with attitudes such as those of Gabriel, who will
surely end up alone.
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Case 33 Virtue without dependence
1. The facts
It all started with the proposal to remodel a store, using some elements designed,
purchased or old, as well as mannequins, shelves and shelves. The job looked quite attractive and
very entertaining, as it would make us learn a lot more about how to present products inside a
store. The people who would be doing this work were two friends who were very enthusiastic
about trying to make things go as well as possible, and that their progress notes on the project
would be the best. Unfortunately for Maria, the work that began as a great adventure turned into
a nightmare, since her partner was absent when the first experiences about work, progress and
general ideas that would guide them during this project were to be given. Maria let this first lack
of responsibility on the part of her partner pass.
Although things between them were settled, something happened that completely upset
Maria, she thought that her friend had come to her senses and that she would work together with
her on the future proposals to be made, but unfortunately no, Lorena did not work and Maria had
to do everything alone as best she could, she was alone and her partner did not work as a team.
Yet Maria didn't dare tell Lorena that she was going to work alone, so she would have to
find another group to present to the class. In this way Maria overcame the difficulties and
overcame obstacles, working alone, but presenting the work as if it belonged to both of them, she
felt it was not the right thing to do, but she did not want to leave her partner alone, she preferred
to continue presenting the progress of the project as all the groups did together.
2. Ethical issues involved. Abuse of trust
The abuse of trust by Lorena towards Maria is because Lorena did not accompany Maria in
the work and once the project was finished there is not a minimum of gratitude for the work that
was presented in "Group", where Lorena was clearly benefited. In the end, Maria was the one who
learned and was strengthened by the work, regardless of her partner's attitude. Really, when one
enjoys virtues and vocation, one does not depend on the disposition of others or the virtues of
others. In Maria, a good dose of fortitude can be noted, but not of justice or a real appreciation of
the true meaning of friendship, since her silence ended up helping Lorena to continue dragging an
attitude that, in the long run, would end up harming her.
3. Unraveling
By the end of the semester and everything they had to do was ready, the project for the
remodeling of the store was presented in the best possible way, but due to Lorena's
irresponsibility, Maria later distanced herself from it. He noticed that Lorena did not work much in
other subjects either. This was a relief for Maria, knowing that she was not the only one who
suffered in some way from her partner's lack of commitment, so she was happy to pass her
course successfully, not very satisfied to have given her partner the grade, but very happy
because she did not let herself be defeated and did not hesitate to fight for what belonged to her
and work hard to be able to succeed in this project.was, but very happy because she did not let
herself be defeated and did not hesitate to fight for what belonged to her and work hard to be
able to succeed in this project. She got a very good grade, despite all the bad things that meant
finishing this work, she moved away from her friend, but she managed to pass the course without
difficulty, somehow she was rewarded for not leaving Lorena alone with almost so little time left to
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finish the semester. As previously stated capital
Maria did formation
not let Lorena down and she worked until the
project was finished and delivered it on the required date, with punctuality and responsibility;
thus, they received the same grade, but somehow only both knew that one of them had worked
throughout the whole process.
They moved away and later Maria found out that Lorena had dropped out, she did not
know for what reasons, but so far she does not regret having worked alone presenting the work
for both of them, since it was also her grade that was at stake.
4. Comment
The only thing Maria reproaches herself for is not having talked to her friend, because
maybe a conversation would have been enough for her to rethink her attitude towards work,
people and life itself. Sometimes to work in a group, regardless of the number of members,
someone needs to lead to organize the work and establish roles according to individual
capabilities. A timely distribution of roles might have prevented Lorena's desertion. Therefore,
although Maria believed she was acting as a good friend, she ends up harming her partner, as she
covers up her irresponsibility without motivating her to improve herself. Friendship is not simply
about liking someone and not causing trouble, but about seeking what is best for the friend, even
if this means having to 'complicate your life' and speak clearly with the friend involved.
5. Conclusion
A superficial reading could comment that in this situation the value of friendship overcame
everything and in the end Maria did not leave her partner alone, she did not ask for explanations
either, she just took the reins of the problems and worked until the end. But the truth is that the
situation shows that this friendship was rather superficial, Maria was not fully committed to
Lorena's well being. Maria could have talked to her partner and sought a solution in which they
would both work, but she avoids it probably so she wouldn't have to spend a bad time calling
attention to it. Not for nothing was contact between the two lost and neither of them ever heard
from the other again. A pity that could have ended in a much better way if they had talked about
it.
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Case 34 The contest
1. The facts
One way to get a job in the field of design is to apply to the so-called ideas contests
organized by companies that are in a situation that requires an intervention in their
communication resources, infrastructure and/or image, but do not have a clear idea of how to
carry it out. They often do not have a thorough understanding of the nature of the problems they
face, do not master all their dimensions, do not know exactly what kind of solution is needed and,
therefore, are not in a position to develop a comprehensive program to guide the intervention.
Thus, the possibility of obtaining many proposed solutions represents a more than seductive
alternative.
Many design students and professionals are attracted to participate in idea competitions,
not only because they see a job opportunity or monetary gain, but for prestige. However, it is
known that many times big companies take advantage of these instances to steal the ideas of the
participating designers, from this sea of ideas that are presented to them they take the best ones,
to form a new great idea and at zero cost, because the participants are not given anything for the
fact of participating or qualifying. This creates a climate of mistrust between the designer and the
company, since designers see that their effort, work and time invested are not valued at all. Well,
the only thing they get from participating in this type of contest is that they are passed on to
wear.
2. Ethical issues involved. Theft of ideas
When large companies use the ideas of the participants for their own benefit and without
the authorization of the creatives, they are committing theft of ideas, which means that the
contests are a front for them to get hold of novel ideas without having to pay anything for them.
The supposed reward translates into a possibility of a contract or campaign management, which is
very rarely the case. The only thing that remains for the participant is the pride of having won and
the review on the resume.
3. Unraveling
Competitions are losing more and more credibility, and the applicants feel cheated when
they see that their ideas are being used and they get nothing in return, so they just sit back and
do nothing. However, they are often forced to continue to participate in order to pursue a market
opportunity. This allows bad companies to continue to take people no matter what.
The climate of distrust between designer and company is growing, as designers see that
their effort is not valued at all, much less the time invested, since the only thing they get when
participating in this type of contest is the recognition of a few.
4. Comment
Unfortunately, idea contests lose credibility due to the fact that some companies act in a
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bad way, since many designers or design students think twice before entering the contest,
because they feel that all their work and time invested is not valued and is often misused. And in
the long run this is quite bad for the market because these contests of ideas have always been an
opportunity for improvement and because of the fact that there are these bad people at the helm,
perhaps in the future they could disappear; however, the facts seem to prove the opposite. This
being so, it is worth thinking of the critical sense of knowledge as the "Adventure of Thought"
("Knowledge is an endless adventure aboard uncertainty," in the words of J. Bronowsky). Those
who work on a project basis and seek recognition through competitions know that each project
represents the vessel of uncertainty.
5. Conclusion
It is unreasonable in the order of professional knowledge and action to exercise

recklessness. The human being must undertake a reasonable adventure, something that does not
overflow the necessary control of operations, projects, creation and new ideas, the results must
be predictable in some proportion to be able to run with reasonable criteria the risks, without
giving away or surrendering everything in exchange for nothing.
If every experience lived by those who have suffered this abuse is learned and understood
in the light of the ethical background, their responsibility in the companies when they are there,
will be not to repeat the scheme.
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Case 35 capital formation
Teacher by obligation
1. The facts
Twenty-two years have passed and Álvaro Gómez still hasn't forgotten when he was only
seven years old. It was 19850, the first day of school, with my nerves on edge, as I would be
getting to know a new experience and, of course, a new teacher.
Alvaro at that time lived in La Serena and studied at the Libertad de Chile school; the bell
rings, and all the children begin to forge new friendships and form groups. The days passed
normally, or rather, almost normally. It is clear that all 7 year olds are restless, the only thing that
interests them is to play and do mischief, either to their classmates or even to some teachers.
Álvaro's new teacher was Fernando Peña, who was the head teacher of Álvaro's course, and
taught all the classes in the course. It is worth mentioning that Álvaro is the son of one of the
teachers at the school at the time, which saved him several times from the strange behavior of
the teacher Fernando.
As the days passed, Fernando began to show his true personality: He would get upset for any
reason and quite easily, depending on the personality of the child in question, since quiet and
studious children did not provoke him at all; but if it was a child who was a little restless, he would
easily exalt him and react violently towards the little one.He would start with physical and
psychological humiliation, then rudeness, and many times everything ended in blows.
Álvaro, to this day, tries to remember some mischief or mischief, but he does not remember
any of great importance or seriousness; therefore, he still does not understand his former
teacher's way of being.
On an ordinary day at school, the children in Álvaro's class go out for recess. A group of five
children got together with the intention of getting into mischief, and it occurred to them to go to
the kindergarten playground and see what could be done there, without knowing what they were
going to do, they just wanted to have a good time laughing at their mischief.
One of them began to look in one of his pockets and found several water bottles; and
obviously they proceeded to fill them, first they threw water on each other, but seeing that they
were in first grade, being in the kindergarten children's playground, they felt big and powerful and
believed they could do anything to the little ones who were inside the bathroom. They took some
of them, while others went to look for other children, also in kindergarten, and forced them to
enter the bathroom... they began to throw these little water bombs at the children. Once their
mission was over , they returned to the room as if nothing had happened.
The bell rang again for the second recess and they saw how the little ones who had wet
themselves were crying in front of one of the inspectors, telling everything that had happened.
Álvaro's classmates return to the room and find the inspector talking to the head teacher of the
course.
Everyone enters as normal, until Fernando decides to call the five children, to stand in front of
all their classmates in the room; and it started all over again, the shouting and humiliation,
through the use of rudeness, pulling and hitting, all the children scared. Then Francisco forms a
line with the little ones and tells them to hold out their hands with their palms up, and he takes his
belt out of his pants, and found nothing better than to start slapping each child's hands, yelling
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"Don't do that again". The children began to cry, but none of them dared to tell what was going on
in the room.
Certainly Alvaro still remembers the teacher's face when he became violent and aggressive
with the children, his face seemed to transform, as if he took enormous pleasure and satisfaction
when he abused the children. The strange thing is that some parents were in agreement with
beating the children, especially those who were bad both in their studies and in their personal
conduct.
2. Ethical issues involved. Vocation, solidarity, respect, justice
The teacher does not show a vocation as a teacher and hence his anger against those children
whose behavior was normal for a 7-year-old child but which he was not able to understand, which
also did not allow him to put himself, in solidarity, in the position of the children to understand
their behavior. In addition to this lack of vocation for his teaching profession, it seems
disrespectful to go against his students, who came to class in search of knowledge and found
themselves in a different situation. Respect for others has to do with understanding the differences
that arise and trying, if necessary, to guide them towards something better, which seems unfair
anyway since, according to Álvaro, the severe punishments were not at the level of the offenses
but at the level of his mood, which was very easily altered.
3. Unraveling
Years went by and Álvaro was able to tell his mother what happened in that first year with
his teacher Álvaro, and taking advantage of the fact that she was also a teacher, she talked to the
school authorities to warn them about the situation. The disciplinary investigation lasted two
years, while sufficient evidence of this teacher's behavior was gathered. After a while, the teacher
had to leave the school and go to a middle school where the students, due to their characteristics
and age, would not put up with his aggressiveness. Indeed, Alvaro had to change his behavior
towards the students, however, as a teacher he still leaves much to be desired in terms of his
quality, because anything is a pretext for not teaching the class and he prefers that the students
are the ones who are working all the time without him giving the relevant advice.
4. Comment
Unfortunately, in the teaching profession we encounter cases like these on a daily basis
and it is because many of them are teachers not by vocation but by obligation. They are often
heard to say: "I had to be a teacher, or I had to be in this or that class, or I have to grade these
tests....." a language that reflects obligation and not pleasure in what they do. Slave teachers, in
Aristotle's terms, because they do not do what they like but what they are obliged to do. "They
live like they don't want to live." The saddest thing of all is that there is not the slightest effort to
change the condition of slaves to free men, who enjoy their work and the opportunity to learn
from contact with youth, which always brings new things and renews our spirit.
5. Conclusion
The lack of vocation in teaching results in the sudden death of the taste for learning.
Surely, if a student is asked about the teacher he/she remembers the most, perhaps his/her best
teacher, most of them would agree in pointing out the teacher who gave him/her the taste for
reading, for study, for research. the taste for reading, for study, for research; the one who with a
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couple of words gave them the key to human capital
live well andformation
solve their difficulties or simply the one who
taught them the search for truth and the defense of human dignity. Of the best teachers,
especially in elementary and middle school, we do not specifically remember the knowledge
transmitted in class, but we do remember their attitude towards life and knowledge, the one who
with his strength and character was able to show us a good path.
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Case 36 The sales executive
1. The facts
Claudia works as a sales executive at a well-known national newspaper. As usual, this

newspaper launched different promotions to make the sale easier and specifically the annual
subscription to the newspaper. One of these promotions consisted of the annual subscription
payment: $99,000 paid in six checks or deducted from the credit card in eight installments plus
$30,000 in cash, and a digital camera with a commercial value of $180,000.
Claudia long ago wanted to give her mother a machine to take pictures at family
gatherings and being a digital camera she found that it was even better because the photos that
were not very nice could be removed before developing them on paper, so she took advantage of
this offer and without thinking about the consequences she sold a subscription to a lady in the city
of Santiago who did not want to take the promotion of the camera, so when she wrote down the
address she sold a subscription to a lady in the city of Santiago who did not want to take the
promotion of the camera. a subscription to a lady in the city of Santiago who did not want to take
the promotion of the camera, so when she wrote down the address where the camera was to
arrive, she found that she had to send it to the address where it was to arrive.When he wrote
down the address where the camera was to arrive, instead of writing down the address of the lady
who bought the subscription, he wrote down her mother's address and she paid the extra $30,000
pesos that it cost.000 pesos extra that it cost. Since Claudia knew that the delivery of the cameras
was out of sync with the delivery of the newspaper (approximately two weeks after the contract
started) she assumed that they would not notice the change of address because they worked as
two separate deliveries.
After that time, Claudia received a call from the Sales Manager explaining an irregularity
with the delivery of a camera, he gave no further explanation over the phone and asked her to
come in person. When he was in front of her he told her that they had discovered that she had
supposedly sold one of the cameras along with a subscription, but when the truck called the
person listed on the documents because they could not find the house number listed on the
delivery address, when the truck called the subscriber she told them that there must be a
mistake, because she never paid for that promotion.When the truck called the person listed on the
documents because they could not find the house number on the delivery address, the subscriber
told them that there must be a mistake, because she never paid for the promotion. When they
saw in the papers who had been the seller, they discovered that Claudia was listed on them, so
everything was discovered. Claudia acknowledged her mistake and said that she did not really
mean it, but thought it was an easy way to get a cheaper camera and that she had paid the extra
$30,000.
2. Ethical issues involved. Dialogue, prudence
Surely the mistake was not so serious in the sense that Claudia cancelled the excess of the
contract, in order to have the camera for her mother.or or with the Sales Manager himself and
explained her case, she would have found a solution, but the lack of dialogue led her to make the
mistake she made, which makes her look like an imprudent woman who takes advantage of the
promotions offered to customers.
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3. Unraveling
The Manager took the necessary measures and fired Claudia. The arguments given by him
were that such an error could not be allowed, no matter how insignificant it might be, because if in
the future another of his employees committed the same irregularity, he should be warned of the
risk involved. The law must be equal for all. Claudia complied with the decision made by her
superior and left the offices without complaint or resistance. Today
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Claudia is still working as a sales executive and is successful and from that bitter experience she
learned two things: promotions for clients are either from the clients or for the clients and
secondly, always put forward her thoughts, maintaining a very good and fluid communication with
her bosses.
4. Comment
Dialogue emerges, according to Adela Cortina, as a supremely accredited value in the Western
tradition, because, since Socrates, it has been considered as a procedure to find the truth and it
can be proved throughout history that dialogue is the most effective way for humans to solve their
conflicts. Discursive or dialogical ethics points out the requirements for building an authentic value
in dialogue.
a. It must be bi-directional. With a deep need to learn to listen.

b. Not to believe that one will always have the truth and to think that the interlocutor is always a
being to be convinced.
c. You have to let yourself be 'defeated' if necessary.
d. There must be understanding even if it does not mean agreement.
e. It must serve universal interests.
With dialogue we try to solve our difficulties, to think out loud to involve the other person and
make him/her participate in our thoughts, in search of new lights and alternatives to our
problems. This is how the search for dialogue, according to Adela Cortina, is nothing more than
recovering the lost taste for social activities, good dialogues, thus overcoming the three current
paradigms of progress such as money, prestige and power, and in this sense, dialogue reminds us
how human we are and how much we need each other.
5. Conclusion
The conclusion one can draw from Claudia's case is that although the end of the action is
good (buying the camera and giving it to her mother), the object (falsifying information) and the
circumstances (doing it in secret from her bosses) allow a negative ethical judgment to be made,
since the end does not justify any means. Claudia shows a clear weakness in allowing herself to be
tempted by a promotion that did not correspond to her and to make use of it for her personal use,
she did not act prudently because she did not visualize and analyze the situation correctly.
However, we are facing a sensible woman who recognizes and learns from her mistakes so as not
to make them again. In fact, it is appreciated that when she was discovered by the sales area
manager, she had enough self-control to assume and recognize her responsibility for the facts and
accept the consequences.
In the case of the Manager, he did what he had to do and in that case he acted justly by
not allowing such a situation in order to foresee new situations like these.
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Case 37 The double deception
1. The facts
Sandra worked in a children's clothing store in Patronato, where she had been promised a
three-month trial period and was then given an employment contract. However, there was never
any such contract or fee slips, he was simply paid informally, so to speak, "by word of mouth".
After a while Sandra became good friends with the owner of the store, a situation that
reaffirmed her confidence and approval of the payment system that was being imposed on her. In
this way, he worked for two years without the corresponding social security contributions. But one
day, unexpectedly and for no reason, Sandra was fired. Later, he learned that his position would
go to a niece of the owner. He had to leave his job the same day and without compensation. Their
loyalty, trust and good performance were worthless. She felt betrayed, as she was left with
nothing and had to start looking for another job as soon as possible. Sandra, advised by family
and friends, decided to sue her employer. Consequently, the trial was held and the judge issued a
favorable ruling for her. Therefore, it was required to pay all the amount due within a set period of
time and if the judgment was not complied with, it would be seized. When the deadline expired,
the employer did not show up and upon receiving the garnishment order, she desperately sought
Sandra and begged her to stop it and she would commit to pay her $200,000 per month until the
debt was paid in full. Again, Sandra trusted and accepted the settlement, thinking that the
important thing was that the debt was somehow cancelled and because of humanity she could not
accept that she would lose her house because of her defendant.
2. Ethical issues involved Justice, prudence
Justice is precisely that virtue that allows us to discern what a person really deserves,
allowing the will to give "TO EACH ONE HIS OWN", depending on the acts and attitudes of each
person.
In the above case, it is clear that Sandra always performed correctly, carrying out all her
duties, complying with schedules and responding to the needs of the company. However, the
employer did not act fairly, because in the first instance, it did not keep its word by not giving her
the contract and subsequently dismissed her without paying her what she was owed. But as they
say: "justice may take time but it comes", the Judge did justice in his sentence. Sandra also acted
justly by presenting her case before the law and also by not wanting to harm her employer's
family with the seizure, since they were innocent of the conflict.
Sandra's prudence in the case is remarkable, because she acted correctly, asking only for
what she was entitled to for the years she had worked, and this is how prudence gave Sandra the
ability to see things correctly, to appreciate reality in its proper dimension, to act according to the
circumstances in a manner consistent with her principles, without being clouded by resentment or
remorse.
Sandra acted prudently when she made the decision to sue the owner of the premises to
obtain what she was entitled to. Otherwise, she may have been imprudent, trying to
to take justice into his own hands, to have stolen something from him as a pledge for what he
owed him. He also acted prudently and magnanimously when he agreed to stop the garnishment
and for the sake of others, in this case, the defendant's family, knowing that he will receive in the
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long run what was owed to him. It is important to consider that Sandra acted recklessly in
accepting the imposed working conditions. But more reckless was her employer in firing her
without notice, denying her any severance pay.
3. Unraveling
Once the court ruled in Sandra's favor for the second time and forced the owner of the
premises to pay the corresponding amount, she sought Sandra out and, although angry, admitted
her mistake and promised not to do it again. that with any
employee; of In fact, it was in the plan to regulate the
situation of the people who at at this moment I was workingfor her, with the intention to avoid
new demands, perhaps, with employees than if it were seized. The relationship between them
two, plus
for Sandra's virtues that by the owner of the premises, no was
returned to being an employee and boss, but
It was a friendship, a friendship that allowed Sandra to verify that this lady had complied with the
contracts of her employees and that now everything was done according to the law, understanding
that the chaos with which she managed her business was resulting in more losses and problems.
Sandra, for her part, with the proceeds from the trial, began to bring in imported clothing and
little by little became a supplier to many Patronato stores, working independently, and everyone
loves her, respects her and complies with her. He never had a problem again.
4. Comment
It could be said that Sandra is a virtuous woman and that apart from being prudent and
fair, she is strong and temperate. Let us say that the strong person is the one who possesses a
firm attitude to overcome the obstacles that come his way. It is the cardinal virtue that helps us to
move forward and face our fears, fears, problems, but in a sensible and rational way. Sandra had
to show her strength in the first place: by not collapsing with the unfair dismissal and secondly: by
having to make the decision to sue, since as is well known, it is a long and complicated process for
which a lot of strength and patience is needed, because it was not easy for her to prove something
that was agreed upon in word of mouth. Her temperance was also put to the test, for at no time
did she insult or assault her employer when she was wronged, but waited and made the decision
to sue, but also did not let the abuse be committed against her. Self-control and discipline to
endure what she endured. There were situations in which Sandra could have acted very
differently, but she managed to control her will over her instincts, she allowed justice to act and
understood that it was not up to her to take justice into her own hands.
5. Conclusion
Undoubtedly, virtues must prevail in our lives. Only with justice, prudence, fortitude and
temperance, virtues that are intrinsically linked, will we be truly complete and valuable persons. In
this way, we can contribute with our actions to the construction of a better world where true moral
values, those that by their nature should be universal, applicable to everyone and necessary, that
is, fundamental for peaceful coexistence.
On the contrary, if we do not apply them, the result will be fatal, because one imprudent
person plus another unjust person and so on will only bring about the destruction of societies and
humanity in the long run. Many times we feel we are wronged, but the important thing is to do the
right thing, recognize our values, develop our virtues and act accordingly. By acting well, applying
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the four cardinal virtues, we will come to live and be fulfilled, enjoying the benefit of happiness for
things well done. The important thing is to act for the real good and not for the apparent good. In
the long run, personal good should never go against the good of others. Sandra suffered injustice
several times, but she did not falter and acted with her virtues firmly in place.
The ethical solution to this case should have been for the employer to give Sandra
adequate notice of her termination so that she could relocate elsewhere. In addition, to reach an
economic agreement regarding the indemnity, so that Sandra would have felt valued and would
have accepted the employer's decision without any problems. We almost always know it's the right
thing to do, so why don't we act accordingly?
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Case 38 Ethics and Systems Security
1. The facts
Patricio is a Database Administrator working in a Bank, one of the most prestigious and
recognized in Chile. He earns a good salary, but there is little job stability due to the high level of
competition among his colleagues. He is currently working on a project that consists of making
some changes to improve the performance of the database, where the project manager is his
friend Andres, whom he has known since school, and who also sought him out to work with him
on this project.
At the beginning of the project, Patricio was told that this would be his last job at the bank,
that they determined that there were too many people working and they had to fire someone, and
since he was the one with the least time working at the bank, he was the one who had to leave.
When his friend Andres found out about this, he proposed to set up an account in the bank with
several million pesos transferred from the accounts of some clients, and with the interest
generated, they would share the money. Patricio, finding himself in a delicate situation, where his
labor and economic future was at risk, but also knowing that by accepting Andres' offer he would
harm not only the bank, but also many people, did not know how to respond, so he asked for a
few days to think about it.
He spent several days thinking about what would happen to his family and his job,
financially, he was not sure if he would find a job after this project or if he would be unemployed
for a long time, but he also thought about the problems that could arise if he accepted and they
were discovered, so he told his wife about his friend's proposal and asked her what she would do
in his place.He also thought about the problems it could bring him if he accepted and they found
out, so he told his wife about his friend's proposal and asked her what she would do in his place.
She told him not to worry about the job, that if he acted correctly, sooner or later he would be
rewarded, and that he could work in some other company where he would not necessarily be paid
as much as at the bank.
After listening to his wife, he found that she was right, that it was best to act right and not
harm anyone, so he went to his friend and told him that he was not willing to do what he
proposed. But Andres went ahead with what he had planned, and looked for someone else to help
him do what he wanted. He asked the rest of the team if they were willing to work on his idea,
and they all said no, so he finally went it alone.
2. Ethical issues involved. Dialogue, prudence, justice.
However, when a person has a well-constructed value structure, he or she does not
hesitate or think about the proposal, so the answer should have been immediate: No, I do not
accept, in addition to having tried to persuade his friend not to do it, since both knew the great
risk involved. Ethics should not only be for me and in this sense our correct reflections should
serve others for their decisions. Patricio could not decide for Andrés, but he could persuade him
not to do it, it was the fair thing to do and the least he could have done for his friend, however,
ambition and recklessness led him to make the mistake.
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3. Unraveling
Shortly after Patricio finished the project, Andres had already finished what he had set out
to do, but he did not count on an audit they were going to do to the project and the bank's
system, with which they discovered an anomaly and the questions of how so much money had
arrived to Andres' account, raised suspicions. After this audit, they began to investigate the team
working in the bank and realized that Andres, the project manager, was responsible and the only
one to blame for what had happened. After Andres was discovered and determined to be guilty,
he was fired, a colleague was promoted and Patricio did not have to leave the Bank.
4. Comment
Every free and conscious act is imputable, that is to say, attributable to someone,
therefore the person who performs it must answer for the act before others and before society,
especially when it comes to such delicate professions as Patricio's, which not only requires
transparency of bank movements, but also the firmness of our values to avoid falling into the
temptation of handling the figures for particular interests, which is why Patricio's firmness and his
wife's good sense are valued.That is why Patricio's firmness and his wife's good sense, who did
not allow him to do what his friend proposed, is appreciated; and as things are, Patricio's job
stability in the Bank resulted from Andres' mistake. If Patricio had thought so, one would say that
the maneuver was perfect, but on the contrary, nobody believed that Andres was capable of doing
what he did and alone.
5. Conclusion
Money is definitely not everything and although many do not believe it or do not want to
believe it, ethics ends up being very profitable to the interests of companies and society, because
a society with people who do things right, saves a lot of money. In this sense, the ethics required
in companies is not an ethics of conviction, but an ethics of responsibility for the consequences of
the decisions made therein. This in no way means opting for pragmatism, but rather remembering
that it is necessary to take into account the consequences of decisions for the purpose for which
the company exists and for which a professional is hired, which is the satisfaction of human needs,
the needs of others. Our greatest responsibility is to that other person who has placed his trust in
us, just as we place our trust in others and expect them to do things right.
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Case 39 Professional disenchantment
1. The facts
Once upon a time, a young woman of humble origins and very hard-working, in her
eagerness for personal and professional growth, decided to look for a job. After a long time she
managed to get a job in a company that was two hours away from her home, but she did not care
because all she could think about was to apply her secretarial and accounting knowledge acquired
in high school, and to be able to pay for her higher studies in Auditing in the afternoon. Thanks to
that job and the many contacts and friendships he made, he contacted a company in need of an
assistant accountant. He arranged an interview with his future boss. In the interview, this young
woman let the boss know of her intention to continue studying, with which the boss agreed and
was pleased, as it was something the company could use. Once she was settled in her new job,
which was limited to the role of assistant accountant, the problems began. What was initially
limited to assistant work gradually became a greater burden. Her boss, realizing the efficiency
with which this young woman was performing, began to assign her more complex tasks, without
any major benefit for her, such as a promotion or salary increase. On the contrary, this required
her to extend her working day and neglect her studies. Due to her humble character, she was not
outspoken about her discontent; however, one day she decided to talk to her boss to explain her
problems related to the long working hours. Her boss became upset thinking that she was trying
to pressure him for a promotion, seeing her as a threat to his position in the company. His
response was as follows: "If you don't like it, you can leave." She was very sad and distressed and
went home thinking about what decision she would make. As she traveled back home she recalled
what her boss had told her in the initial interview, realizing that she had been a victim of unequal
opportunities, exploitation and abuse of power. Finally, out of necessity, she decided to continue
in her job under the same conditions. Her boss, on the other hand, seeing her as a threat, did his
best to discredit her within the company until he achieved his goal of firing her.
2. Ethical issues involved. Injustice, abuse of power
Abuse of power is clearly reflected in the following situations:

• By assigning responsibilities to the young woman that were not commensurate with the
benefits she received from the company.
• When the boss begins to discredit the work that the young woman was doing and
• At the moment the boss decides to fire the young woman for no reason.
Abuse of power is the main source of moral corruption. In this case the boss had enough
power to decisively influence the young woman's working life. The problem arises because the
boss made an illegitimate use of power and used it unjustifiably to exploit. Exploitation is clearly
reflected when she was assigned more time-consuming tasks, which were neither financially
rewarded nor recognized by her boss. In this sense, labor exploitation is directly related to the
abuse of power, since the demands on a person's work end in pressure and the threat of
dismissal. In this case, the boss began to exploit the young woman from the moment she did not
comply with the workload agreement that had been discussed in the beginning. The young woman
had to comply with the over demand as she was pressured to keep the job.
3. Unraveling
The dismissed young woman felt a deep disappointment from this work experience. This
resulted in his distrust of future jobs, because despite the injustices committed by his boss, he
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continued in his job without his superiors finding out about the abuses he had committed with the
young woman, and on the other hand, in the arduous task of finding a job, he found the
unpleasant surprise that for lack of a contact or "pituto" it would be very difficult to get a decent
job that would allow him to develop professionally. This situation is very common in our country
where friendship and contacts take precedence over the technical skills and knowledge of the
workers.
Finally, after 8 months of unemployment, she found a job that allowed her to earn at least
the minimum income to finish her studies and become a professional. The company where he
worked was small, but in recognition of his professional degree, he was offered an increase in his
salary, which, while not adequate, at least recognized in part what he had achieved academically.
4. Comment
The situation experienced by this young woman, especially the dismissal to which she was
subjected without just cause, has dire consequences for many people, since this situation
produces acute anxiety responses, deterioration of self-esteem and self-concept, psychosomatic
symptoms, hypertension, depression, carelessness in personal grooming, and in some cases, the
appearance of more severe pathology such as drug abuse and alcoholism. psychosomatic
symptoms, hypertension, depression, carelessness in personal grooming, and in some cases, the
appearance of more severe pathologies such as drug abuse and alcoholism.
At the family level, relationships with relatives are affected, especially when the person
cannot continue his or her studies or pay his or her obligations. In conclusion, job loss is
considered one of the most disturbing events in a person's life.
The person who is unemployed goes through different stages in his or her mood that can
range from a mild state of sadness to suicide. In this case, due to the circumstances under which
the dismissal took place, the young woman's state of mind was one of extreme depression and
disenchantment with the labor system in general.
5. Conclusion
It follows that the most important principle of business ethics should be to avoid abuse of
power. In order to create the ideal work environment to help meet the growth needs of the
different people who make up the work teams and who are fundamental parts of business growth.
In order to strengthen this principle, we must learn to be empathetic, understanding and

good leaders when we are in positions of leadership. This will ensure that situations related to the
abuse of power and its consequences do not arise. Finally, we must remember that many of the
managers reach that status through promotions, which should enable them to understand the
situation of employees in general.
Case 40 We are not all born to rule
1. The facts
Martha is a nursing assistant who has been working for more than 6 years in a renowned
Diagnostic Center in the capital city in the radiology sector. Her supervisor, Rodrigo, is a
technologist widely recognized in the field and valued by his co-workers, as he has no problem in
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gladly teaching people everything he knows, which is one of the acknowledgements Martha gives
him as a supervisor.
Rodrigo trusts Martha because of the years she has been working at the center and the
knowledge she has acquired through constant practice. The result is an excellent treatment of
patients, a factor that is extremely valued in the health area. She is one of the officials without
whom order and speed (effectiveness) would not have been possible. One Monday morning,
Rodrigo arrived a little upset at the X-ray room after receiving a reprimand from Alvaro, his boss,
because the X-rays were coming out very shaky, so they would have to repeat them and this
delayed the work and the delivery of the diagnoses. The incident was serious, losing more than
one box of plates than normal was a relatively minor offense, but calling more than 10 patients
back for a repeat exam was complicated. Martha knew that the mistake was Rodrigo's, he had had
a very busy week and was not 100% dedicated to taking the x-rays, he did not center the patient
well and did not immobilize in most of the shots. He said nothing to anyone, as Rodrigo did not
recognize the fault as his own but he was the only one who could and should assume it by the
mere fact of being in charge.
Rodrigo and Martha had to repeat all the failed shots in addition to taking the normal shots
of each day, the center had a recognition accepted by all and for a small incident, relatively easy
to hide, they did not have to be highly damaged. In this way they received student interns from
various high schools in the city. A couple of weeks passed and Carlos and Alberto arrived at the
Laboratory, outstanding students who would be in practice for a couple of weeks and their
functions would be only to observe.
Rodrigo and Martha were not very much in agreement with the idea, as they were wary of
the hindrance in the daily work and the possibility of being changed, in the long run, by these new
assistants. Rodrigo was concerned about maintaining his recognition and getting over the bitter
pill of his last big mistake, for this he knew he only had to work well.
Finally these students had gained Martha and Rodrigo's trust and affection, explaining that
as technicians they would be a support for what they were doing. They had learned how to
develop and load the plates into the darkroom, but they did not do it often. Just on the last day
various types of examinations arrived (knees, shoulders, pelvis, thorax and cavities) all of which
had more than one projection.
One of these was a thorax of a grandmother who was having a hard time raising her arms
(essential for this test), it was clear that a diagnosis was needed as soon as possible, as everyone
saw her, an urgent trip to the hospital was evident.
As the lady looked serious, Rodrigo called some medical friends from a nearby hospital and
asked them to come and pick her up as soon as possible. In the meantime, he took the
opportunity to take the X-rays for a more accurate diagnosis. As there were more patients waiting
and due to
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Center for Applied
Ethics
human
Carlos was sent to the ambulance while capital
Rodrigo tookformation
the shots of the waiting patients.
Due to the speed and stress Rodrigo inadvertently enters the darkroom to look for other
chassis (plates) while Carlos was leaving the plate on the developer. The diagnostic plate was
veiled and the grandmother was already gone.
Rodrigo noticed immediately and reproached Carlos for his extreme irresponsibility in not
locking the camera obscura. Carlos felt bad about what had happened, he knew he had made a
mistake but he also realized the fault of the technologist by aggressively reproaching him for his
mistake.
2. Ethical issues involved. Humility, respect, loyalty and dialogue
Rodrigo does not recognize his faults and only sees faults in others without trying to
correct his own, because his vanity prevents him from seeing his faults and mistakes. On the
other hand, it is extremely easy to go from vanity to lies, that is, in order to maintain the "image",
in this case of being a SUPER operator in the health area, Rodrigo was willing to point to others as
guilty of mistakes.
On the other hand, the loyalty that Martha promotes is positive; that kind of unconditional
loyalty is necessary to generate harmony in the workplace.
Unfortunately Rodrigo relied on his supervisory status to point out the mistakes of others
without acknowledging his own, and the lack of dialogue contrasted with Martha's loyalty and the
students' desire to learn how to do things right.
3. Unraveling
Rodrigo decided to call his friends at the post office to repeat the test on Abuelita and
valuable time was lost to finally stabilize Abuelita's pneumonia. In the end the students
appreciated the experience and practice there, but noted how unfair a person can be when they
abuse their position. Martha for her part continues to work with Rodrigo and seems to be the only
one who tolerates and understands him.
4. Comments
Rodrigo's attitude is drastic in the way he treats people and although it did not produce
negative effects in the practice of these students, they do believe that the human factor in a
health system must be of very high quality, as most people believe that health is a business given
the willingness to pay whatever it takes to improve the health of their family members and a
friendly face, a disposition towards the patient, can change this concept. Otherwise, people are
left with the feeling of being a simple object from which others get rich and that the worst thing
that can happen to people is to get sick, not because of the disease itself, but because of what it
implies to endure in a clinic, in a hospital or wherever. Poor care can make us sicker and even kill
us.
5. Conclusion
A leader is always needed to organize and move projects forward, not only to receive a
better salary but also to have the responsibility to successfully complete the company's objectives,
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which are not always for profit but for community service, which implies a better quality of life for
employees and attention to people. In the case of laboratory care, the quality of life of patients is
being sought, since once diagnosed, physicians will be able to initiate the corresponding
treatment; let us not forget that quality of life is closely related to the satisfaction of various
human needs and it is natural that individuals and communities feel an irresistible urge to satisfy
them. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that the actions of individuals or of a work
group have consequences on other people or patients, so that the issue of quality of life is linked
to that of moral responsibility for what we do.
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Case 41 The story of the false friend
1. The facts
Clara was a young medical student at a prestigious university in the country. She came
from a hard-working family who had all their hopes pinned on her, because they saw in her the
way out of their economic problems. His university was financed thanks to a state scholarship that
he had to maintain with his good grades, so he spent most of his time studying. One day, Yasmín,
her best friend, asked her to help her study for her biology exam, to which she willingly agreed,
and they agreed to meet that same day at 3:00 in the afternoon. The problem was that the exam
was practically upon them and they were not going to be able to see all the subjects that were on
it, so they had to make do with studying as much as they could.
Unlike Clara, Yasmin was from a much wealthier family. Her father was a successful
businessman, and Yasmin had practically entered college just to have a degree that would give
her social recognition, so she was usually seen as more relaxed than the rest of her classmates. In
this sense and because of Clara's responsibility towards the Scholarship, she was much more
proactive than her friend, so she had already started studying long before, so she had no major
problems in answering her exam. Yasmin, on the other hand, was very nervous, since she had
only managed to study half of it, and in her desperation she found nothing better than to copy
Clara herself without her noticing.
When the results were given, Clara saw that they both had the same grade (6.5), and then
she began to suspect that this "friend" must have copied her, because it was not possible that with
the little she had managed to study she had such a high grade. However, instead of facing it, I left
it at that; however, two weeks later, there was another test. This time Yasmin did not ask Clara
for help. "Surely he has a much better command of this subject and doesn't need my help" was
Clara's thought. Big mistake, Yasmin sat next to him again on the test, and they got the same
score again, with exactly the same answers. The professor also suspected that something strange
was going on, but since this was a problem between university students and not school children,
he decided to stay out of the situation. Yasmin's vice of copying her friend began to make her
uncomfortable, as it pained her to see her "friend's" impudence.
Clara, embarrassed, decided to play a trick on her friend. Because his grades were so
good, if he were to get a low grade on a lesser control, it would affect his GPA almost nothing. The
plan was to answer all, or almost all, of the test but with incorrect answers. If Yasmín also got this
low grade, then there would be no doubt: Yasmín had raised her average, not because she was
studying the same as her, but because she was blatantly stealing the fruit of her arduous studies.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened. They both had the same grade (3.4), and
Clara had no more doubts. He called Yasmin to a private sector and then, in the gentlest way
possible, told her everything. She knew that Yasmin had gotten into the habit of copying him on
tests, and without even having any "compelling" reason as she herself might have, such as the
scholarship. However, as if that were not enough, Clara was disappointed again, because Yasmín,
instead of recognizing her mistake, denied it all outright, and when she found herself
Cornered by Clara's forceful arguments, she just turned around and walked away. Clara felt really
sorry.
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2. Ethical issues involved. Prudence and fairness
Prudence is demonstrated when Clara puts Yasmin to the test with this control in which
they both take out a red. In any case, it may be that Clara was sacrificing too much, when, if they
were truly friends, they should never be afraid of honest dialogue. At the very least, this allows
you to avoid causing drama without having the necessary evidence to prove who was right.
Moreover, he was prudent enough to call her and try to make her see his mistake, which he
ultimately failed to acknowledge. On the other hand, Yasmin was at fault with her friend, not only
by copying Clara, but even more so by not acknowledging the fault. Had she been fair, she would
never have taken advantage of Clara's knowledge and good faith, and she would have kept the
friendship.
3. Unraveling
The friendship between Clara and Yasmín deteriorated to the point that they never spoke
to each other again. Clara's performance continued at the level desired and required by the
Scholarship, while Yasmin's began to drop to the point of missing many classes and falling behind
in her studies. Clara is currently in her final years of study, while Yasmin is a little more than
halfway through her studies. The first one seeking to sustain the scholarship and then help her
family and the second one struggling to have a degree that validates her socially, without a
professional vocation.
4. Comment
In the university environment, we often see the case of students who arrive there with
multiple interests, ranging from passion and vocation for what they do, to those who seek a
degree that validates them socially, and this definitely marks the differences between good and
bad professionals. The danger here is that companies may hire for some reason those who have
studied without the professional vocation and this is reproduced in the system that deteriorates
the quality of the service provided, which ultimately slows down the economic and professional
development of the country.
5. Conclusion
Clara realized that she had been the victim of a painful deception on the part of what she
had believed for years to be her best friend. If she had been of a weak character, she would
probably have forgiven Yasmín everything, so as not to lose her "friendship" and would have
ended up harming her, making her believe in academic conditions that she did not have, and
above all, not allowing her to assume her own responsibilities in front of knowledge, in front of life
and in front of humanity.What can we expect from a future health professional who is not
accountable for her knowledge? Clara's peace of mind is knowing that she was right and that she
tried to talk some sense into Yasmin. Clara knew what was right, but in any attempt to make
others understand something, there is a limit to how far we can go, and that limit is almost always
the other person's ignorance.
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Case 42 The great swindle
1. The facts
The case refers to a swindle in a compensation fund, which occurred in 2003 in the month
of June and in which a trainee student was affected. When looking for an internship, the student
was given the opportunity to do it in a compensation fund, where she was also given the option to
continue working if she performed well in her work. The student, seeing that it was a good option,
accepted the opportunity and prepared to start in February of that year. At the beginning he was
told that he could fulfill his practice in the credit area, approving the credits of the people who join
the caja, reviewing their liquidations, signatures, ID cards, applications, etc., which had to be
correctly signed by the authorized head of the company, if all this was in order the credit could be
approved in 24 hours.
She met good friends within the company, from different areas, such as the quotation
area, leasing, file storage, typing, etc. All good people who helped her to understand the systems
she was learning, helped her to use these systems so that the loan could be approved without any
objection.
Since she started her internship she became good friends with her fellow creditors, both in
the application area and in the typing area, and here she met several friends, among them a
young man named Arturo. Arturo was unnecessarily kind in some cases, but the student did not
see in him any reason why he should do her wrong, it happened that during the period that the
young woman was finishing her internship, the young man asked her for several favors, such as
to enter credit for the same day due to the fact that the young man had already presented himself
several times without having been given credit, as in this company credit must be granted
immediately.The young man asked her for several favors, such as to take credit for the same day
because the young man had already presented himself several times without getting it, as in this
company the credit must be granted immediately, in this case he agreed without any problem, he
reviewed the liquidations of the company, he did not see any motive in him to do her any harm.I
reviewed the settlements signed by him and by the respective company, in addition to the credit
application, which must bear a unique signature that is in the company's deed and of which there
is a copy in the cashier's office to check that it is correct, signature and fingerprint.The quotations
sent by the company each month are also reviewed and if they are cancelled in due time, if this is
not the case, the company must be contacted and the matter must be settled. Finally, the DICOM
is reviewed. The loan was requested and approved, and in addition to approval, it was also
reviewed by the sub. Credit manager, who requested the DICOM of the company and the
employee.
Arturo not only stayed there, but continued with the same treatment and continued asking
for the same favor, and the credit was given to two more people, this was natural since he also
works in the credit area and must worry about reviewing them, but after some time had passed
and the credit was given to the applicant, more were requested with the same procedure.This was
natural since he also works in the credit area and must worry about the review of these, but some
time after the credit was requested and delivered to the applicant, other more were requested
with the same procedure.
After two weeks, the head of the credit area called the young woman and asked for
immediate delivery of the loans, to which she replied that these people had applied for the loan on
several occasions, so the process should be expedited.
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A few days went by and the human capitalwho
three interns formation
were there were called and told that they
would be moved to another sector because there had been a scam in which they had indirectly
participated. The young woman immediately learned that she had been the participant in the
scam, but she preferred to keep quiet because they needed other consultations in which she was
involved. After a few days it was learned that one of the persons who had applied for the loan had
been detected and was therefore unable to make the withdrawal and was arrested. The young
woman was also asked about the reason for the immediate credit, to which she responded in the
same way as in the other cases.
At the end of the internship, the young interns asked about their permanence in the
cashier's office and were told that they would be called back after a month, once their
performance during the internship had been evaluated.
2. Ethical issues involved. Trust, honesty and responsibility
The first problem that stands out in this situation is the delivery of trust. Giving confidence
is not a bad thing, what is bad is not responding in a good way to it. The young woman was very
innocent in the matter, in every aspect, perhaps she did not know, she could not know, that in the
work environment everything is different, it is not the same to be in high school to be in a job,
people are very different and one of these people abused the trust given by her. Thus, Arturo's
dishonesty led him to deceive himself and others.
On the other hand, a trainee should not have such a big responsibility as approving credits,
because they do not have enough training or continuity in the company to be responsible for what
has been granted.
3. Unraveling
There was no call to any of the young women during the month mentioned by the
company, so July and August went by without any response. In the month of September the
young lady was called and told that they needed a credit telephone operator and that she had
been selected for the position, unfortunately this lasted only five days and she was told that in
Dept. The staff had not agreed to the hiring of a new person. The young woman retired and went
on to look for a job. After two months, a summons arrived from a police court stating that he had
to report. She did not say anything else, she did not mention any particular matter, so it was
believed that it was for an interview to join the investigation police - at that time she was applying
for that institution - she attended and it was found that it was to testify for the case of the
compensation fund swindle, in which the young woman was an important part of the investigation.
The young woman recounted what had happened and mentioned Arturo as the person who asked
for the credits to be deposited quickly.
Unfortunately, she lost the opportunity to work in the company and Arturo is still working
in the cashier's office. The heads of the credit area gave no importance to Arturo, which is very
difficult to understand, because the guidelines were given as to how the situation happened and
how the scam occurred. Each person who acted in this was charged with forgery of signatures and
commercial fraud, for requesting a loan that was not approved by the respective company.
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4. Comment
The interns should never have had that kind of responsibility, because they do not have
sufficient training to deal with such important issues. The cash box in this matter had a lot to do
with it, since in most cases companies save salaries with student internships, but risk serious
mistakes due to lack of experience. I believe that trainees can act as process observers and help
with minor tasks, but not in such compromising situations. They could also take them as future
professionals and train them in the areas of greatest need.
5. Conclusion
An internship does not mean placing a student in a company so that the company can put
him/her to work, save salaries and justify mistakes. Beyond that, the trainees need to be
accompanied by a person from the company and the institute that educated them, always with the
function of continuing to teach them. If this responsibility of accompaniment is not assumed, the
practitioners will be exposed to abuses and to having to answer for things they cannot even
imagine, in addition to confronting them crudely with a reality where people have good and bad
intentions, but in the end they do not know. An internship should be a simulated reality for them
to learn from; otherwise it can be a traumatic experience for the future professional.
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Case 43 Solidarity challenged
1. The facts
Daniela is a young university student who has to make long bus rides from her home to
the university every day. A few months ago, Daniela says, she was on her way home in the bus
when a man got on and with a very sad voice asked for the attention of the passengers to ask for
help, not without first apologizing for "bothering" and asking for help for a colleague (street
vendor and clown) and his family, who had been hit by a vehicle, which caused his immediate
death. Because they were poor, they did not have enough economic resources to give him a
dignified burial, so the clowns of the city were collecting money to buy a coffin and pay for the
funeral expenses. After this story he told a couple of jokes in honor of his recently deceased
friend, which provoked in people and in Daniela feelings of sorrow and pain, achieving an
important help that in other circumstances he would not have achieved. To Daniela's surprise, a
few days ago she met this man again on another tour, telling the same story of her run over clown
friend and telling the same two jokes. When the clown began to ask for money on the bus and
people began to collaborate in solidarity, Daniela prudently and almost in a low voice asked him:
"Sir, how many clowns die every week in Chile as a result of being run over? The gentleman did
not answer the question and got off the bus with a good caution.
2. Ethical issues involved. Solidarity, respect
Solidarity is a moral value appreciated by all and we become solidary from the habit of
helping others, however with these cases of abuse of solidarity, people also sow in us distrust and
indifference. This happens when this virtue is detached from the cardinal virtue of justice. If we
understand virtue as a fair mean between two excesses, we could say that solidarity lies between
selfishness and wastefulness; and to the extent that we try to be fair when we give to others, we
will avoid falling into these extremes. The clown does not imagine the damage he does when he
makes fun of others; he is not only generating anger towards himself, but generalized anger
towards all those who beg on the buses, because deep down everyone is making an effort to get
what life demands of them in order to live and not precisely by taking advantage of others. This
obviously results in a lack of respect, a value that is linked to honesty and means not to judge
people hastily, but in a world where there are so many clowns willing to lie and make fun of
others, how do we know who is telling the truth or who is making fun of people?
3. Unraveling
The second time Daniela saw the clown and after being asked how many clowns die in
Chile every week, she let him know her discomfort when they coincidentally got off the bus at the
same bus stop. As expected, the clown's treatment of Daniela was terrible, which confirmed the
clown's bad action and that due to a misunderstood solidarity, he would be left without help. It is
likely that the version of the clown being run over the first time would have been true and since it
paid such good dividends, their decision was to "run him over a couple more times". How ironic.
4. Comment
Daniela's story is true and although she did not return to help in the buses because of
what she experienced, it is the first time that she stops to think about what happened and
especially about the impact that a lie of this caliber can have, because with this deceit, an
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irreparable social damage is generated, since many people stop giving help because of these
dishonest acts to those who really need it.This deceit generates irreparable social damage, since
many people stop giving help because of these dishonest acts to those who really need it, as well
as destroying the bonds that every society should have to grow in a more egalitarian and humane
way.
Solidarity, in fact, and according to Adela Cortina, is one of the most necessary values to
achieve a livable life. This value is embodied in two ways. First in the effort of everyone to achieve
success and second as a person's concern for others.
5. Conclusion
On many occasions we find ourselves in dilemmas and we do not analyze in depth how we
should act in order not to cause damage to third parties and we only worry about our own
interests. To conclude with this topic I can point out that the minimum ethical values are very
important for us to live in a balanced and fair society for all, even knowing how difficult and
complex this can be, I believe it can be possible as long as each one of us learns to value people
in an integral way.Even knowing how difficult and complex this can be, I believe it can be possible
as long as each one of us learns to value people in an integral way, and the best way to value
others and respect others is to respect myself and the people around me. The task seems simple,
but it must always be put into practice, and therein lies the difficulty of ethics, not so much in
understanding it, but in living by it.
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Case 44 The stolen car
1. The facts
Patricio is a young man from Valdivia who came to live in Santiago to study and look for
new opportunities, but he has not liked the change and cannot wait to return to the south. His
cousin Antonio, who was visiting Santiago these days, asked him to stay with him for a few days,
however, due to the strangeness of the trip, Patricio asked him why he was traveling and why he
needed to be in Santiago without anyone knowing about him. The truth was that he needed to
hide because he had bought a car, which he did not know was stolen, which has brought him
serious complications with the law. Patricio agrees to house him on the condition that as soon as
possible he initiates the required procedures to clarify the situation, first because he does not
want to be an accomplice to anything and second because he does not want to be in hiding for the
rest of his life. However, very early the next day the police arrived at Patricio's house to ask for
his cousin Antonio. For the promise to help him, he had to lie to the police; however, the feeling of
having acted badly remained in the air. Once the police left the house, Patricio gave him 48 hours
to clarify the situation with those involved and not wanting to know the intimacy of the
negotiation, the only thing that interested Patricio was the clarity of the matter for the sake of his
Cousin and for his own good. If Patricio tells the truth, his cousin will go to jail.
2. Ethical issues involved. Honesty, solidarity
The dilemma in which Patricio found himself because of the promise to help the cousin was
whether to lie or tell the truth to the police. Evidently he lied to help his cousin, but he was left
with a feeling that he was acting badly, since it is difficult for a person to buy a car without
knowing where it came from, but in order not to judge his cousin he still gave him 48 hours to
solve the situation. The strange thing was that his cousin insisted on hiding from the police in
order to have more time to think about what to do, because deep down he did not want to lose
the money invested in that business. Finally, by showing solidarity with his cousin, he felt that he
was doing something dishonest, which began to distract him from his studies and questioned his
moral structure, which, regardless of who he is, things must be done with absolute transparency
and honesty.
3. Unraveling
Apparently 48 hours were not enough time for Antonio to resolve the situation and he had
to leave Patricio's house. In the time that Patricio had been in Santiago he never knew about the
vices of his cousin, of whom he kept an image of when they played in childhood; however, Antonio
was really involved in shady business and that is why he was running away from the police.
Antonio accused his cousin Patricio of lack of solidarity, but apparently Antonio did not understand
the limits of solidarity, which in the face of a crime can turn into complicity, which is precisely
what Patricio wanted to avoid. The most he offered to help him was to go to the police and hand
over the keys to the stolen car and indicate where it was hidden, but Antonio insisted that he
could not lose the money he had invested. Once Antonio left his cousin's house, Patricio went to
the investigative police to give some clues to recover the car, indicating that his cousin had indeed
been passing by his house, but that when he found out about his misdeeds he had asked him to
leave.
The car was eventually recovered and Antonio is in jail serving a sentence for multiple felonies.
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4. Comment
Patricio feels very sorry for his cousin Antonio, but he does not feel guilty for the fate that
has befallen him, although he continues to be singled out as unsupportive, he knows that deep
down he acted well by giving clues for the recovery of the stolen car and some signs to find
Antonio's whereabouts. In this case, the greatest discomfort was felt when he "solidarily" lied,
without really knowing what his cousin was up to. Patricio knows that above the affections and
bonds of friendship, there is the natural law that regulates us all and that regardless of our
actions, we must all abide by the law. He is very sorry to hear about his cousin, but he continued
with his studies and will soon graduate as a lawyer.
5. Conclusion
Solidarity as a moral value and as a human virtue, is among men to do good to other
human beings, otherwise it will be complicity or anything else but solidarity.
When one puts oneself in the other person's shoes to try to understand the situation, one
can be supportive if the intention was really to do something good or positive, but when the
intention is bad, what one must do is try to reverse or make the person change his or her
perspective, because in the face of bad intentions, one can only let the law act.
With this case we can also understand that ethics is rational, that it puts itself above
feelings and affections precisely to avoid falling into relativism. If ethics depended on our
affections, Patricio would probably not have hesitated to help his cousin and now he would be
suffering the same fate.
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Case 45 Parties during the week
1. The facts
The holidays are a good time to make friends and socialize. They have always existed, but
when you get to higher education, the frequency of party invitations multiplies, so much so that
many end up becoming more adept at parties than at career-related topics. That's what happened
to Karol, an engineering student, who ended up sacrificing everything she had in her hometown to
move to the capital to study. The parents, convinced that it was the best thing to do, mortgaged
part of their plot of land in the hope of seeing it graduate. During the first two semesters Karol
stood out for her high grades, but in the third semester, in order to avoid being stigmatized as a
"matea", she started hanging out with a group of friends. At first, the outings were on weekends,
then twice a week, and the intensity increased until it was every day; grades began to drop to the
point of failing a couple of subjects and starting to fall behind.
Karol's concern was not strong enough for her to react and change her lifestyle, because
the pleasure of the carousel, friends and music was much stronger than the responsibility she had
with her studies. The parents never found out about the disaster of their daughter, who to avoid
the stigma of "matea" became what anyone can achieve effortlessly, a great party girl with no
responsibility for anything.
2. Ethical issues involved. Responsibility, vices and virtues
Being good is much more difficult than being bad, so when we talk about building virtues,
we are talking about an effort to create habits that characterize us little by little. On the other
hand, to be bad, it is enough to 'let oneself be', following the path of minimum effort to end a
whole life project. Definitely when we have our goals clear, the responsibility must attend to the
goal and what others say, if it goes in another direction, little or nothing should matter to us,
because in the end the one who loses is you. Hedonism strangely took over Karol, who after a
while could not control this tremendous desire to be drinking, dancing and having a good time
with her friends.
3. Unraveling
Karol was expelled for poor academic performance; however, she remained in Santiago
supported by her parents who, according to her accounts, believed that in a little more than a
year she would graduate as an engineer. However, due to the changes presented by Karol, her
parents asked the Head of Studies about her and the report showed that she had not been a
regular student for more than a year. The parents, upon learning the truth, asked him to return
home immediately and that with work in the fields he would have to pay for everything he had
wasted. At first, he resisted returning home, but with no money to survive in Santiago, friends
began to disappear and he began to experience loneliness.
He has been working in the field for five years and still has not paid the debt in full;
however, the little he was able to learn in his career helped him to make the plot bear better fruit
and avoid expropriation by the bank. Karol would like to go back to school to try to get her
engineering degree, which her classmates already obtained at the end of last year.
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4. Comment
Karol did not understand that the only way to develop one's talents is through personal
mastery; he who lacks this characteristic can never develop any habit. Personal mastery is the
visible expression of willpower, and without willpower there is no learning. People with a high level
of personal mastery continually expand their aptitude to create the results they seek in life, results
that necessarily involve a willingness to continually learn in their professional lives.
When personal mastery is transformed into discipline it happens that we continuously

clarify what is important to us and continuously learn to see more clearly the current reality.
We've all known people stuck in counterproductive relationships, who keep getting bogged down
because they insist on pretending that everything is fine. Or we have seen that there are
professionals who say that all plans are being fulfilled, when an honest look at reality indicates
otherwise. To get on the right track it is always important to know where we are.
5. Conclusion
As in all areas of life, having talents is not enough to achieve success, to be happy, or to
have a good life.
Karol has many talents, among them the most important for the analysis of the case are
academic (she had good grades without great effort) and social (she was very friendly). However,
the problem arose because she did not know how to properly lead them to transform them into
virtues, to transform herself into a virtuous person; she did not hierarchize as would have been
ideal and fell, without directly wanting to, into a series of vices that led her to academic failure.
The consequences of Karol's deviation from the correct line are obvious: the breakdown of her
career and related projects, problems in her relationship with her family due to the mistrust
produced by her deception, "friendships" that, as time went by, proved not to be true.
It should be noted that the fracture in the relationship with her family did not occur
because she failed grades or was expelled from her studies, but because of the lie and the causes
of failure; if it had been because she had not succeeded despite all her efforts, the family would
undoubtedly have supported her with the same energy they showed in mortgaging the plot of land
so that the daughter could study.
On the positive side, Karol learned from the experience: after resisting to return home, she
accepted her reality, traveled and started to work hard to regain her parents' trust and generate
the resources to pay the debts so as not to lose the mortgaged plot of land.
Today he sees that his former classmates are already graduating and he feels like going
back to school. If he does, circumstances may change: it may not be in the capital, probably in
another institution, no doubt with other colleagues, it may even be another career. What is clear is
that he should have learned from the experience so as not to make the same mistake again.
Case 46 Moral responsibility towards others
1. The facts
Monday, May 28, 2007, seemed like a day like any other, however it all started badly when
Claudia and her husband overslept, risking her being late for college and him being late for work.
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As they left the house and got into the car, they saw from a distance an elderly lady struggling
with a wheelbarrow full of firewood, trying to get over a bridge in poor condition, for which she
would certainly need the help of someone younger. For Claudia and her husband to help her
meant an important time that was not available at that moment; at that instant they looked at
each other and looked at the lady and without words they decided to take some time and help
her. Claudia was indeed late for class because, in order to avoid her husband being late, she
decided to finish the trip by subway. Finally, Claudia's late arrival to class would not have serious
consequences beyond losing a little of the professor's knowledge, while the consequences of her
husband's late arrival to work could mean a reprimand from the boss, which would go against
good working relations.
2. Ethical issues involved. Solidarity, respect, responsibility
The first thing to mention is the solidarity with which Claudia and her husband acted. They
understood that solidarity is one of the moral values that demonstrates how empathetic one can
be, so that men can live better in society.
The second has to do with the moral value of respect, as an act conscious of the presence
of the other and the commitments acquired with the other. Claudia had heard from her ethics
professor, on repeated occasions, how important it was, for the construction of society, to always
fulfill commitments, no matter how simple they may be, and on the other hand, her husband also
had a commitment to his company; however, in order of priorities, he had to help the lady first.
3. Unraveling
In the fast-paced daily life we live, full of stress, no one stops to look at the other as a
human being. As a person's years go by, as in the case of the lady who needed help, we are
undoubtedly reminded of how fragile we human beings are. Without the help he might have
succeeded, but it would have taken him much more time, which perhaps young people have too
much of precisely for that reason, because they are young and not very aware that time is running
out. The eternal present of youth sometimes makes us indolent and unaware of the weaknesses of
others and we believe that we will never need someone's help, as if we were eternal.
The grandmother, thanks to the help, was able to move forward with her cart and the
greatest reward was the surprised look on her face when she saw that someone was helping her.
That look, Claudia says, illuminated the day and the anguish of time disappeared. That is why the
decision taken to help the grandmother left them calmer, without guilt and reaffirmed even more
the values of solidarity and respect for others. If we all took a minute to think about when another
person needs us, we would have a more morally developed society than exists today.
4. Comment
A person's growth involves learning, learning from the world, from people, from
experiences and from what is happening today. It is the option of each person to choose to stay,
to soak in what truly contributes to him/her as a person, to take the next step which is to live well
from the internal to the external, to the family and to society. Claudia thinks it is very important
to believe that one can always be better, intellectually and humanly, that every act performed in
daily life has an impact, so there is a responsibility to learn from the simple details. It is therefore
important to understand that we are not isolated entities, but a sum of small particularities that
add up to a whole.
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5. Conclusion
Claudia says that she has no doubt that with the simple but great detail they had with the
grandmother they made a contribution to the construction of a society that is more respectful and
supportive of others, especially with people who are disadvantaged.
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human
Case 47 Pulp and the capital formation
environment. The eternal dilemma
1. The facts
Chile is a country rich in natural resources and this makes it attractive for foreign capital to
invest large amounts of money, sometimes regardless of the environmental impact of the
investment, under the argument that each investment is progress for the region and livelihood for
thousands and thousands of families that begin to depend on the new industry.
In the commune of La Alambra, in southern Chile, is located the most important pulp mill
belonging to a North American consortium called Palitos S.A. This industry creates an important
work network, since the entire paper production process is generated in the area, i.e. forestry
companies, sawmills, wood transportation, among other activities. It also provides certain benefits
to its employees through the maintenance of libraries, schools, parks and services in general.
The paper production process requires certain inputs that are obtained directly from
nature, such as water extracted from the nearest river. These waters are passed through boilers
where they are transformed into water vapor, generating the necessary pressure for the pulp
production process, part of which is used in the paper process itself. Once this process is finished,
these waters are collected and treated through basic decontamination processes that are
characterized by removing the large particles in suspension, without worrying about their
temperature, and the possible toxic residues that were not removed in the cleaning process are
discharged back into the river where they came from, creating an ecological imbalance and a
nauseating odor.
2. Ethical issues involved. Responsibility, respect, dialogue
Responsibility ^ It is directly related to the company Palitos S.A., since it is aware of the
damage it causes to the environment, and more importantly, it affects the quality of life of the
inhabitants of the region and its surroundings, in addition to the irreparable damage that future
generations will have to suffer. Furthermore, this term also alludes to the legislative power,
because it is the one that designs and executes the legal frameworks.
Respect for Nature ^ Within this community nature, i.e. rivers, flora, fauna, valleys,
among other natural resources, are essential components for the integral development of the
people who live in this region, besides being accustomed to relate and maintain constant contact
with it, transferring this from generation to generation.
Willingness to Dialogue ^ Palitos S.A. is in charge of providing answers to the community,

giving explanations and solutions to the toxic waste that is sent to the river and affects the quality
of life of the people. However, this is not the case, they are not aware of the damage they are
doing, nor do they care about the consequences, such as health problems for the children and
young people who live in this area.
3. Unraveling
The eternal dilemma between progress and environmental conservation is present in this case,
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where there are very strong arguments for and against both positions. What would become of a
town where the inhabitants have nowhere to work to bring food to their homes, but equally, what
will become of these people if they allow industry to pollute the region's waters? All these polluting
industries, after in-depth technical studies, have been suggested to invest a large amount of
money to further technify the processes and avoid pollution, but apparently it is more economical
to pay the fines imposed by the legislation than to make these modifications.
The Palitos S.A. plant continues to operate in the region and the toxic waste is daily flowing into
the waters of the river; this of course has divided the population. 150,000 people who make a
living from this industry defend it against 40,000 people who continue to work in the fields, in an
artisanal system of earning a living.
4. Comment
If Palitos S.A. would assume its responsibility in the face of this situation experienced by the
inhabitants of the region, and would allocate more resources for the processing of this toxic waste,
looking for a way to reuse it or dispose of it in a place where it does not affect any living being;
this would be an effective solution for all the actors involved in this problem, the company would
gain sympathizers and lose adversaries and the community would not look for another place to
live, risking to lose workers and be forced to bring them back.The company would gain
sympathizers and lose adversaries and the community would not look for another place to live,
risking losing workers and being forced to bring them from other regions, which would
considerably increase their labor costs, in addition to being workers from other regions, they will
show less respect for the area.
Despite giving the possible scenarios regarding this phenomenon, the reality experienced by these
people is different. For years this company has been covered by national laws that allow certain
pollution parameters as "normal" for the type of industry that Palitos S.A. is. However,
international declarations stipulate other standards, which at first glance this company does not
meet.
5. Conclusion
It seems that Chile is a country that allows economic development, but sacrifices the quality of life
of its people; without much remorse these industries are allowed to settle in those cities where
people have no influence on the decisions of the authorities and are not heard, being content to
survive and live with toxic waste and nauseating odors. In a few years we will see the effects;
perhaps when it is too late.
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Case 48 What a pain to get sick
1. The facts
A 22-year-old woman presented to the emergency room of Pepe Aguirre Hospital with
severe stomach pains. After waiting in a long line, it was her turn; the person who attended her at
the central counter with a strong, haughty and cold voice took her personal information and asked
her why she had come to the health center; the young woman told her symptoms, but in the
middle of her story she began to feel severe pain, which evidently prevented her from continuing
to speak. The young woman explained her symptoms, but in the middle of her story she began to
feel severe pain, which evidently prevented her from continuing to speak, but the receptionist said
to her: "Miss, hurry up, I have to attend to more people!, Can you hurry up?" After a couple of
minutes, she fills out the young woman's file and the receptionist tells her to sit down and wait
until she is called.
The young woman, without receiving any type of attention, had to wait for 45 minutes to
be attended to. When it was her turn, she struggled to get to the box where she was to be
treated; the doctor greeted her coldly, looked at her chart, checked her and diagnosed
appendicitis. He also told her that she had to undergo urgent surgery, otherwise her illness could
worsen into peritonitis and then death. The young woman, between pain and tears, tells the
doctor that she has no money to pay for the operation, since she was fired from her job only a
week ago for not fulfilling the schedules, so she did not have a contract and does not have a social
security health system, besides her family is of scarce resources and does not have a social
security system. As this happens the doctor looks at her and listens attentively to her story.
2. Ethical issues involved. Responsibility, fairness, respect
• -Responsibility: physicians take an oath that commits them to their patients, within which
they must take as a priority the respect for people's lives. On this basis, if the young
woman is not operated on, her life could be in danger and the diagnosis could worsen,
even leading to death.
• -Injustice: Health is a right, although it costs money, which is not always available, as in
the case of the character in the story. This is logically a matter for government authorities,
but also for those most directly responsible for the health of citizens, such as physicians
and other health professionals.
• -Respect: the vast majority of people working in public health centers show minimal
respect for those who seek care. They are attended with an indolence that is outrageous,
because the least one expects in a health service is a hand that helps to mitigate the pain
and not a commanding voice that makes one feel worse.
3. Unraveling
The existence of a patient-doctor relationship should go beyond that, since the person in
front of you is not just an alphabetically ordered card number on a shelf, but a person who has
needs, who goes to a professional to be attended and expects at least to receive help and concern
from the doctor. This refers to the fact that doctors often prefer to treat a large number of people
in order to receive more income, regardless of whether the person is satisfied with the care, if
there is any doubt about the possible treatment to be followed or if he/she has sufficient resources
to pay for the diagnosis or if it is necessary to look for a more economical alternative.
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Center for Applied
Ethics
The young patient called her human
relativescapital formation
to come to the assistance center, and after 6 hours
with severe abdominal pains, the relatives finally managed to collect some money to cover in
principle 50% of the operation and the rest of the payment by post-dated bills and check. The
young woman recovered satisfactorily at home, since each day at the hospital cost her a lot of
money, so her family decided to take her home, according to the doctor's instructions.
4. Comment
The public health system in our country presents great deficiencies, among which we can
highlight the existence of long queues for the attention of people, in some cases the poor
implementation of equipment, poor attention by officials to people, medical negligence, among
others, forming an unpleasant scenario for those who have no other alternative care. Based on
this scenario, there is a high level of social prejudice against this public system, often thinking
that it is bad, of poor quality, that it has scarce resources, that those who work there do not value
or respect people, etc.
Within this scenario, it is the doctors who often top the lists of bad attention to patients,
being considered haughty people in their dealings with the patient, showing a cold and unfriendly
attitude when diagnosing a serious disease problem and that presents a high cost, etc.. It is the
aforementioned social prejudice that impairs the vision and disposition towards this health system,
bringing to the collective mind the association of: public health system = negligence.
5. Conclusion
Although there is a stigma about the public health system, it is important that those who
work in it reverse this situation, making each of its officials, regardless of the position or work
they perform, whether they are doctors, nurses, assistants, etc., create a new vision, generate a
change of mentality and keep in mind that tomorrow it may be their turn to be the protagonists of
negligence or poor care anywhere. create a new vision, generate a change of mentality and keep
in mind that tomorrow they may be the protagonists of negligence or poor care in any place.
And finally, it is necessary for each person to have a health system, and to take it as a
matter of concern and importance for people's lives, since it is a fundamental part of every person
to have a support that allows them to live without fear that, due to the lack of health care, their
life is at stake, since it is known to everyone what it costs to get sick.
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Case 49 A personal triumph at the cost of fragmenting family ties
1. The facts of the case
Juan has worked as a laborer at SMM for thirty years. He currently has a son who is
receiving his degree in Commercial Engineering. This son is Juan's great pride, because it was
very difficult for him to pay for college, since his salary is just enough to pay for the basic needs
of the family, which has meant a great sacrifice for everyone.
Juan has done everything possible to find a job for his son, so he has decided to speak to
the company where he works and present his resume, which contains the best graduation grades
of his generation. After two months, Juan's son is called by the company and given the news that
he has been selected. After a few years of excellent career, and already as one of the managers of
the company, Juan's son is informed that he must develop a project to reduce costs in the
company; otherwise he will be fired for his inefficiency, having to hire another manager. He does
not rest for two months and realizes that the only way to reduce costs is to lay off the company's
500 most senior workers. Unfortunately, he knows that among those workers is his father, who
has just completed 31 years of work with excellent distinctions, besides his current age reaches
56 years, therefore he knows that being dismissed from the company, to which he has dedicated
his life, it will be very difficult for him to be hired by another, due to his age. On the other hand,
Juan never had a large salary, so his severance pay would not be enough to support him
financially for many years. The big dilemma is whether he should submit this project in which he
risks getting his father fired or he should be consistent with his feelings towards his father and not
submit the project.
2. Ethical issues involved. Guilt, fidelity, solidarity, prudence
• The following values are present within this dilemma:

• Solidarity: Concerning the filial solidarity that the son would have towards his father if he
chose to abandon the project so that his father could continue to maintain a source of
employment, which is necessary for him.
• Prudence: Regarding the son's final decision, which may lead him to consider whether the
dismissal of his father is a fair choice and is aimed at the common good of the organization
or not. Clearly there is a conflict of interest here that must be resolved prudently, that is,
without being overwhelmed by the feelings generated in Juan's son.
3. Unraveling
Juan's son decided not to implement the project that meant the dismissal of his father and
by all means tried to lower the company's costs to avoid this strategy. Thus, regardless of the
company's decision with its results, it would be much easier for him to take on the loss of the job
than his own father. Indeed, within the project to make the company more efficient, he proposed,
among other things, to buy a pair of industrial machines with state-of-the-art technology, which
would reduce the cost of overtime for the workers, since with these new machines there would not
be so many workers working overtime.
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The company accepted Juan's son's proposal and, after two years, the economic results
have been seen, so the company is happy with the savings and Juan is even prouder of his son,
not only because of what he represented for the company, but also because he was able to find
new alternatives to avoid a massive layoff of workers.not only because of what he represented for
the company, but also because he was able to find new alternatives to avoid the massive layoff of
workers, because not only Juan's family was at stake here, but also the family of 500 workers.
4. Comment
Undoubtedly, society is becoming more and more competitive, which causes people to act
selfishly, taking others with them, and even putting personal interests before collective interests,
which undoubtedly marks a deterioration of human relations among the beings that inhabit this
planet. It is good to know, in Juan's case, that he received from his own son the help, solidarity
and retribution for so many years of effort, because not everyone counts the same, because there
are those who, once they finish their studies, forget their family and those who sacrificed for
them.
But beyond that, it is noteworthy that the young manager shows in this story how
companies often try to lower their costs through massive layoffs, when in reality this may not be
the best decision. If you take a longer-term view, you can look for deeper solutions to the problem
that do not harm so many people, as was the case here, where the manager's alternative was to
invest in improving productivity before firing people piecemeal.
5. Conclusion.
Children have a moral duty to repay what has been given by their parents, both materially
and spiritually, and any act that undermines family ties should be avoided and, therefore, the
interests of the family should prevail over personal interests. The family is unconditional,
especially the parents, they are always there, so our moral duty to them is to help them, to give
them a hand back, also thinking that in a natural process, we will also be parents and someday we
will need our children. It is the law of compensation.
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Case 50 Medical mistrust in the face of death
1. The facts
Four years ago, a three-year-old boy died at the Neira regional hospital. The cause of
death, according to the medical report, was septicemia caused by severe chickenpox, resulting in
the death of the child after a long week of suffering. This fact caused the child's parents to be very
distrustful of the health care center, due to its lack of concern and negligence in the treatment
they and the child received from the doctors in charge. The minor, before getting worse, was
taken by his parents to the health care facility, who initially stated that it was only a minor
condition. This occurred on several occasions, causing, three days later, the child to be admitted in
a very serious condition, which later caused his almost immediate death.
At that time, due to the immense pain felt by the young parents after the loss of the most
precious treasure they had, they did not have enough strength to carry out the corresponding
investigation that would clarify with certainty the cause of death of the child and corroborate
whether there was indeed the participation, negligence and responsibility of third parties.
After two long years of intense family mourning, the child's parents, in order to achieve
their longed-for peace of mind, decided to take up their son's case again and file a complaint for
medical negligence with the Local Prosecutor's Office, which is when the investigation of the case
began in order to establish the veracity of the facts.
2. Ethical issues involved. Justice, respect, responsibility
The value of Justice: We must give to each one what is due to him. The question is: What's up to
the physicians, what's up to the hospital, what's up to the family, and what's up to society?
Because of the responsibility that merits the participation of physicians, they should be held
accountable for their actions and dishonesty. This responsibility is fundamentally based on the
non-compliance with the Hippocratic oath or commitment that all physicians take before
graduating. The sense of justice is social and therefore, we must regulate ourselves by ethics.
Since in this case, the actions were unethical, it is appropriate that it be regulated by human law.
Principle and Value of Respect: Undoubtedly, this principle is fundamental for human coexistence,
but it was overlooked by physicians, since they acted unethically and did not know the limits
granted by their profession and attributed to themselves several responsibilities that were not
theirs. Once again they assaulted the integrity of the parents of the little boy and were
irresponsible and dishonest in their practice. They did not take into account the irremediable
consequences that their actions would have on the child's family members (especially his parents).
Value of Responsibility: Responsibility is represented as a virtue par excellence of free human

beings. As indicated in the previous paragraph, a high degree of irresponsibility is assumed both
on the part of the perpetrators of the crime and on the part of the health care center. The
responsibility is affected and violated by the doctors, since they consciously caused irreparable
damage to the entire family nucleus of the deceased minor, and therefore, they must be
responsible for the consequences that this caused.
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3. Unraveling
After an exhumation performed on the remains of little Ignacio, at the request of the Court
of Guarantee with the intention of developing expert reports to clarify certain points about the
child's death, the experts in charge of the procedure described an aberrant situation, since the
child's body did not have any of his organs inside. All his organs were missing, i.e., he had no
bladder, kidneys, lungs, among others, and in their place were found nine pieces of light blue cloth
that filled the body. According to the information gathered by experts, it is established that the
intervention was performed by personnel trained to perform this type of procedure, since the
incision was small and well developed.
The aberrant and lurid fact was made public to the press in early 2005, where a lawsuit
was filed for manslaughter. So far, no charges have been filed with the courts.
The regional hospital of said locality has not wanted to refer to the subject in question, but
it is presumed that those responsible are a group of "doctors" who are in charge of carrying out
diverse investigations for the "supposed" advancement, progress and well-being of humanity. This
argument is based on the total exclusion of organ trafficking, due to a severe infection suffered by
the child before his death.
Assuming that these doctors removed the organs of the deceased child for the initiation of
an "investigation" without the consent of his parents, it is not fair that they have granted
themselves an authority that does not correspond to them with respect to the body of the
deceased. Under these questions and ethical dilemma, there remains in society a high degree of
distrust towards doctors, in relation to relatives who die in hospitals and are autopsied, and it is no
longer known under what conditions they are returned to their relatives.
4. Comment
We are all equal in dignity and rights, we all possess a certain degree of autonomy that
makes us free and capable of making our own decisions. When you are a minor you are under the
protection and care of your parents and in exceptional cases of guardians who take care and
protect us. Under this explanation, the rights of the parents and the child have been violated in
two ways: first, the child was not treated as it should have been by the doctors, when, with an
adequate and timely medical intervention, there was a great chance of survival. Secondly, the
health professionals attributed to themselves responsibilities that did not correspond to them with
respect to the inert body of the child. Whatever the arguments of the responsible physicians, they
never gave the child's parents the opportunity to decide what was appropriate.
The dilemma exposed is one of the most terrible and aberrant ones heard in recent times,
due to its aggressiveness and dishonesty carried out by the entire medical team responsible.
Undoubtedly, the whole experience lived by its protagonists manifests an immense social impact,
translating into a discouraging and even a setback to the extent that such a situation marked the
lives of all those involved, originating feelings of indignation, distrust and disbelief, among others.
5. Conclusion
From all the above arguments, it can be established that the "moral development" of our
country is still very deficient, and we are still a long way from achieving the level of autonomy so
desired and beneficial for our society. At the moment, we are unable to regulate ourselves, and a
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system of external regulators to govern our lives for the common good has become absolutely
necessary.
Generally, when we have nothing and no one to regulate us, we tend to lose sight of
common and social interests, becoming increasingly individualistic beings, capable of doing
anything to satisfy our own needs. There is still a long instructive work to be done in order for the
men who make up a society to become rational beings, who understand and treat people for what
they really are, that is, ends in themselves, and not as means to obtain some advantage, whether
individual or social.
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Case 51 A Necessary Lie
1. The facts
A young university student is about to finish his degree, for which he needs to pass his
theoretical courses and then his thesis. At this point in his career, he encounters some
complications and decides to drop out of a vocational elective. This course is a requirement of
another subject, which would mean that this young student would be a full year behind in finishing
his studies.
His mother is very proud, as he will soon be a professional. For this reason, the young
student does not want his mother to find out that he has failed a subject and that he must cover
one more year of studies, that is to say, pay again the tuition and monthly fees. So, he decides to
lie, explaining to his mother that the director of the career has modified the curriculum, and with
this he has incorporated an extra year of study, but the benefits are that he will be able to see a
couple of more courses and will leave with much more knowledge than people who have already
graduated from the same career, which will obviously give him an advantage that he can take
advantage of. The mother of this young university student, without any consultation, believes her
son's version and decides to make every effort to make him a professional.
2. Ethical issues involved. The Lie, the dialogue
This case involves the student's lie to deceive his mother and prevent her from finding out
about the failure. In addition, the lack of responsibility, sincerity and respect can be appreciated.
The first value mentioned, to face the situation, and the other two values for his mother, who
should be aware of the situation because she is the young man's guardian.
3. Unraveling
The young man decides to lie in order to have his mother's support and finish his studies;
however, what makes it worse is the deception used to correct his mistakes and involve the
director of the career, because in the morality of the individual the weight of the acts is directly
proportional to the people involved or affected by the decisions taken.
The lie, in this case, is accompanied by a lack of dialogue, because surely beyond the
mother's anger, she will end up paying for the race until her son finishes and with this she avoids
involving other people, which in the end can generate greater consequences.
Finally this young man graduated, with such bad luck that on graduation day the mother
had the opportunity to talk to the career director and express her dissatisfaction with the changes
made to the curriculum that affected her son and obviously her economy. After this complaint, the
principal told her that there had been no change and that her son was graduating a year later
than budgeted because he missed a couple of classes. Just on the day of graduation, where the
mother was proud of her son, he gave her a great disappointment as a prize.
4. Comment
The young university student should explain the situation and make his mother understand
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that this situation will help him to face the following stages of his university education with greater
commitment and maturity, which will undoubtedly allow him to be a more complete and efficient
professional in the future.
Both in the dilemma presented above and in any problem that could occur in daily life, it is
necessary to act responsibly and face the possible complications that may arise, since avoiding or
hiding the truth only aggravates the situation.
5. Conclusion
On many occasions we do not calculate the consequences of our actions and our decisions
and we end up hurting our loved ones much more than if we had gone with the truth. In addition,
the liar requires a long memory so as not to forget the details of the lie, because over time the
topics regularly come up in conversations and the versions keep changing, which implies that a lie
brings with it a series of lies and in the end one ends up permanently turning one's back on the
truth.
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Case 52 Loyalty to a loved one
1. The facts
After a car accident, the most serious victim is rushed to the nearest hospital and is in
agony. As the minutes passed, the patient's wife arrived and, expecting the worst, managed to
talk to him and in the last minutes he asked her, among other things and as a last wish, not to
donate his organs. After the death of her husband, this woman learns that in another emergency
room, there is a man, a father of a family, who is in immediate need of a heart transplant, as he is
in vital danger.
At the same time, the attending physician asks the widow if she wishes to donate her
deceased husband's organs, since they could save at least three people, including the one who is
in emergency care at the same hospital.
The dilemma is to save the lives of a couple of people, but transgressing the last wish of
her deceased husband, with whom she shared nearly 20 years of marriage.
2. Ethical issues involved. Loyalty, solidarity, organ transplantation and the value of life
This dilemma raises the conflict between loyalty to the recently deceased and the value of
the lives of those who can be saved by organ donation. Logically, in a situation like this it is
difficult to make a decision, given that mixed feelings come into play: on the one hand, guilt if she
does not donate the organs when they can save lives and remorse for not fulfilling the last wish of
the father of her children, with whom she lived and to whom she was loyal during the time of her
marriage.
3. Unraveling
As a final decision, the woman accepted to donate the organs, because when she saw the
suffering of the other family and of this person who was fighting to save his life, her emotion was
so great, that in spite of what she was suffering at that moment, she decided to give them the joy
of saving his life even if she had to contravene her husband's last wish. to give them the joy of
saving her life even if she had to contravene her husband's last wish, because it would be better
to respect the principle of respect for life and she would feel peace of mind for the rest of her life,
knowing that she did the right thing.
4. Comment
This is a major issue, as similar or simply the same events often occur.
There is no awareness of organ donation in society, and it is because, perhaps, the

necessary campaigns have not been carried out to generate an explosive increase of donors and,
let us think that many lives would be saved if this were so, if many people had the conscience to
donate our organs when we die. Lives of adults and even children could be saved on a daily basis
and thus restore happiness to others, who even if we do not know them, deserve a little solidarity
from others, as they find themselves in pressing and uncomfortable situations.
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5. Conclusion
We will always encounter ethical dilemmas in life, since we are formed and educated on
the basis of principles and values that are instilled in us from an early age, primarily in our
families.
Making complicated decisions is part of life, daily bread and, as we grow older, they
become more complex as we relate to other people who are part of our closest environment.
In this specific case, organ donation is a humanitarian decision, since the principle of
respect and the right to life has no comparison, it is the first thing to be considered in situations
such as the one described above. It is logical that the last will of a person before death is of great
value, but in this particular situation, the need to protect the life of others was paramount.
Therefore, the decision taken by the woman is correct; and furthermore, it could be said that she
shows great fortitude in making a decision of solidarity at such a delicate moment for her.
The satisfaction of making this gesture will be much greater than that of continuing to
harbor a feeling of guilt that the widow might feel for not respecting her husband's decision, which
is a very difficult decision to ignore and also very important, but it could be thought of in the way
that she, to a certain extent, prolonged her husband's life.It is a very difficult decision to ignore
and also a very important one, but it could be thought of in the way that she, to a certain extent,
prolonged her husband's life.
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Case 53 Losing is also winning
1. The facts
I was in III semester of Environmental Design, a course of students in which there was a
group of friends (3); they were in most of the courses together so when they had to work in a
group they did it very comfortably. Of these three friends only two were very studious and had a
very good performance within the career, but the third friend, Carla, was not doing very well,
although she had the unconditional support of her other two friends and so they helped her in
what she found more difficult.
One day in the Technical Specifications course, in the construction area, they were given
an assignment to develop individually and Carla, very complicated with this, had to assume that
she had to work very hard to pass this course, since this work was very decisive during the
semester.
One morning, Carla talked to one of her friends named Fernanda and asked her for help
and she very kindly said yes, that obviously she would help her and Carla asked her to send her
work so she could be guided and so she could do hers, obviously Fernanda never distrusted Carla
and sent it to her with complete confidence. Carla's friends were very proud that their friend had
been able to do the work, since she was going to pass the course.
The day came to get the grades and Fernanda had a 1.0 and Carla had a 6.5; Fernanda
talked to the teacher in charge of the subject and he told her that he had given her the grade
because she had the same work as Carla and he implied that she had copied it. Fernanda, very
surprised, went in search of Carla so that they could talk and clarify the problem, they went to the
professor and Carla said nothing and denied that she had asked Fernanda for the job, so the
professor decided to leave things like that and did not believe Fernanda and did believe Carla.
With this the friendship between them was broken and never healed again, since Fernanda rightly
felt disappointed and betrayed by Carla for not having told the truth and thus having made her
friend fail the branch.
2. Ethical issues involved. Honesty, lying, breach of confidence
The ethical issues involved in this case are the lack of honesty on Carla's part for not
telling the truth when she should have done so in order to clarify the situation in front of the
teacher and thus help her friend. Betrayal for taking advantage of her friend's trust and taking
advantage of other people's goodwill for her own good, regardless of the consequences.
3. Unraveling
Carla's betrayal caused Fernanda to definitely lose the bouquet, but the one who lost the
most was Carla, who was left without friends and as this was known throughout the race, no one
else trusted her and she was left alone, to the point of having had many difficulties with a bouquet
and not receiving help from anyone. Fortunately for Fernanda, she was able to take the course
she missed in the afternoon without falling behind in her curriculum, so that she could finally
graduate with her friends.
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4. Comment
Trust is immediately lost at the moment of deceit and betrayal and it is very difficult to
regain it, because we human beings do not forget the bad things that are done to us, especially
those who are dear to us. Definitely, human intentionality is the most complicated to understand
and from it great works and human projects are derived, but also hatred, outrages and wars.
Usually the betrayal of a friend reveals the weakness of the traitor's personality, who does not
even have the strength to admit it.
5. Conclusion
These cases occur very often in our lives, I am talking about betrayal and dishonesty, since
many times we think about our own good and not the good of the people around us, turning us
into selfish people, which leads us to choose to have few and good friends rather than many and
in the end to have none. Trust is something to be earned and it is earned for you and earned in
you, which means it goes in two directions. I have to be a reliable person and always prove it,
because there is nothing to be gained by saying, for example, that I am the most honest if nobody
believes in my honesty.
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Case 54 Unfair competition
1. The facts
In a design office, employees are asked to design a product for company x according to
certain parameters. All the designers are working hard to achieve the goal, but while everyone is
pulling all-nighters and trying their best to win the project, there is one worker who is having his
work made lighter because he has people working for him, all designing what he was supposed to
do in the first place. As time goes by, the company's employees begin to realize what is
happening, and that is that the students who are doing their internships or his own students are
being made to think about what he is responsible for. This is apparently not bad, it's just that the
credits, praise and awards go to everyone, while the rest of the designers in the company prefer
to let things fall under their own weight; they don't want to accuse the worker so as not to get
into trouble, since accusing someone seems childish to them, but everyone is aware of the
situation.
The situation became even more untenable, because the worker did not even hide what
was happening, but was doing it right under everyone's nose. He had the feeling that he enjoyed
this situation, because somehow with less work he was somehow above his colleagues, which
allowed him to feel like the most intelligent, the most skilled and paradoxically his bosses
recognized him as the most professional in the company.
The designers in the office felt that this character was getting all the applause and was not
being honest with himself or with his other colleagues, however the position of everyone in the
company was to continue working, trying to ignore the situation, but with the hope that life would
do justice to them and to the students and trainees exploited by this character. Talking would
mean generating a bad atmosphere in the office and silence was allowing him more abuse.
2. Ethical issues involved. Prudence, justice and temperance
The worker is being with his actions, reckless, because while others do their best to design,
this one takes advantage of his students and trainees, which puts the rest of colleagues in the
company at a disadvantage, without any prudence, because everyone knows them and keep quiet
about it, a situation that seems unfair because they do not compete on equal terms. On the other
hand, the position of the coworkers was prudent to avoid creating a bad working environment and
to seek a strategy that would put them on an equal footing.
3. Unraveling
Each worker presented his proposal, but the proposal that received the most applause was
that of the worker who, seeking the easy way and the support of his students and interns, worked
in this way without any of the bosses knowing the real situation. Those closest to this worker
stopped having a good relationship with him, since he was not very honest with himself, with his
bosses and with his coworkers; they felt bad and little by little he became lonely, isolated and
rejected for his practices of clear disadvantage at work. When the owners of the company began
to perceive this bad environment, they called a meeting of designers, so that everyone could
express their dissatisfaction. So that no one would feel
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attacked, all agreed that one of them should speak on behalf of the group and sensibly propose
that even the trainees who were at the time in the company should also enter the competition and
thus prevent someone more senior or higher up from taking advantage of them. Without
mentioning names and without reference to the contest won by this reckless fellow, the bosses
approved the suggestion, while the one who had won the contest with the help of the trainees felt
that the measure was being presented for what he had done.
The equal working environment did not appeal to this designer and he ended up leaving
the company on his own to set up his own design agency to compete in the design market.
4. Comment
The situation is unfair and may be a situation that is experienced daily in many companies,
where they exploit interns, students or new employees, without giving them any kind of
recognition, since the only payment is the opportunity provided or the experience gained, but
nothing more. The rest of the co-workers, who also experienced this situation, say they felt used,
that their work is worthless and that from the beginning they question what will be an unfair
competition in the guild, with unscrupulous people willing to do anything to be recognized. The
worst thing is that if someone is not willing to compete in these conditions, he or she can quickly
be out of the game, which will represent a great frustration for the time lost.
What most outrages a worker, in this case a designer, is not being able to compete on
equal terms, because deep down we know that by nature we are different and some will have
more talent than others, which makes us better for some things and not so much for others.
5. Conclusion
Working in this way harms the rest of the workers, not only of the company but also of the
profession, because this unfair way of working generates doubts and mixed feelings in those who
are just starting out in the world of design and what for them was their great illusion can become
their great nightmare. Ethics help people at least think that competition is with loyal, transparent
and equal people, which can be motivating for young designers who will give the best of
themselves and their creativity to the work environment in which they will move; but when they
find an adverse scenario the question is not long in coming: "Is this what I studied so hard for?
Thus, they are faced with an ethical dilemma of how to deal with the situation in order to survive
in the midst of unfair competition.
When dealing with such sensitive issues, one must be cautious because at any moment
one can start to take people away, and a work environment that seeks to empower each individual
and not crush or spoil them can be broken. On the other hand, the presence of ethics in
professions where work must be group work is fundamental to know the limits of our personal and
professional actions and to recognize our own strengths and weaknesses.
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Case 55 The worst punishment
1. The facts
Mariana is a young woman who works in a company as a secretary from Monday to Friday
at a time that suits her to study International Commerce at night. She lives in Santiago with her
mother and the rest of the family is in the north of the country. The mother's presence in Santiago
is due to a series of medical check-ups she must undergo due to the cancer that has been
afflicting her for a couple of years. The company where she works is in the construction industry
and although it does not have much to do with what she is studying, she feels comfortable
because of the autonomy and trust that her bosses place in her. Mariana's function consists,
among other things, of maintaining all customer data, in alphabetical order; a large database of
buyers, suppliers and investors that the company has had to build up and that today allows it to
be more agile in the business it undertakes. Mariana also worked in another construction company
from which she was able to save a large database that, without knowing why, she keeps in her
personal computer.
One day, the mother's illness worsens and she has to be operated on urgently, which also
implies having to raise a large sum of money to cover the costs of the operation. She recalls that
at some point an executive from another company had offered her a large sum of money for the
project information and the database she has on her computer. After the desperate situation with
her mother's illness, she does not hesitate to call him and make an appointment with him. They
meet and Mariana tells him that she has the database of his old company, the current one, as well
as all the projects and designs that are currently being handled. The interest of this executive, as
well as the offer of the sum of money still stands, only now it is more information, so the sum is
doubled. Mariana has one week to decide to sell the information and raise the money for her
mother's operation.
2. Ethical issues involved: Abuse of trust, theft of information, the value of life
Mariana, abusing the trust given by her bosses, begins to handle the company's
information as if it were her own, which allowed her to steal it and put a price on it, the price that
the clinic charges for her mother's operation with which she hopes to be cured definitively, without
calculating the damage she does to the companies involved and to the trust that at some point the
bosses may place in their employees.This is without calculating the damage done to the
companies involved and to the trust that at some point the bosses may have placed in their
employees, because although these situations cannot be generalized, they can put the leaders of
the company on alert. Although these situations cannot be generalized, they can put the leaders
of large companies on alert when it comes to placing so much trust in their employees, which in
some way also harms the company, because when working in a climate of trust, people manage to
develop as individuals and as professionals, achieving autonomy in their daily work, as a minimum
condition for workers.
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3. Unraveling
Mariana, without having looked for alternatives other than selling the information to a
competitor's executive, delivers a CD and in return receives her check, which allows her to pay for
her mother's operation; however, once her mother recovers and returns to join the rest of her
family in the north, she is left with the feeling of having done something very bad, and that not
even the happiness of seeing her mother in good health can compensate for what she did.
Over time, clients have been complaining about housing projects equal to those of other
builders, when one of the sales promises had been exclusivity in a new housing concept. The
construction company initiated an investigation to determine the leakage of information without
positive results and ended up abandoning the internal investigation, arguing to the clients that
there was an unfortunate coincidence in the concept.
Mariana continues working at the construction company, she enjoys the full confidence of
her bosses, but the weight of guilt is making her sick, because on deep reflection she believes that
there were other alternatives for financing the operation, such as taking up a collection among
family members, requesting the money from the company to be discounted in installments or
going to a bank. Now she does not know what to do, she cannot return the money because the
information is already circulating in other companies and she cannot pay her own company either,
because maybe for them that information is much more valuable than the check received, besides
the pain of betrayal.She cannot resign either because she would be evading the responsibility that
corresponds to her, besides the feeling of guilt that accompanies her wherever she goes. In the
midst of all this guilt, Mariana decides to delete from her computer all the information she has
from the companies and makes a promise to never again put her own personal needs above the
trust of her bosses.
4. Comment
The worst punishment received by Mariana is the feeling of guilt that accompanies her and
that does not allow her to enjoy the peace of mind that her whole family now has because of her
mother's recovery. She may not need the punishment of the law or expulsion from the company
to get what she deserves, because her conscience is gradually beginning to charge her for her bad
actions, those she does not know how to compensate. In Mariana's case, and not in all cases, it is
clear that she is a person who has not matured enough to have so much information in her hands
and therefore time will tell her how things have to be. This does not mean that young workers are
not responsible or that bosses should not trust their employees with confidential company
information; what it says is that companies should invest heavily in employee training and
employee knowledge to know how far someone can and cannot be trusted. These are particular,
isolated cases that deserve to be studied in a particular way. Maybe Mariana will someday find a
way to make up for her serious misconduct and find the peace of mind she needs to continue
growing professionally. She knows she made a mistake and the most important thing is that she is
willing not to turn this mistake into a bad habit. In any case, in this case Mariana still needs to
confess the truth. In fact, that's what has her gripped by this horrible guilty conscience. The action
of lying is still wrong, even if it has not been discovered, because the morality of actions lies in the
actions themselves (object, end and circumstances) rather than in their consequences alone.
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5. Conclusion.
It is said that the feeling of guilt is such an ugly sensation that nobody wants to carry it
and that is why when we do something wrong we try to look for an external justification to get rid
of the guilt, because with this feeling the human being is capable of squandering all his energy
and concentration. If we are not very conscious, we often get irritated without knowing what is
bothering us, but when we are, we put all our strength to get it out of our interior, because what
happens with guilt is that in some way it reminds us that the one we are hurting the most is
ourselves, which weakens us before others and leaves us without moral authority to give an
opinion or judge any human action. Guilt is one of the strongest moral feelings and acts as a great
regulator of our actions. Without this feeling, we would literally be "scoundrels". In a situation of
this type, one can try to eliminate the guilt by means of all kinds of explanations to justify oneself,
but this does not get to the bottom of the problem: what must be eliminated is that which causes
the guilt, recognizing and repairing the wrong committed.
In this sense, ethics is above human law, since there are actions that the latter cannot
judge or punish, while the ethics and morals of each individual can, which is why the feeling of
guilt is the worst punishment.
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Case 56 The Value of the Word
1. The facts
A theater company arrived in Santiago made up of actors from different countries,

including Colombians, Venezuelans, Peruvians, Brazilians, Ecuadorians, Argentines and Chileans,
with the idea of doing a whole theater season with two plays they had already staged. The idea
was to spend the whole summer touring some of the city's parks, since their plays were street
theater and for that reason they were forced to do many performances to raise enough money to
survive.
When the theater company arrives in a country, it hires people for stage design and, on
this occasion, it had the support of two students in their last semester of acting and design. They
were enthusiastic about the cultural project and agreed with the director of the company to
collaborate with the assembly of the scenery in each park and once the summer season was over,
they would receive payment for everything they had worked on. The lack of information about the
city and its people in January and February, led them to have very little public in their works,
because people in those hot months are at the beach or in their summer homes. The economic
complications were not long in coming and they quickly made the decision to go to Viña del Mar to
see if they had any other kind of luck. The director of the theater company proposed to these
stagehands that they accompany them to Viña, since their work had been of very good quality,
which made him very satisfied.
They agreed to continue with the group, but asked the director to increase the agreed rate
a little, because in Viña they were going to have to incur a series of expenses. The director agreed
to the request and so it was that in two days they were in Viña del Mar and although there were
many people there, the economic situation did not change. A week later, the director met with
these two students and informed them that the company would not have the money to pay them
for all the support they had provided, so he suggested they return immediately to Santiago to
quickly forget the bitter summer.
2. Ethical issues involved. Dialogue, sincerity, commitment
The Director of the theater company was sincere with these students, since it was evident
that he was not going to be able to pay them what he had promised at the beginning; however,
he was not fulfilling the commitment he had made to these two students. It was very easy for him
to suggest that they return to Santiago, since no paper was ever signed that committed him,
everything was by word of mouth and good faith. Fortunately for the theater company director,
the students understood the situation.
3. Unraveling
After the director spoke with them, what one might expect was the immediate return of
these two young men to Santiago; however, and as a lesson that commitments are kept, they
decided to help him for the rest of the season, because if he as Director was missing the
commitment, they would not. So it was: at the end of February, when they had planned to go to
Argentina, the company took stock of the season in Chile and it was not as critical as they had
imagined. The most important thing was that there were no losses and they had enough money to
travel to Argentina without any problems. Prior to the trip, the Director
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thanked these students for their unconditional help and wanted to pay them at least half of what
was originally agreed; however, out of solidarity, these two students did not accept the payment.
Eventually, after a couple of seasons in Argentina and Brazil, one of them received a call
from a money exchange house informing him that he had a money order in his name to be
claimed. The surprise when he went to the exchange house was to find that the money order was
sent by the director of the theater company with the total amount of the services rendered by him
and his friend. He immediately called his friend to tell him the good news.
4. Comment
About six months had passed when these two students received the money for the services
rendered to the Theater Company and the happiness was not known if it was because of the
money or because the Director had finally kept his word, a fact that made them deeply happy
because they felt that it was an act that vindicated the value of his word and that among honest
human beings, neither papers nor contracts are required to fulfill commitments.It was an act that
vindicated the value of the word and that among honest human beings, neither papers nor
contracts are required to fulfill commitments; only those who do not reach a high level of moral
development, which allows them to understand the power of the word, require signed papers as
intermediaries.
Unfortunately, however, the frequency of fraud cases involving work without a contract has
led the different legislations to require written and well-regulated contracts. If an organization
claims to have a 'high moral development', it should have no problem in making a contract with
its employees to ensure that they are paid for their work. In this case, it was not correct for the
Director of the company to hire them only by word of mouth, nor was it correct for him not to pay
them. Despite this injustice, the magnanimity of the young people who decided to continue with
the work is remarkable. And so, of course, is the Director's concern to pay them at least a few
months late, although logically it would have been better to have agreed to such a turnaround
when he began to realize the economic problems that would initially prevent him from paying the
young people.
5. Conclusion
The lack of information and planning on the part of the theater company led them to
experience a complicated economic situation in Chile.The company must carry out a study that
allows them to establish with a small margin of error the income and expenses that they will have
in each country.
On the other hand, each student or young professional should take a good look at the
solidity, seriousness and consistency of the company or group of people with whom he/she is
going to work, since this simple observation can avoid "bitter pills", such as the risk of not
receiving the agreed money on time. Just as people are required to have knowledge and constant
training to remain current in the labor market, companies should also be required to meet a series
of requirements to be reliable and professionals want to be there, because if a company does not
meet a minimum solidity in the market, it will not cease to be a simple station through which
many people pass without wanting to establish themselves.
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Case 57 Sale of licenses and medical certificates
1. The facts
The media have shown several reports in which doctors of different specialties illegally sell
licenses or certificates. This is how we have the case of Alberto, a worker who has decided to
change jobs because he feels that he has been in the same company for too long, without the
possibility of further progress and with the inconvenience of having to work shifts, which prevents
him from taking training courses or a diploma course that would allow him to grow professionally.
On several occasions he has sent resumes to other companies in search of a new job, without
being able to attend interviews or comply with the selection process, precisely because of the
shifts he does.
Tired of the same thing, he decides to invent a way to have some days off and the perfect
excuse is to go to the doctor, for this reason he goes to the psychiatrist, knowing that the man is
healthy, after a long conversation with the doctor, he decides to make a false diagnosis and
deliver a medical license, in exchange for a good sum of money. The money paid is directly
proportional to the time requested and the extension of the leave of absence also has its cost,
since what Alberto is really looking for is to be fired from the company and thus avoid resigning,
since this implies losing a lot of money in severance pay.
2. Ethical issues involved: Utilitarianism, greed, deceit.
The utilitarian stance of the doctor, but also of Alberto says that they are willing to do
whatever it takes to achieve their goals. In the case of the doctor, he does not care about the
means to obtain money, nor about the lack of professional ethics or the fact of ceasing to be a
professional; he is only interested in obtaining profits from an illegal act. So it is for the patient as
well: he does not care how to get his licenses that will give him time to apply for other jobs or
simply be fired and be paid his severance pay. In this case, the physician is greedy, because he
does not think about the prestige or disrepute of his profession and the only thing he seeks is to
enrich himself. On the other hand, Alberto is not telling the truth by not acknowledging to his
employer what he really wants and resigning, but rather lying and deceiving.
3. Unraveling
Alberto managed to be fired by the company to which he dedicated 15 years of his life due
to three consecutive disabilities, but what he did not count on was that his Isapre would follow up
on his illness and the doctor who issued the licenses, until he realized that it was all a sham. The
consequences of this deception led to a lawsuit by the Isapre against the doctor and a forced
reimbursement of the licenses to avoid a lawsuit against him. The result was that Alberto was left
without a job, without money and with a reputation as a cheat, so no company wanted to hire him
again.
Today Alberto works as an auto mechanic, without any job guarantee, irregularly and with
a very low income, which has led his family to start living with economic hardship. For his part,
the doctor paid a prison sentence and was stripped of his professional license to practice, although
he continues to do so illegally, in peripheral neighborhoods of the city and at low costs, which has
also led him to reduce the expenses to which he was accustomed.
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4. Comment
Nowadays the media have shown to the public light the great amount of doctors who
increase their profits with the fraudulent business of selling medical licenses or certificates, this
has caused that many people who are really sick and need these means are with delays in the
delivery of their payments or that many licenses are rejected, since it is known that a large
percentage of people lie for various reasons, which has made the system become totally
cumbersome. The best thing would be for physicians to adhere to the ethics they have been
taught throughout their lives and to professional ethics, providing correct diagnoses to their
patients. Therefore, as long as there are customers who lie to the truth to get what they want,
this business will continue to grow, so people should become aware of the irresponsibility they are
falling into and keep the truth first and foremost. With the irresponsibilities of some, many are
affected.
5. Conclusion
It is essential that doctors provide an adequate service to those who place their health in
their hands on a daily basis, trusting in their knowledge and professional ethics, leaving aside their
personal pretensions and always looking out for the common good and the welfare of those who
place their trust in them. This is also how every human being is responsible for his actions, and
should always have the truth to any fact, especially if we have committed to someone to perform
some work, so it is essential to fulfill our obligations and if we want the cessation of these, we
must communicate it to the people on whom we depend and not fall into serious faults, such as
deception and lying. We should not only care about the end of things, but also about how we get
there.
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Case 58 Respecting the source's privacy
1. The facts
The story began on July 22, when Gloria Alvarez and Eduardo Chamorro's newscast on
Channel 12, broadcast a six-minute edition of a report that lasted 40 minutes, all out of respect
for the source and for not having the consent of the protagonists of the story; in addition, there
were some data in the story that did not fit very well and needed to be investigated to be certain.
The following day on Channel 10, journalist Jorge Lopez broadcast the same news with the same
edition on Channel 12. At that point, the three journalists decided to keep their source secret,
which was evidently the same.
The transmission of the video complied with all the principles that a news item should
have, including the objectivity of the facts, the relevance of the subject, the interest of the public
and the reliability of the source. So far there were no legal or ethical problems with the material;
however, the journalists of Channel 12 decided to give context and greater depth to the news, due
to the interest that the case had aroused. Thus, Gloria and Eduardo, with authorization from the
source, decided to air a little more of the edited material, with the certainty that what they were
airing was verified. Up to this point, any ethical dilemma that may have arisen was resolved
honestly and the work was carried out in accordance with the criteria of professionalism,
seriousness and journalistic quality.
The complication came from the journalist Jorge López who, with a clear interest in not
being left behind and gaining an audience for the case, aired the rest of the information that had
not yet been publicly disclosed, without the authorization of the source and without being certain
that the information contained therein was true. It was clear then that the intention of journalist
Jorge Lopez with the information was to gain audience at any price, with a very harmful effect on
the credibility of the news, not only of his channel, but of the other channel as well.
2. Ethical issues involved. Unfair competition, inaccuracies and misrepresentations
Jorge López's eagerness to transmit the video led him to act, to say the least, with little
seriousness. The information he presented was inaccurate and close to falsehood. The journalist
had relied on an unreliable source and did not cross-check and confirm the information he
received, unlike Gloria and Eduardo.
Many have warned of the risks involved in relying on a leak of information, because as this
case has shown, it is necessary to accompany the note that generates a leak or a recording with
an arduous work of investigation, collation and, after all, a professional work.
3. Unraveling
While Channel 12 requested an unedited copy to guarantee the veracity of the information,
the other channel did nothing to verify the information and relied on an untrustworthy source. In
either case, whether you can't get a reliable source or you know the source, you should do some
background research on the information the source gives. Research will not only allow us to give
the reader or viewer more tools to understand what is happening, but will also allow the journalist
to verify the information. That is why Gloria and Eduardo accompanied the transmission of the
video edition they made with a report on the relationships of those involved in the case.
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Center for Applied
Ethics
Regarding the handling of thehuman
source,capital
Gloriaformation
and Eduardo faced the question of whether or
not to maintain Sebastian's anonymity, while Jorge revealed the identity of the person involved in
the case.
4. Comment
If journalists are to regain people's trust and fulfill the role of shaping the viewer - and,
therefore, society - they must act seriously. And to do so, they must recover certain values,
principles and practices that, some time ago, characterized the independent press and that have
been lost, such as accuracy, respect for the reader, context, investigation and the right of reply
for all affected parties, among many others. Source management is more complicated than it
seems. First of all, you need to have a reliable source. Secondly, the information needs to be
cross-checked. Thirdly, it is necessary to review the role that journalists are playing in the political
framework that is generated around information. The way in which these two channels handled
the information confirms how complicated information management is.
5. Conclusion
On the one hand, the Journalists' Code of Ethics states only that "Whenever deemed
necessary and proper, a journalist shall keep secret the origin and identity of his sources of
information," leaving the decision to the discretion of the individual journalist.
On the other hand, the Code of Ethics of the Chilean Association of Journalists establishes
that "the journalist must cite his sources, since the reader has the right to know them and thus
evaluate for himself the quality of the sources. He must only silence them if they ask him to do so
-prior confirmation of their suitability and trustworthiness-, thus respecting the trust granted when
the confidential information was given to him".
Yet another code, that of the Society of Professional Journalists, establishes two guidelines
in this regard: "Identify your sources whenever possible. The public is entitled to all available
information about the reliability of the source" and "always question a source's motives before
promising anonymity."
In the case we are analyzing, Gloria and Eduardo acted according to ethical guidelines: the
source requested their anonymity and this was guaranteed because it did not harm either the
credibility of the information or its journalistic value. Seeing that the publication of the information
had no other function, as far as they were concerned, than that of denunciation, they decided to
go ahead, and as soon as they were authorized to reveal their source they did so in order to give
the public more information about what they had transmitted.
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Case 59 Objectivity in reporting
1. The facts
The Vanesa case arose in Villamaría in February 2005. Vanesa, a five-year-old girl, was
abused and murdered by her neighbor. Vanessa was apparently abducted a day before her body
was found in a neighbor's garden.
The suspect was arrested and after pleading guilty, he was jailed. The press covered the
case with extensive articles that gave details not only of the murder but also of the public opinion,
the prison guards, the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Prosecutor, among others.
The murderer's statement was also published, narrating how he had killed "little Vanessa
after drinking several beers that Vanessa's father gave him".
According to the murderer, after drinking, he kidnapped the girl, took her home, abused
her and at some point realized that the girl was no longer breathing. At that moment, as his
account of the events indicates, "I buried the girl in a neighbor's yard". In addition to the multiple
articles that emerged as a result of the case, surveys were published in newspapers and online to
monitor society's "feeling" about the crime.
On the other hand, the death of Clara Perez, former congresswoman, gave rise to brief
notes, with no more information than necessary and not abounding in details of any kind.
However, there was one element that needs to be highlighted. Clara did not die of cancer as the
press reports claimed, but was apparently the result of suicide. The information was in the
possession of several journalists, who made a commitment to the authorities not to disclose the
information. However, the suicide note was published by the newspaper El Sideral, apparently on
the front page and highlighting the information that was not supposed to be revealed.
2. Ethical and journalistic implications. Lack of objectivity in reporting, fairness,

recklessness, recklessness
Evidently the case of Vanessa's murder is not a pleasant one, but it was not the only one
in the year or in the country, but the press treated it as such. The notes about the Vanessa case
were sufficiently scandalous, appealing to the morbid nature of the situation. In many of them, the
adjectives created an atmosphere of melodrama that fed the yellow note. Vanessa's case lacks
relevant information since it is summarized in one paragraph, plus the scandal provoked by the
press gave rise to several articles.
Although the case is not journalistic, since it is not of public interest, we could resort to the
Code of Ethics of the Latin American Center of Journalism, which mentions: "obscenity, vulgarity,
morbidity must be excluded (from journalistic work)".
In the case of Mrs. Perez, the newspaper's revelation affected the family, and in this sense
we could think of a violation that has to do with the privacy of the family members. Evidently, it is
difficult to solve the ethical dilemma in these two cases, since we assume that neither is of public
interest, and consequently, neither is properly journalistic. As mentioned in the Norwegian Code of
Ethics, "All media and journalists' activities must be inspired by the public interest".
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3. Unraveling
Contrasting the notes, we realize the scandal made by the murder of a little girl, and the
privacy demanded by the death of Mrs. Perez.
The notes in the case of Vanessa are nothing more than narratives with high doses of
melodrama, where we could point out the public interest in the murder of a girl, but not in the
excess of morbidity with which the notes were injected.
In the case of Mrs. Perez, although it is not journalistic, there was an infiltration that
directly affected a family, which is already an ethical violation. In addition, it should be noted that
such infiltration cannot necessarily be taken as a verifiable source. Comparing both cases,
Vanessa's family, although they were victims of the morbidity of the news, were not so severely
singled out, being, for example, accused of the crime suffered by their daughter. In the case of
Mrs. Perez, the information published violated the privacy of the family who, in addition to having
reasons and rights to want to hide it, their condition as public persons evidently implied a much
greater damage than that suffered by Vanesa's family.
The family of the former congresswoman, when the note was published, would be the
target of more questioning and more morbid remarks.
4. Comment
Journalism should strive not to violate people's privacy, be cautious with information that
may harm or affect them, and recognize their right to have control over their privacy. The case of
Mrs. Perez had no valid journalistic reason to invade the privacy of the family, except to launch a
note of scandal and bad taste, which discredits the work of so many journalists and so many
media outlets that for the sake of morbidity or the interest of selling more than the competition. In
this way they enter into a game that deeply harms the intimacy and privacy of the families, the
unfortunate thing about all this is that it seems the constant of journalism in almost all parts of
the world, where due to lack of ethics, many of them dare to cross the line of prudence and fall
into extremes with economic benefits for the journalist, but irreparable damage to the people and
families involved.
5. Conclusion
Journalism is a profession that is exercised in the public arena, which implies handling
information with great prudence and that is why journalists, more than many other professions,
must know and apply the code of ethics that regulates them, to avoid making many mistakes and
injuring many people; and it is not that just by knowing and applying the code the journalist has
reached a sufficient moral development; it is rather a starting point through which he/she
becomes the first critic of his/her daily work, in search of respect and objectivity of information.It
is not that just by knowing and applying the code the journalist has reached a sufficient moral
development; it is rather a starting point through which he becomes the first critic of his daily
work, in search of respect and objectivity of the information transmitted to a massive public that
expects to be properly informed.
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Case 60 There is always a better alternative
1. The facts
Helena Salazar is the mother of three small children and according to the shift system of
the San José Hospital, she is on shift for Christmas Eve and for the fifth consecutive year, which
led her to think of a strategy to be with her family, because above all, Helena has planned to go
home to her parents who live in the south, to spend Christmas Eve with them and their children
and celebrate the birth of Jesus. When she found herself with her shift over, she decided to go to
the doctor and invent an illness to get a medical leave, without caring about the shift, her job, the
responsibility in front of her patients and the workload that her colleagues would face with one
less person on the shift. She gives notice to her work only minutes before the start of the shift, so
it is difficult for the hospital to find a replacement, since all she can think about is spending the
holidays with her family, without analyzing the implications that this brings.
2. Ethical issues involved. Prudence, temperance, fortitude
In this case we are talking about a woman who lacks prudence, temperance and fortitude.
Lack of prudence because to be prudent is to know how to decide correctly, in addition to having
an intrinsic moral character and not just a habit of being more resourceful. This woman acted
badly, she was untruthful both in her work and to the medical professional in order to get what
she wanted regardless of her responsibilities. It lacked her strength as she was not able to face
the difficulties and commitments and sacrifices that her work demands, which means that she
should have attended the shift, although it was not what she wanted but it was her responsibility,
her job. He lacked temperance because he let himself be carried away by the immediate, the
pleasure of being with his family, and this does not mean that it is less important, it was
something immediate that sacrifices his long-term projections; that is, the lack of temperance
makes us fall into the accidental and forget the essence of things, which is usually evidenced in
the long term.
3. Unraveling
Helena was finally able to travel south to join her parents and her children and husband,
she had a great time, felt happy and celebrated the Christmas holidays; however, on her shift and
due to the last minute notice that she would not be attending the service, the person who replaced
her had to work 24 hours without a break, which made it difficult for her to care for the patients
due to her obvious physical exhaustion.However, due to the last minute notice that she would not
be attending the service, the person who replaced her had to work 24 hours without a break,
which made it difficult for her to attend to patients due to her obvious physical exhaustion.
Although Helena has stood out for being a good and responsible co-worker, things were not the
same as before, because for her colleagues the medical leave was just a story to be able to be
absent. From then on, the work environment and the relationship with his boss was very strained,
to the point that he was in the process of changing services because he could not stand the
pressure.
4. Comment
If there is something wonderful about human beings, it is their inventiveness to overcome

all their difficulties. Surely if Helena talks to her boss and lets him know that she has been in the
service for many years and has always worked Christmas shifts, maybe they can reach an
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agreement and find a more humane solution, in the sense of thinking about who should do the
shift; obviously not the person who is finishing a 12-hour shift. Apart
The result of a bad procedure is the lie with which he gets his medical excuse, sowing distrust in
other colleagues and closing himself to any opportunity of help at the moment he really needs it.
Immediate things must be solved, but always thinking about the implications they have for the
future, because we cannot forget that our moral conscience is strongly linked to the awareness we
have of the consequences of our actions.
5. Conclusion
Ethics is essentially a knowledge to act rationally, which allows us to differentiate good

from bad, right from wrong and essential from accidental, for which it is necessary to order the
goals of our life intelligently, which basically implies two things: the sacrifice of the immediate for
the achievement of long-term goals and respect for the time and disposition of the other. This
case involved not only this mother of three children, but also other people such as her family, co-
workers, bosses, patients and the doctor who was cheated (leave of absence). Helena should have
changed the shift ahead of time, or asked her bosses for permission, i.e. find another solution that
leaves her alone and does not involve going over the heads of others. Thinking only of her today
has its consequences.
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Case 61 Wild competition
1. The facts
Victor Hugo is a young man with extensive experience in personnel management. He is

currently the commercial director of a large store that has branches all over the city and is in
charge of about fifty salespeople. Their boss feels that he is not hard enough on them and
although almost all of them meet the goals at the end of the month, he feels that he should be
harder on them to increase profits and secure his job in the process. He then suggests sacrificing
two salespeople so that the others will see him as a determined boss and fear will make them
work harder. In the process of choosing two candidates to leave the sales force and the company,
he notices that one has performed poorly in the last month and the other makes the mistake of
being too free and too critical of the company's business strategies. After pressure from his boss
to "sacrifice" two salesmen and thus send a clear signal to others, Victor Hugo decides to
"sacrifice" the two salesmen who interfere with his work. In this way, it makes them on the road
to dismissal and the pressure leads to them having to resign. To the astonishment of the other
members of the group of salesmen, Victor's threatening speech is not long in coming, and he
makes it very clear that if they do not increase the company's profit margin, this could happen to
them as well.
2. Ethical issues involved. Manipulation as an inhumane strategy for achieving greater

results
Evidently the strategy used by Victor's boss goes against the dignity of the workers who,
without being bad salespeople and meeting the store's expectations, are made to feel like bad
workers so that they double their efforts and the store's profits increase, without them being
rewarded with anything more than sales commissions, which, by the way, are very low. It is
basically a matter of turning the human being into a means through which the company increases
its profits, without its existence being due to the people who work there. The purpose of the
company is far from being humane and humanizing.
3. Unraveling
Indeed, the two salesmen left the company and production in the following three months
increased by 35%, which made the store owners very satisfied. After this trial, Victor was
congratulated for his great capacity, while the sales quota per salesperson was increased by 25%.
"It's been proven that everyone can give more, so why not do it." That was the expression with
which they sentenced all the vendors and Victor. In a meeting with his sales team, they all showed
their dissatisfaction with the effect of the results and what came in the following months was that
Victor Hugo began to lose good salesmen, who decided to go to other stores. For the next three
months, of the fifty salespeople, 18 had to be replaced, which lowered sales to the previous
percentage, and three months later sales were 25% below what they had been before
implementing this pressure strategy. After this failure, Victor felt very guilty about what happened,
because he never warned the store owners what could happen with so much pressure. His guilt
had him thinking of a new strategy, tougher than the previous one, which implied playing dirty
with the competition, but after a long conversation with his wife, friends and people he trusted, he
ended up resigning his position.
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4. Comment
Fear is the essential driving force behind bullying, since in general terms, it is what turns
us into violent beings, as our strategies allow us to hide our weaknesses and fears from others.
Nowadays, fear is much more indirect than in the past, since it is less and less common to see a
boss openly demanding the submission of his employees, but often the praise or responsibility
derived from the autonomy of the employees blames them for the difficulties or ambitions of the
company. This is how the criteria of the employees are bent and standardized so that they march
in the direction of the company regardless of the few particularities that remain to them as human
beings.
When this type of strategy becomes evident, it begins to have the opposite effect and
employees become defensive and those employees who are aligned in the same direction are left
with nothing more than a sum of misfits to the system, which makes them always think of wanting
to get out of there, because they feel exploited and used and not valued. The chain of pressures in
a company with very rigid structures will lead those with less solid morals to be tempted to make
their inferiors pay for the violence inflicted on them by their superiors.
5. Conclusion
According to the vision of the extreme capitalists, the common good is symbolized by the
protection of the material goods of the ruling class, who, from this perspective, convince the
employee that it is his duty to look after the interests of his employers, in order to keep his job
and thus strengthen the common good. This vision obviously goes against the true common good,
which in any case ensures the happiness and well-being of all and not that of a few.
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Case 62 Unjustified harassment
1. The facts
Diana is a young graduate with honors from the tourism career, with excellent ideas and a
bright future, as her professors and classmates see in her a person capable of revolutionizing the
tourism industry in Chile, given her vision, her culture and her perfect command of four
languages. She starts working for a large tourism company under the orders of an older and
practically self-taught colleague, who is supposed to train her for her new position as Operation
Manager of National Routes. From the beginning, he does not give her any information about
reports, routes, strategies and the internal organization of the office, so she has to manage on her
own. In spite of this, Diego, her boss, constantly criticizes her without ever telling her how she
should do things to improve them.
When she asks him precise questions to obtain information, he evades them and answers
something else or mocks her: "I don't know what's the point of having studied if you don't even
know that. What did they really teach you in school?". In front of the others, Diego gives himself
importance in relation to the profession of his subordinate: "She graduates in tourism with honors
without learning anything. I have to teach him everything myself!".
Diana soon loses her self-confidence and feels that she really doesn't know anything and that
the knowledge she learned during her career was nothing more than theory; she feels useless.
Thus, he begins to agree with the boss on everything and that his vast experience is placed above
his studies and even his culture. She becomes a submissive person and ends up asking Diego
absolutely everything in order to continue working. However, Diego is not satisfied with that and
continues to constantly harass her with unpleasant comments until Diana falls ill and has to leave
the job for a few months, feeling that she is not qualified to assume the responsibility she was
assigned.
2. Ethical issues involved. Solidarity, justice, respect
Diego, Diana's boss, was not able to put himself in her shoes to try to understand her
inexperience in the job, because with a little help and the knowledge she brings from her school
they can surely form a good team and really generate new strategies for an industry that tends to
grow by leaps and bounds. Diego never understood that solidarity must prevail among people who
have common interests and that the success of the common cause will depend on the sum of their
strengths. In fact, Diego apparently not only refused to show solidarity with her, but his
comments showed a lack of respect for her knowledge, which was evidently superior to his own.
3. Unraveling
In a conversation between the owners of the company and Diana, she cautiously
commented on the work environment that Diego was living there, a person full of experiences and
also of resentments that had not allowed him to deploy his full potential. In view of this situation
and the confidence they had in Diego and the hopes for growth deposited in Diana, the owners
decided to separate the functions of both employees, give them a different work team and put
them at the same hierarchical level to avoid dependence on Diana.
At first Diego was very upset by the idea and felt that he was being displaced, but when
Diana began to show results, he had no choice but to concentrate on his work and begin to
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human
perform as he should have always done. capital
They were formation
never friends, but both understood that the
combination of experience with theory is fundamental for personal and company growth; soon
Diego began to study to become a professional in what he had already acquired through
experience and Diana over the years was able to verify that the knowledge given in school was
really applicable. Today Diana and Diego belong to one of the most important companies in
Chilean tourism and without intending to, they are both rowing for the same side.
4. Comment
With the subject of solidarity we must be very careful, since human beings have the
tendency to make mistakes with this concept and to ask for solidarity from others for our own
projects, which have nothing to do with the common good. Let us remember that solidarity as a
moral value should be universal and necessary; in this sense, the solidarity of the company's
employees with Diego is nothing more than complicity with their own stupidity, because with this
act they do not help anyone, they do not build anything and therefore, they do not contribute
anything to the company and society, while weakening the integrity of an employee like Diana,
who came to the company with the idea of contributing and sharing experiences and knowledge.
We cannot call someone supportive when he or she joins a cause that is bad or against the
common good. Solidarity inevitably clashes with particular interests, which often lead to injustices.
5. Conclusion
Ethics does not simply consist of a set of stereotyped rules to be respected. Rather, it aims
to create character in individuals based on the cultivation of virtues, so that they can move
autonomously in search of the good by making the right choices. In this sense, the invitation of
ethics to live solidarity is opposed to a vision that understands that solidarity must be established
as an order. This value will be fully realized only where each individual acquires the good habit of
thinking of others, which implies a very strong work from the will of each person to make good
choices together with intelligence.
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Case 63 Paying more for less
1. The facts
Marco is a 25 year old young man who graduated a year ago from Mechanical Engineering
with the illusion of having his own workshop and serve his own clientele very well, but to achieve
this dream he must work for at least 3 years, time in which he believes he can reach the
necessary savings to start his project. He has the advantage of living with his parents and not yet
having major responsibilities. He also has the unconditional support of his family and his girlfriend.
Marco's first job is at a large car dealership and his responsibility is the preparation of new
vehicles once they are sold. The experience in this dealership has allowed him to confirm what is
said about the trade, because it is really full of vices that the customer often fails to perceive and
if he does, there are a thousand excuses to get out of the way of the claims, the result of the
ignorance that most of the users have against the automotive subject. His immediate boss
constantly ordered him to change new parts for some used ones and in the famous vehicle
warranties to register the change of some parts that were not really changed, all to get an extra
salary or to save money to the dealership. Marco, although he did not work with used cars, also
found out that the mechanics there ask customers for high sums for the repair of their cars, when
what they have is something minimal and very low cost. All this situation of theft, deceit, lies and
mockery towards customers made him desperate and drove him to the limit of resigning because
he could not bear this reality.
2. Ethical issues involved. Responsibility and respect
Adela Cortina insists that respect must be active, which implies helping others in their life
projects, because when one has knowledge, it must serve to generate equal rights in a world
made up of people who seek to be unequal.
3. Unraveling
Marco, with the little savings he managed to gather plus the help of his relatives, was able
to set up a modest workshop and try to change the collective imagination of the discredited
mechanics' guild. He has set as goals to work with cleanliness, honesty, compliance and
responsibility and above all, thinking of the customer, who many times because he is in a good car
appears to have a lot of money, but like many, the only thing he has is a good amount of debts to
pay. In other words, appearances can be deceiving and what Marco is really concerned about is
helping people with their vehicles.
Marco is doing very well, because customers know about the quality of his service and
since he works in a small place for the clientele he has, they call him and ask for an appointment
to be served. He is never short of work and proves day by day that working honestly is profitable.
On the other hand, Marco has dedicated himself to teach his clients everything he can
about cars, so that they can avoid being cheated in garages, especially those that enjoy so much
prestige and are true monopolies in the automotive industry.
4. Comment
Marco's experience at the dealership led him to confirm the lack of responsibility and
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respect for the customer, who is almost blindcapital
to theformation
reality of what goes on inside the workshops.
Marco realized that the value of the vehicles, when they go through all the mandatory revisions in
order not to lose the supposed warranty, is up to one million pesos more than what the client is
supposedly paying, just to maintain a warranty that at the time of a claim, it is almost certain that
no one will respond. Every 5,000 kilometers the owner must take his vehicle for a service, with a
value per visit that increases up to 50,000 kilometers or two years, during which time the
customer has paid much more for his vehicle and in the market it is worth much less than what it
cost.During this time the customer has paid much more for his vehicle and in the market it is
worth much less than what it cost, not to mention the fact that he pays for spare parts that often
do not change and are billed to the owner.
Once a friend of Marco's bought a new vehicle and to check this deception he made some
signs to the spare parts that had to be changed after 10,000 kilometers.He found that the air filter
had been cleaned but not changed, that the brake pads had been replaced with better ones, but
not new ones, and that the adjustment of the front axle, which they said was part of the warranty,
had not been done. All in all, he had to pay a hefty sum of money for this deception. Since then,
he has been telling his friends who own new vehicles to do their own vehicle inspections on their
own and with mechanics that allow the customer to see what is being done to the car, to avoid
paying more for less.
5. Conclusion
To promote active respect is to break a little with indifference to the problem of the other,
in the understanding that each one of us is "other" which means working for ourselves. All moral
values are connected and interact to make this world a kinder, more livable or in the worst case,
more bearable world. Otherwise, we will face an indifference that can kill us, because our human
weaknesses are increasingly evident in situations of abuse as the case presented, which is one
among millions of cases and that is why Marco despairs to see that swims against the current;
however, not to fall into despair to avoid falling into these vices, are those that at some point
allows us to make a difference with those who do the same. We must thank God that we are
different and that within that difference, there are those who do the right thing, even if there are
fewer who are right. Quantity will never be the only argument for truth.
Case 64 To change mentality
1. The facts
In an integrated design office, a competent professional is required to perform certain

complementary positions to the full systemic work of the company. For this purpose, a job offer is
opened in the media inherent to the field. Several professionals come to offer their knowledge in
search of the available space, all of them men of medium experience in the design field.
Two people stand out: a woman, who has a much better resume that demonstrates greater
professionalism, and a man whose privilege is to be friends with the office manager's partner.
After reviewing the resumes received, the boss concludes that among all the applicants, Fabiola is
clearly the most qualified to take the position, but she receives a call from her partner to intercede
for her friend, who is also in financial need. You are then faced with the dilemma of choosing your
future employee according to his or her professionalism or personal influence. In addition, the
habit of working only with men from the beginning of your company weighs on the decision you
have to make.
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2. Ethical issues involved. Injustices and discrimination
Cronyism strictly applies to a situation in which a person uses his or her public power in
order to obtain a favor, often a job, and give preference to a friend, acquaintance or colleague. In
the case presented, the head of the company could perform an act of cronyism by hiring Pedro
without even considering the professional aspect, just to do a favor to his partner which will allow
him to achieve other interests in front of her.
Machismo, on the other hand, encompasses the set of attitudes, social practices and beliefs
aimed at justifying and promoting the maintenance of unfair discriminatory attitudes against
women and against men whose behavior is not adequately "masculine" in the eyes of the macho
person. It is considered an oppression of the female sex. In the case presented, the boss would
also be discriminating and not selecting, since he always wants to work with men in a field and
position in which the sex of the worker does not make any significant difference.
3. Unraveling
After reasoning about this ethical dilemma, the boss hired Pedro, even though his
knowledge is far from Fabiola's, not only because it was an express favor for his partner, but also
because of the tradition of always trusting the quality of men's work more than women's. His fear
was that the woman might distract the other designers or that she might prove to be superior to
the rest.
4. Comment
The case presents the typical situation experienced in many companies in this country,
where decisions are made more by cronyism and prejudices than by the real knowledge that the
person has to perform the position, which reflects that cultural tradition weighs over the urgent
need to innovate and modernize companies and institutions. To make matters worse, as male
figures still predominate in the field of architecture and design, the mind of this boss cannot
conceive of accommodating a woman as a professional in his office, even considering her a danger
in terms of balance in the daily work.
5. Conclusion
In terms of opportunities, many Chilean companies continue to privilege those who have
contacts with people of power in the companies over all those who present their résumés. This is
clearly an injustice, as it does not value the experience and professional contribution that others
can make to the company, and opts for the easiest solution that saves time and cumbersome
interviews. On the other hand, machismo is still a current issue in the country, perhaps not as
extreme as the one mentioned above, but it often influences the opportunities that a woman is
given to grow in certain areas, just because she is considered the weaker sex. It is also a very
unfair act, since it denigrates certain people for a subject that is not even chosen, totally
independent of talent and professional experience. On both points the virtue of justice and equity
is lacking.
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Case 65 The first bitter pill
1. The facts
José Miguel is a student in his last semester of Gastronomy and got a paid internship in a
traditional restaurant in Santiago, thanks to the contacts of a friend of his mother. On the first day
of practice, José Miguel shows up impeccable at work, punctually, as he was told, and looks for
the kitchen manager, who must place him in a position to perform different tasks in the kitchen.
He knows that joining a cooking crew is not easy, especially when most of the people who work
there have been working for years without any formal education. For this reason, José Miguel is
willing to carry out any task entrusted to him with the best of dispositions.
Don Gerardo, the kitchen manager, greets him sullenly and tells him that he doesn't know
where he is going to put him, because they are all crafty old men who don't want to be bothered.
José Miguel tells him that he can do anything because what he needs is to gain experience in the
real world of work. Don Gerardo invited him to introduce himself in front of his next coworkers,
but as he did so, the employees looked at him with contempt and laughed at how clean his apron
was, which indicated that "he had never really worn it.He was unable to introduce himself, much
less exchange a few words with the people he met.
They sent him to sweep the restaurant, but the cleaning manager told him that there were
no more brooms and that if he did not do it, they could throw him out; then they took him to the
refrigeration room to take out the day's products and the manager told him that it would take him
a long time, since he did not know the order of things in that place and asked the warehouse
keeper to take him for a while so as not to bother him.The manager told him that it would take
him a long time, since he did not know the order of things in that place and asked the storekeeper
to take him for a while so that he would not bother her; the storekeeper told him that only two
people were needed to do that job and that they were just right. The day passed, and he could do
nothing. He took his turn and went to say goodbye to don Gerardo, who encouraged him to come
back the next day and assured him that it would be better. One more day passed and everything
remained the same, he was not even allowed to enter the kitchen rooms or help with anything, he
could not understand, since his contribution would only make things easier for the others. Again
he told don Gerardo what was going on and he consoled him by telling him that it was always like
that at first, that they would get used to seeing it. A month went by and the same thing
happened, he arrived at work on time, impeccable and was not allowed to do any work, except for
a couple of times when the person in charge of the cold chambers was absent, he was able to do
something.
He was constantly talking to don Gerardo telling him about the situation, he was afraid of
losing the job opportunity and even more afraid of disappointing his mother's friend who had
gotten him the internship with don Gerardo. He couldn't quit, but they wouldn't let him work
either. Day after day he would offer to wash and peel vegetables, clean the floors, wash the pots,
anything, but the workers were afraid that this tech-savvy kid was going to make them lose their
jobs and gave him no chance. José Miguel spoke to his guide teacher and told him what was going
on, and he replied that he would go and talk to Don Gerardo to ask for more cooperation, since
there was little time left to finish the practice hours. So, the professor spoke with don Gerardo and
the latter pointed out that he was very disappointed with José Miguel for his lack of character and
work attitude, that he only wanted to do important things as a "chef he thought he was". This
caused problems between the teacher and José Miguel and at the same time aggravated the
student's situation, so that during the last few weeks he was not even allowed to enter the
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restaurant's dressing rooms, nor the bathroom, much less the kitchen.
2. Ethical issues involved. Envy and professional zeal
Envy is a feeling that inevitably arises when two people are likely to compare themselves
to each other or to be in a position of rivalry. It can wreak considerable havoc by making
individuals destructive, but it is a concept ignored by the social sciences, which proceed as if this
feeling did not exist. As this is a difficult feeling to confess, we act and try to break the other in
order to demean him, thus reducing the distance between oneself and what we imagine or can
value in others.
3. Unraveling
The time for the internship was up and José Miguel took the evaluation report sheet from
the internship supervisor and don Gerardo, kindly told him that he would forward it to his
supervisor. The report made by the boss was horrendous, only highlighting the boy's punctuality
and attendance, but everything related to the job was evaluated with the worst grade.
José Miguel, lost that semester of practice and took it upon himself to look for another one,
without asking for help from acquaintances, because he felt that the worry of defrauding his
mother's friend and his own mother had made him put up with the abuse of the restaurant
workers and their envy had cost him dearly.He felt that the worry of defrauding his mother's
friend and his own mother had made him put up with the abuses of the restaurant workers and
their envy had cost him dearly, a semester behind in his degree.
The second internship, as he imagined it, was better, he was able to show his pastry skills
and learn new techniques that helped him to be recommended by his second boss to a friend who
was in the process of opening a new restaurant. Today José Miguel works in this new restaurant,
he is happy and has initiated contacts with his school so that many students can go there and
avoid the bitter taste of their first experience.
4. Comment
It will not be the first or the last time that an intern or professional recently graduated
from his career will encounter envious people who fear losing their job, because to tell the truth,
envy not only recognizes in others their capabilities, but also shows their own weaknesses; they
focus their concern on them, because the presence of the other is a threat that will expose the
mistakes and vices cultivated for so long. A recommendation that can be made and that does not
always apply, is that you should start with a low profile, without wanting to impose your criteria
and always very observant, seeking to adapt to the circumstances and then show your own
conditions and criteria in the face of your own reality. It is a strategy that calls for prudence, since
one must know the right moment to show what one is, especially in the face of those envious
people who want to extinguish the energy of the new professionals. Envy reduces human
intelligence to the minimum expression and disqualifies the participation of others by not wanting
to recognize anything positive with their presence.
5. Conclusion
Envy is not proportional to the value of the thing or virtue envied, but is usually based on
small aspects.
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Feelings of professional jealousy can provoke unfair actions at all levels of an organization,
just as rivalry can be used as a mechanism to get rid of someone, so that rejection takes on a
subtle form. The biggest problem lies in the loss of conscience to calculate the consequences of
these acts, without imagining for a moment that this kind of feelings make us slaves of our own
inability to recognize the other.
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Case 66 The perfect excuse
1. The facts
At a massive Italian restaurant, Diego was in charge of making the special pastas for each
day's menu. His job was to make the dough in the industrial mixer and then cut it in the cubing
machine. When he started working, he noticed that the cleaning of the machinery was done once
a week, so he suggested doing it every day. His boss, Mrs. Victoria, told him that it was not
necessary, since there was a person in charge of this task every Saturday and that he should not
neglect the preparation of the pastas.
After a few months, Diego noticed that the cleaning of the machines was increasingly
scarce and that for this reason the pastes were turning a strange color. He told a colleague about
it and he suggested that he make preparations with color so that the imperfection would not be
noticed. Diego, annoyed by his partner's solution, went to talk to Mrs. Victoria, showing his
concern and arguing that the restaurant's prestige was at stake. She tells him that she is not paid
for cleaning and that if that were the reason, the restaurant would have already been closed,
because the custom is to produce a lot and if there was time left to clean the places and
machinery.
Diego, very worried about what might happen to the cooks' preparations with the pasta he
made, began to stay longer than necessary to clean the machine every day. Months went by and
Diego stayed 2 extra hours of his normal shift, everything worked very well, until one Thursday
Diego could not stay to clean, as he had a medical commitment and left at the end of his shift.
The next day, he began his work as he normally did and prepared the pastas for the menu.
However, that day the menu was a novelty for the local, since a new dish was presented, Diego
did his job and retired at the usual time, without cleaning the machine, because he was very tired.
2. Ethical issues involved. Abuse of power and respect for the customer
The abuse of power within the companies is often due to the interest of the leaders to keep
things as they have worked. It is the fear of change, innovation and loss of identity that leads
them to reject any idea suggested, as they see it as a threat to their power and identity. To view a
business from that perspective is to deny the active presence of the customer, who must
accommodate the restaurant's inflexible stance.
3. Unraveling
On Saturday, a massive intoxication of the restaurant's customers who had had lunch on
Friday appeared in the press, calling into question the cleanliness and food handling of the place.
On that day, the restaurant did not open its doors to the public and an investigation was started to
find those responsible for the incident in order to provide the public with an answer to what had
happened. Mrs. Victoria called Diego and reprimanded him for cleaning the machine, and also
reprimanded him because he was leaving the place very early without fulfilling all his duties.
and reminded him of what they had discussed months earlier. His boss, outraged by Diego's
response, declared him absolutely guilty of the incident and fired him for not fulfilling the duties of
his position.
Diego, some time later, found out that the event had been caused by spoiled products and
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that even though the boss knew this and in order not to lose supplies, she gave the order to
prepare them as a special dish. He felt that Mrs. Victoria had been unfair to him, but at the same
time he was grateful not to be there anymore, because his own responsibility and respect for the
client does not allow him to act that way. Mrs. Victoria has been running that restaurant in that
way for years and will continue to do so, which means that it is not a space to develop her
potential and knowledge.
4. Comment
What is affirmed of the person is also affirmed of the companies, for that reason when a person
has directed an organization for many years in an irresponsible way, without attending to the
minimum care or to the principles that govern our life, the company takes an air and builds an
atmosphere of irresponsibility and disrespect for the client.This is the result of what the leaders
are inside the company, because in the same way that human beings build their history and their
identity, so companies with these people in charge are mimicking what they are. Therefore, a
congruent responsibility, as Carlos Llanos would say, is not made of isolated facts but rather of a
continuous line of facts that goes from its own origin to its end, to end up forming its character
and identity. Mrs. Victoria is not going to change and those who come to that restaurant will end
up doing what she does and wants for the business or end up happily on the outside like Diego.
5. Conclusion
In business, the abuse of power and rivalry has become a norm that leads to the cultivation of
vices. We no longer listen to the other person showing interest in what he has to say, but what is
important is to know his weakness in order to know where to attack him so that he collapses. This
causes mistrust and equivocal functioning among workers, blocking their creativity and on the
contrary, if you do not agree with these practices you will face manipulation, irony and blocking of
the hierarchy.
The manipulation is very clear when moral harassment is a strategy to fire someone without
severance pay, since the employer gets rid at a good price of the person who prevents his
"normal" development in the company.
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Case 67 Overconfidence
1. The facts
Juan and Miguel have been friends since their school days and have been working together
for three years in an office supplies distribution company. Juan is a responsible worker who
respects the company's rules and has stood out for his commitment and truthfulness in all his
actions. This is why he has been promoted to supervisor of sales agents, with his friend Miguel as
his subordinate. When Miguel learns of his friend's promotion, he is happy because, according to
him, "he will have the confidence for sure" and congratulates his friend and invites him and his
wife to celebrate the good news. They spend an excellent evening at a cheap restaurant near their
homes, Miguel, after dinner begins to drink too much and gets drunk, to which his friend tells him
that it is time to go, because the next day they will have to get up early for work. Miguel answers:
"don't worry, I'll deal with the boss" he closes his eye and they laugh together. After midnight,
Juan decides to go home to rest and Miguel, very annoyed, tells him to leave because he will
continue celebrating.
The next day, Juan arrives early to work and calls a meeting with the salespeople to give
them the instructions for the following week, as well as to determine the team's functions and
work goals. To his surprise, his friend Miguel has not arrived. Juan asks the secretary about Miguel
and she replies that his wife called to remind Juan that Miguel had an appointment that morning
and would be arriving later, as discussed the day before. Juan, who had not talked about anything
like this with his friend, nods and the meeting begins. Indeed, Miguel arrives almost three hours
late and indicates that he is authorized by the boss. The following Monday, Juan receives a very
early call from his friend, telling him that he hasn't gotten up yet because he had a "movie
weekend" and asks him to please ring his card, since he won't be long in arriving.
Weeks went by and Miguel's requests to his friend became more and more frequent.
Annoyed by the situation, Juan talks to his friend and tells him to stop abusing the situation
because he is endangering both of their jobs, to please be more responsible and if he wants to be
late or absent, not to use it as an excuse. Miguel, very hurt, tells him that his temper has gone to
his head, that he is no longer the same, that he is arrogant and haughty and thinks he is better
than him because he has a better position in the company, he also tells him that if he wanted to
he would be the owner of all that, but he cares more about friendship than work and that he is
disappointed.
Juan is very puzzled, but at the same time he knows that there are rumors in the office
about the favors he does for his friend and he fears for his job. A week passes after the
conversation, and the company manager calls Miguel to ask him to explain his behavior and he
points out that everything has been endorsed by the supervisor, that he has allowed him to take
these leaves and that he is not the only one, that the others are also late. Despite this excuse, the
manager gives Miguel a letter of reprimand for his repeated non-compliance and warns him that if
he continues in this way he will have to be fired. After this, Miguel declares war on his friend Juan
and begins to tell secrets of his life to discredit him among the other salesmen, trying to make the
slander reach everyone's ears.
For this reason, Juan is called to a meeting with the company's management to clarify the
situation and they tell him to be prudent and that he cannot have friends in the company.
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2. Ethical issues involved. Abuse of trust, Ingratitude
Trust is a basic value on which society should be based, to the point that, if it were
completely lacking, we would all live in constant distrust of others. But there is also the risk of
confusing the plans and taking advantage of the trust or closeness you have with someone to take
undue advantage. This is a step away from falling into ingratitude for the trust placed in one, since
it is, in a way, a betrayal, as it ends up hurting the 'friend', leaving him/her in the uncomfortable
position of having to pay the high cost of sacrificing a good relationship to end such abuses.
3. Unraveling
Finally, Miguel is fired from the company, given his repeated absences and delays, he
blames his friend Juan for his fate and breaks their friendship forever.
Juan, despite not being fired, is sent to another branch with a lesser position than the one
he had, because in the new branch he will be as a product stocker, losing everything he had
achieved in the company in the years he had been there, in this way his life did not remain the
same, he had lost his friend and the prestige that his work performance had given him. It is
known that Miguel continues to have a terrible time because of his irresponsibility and abuse of
trust that has led him to lose many friends. Nobody gives him more than what this person can
deliver in his work and they prefer not to invite him to social gatherings, which has resulted in an
isolation that makes him feel very bad. The worst thing is that Miguel is still looking for people to
blame for his fate, when the only one to blame is him, and as long as he does not recognize it, he
will continue as alone as he has been up to now.
4. Comment
"When you drink water don't forget the source." It is the old Chinese proverb that reminds
us that gratitude is a virtue that involves people spiritually and makes others to be always in you
and you in them. It is the way to immortalize ourselves in others, since gratitude is the expression
of our deepest and most sincere nature. Ingratitude can kill the soul of a kind and caring person,
as well as attempt against the truth and sincerity of our hearts; that is why cultivating gratitude
as a virtue costs, but brings enormous satisfactions.
5. Conclusion
Lying and ingratitude have an outstanding debt with justice, since it is fair to recognize
that we are just when others are present in our life process, as well as to feel that the presence of
the other in us obliges us to always tell him the truth. If anything can quickly deteriorate
relationships between human beings, it is vices, and among them the two accelerators of this
process are lying and ingratitude. Nothing hurts more than a lie discovered or ingratitude, such as
a lack of recognition of one in the other and vice versa. It is a moral obligation to avoid lying, as
well as to cultivate gratitude, for the other or for oneself.
Case 68 A human bestiality
1. The facts
Mariana had been working in a kindergarten for many years, her boss Mrs. Ana Maria
trusted her, only because the children and the parents loved her very much, but she was not sure
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of the skills she really had as a worker.
One day Ana María learns that Mariana speaks ill of the establishment and tells infamous
stories about her and the procedures that take place there. For this reason he calls her to his
office to clarify the situation and tells her that if she has any comments to make she should be
transparent and not talk behind his back. Mariana defended herself against the accusations and
that was that. However, both knew that what little trust there was was lost and a series of chases
began over Mariana's performance in the garden. The comments from parents and children
continued until Ana María decided to fire Mariana, who in turn found out about this and went on a
30-day medical leave. This leave coincided with the kindergarten's winter vacation and by not
handing it in immediately, Mariana received payment from the kindergarten and also collected the
leave from her Isapre. When Mariana's leave was due to expire, she extended her leave for 15
days and started working in another kindergarten.
Ana Maria, send the notice of dismissal by registered letter and inform the labor
inspectorate of the facts to support the dismissal. Finally, Mariana signs the termination
agreement and collects the severance payment from the owner of the garden, who, because of
the termination clause, is not obliged to pay her.
A few months went by and a notification of a lawsuit that Mariana had filed against Ana
María arrived at the garden, before which Ana María filed a counterclaim against the former
workerfor economic fraud and for non-compliance with her obligations.
Several months of summons, statements and confrontations passed, until finally, due to
her failure to appear at the last court summons, Mariana was found guilty, having to pay for the
fraud committed and being prevented from working in public education organizations, in addition
to paying a large sum of money.
2. Ethical issues involved. Deception, fraud, lack of dialogue, freedom
Mariana's series of intentional mistakes make her guilty not only before justice but also
before the people who trusted her with their children's education for a long time. These are the
things that never cease to amaze human beings and it is that an educator, who is supposed to
embody dialogue and communication as one of the great virtues, prefers to act behind her boss's
back and calculate everything to receive extra money for her bad performance. The moral
responsibility that falls on Mariana has two well-known ethical elements. First, she acted freely,
i.e., she decided to act this way, and second, she was conscious of her actions, i.e., she knew
what could happen.
3. Unraveling
Mariana continues to work as a kindergarten teacher, but her human condition of

badmouthing others does not allow her to be in pleasant working environments, because she
herself is in charge of creating a bad atmosphere around her, with an air of superiority that does
not even see in her superiors people who deserve her respect and admiration. Her vanity and self-
sufficiency have been blinding her completely, to the extent that she is always on the verge of
losing her job. In her there is an unjustified rejection of the established orders and norms, without
realizing that it is precisely in the norms and compliance with the law that the field for exercising
freedom lies. From there, she can decide for herself.
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4. Comment
Those who believe that freedom has no conditions are mistaken, for they end up becoming
slaves of their inhuman condition. Enjoying freedom does not in any way mean passing over
others, feeling that they are less because they obey the rules; on the contrary, once we mature
and become free, it is because we have learned the very conditions of freedom.
5. Conclusion
Mariana's freedom reflected in her light and unfounded comments about her bosses and
colleagues has not yet come of age, a condition from which we decide for ourselves in a
responsible manner, also recognizing in others their space and freedom. Regardless of whether we
understand freedom as participation, individuality or autonomy, it has in its very nature the
presence of the other, of other freedoms, and in order to participate with the other or to preserve
my individuality, the presence of the other is fundamental. The only beings that can be outside the
social structure, according to Aristotle, are God and the beasts. Let Mariana draw her own
conclusions.
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Case 69 Work is not a battlefield
1. The facts
A design office employs approximately ten people, two of whom manage the office, four
are in charge of project planning and the remaining four are in charge of project execution. A
project for the prestigious brand Tiqui Tiqui is due to be presented by August 20 and consists of a
remodeling of the store located in the well-known Parque de las Rosas mall and the design of two
more stores to be opened in prestigious areas of the city. The approval of this project means
entering the circle of the most important design offices in the country and along with this earn a
significant amount of money, but to achieve the goal they must compete with two other offices,
which is why they must give the maximum of their performance in order to achieve the goal, and
place themselves among the important ones.
A week before submitting the project, two of the project planners had to be absent from
work for health reasons, and because of this and the importance of the project's approval, two
people had to be hired quickly. To put pressure on the new workers, and to ensure their good
performance in the work to be done in the coming days, the person who hired them (one of the
two leaders), tells them that there is the possibility of a contract for the one who performs better,
which includes a very generous salary. That is why both workers sought to give the maximum in
knowledge and performance, to capture the attention of the leaders of the company and thus
ensure their work; however one of the workers feels threatened, perceiving that his colleague
received more praise, and seeing the danger of his stay in the company decides to change
strategy, leaving behind his resources as a designer, he decides to work late at night to steal the
ideas, join them with his own and present them to the company.However, one of the workers
feels threatened, perceiving that his partner was receiving more praise, and seeing his stay in the
company in danger, he decides to change his strategy, leaving behind his resources as a designer,
he decides to work late at night in order to steal the ideas, join them with his own and present a
new proposal and keep the coveted job.
2. Ethical issues involved. Information theft and unfair competition
People who engage in the vice of unfair competition see work as a battlefield and their
relationship with others as a war to be won at any cost. In this way, the skills as designers and
professionals are relegated to the background, as competition will not give room for other
concerns than the strategies with which to win the battles. In this sense, the designer is turning
his profession into the art of deceiving others in order to always win, and with deceit, of course,
there is also theft.
3. Unraveling
The company won the bid for the remodeling and decoration of two new stores, which
implied the hiring of more people in the company, which thanks to this project would be
consolidated as one of the best in Chile. Because of the high demand for work that the office
acquired, they finally hired the two new designers. For the honest one it was a triumph, while for
the one who stole ideas from the other projects it was a deception. Today the two designers are
still in the same office but in different positions. The honest one is a department director and the
other is a mediocre designer with no initiative at all. He does things well, but nothing comes out of
him, because his vice of stealing ideas does not allow him to seek and exploit his creativity.
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4. Comment
This type of situation occurs very often in business life, whether at the time of completing
a project, when a position is vacant at work or simply to achieve the desired goal. The terrible and
unfortunate thing for human beings is when they become a battlefield and then they are not able
to respond on the job and their limitations and poor performance become evident. This clearly
affects our resume and professional ethics for future jobs, not to mention the relationship that is
established with colleagues who are seen as true enemies.
5. Conclusion
In one way or another, bad acts are exposed, even if in the long run they will always be
discovered. In this sense, it is not worth sacrificing peace of mind and good relations with
colleagues for a media triumph. The purpose of every professional is to make his profession a
source of enjoyment and not a torture. If we manage to be aware of this purpose, we will be on
the road to success where we will be able to clearly combine virtues, vocation and talent.
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Case 70 Ambition breaks the sack
1. The facts
Ignacio has been working for 2 years in a dealership of a leading brand in the automotive
market. This company is characterized by having only original spare parts and therefore offers its
customers an exceptional warranty. Given the company's reputation and good treatment of users,
no customer doubts the veracity of the service. Ignacio is head of the Vespucio Norte branch, one
of the most important, and he has realized the benefits of working in the company, since he is the
only one who receives the imports of spare parts and who, at the same time, reviews the work
done by his mechanics. Tired of leading a "mediocre" life, as he calls it, he decides to associate
with a friend who works in the sale of alternative spare parts of several important brands and
proposes to change the packaging of the original spare parts and begin to replace them with the
alternative ones to sell these products outside the store at a lower price than in the company, but
with a succulent profit for him and his friend, since he would increase the circulation of spare parts
from his store, which would allow him to get higher sales commissions and perhaps earn more
commissions.He proposes to change the packaging of the original spare parts and start replacing
them with the alternative ones to sell these products outside at a lower price than in the company,
but with a succulent profit for him and his friend, since it would increase the circulation of spare
parts in his store and he could get higher sales commissions and perhaps a promotion due to his
high productivity.
The two friends agreed to place the first order, which consisted only of belts and filters,
then placed the second order with more products, and so on until the company's stock was 90%
full of alternative spare parts. A few months go by and the "alternative" business is a great
economic income for both of them, however, the friend who gets the fraudulent products wants to
obtain more benefits from the transaction, which Ignacio refuses to do, since the rules had been
clear in the beginning. His friend, very annoyed, tells him that it is fine, but that he will charge
him VAT on the spare parts, since with so much volume he is losing a lot of money and that would
increase his commissions. Ignacio hesitates a bit and tells him that it is fair, but that he would
have to bill in the name of his brother who has a car wash business. At this he talks to his brother,
who also asks him to share in the profits. After a couple of months Ignacio realizes that his
business is no longer profitable and decides to start stealing original spare parts to sell to his
acquaintances. His brother and his friend realize this and leave him alone with his crime. Ignacio
begins to have problems at work, since the mechanics in his charge realize what is happening and
complain to him that this situation makes them work more and more, because many customers
arrive to collect the warranties.
2. Ethical issues involved. Ambition and theft
The issue of ambition in itself does not constitute a moral vice, unless it becomes the
objective of all our actions and we are even capable of stealing to get what we want. In this way
the guild of the ambitious is the most detestable and abominable that exists, because they never
stop and every human act is an opportunity to feed their vice. Ambition comes in many forms and
does not respect social class. There are those who, having much, want everything and those who,
having nothing, want everything too, that is why they kneel down and are able to show
themselves as the most faithful friends, when deep down they are fighting for their own petty
interests. As Montaigne says, the ambitious man enslaves himself to his vice, for it knows no limit.
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3. Unraveling
Finally, Ignacio's boss begins to worry about the number of complaints that appear every
week and calls Ignacio to ask for explanations, he tells him that there are apparently problems
with imports and that the quality of the products has decreased. The boss was not happy with the
explanation and waited for the arrival of the new shipment for the review and found nothing,
however, one Saturday afternoon at closing he stayed to accompany the mechanics to close the
workshop, Ignacio very annoyed tells him that it is not necessary and the boss became even more
intrigued.
Finally, the boss asked to open the warehouses and asked everyone to stay to make a
small inventory, the workers, who knew what would happen, accepted without problems, but
Ignacio refused and said that he could stay another day, since he had a commitment and left.
On Monday, all was known, Ignacio did not show up for work and the dealership filed a
lawsuit against him for theft and fraud.
4. Comment
Moral vices are more contagious than the diseases of the body itself; this is how Ignatius
gradually involved and dragged more people into his macabre enterprise of ambition and robbery.
However, for moral vices to spread, at least two conditions are required; that is, whoever
transmits them, consciously or unconsciously, and secondly, whoever receives them, which means
that for an ambitious person to be able to make his own, he also needs to recognize or encourage
his ambition in others. That is the real danger of vices, which spread faster than human virtues,
because the latter, when they have to cure the bad habits of mankind, take a long time to relieve
the sick person, in other words, they are long-term results, something that clashes with the
immediacy of contemporary society. The best thing to do is to prevent vices from becoming part
of our value structure and our character, because they manage to cling with such force that we
unwittingly contaminate the environment and when we least expect it, we have no way to take a
step back. How often do we find that environments are so flawed that we do not see solutions at
first sight?
5. Conclusion
The only way to correct a vice is with a virtue, which implies that in the presence of a vice,
we must do our best to avoid contagion. And why can a moral vice infect us? The reason is very
simple, because we are neither absolutely virtuous nor absolutely vicious. Human nature is
perfectible, always susceptible to improvement, and ethics is committed precisely to the human
being, regardless of the environment in which he finds himself, being able to build his own path of
virtues; obviously with the interest of many others who also want to follow it.
Case 71 A terrible misunderstanding
1. The facts
Armando is considered by the company as the best employee they have. He is head of the
Accounting Department and since he arrived at the company, he has designed plans and
strategies to save him a lot of money in tax payments, with the conviction that everyone does it
and whoever does not do it can be qualified as the worst accountant auditor and risks not having a
job or keeping domestic accounts. Armando prepares balance sheets and reports for internal
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taxes, oversees payrolls and makes settlements for pension and health funds, which do not fully
reflect each employee's income. In addition to all this supervision, he is constantly meeting with
his bosses and the owners of the company to organize all the documents, which gives him much
more confidence and power within the company. In his charge he has about 20 people who are
required to be good at lying with the numbers and willing to do whatever it takes for the
company's economic growth.
All the arguments he puts forward are against the State and he is constantly heard saying
that the State should not be given more money than it has, because if it has to be stolen there, it
is better to invest it here. Armando is convinced that the owners of the company with these
"savings" manage to hire more and more employees and with that they are making a contribution
to the country, besides, with the double accounting he is doing very well, because apart from the
salary he has, he earns a percentage for tax evasion and many gifts and bonuses from the owners
of the company.He is also doing very well with the double accounting, because apart from the
salary he has, he earns a percentage for tax evasion and many gifts and bonuses from the owners
of the company. In other words, Armando feels like the most successful accountant in town.
When asked about the ethical implications of his actions, his answers seem to be unaware
of the existence of ethics, so it is easy to assume that he sees nothing wrong with evading taxes,
since at the end of the day this is a greater social contribution to the workers.
2. Ethical issues involved. Corruption
Corruption is defined in most cases as the abuse by a person of his or her power, whether
political, economic or hierarchical, for private gain to the detriment of more general interests or
the common good. Armando's corruption is manifold. One, because he forces his subordinates to
follow his criteria of "good", second, because clearly with his knowledge and power he generates
private benefits over the common good and third because he denies knowing ethics or what it
consists of, but he is aware that what he is doing is evading taxes and he does not do it openly
because he knows he is acting wrongly.
3. Unraveling
Armando continues to be the man this company trusts and with his 10 years of experience
in tax evasion, he has never had a problem with all the demands made by the Internal Revenue
Service, helped by several factors. The first is that he managed to build a very trustworthy team
so that everyone is looking for the same goal, avoiding any complaints, and second, he has a
couple of trustworthy people in the tax company.
internal support that assists you with information relevant to your objectives. It is a whole
network that has been built around a particular good and against the interests of the nation.
Armando plays at the limit of what is allowed, that is how the company's capital grows and
expands, without anyone noticing that one of the biggest profits comes precisely from the network
of corruption that has been set up around him. Today his commissions and fees are very high,
which gives him the feeling of greater success in the "art of lying with numbers" as he himself
describes the profession.
4. Comment
Today, in the international arena, anti-corruption organizations are asking, among other
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things, whether corruption is not to blame for the hunger and misery experienced by the people,
by denying the state money that is essential for the care of the most disadvantaged and to
undertake campaigns for equality and equity. The pretext is that the state also steals and that is
why they prefer to give less and that the rest goes to the working class, but this is not the case
and the reality of the situation undermines this argument. In this sense, corruption transcends the
eminently economic scenario to affect the social and human sphere, since corruption is a problem
of humanity, of a condition of some individuals to affect other individuals, without them being able
to do anything about it, since such is its strength and magnitude that many have worn themselves
out on this issue without the achievements being visible. This big-time liar does not realize that
corruption demonstrates a lack of moral conscience, values and principles that lead him to work
against the common good over and above the law and the constitutional order.
5. Conclusion
Corruption is definitely a problem of humanity and sensitivity to the anguish and needs of
others. It cannot be that because of the speculations to which we are getting used to, we end up
doing the same as everyone else does, because the only thing we achieve is to demonstrate our
intellectual incapacity to assume life with criteria that favor the common good, and just as
Armando is doing very well economically and could be an example for many other accountants,
the prisons are also full of swindlers and corrupt people, which means that corruption, like
everything bad that is done, is a game of chance where one puts even one's dignity at risk,
although that does not seem to matter to him.This means that corruption, like everything bad that
is done, is a game of chance in which one puts even one's dignity at risk, although that does not
seem to matter to Armando, who continues to be surrounded by people who collaborate with him
in his deceptions, most likely until someone more ambitious than him appears and the proxy war
begins. If we managed to have a society without corruption, the states would have to invest much
less in monitoring fiscal movements and tax collection would be higher, so the problems of many
people could be solved; and since no one is corrupt, the state would have no choice but to be very
transparent, because we would all be the watchdogs.
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Center for Applied
Ethics
Case human
72 Thecapital formation
Prejudice Barrier
1. The facts
Catalina is a beautiful and distinguished woman, married to a very successful surgeon,

from whose marriage she has 2 children. A bad investment followed by a big robbery that left
them with economic problems, forced Catalina to look for a job to help her husband with the bank
obligations to overcome the economic difficulties they were going through. Her lack of academic
preparation has led her to apply for jobs in which her responsibilities are not greater. After a
couple of interviews she landed a position as Assistant Director of a large company, but her
coworkers are of a low social and academic level, which has aroused envy and morbid comments,
as the difference she can make with her looks, class, glamor and culture with her other colleagues
is evident.
Catalina is not only accompanied by the aforementioned characteristics, but also by a

unique and particular style of dress that makes her even more attractive. Many coworkers wonder
what she does at that company, but most make hallway comments regarding the clothes she
wears and the salary she earns. The hostile environment with her colleagues does not improve
with her immediate bosses, who see in her a very delicate and refined woman for the work she
does, so they try to put her in more demanding jobs so that she has to resign, because her
presence is uncomfortable since the other workers, secretaries and middle managers are
overshadowed and diminished by her presence: "we want normal people" or "the company does
not need models" is what is heard daily in the corridors. Catalina's attitude in the face of so many
absurd comments was one of indifference, since her economic situation did not allow her to get
involved in such elementary discussions, but she prayed to God that once the economic crisis was
over, she would be able to return to her home to take care of the house and her children.
2. Ethical issues involved. Prejudice, fortitude.
Prejudices are an obstacle that do not contribute anything good to social construction and
work environments, while blocking the understanding to analyze the context or the phenomena
happening around them. It is based primarily on beliefs or appearances. Prejudice usually inhabits
people with very low academic preparation and a rather limited culture, as shown by Catalina's
colleagues in the company. For her part, Catalina reflects the strength of a person to overcome
the difficulties that life presents her, capable of setting an end and fighting to achieve it,
regardless of the externalities presented with co-workers. She was very clear and convinced of
what she had to do and was struggling to overcome the crisis her family was going through.
3. Unraveling
The situation became untenable for Catalina as the comments became more and more
aggressive. After six months of being in this company, she spoke with her husband and decided,
for the good of the family and her integrity, to resign. After talking with her husband and knowing
that she had his backing, Catalina presented her letter of resignation to the owner of the
company, the person who had hired her, but not before expressing her pain at the prejudice of the
people who worked there. Such was the level of the comments, that in those six months of work
she could not trust anyone and could not make friends with anyone, so they never figured out why
she was there or what she was going through. Perhaps, if there had been communication with her
coworkers, they would have understood what she was going through and her time at the company
would not have been torture.
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From this experience Catalina learned a lot; for example, not to judge people without
knowing why they act in this or that way, that is human; second, that abundance is not eternal
and that expenses must be measured; and third, that knowledge is fundamental for social and
labor mobility.
Today the crisis has been overcome and Catalina is finishing her architecture degree,
which she interrupted after becoming pregnant with her first child. Her desire is to be a great
professional and dedicate herself to real estate sales, with all the knowledge and professionalism
that will allow her to avoid the environments of malicious comments.
4. Comment
Prejudices reflect a very low level of culture in the person who emits them and put barriers
not only to relationships with other people but also to their own understanding, since they do not
see beyond what their own beliefs allow them to see. When a person moves much more on this
level than on the objective level, with judgments adjusted to reality, there are two ways: Try to
teach him the goodness and benefits of always speaking with reasons and weighty arguments, or
push him aside because the task is impossible. Catalina's option was the second one, since she
understood that there is nothing more terrible than making others understand what they do not
want to understand, because the understanding of things also comes from the will, from wanting
to learn or wanting to know with certainty the reason for the things that happen. Recalling the
Greek philosophers, they had a frontal rejection of men of simple opinions and always sought the
episteme, the knowledge that meant, among other things, a deep reflection that goes beyond
mere appearance, because in the apparent is not found the truth.
5. Conclusion
The victim of prejudice, contrary to popular belief, is not a particularly weak person; on
the contrary, prejudice, as a kind of moral harassment, begins when the victim acts differently
from the sum of behaviors of the individuals who make up the group with a certain identity. The
bullying will be endorsed by the group, which initially rejects the victim of bullying and then
justifies the cruelty with which he or she is treated. It all starts when you are stigmatized: that
you are hateful, that you don't do things right, that you are crazy, or any other label to
differentiate you from the group. This is what happened to Catalina, she was stigmatized for being
what she was, an elegant, refined and classy person, besides being very prudent in her comments
and dedicated to work.
In this type of harassment, the targeted person's performance at work usually drops,
which weakens him or her in the eyes of the aggressor group. How long can a victim endure this
type of harassment, and was the group able to stop harassing her? These questions depend on
each context, the only thing that is known is that this type of aggression is very silent and can last
for years. The best thing for the victim, if he does not want to lose his job, is for another victim to
appear on the scene.
The problem with prejudice is that it is here to stay. Prejudices tend to be definitive and a
prejudiced person always lives with them. However, if a work team works well because it
surpasses itself, then there is learning in each of its members thanks to the interaction with other
colleagues, to the joint and personal experience in the development of team activities. On the
other hand, if team members sink into prejudices and close off the possibility of learning from
experience, there will be no better team and the professional development of each team member
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Ethics
will be frustrated. human capital formation
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Ethics
human
Case 73capital formation
Meaningless
1. The facts
Carlos is a professor at a major university in the city and despite being a humanist he has
always worked in the faculties and schools of engineering; he is in charge of the cross-cutting
areas of the humanities. He is disciplined, a very good reader, writes and participates constantly in
seminars and forums. He has been invited on many occasions to participate in interdisciplinary
projects and is currently pursuing doctoral studies. However, he feels he is the victim of moral
harassment sponsored by several of his schoolmates, engineers, who see in Carlos the typical
idiot, good for nothing, all because his humanities classes seem like the filling of the curriculum
and because, they say, nothing of what he says can be proven, as it happens with most of the
projects done in engineering, where the results are more than obvious, because if a civil engineer
is asked to build a bridge, he builds it and that's it, there is the result of what he knows.If a civil
engineer is asked to build a bridge, he builds it and that's it, there is the result of what he knows,
while the construction of humanity, for those immediatitas, is only given by the simple fact of
reproduction and in the XXI century that is no longer a mystery.
On many occasions, colleagues have passed by his office and the greeting has been:
"Hello, little struggle", accompanied by questions such as: "And what do you know, is it good for
anything?" or "Why didn't you study something more productive? One day Carlos could not stand
the usual greeting and rebuked his colleague, which only served for more mockery and aggressive
epithets, which touched not only the profession, but his personal life and his intellectual condition.
When the situation became unbearable, he spoke to the dean of the faculty and demanded, in
good terms, to mediate in this situation, but the dean's unwise response ended up discouraging
him even more: "That is the price to pay for being on the side of those who have really built the
world".
2. Ethical issues involved. Respect and sense of life
The meaning of life is something we discover in ourselves, it is not given. Each of us can
imagine the meaning we want to give to our lives and choose a professional activity that fits that
meaning. He who acts by vocation does not act for convenience, nor for profit, nor for honors, but
acts because it gives meaning to his existence. Vocation makes the meaning of life a clear
mission; however, it must be understood that the meaning that each person gives to his life may
vary according to his interests, needs and experiences, and the least that a human being can do
for another human being is to respect his sense of life and, if possible, to enhance it.
3. Unraveling
Carlos, upon seeing such a response from the dean and the insistence of his coworkers to
continue mistreating him for his chosen profession, asked for a medical leave of absence in order
to meditate deeply on what he was going to do with his life, because although he did not want to
admit it, the unwise comments had managed to question him. It was not a matter of engaging in
pointless arguments, stooping to the level of "argumentation" that these engineers were
presenting, but rather of once again achieving the point of equilibrium that he had always had. He
did not understand why so much harassment, when in his resume he had much more significant
contributions to the faculty than what they could present, because beyond knowing how to add
and subtract and expose the same formulas every semester, these engineers did not even show
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human qualities. Trying to convince them that the world is not built with just sand and cement
was going to be an impossible task.
After the leave of absence, he spoke directly to the University Chancellor to transfer him to
another school or faculty, one where he would feel at ease and valued for what he is and what he
knows. This is how Carlos ended up working in the Faculty of Humanities, with the schools of
Philosophy, Law, Sociology and Social Work, where the language is different and where the
struggle is for a more human sense of life. On the other hand, in the Faculty of Engineering, they
tried to have an engineer teach these humanities courses, with dismal results, and although it was
not generalized, students began to lose the cross-cutting humanities courses. Obviously and with
good reason, Carlos did not return to the School of Engineering.
4. Comment
The problem of the meaning of life must be considered as a truly human problem. The fact
that Carlos had asked for a leave of absence to think about it seriously, did not mean that he was
sick or anything like that, on the contrary, this pause in the daily work allowed him to give more
strength to his chosen vocation, because people like his former colleagues at the Faculty of
Engineering, give even more sense to the work of the human sciences; because it must be said as
Fernando Savater, that not because they look like humans, they are humans, which means that
being human is in a way a process that never ends.It should be said, as Fernando Savater did,
that not because they look human, they are human, which means that being human is in a certain
way a process that never ends and that to achieve certain results requires the presence of other
humans who constantly remind us of what we are. To refuse this process is to deny the meaning
of life and of our existence; in other words, it is to live in an eternal present.
5. Conclusion
The human sciences and the natural sciences complement each other in the construction of
a better world. To privilege one to the detriment of the other, is to conceive a fractioned world and
therefore meaningless, although in truth Carlos' problem with his fellow engineers was not
something so deep as to devote time to it, it was simply a rejection of the person dedicated to his
work and with more vocation, which awakened a certain envy in the engineers, because it is
enough to have a true vocation for what one does to give meaning to everything we do and stop
doing. This aroused some envy in the engineers, because it is enough to have a true vocation for
what we do to give meaning to everything we do and stop doing, and although it is not believed,
the vocation in a person can generate discomfort to others who do not have it and therefore feel
lost or misplaced in this world. Beware that envy arises in weak people who can do a lot of harm,
besides it is not necessary to be the most beautiful, the tallest or the richest and strongest to
arouse envy, it is required, as in the case of Carlos, to have a vocation and a sense of life. Some
will say that it is a disproportion what is being stated, since it is nonsense that vocation awakens
envy in those who do not possess it, but the truth is that it happens and more often than anyone
imagines.
Case 74 Labor dehumanization
1. The facts
For 12 years Amanda served in a language training institution. Her professionalism and
constant improvement led her to acquire skills that allowed her to work in various departments
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that depended on the academic area.human
In fact,capital
for theformation
last three years he served as assistant to the
academic coordinator.
Her entrepreneurial attitude earned her more than one award. The accolades lasted until
she reported her pregnancy. Obviously, Amanda perceived such a situation, but she continued to
work at the same pace as always, and even drafted a departmental procedures manual to
facilitate the work of the person who would replace her, and actively participated in the training of
her successor. She was always welcoming and a good companion.
During Amanda's pre- and post-natal absence, the managers adopted an attitude of
absolute indifference towards her, her son and their health. She knew, clearly, that her job
stability was at risk. On the other hand, his son's health delayed his reinstatement, a factor that
further complicated the situation. The situation had already begun to affect him. He could not
understand the behavior of the people who for years highlighted his work and now ignored it. She
felt absolutely used by them. This prompted her not to accept a new period of medical leave and
to return to the institution as soon as possible.
After 6 months she returned to work. The reception was disastrous. The company's
comptroller informed her that since she had not responded to the requirements of the position - in
which she had successfully performed for the past 3 years - she should remain seated at the
administrative reception desk until her destination was determined. The following day, the same
person informed her that he was her new boss, that she would become the receptionist on an
independent floor that the company had acquired, and that she could not be seen on the first
three floors of the institution outside of the designated hours.
They went upstairs together and he left her sitting in a wooden chair that was the only
thing inhabiting the gigantic space. Two days later a second element was added; a security
camera focused on her and finally without any task assignment. Even the cleaning staff did not
visit these facilities.
2. Ethical issues involved. Blackmail, dialogue, respect, moral harassment
The authorities not only limited Amanda's communication possibilities, but also isolated,
ridiculed and stigmatized her by disseminating comments that permanently disqualified her.
Perhaps one of the strongest things she had to face was the emotional blackmail that her boss
exerted, insisting that she had to choose between her children and her job.
That only marked the beginning of a destructive process of harassment and psychological
abuse that lasted for more than 2 years, which was not exempt from Amanda's exhausting
process of labor complaints.
Amanda had to face a clear abuse of authority. Where the superior was, in the first place,
incapable of facing the conflict under an institutional concept, assuming it as a personal challenge.
A situation that leads him to humiliate her even to strengthen his self-esteem and demonstrate
power. Through emotional destabilization techniques, he carried out a perverse manipulation of
permanent degrading subjugation of the worker with the full consent of other managers of the
institution. Another factor worth analyzing is the attitude of coworkers, who for fear of being
involved in the conflict, create an environment of tolerance, submission and silence.
No less outrageous for Amanda was the realization that the company did not care about
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people as such, but only and exclusively as long as they provided profits. This vile manipulation
and conditioning deeply damaged Amanda's self-esteem and leads her to question, among other
things, her professional training. There was a threat to dignity and psychological integrity as a
result of vexatious behavior on the part of a company manager.
3. Unraveling
Finally, Amanda was fired. The news was given to her by the same superior who had
personally taken it upon himself to make her working life unbearable. On that occasion, he
informed her of her dismissal along with telling her that she should leave the institution
immediately, that he would accompany her while she collected her belongings since he had to
check what she was taking with her and that her entry into the institute was prohibited.
Undoubtedly, the dimensions that this conflict acquired were exceeded in every sense.
The executive's thirst for power, demonstrated by his destructive behavior, grew as
Amanda responded and coped with his constant humiliations.
Amanda's dismissal was generated as a consequence of her constant complaints. She

always remained consistent with her initial approach. He insisted on more than one occasion to
clarify the situation through dialogue. But such an attitude was considered by his boss as
rebellion, disobedience and presumptuousness. This has been one of the most hotly contested
cases within the institutional community. Although its members did not outwardly show support
for Amanda, the vast majority did so behind the authority. When the dismissal took place, she
received countless calls from officials congratulating her for having kept her integrity to the last.
Despite the above, Amanda still wonders why the man behaved as he did, why he made it a
personal challenge against her. She has failed to understand the maliciousness with which this
person acted and what she could have done that provoked such a reaction. Subsequently, there
was a restructuring at the management level that led to the departure of the executive manager
and the comptroller had to accept a new position and submit to its renewed conditions.
4. Comment
Facing labor disputes is an issue where, for the most part, power wins out over reason. In
this case, this was not the case, but the cost to Amanda was extremely high and her family had to
bear it as well. The authority demonstrated its lack of leadership by wanting to manage its
subordinates, restricting their possibilities of action and reaction, creating a work climate
oppressive, restricting the freedom of employees and ignoring the dignity that every person
deserves. He imposed the law of terror and degradation. All wrong measures, if what is desired is
to solve a problematic situation where both parties can present their points, listen to each other
without offending or disqualifying each other and reach agreements where the invested cost, both
economically and socially, is the least. This is clearly not the case of this institute, which at no
time promotes dialogue so that both parties can make their statements. Decisions were made
unilaterally and the one affected in this case was Amando.
5. Conclusion
Society in general is damaged when its members are denigrated. All types of human
relationships must be based on mutual respect, in order to generate welcoming environments and
free choice as a condition without which human beings do not develop their full capacity and
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therefore do not commit themselves human capital formation
to the institution. It should be a task for all members of the
institution, because through the management of healthy and nourishing relationships for all, good
dividends are obtained, not only economically, but also socially, culturally and humanly. If there is
a clear definition of roles, establishment of reasonable rules and consequences between what is
said and what is done, the community will assume its rights and duties with full awareness, and
will be able to resolve conflicts within a framework where humiliation, undermining or any
destructive practice that undermines people's faculties will not take place. The exercise of power
through violence or aggression does not lead to understanding, it attacks reason and will, the
integrity of people and dehumanizes us.
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human
Case capital formation
75 Active resistance
1. The facts
When Luis came to work at the University, he thought he was coming to a good place, with
a good atmosphere and a small working group that made him think that understanding and
collaboration would not be long in coming. The work group consisted of 2 female colleagues and
the boss, all of them with a friendly appearance.
But as time went by, he realized that the image he had made of them, especially of two of
them, was wrong. Pilar was the right hand of the boss, so she abused her trust and did what she
wanted, the first thing that bothered Luis was that when they arrived in the morning, they had
breakfast together (Pilar and the boss), in the office of the latter, but that was not 10 minutes, it
was hours. Sometimes they would spend entire days locked up, talking and laughing, while Carola
and Luis were overloaded with work.
That situation had him tired, bored, but they could not say anything since the Chief
supported her in everything. More than a year passed and the situation continued to worsen. On
one occasion Carola and Pilar argued and insulted each other, which ended up pushing them
further apart. Then it would be Luis' turn since Pilar went to the Chief with lies and was called to
attention. When Luis tried to defend himself, Pilar, playing the victim, began to cry as she had
done so many times before, obviously the Chief believed her and Luis was left as the bad guy.
After that situation where he felt trampled on, he tried to improve communication with Pilar so as
not to come across as rude and to seek a better working environment for everyone.
Pilar left with pre-natal and Luis felt a great commitment to the University so he redoubled
his efforts to keep everything in order, but the boss never acknowledged anything. This, of course,
prompted the request for a transfer to another department.
On one occasion Luis suggested to the boss that they talk, because he felt the need to let
her know how he felt about the conflict he had experienced with Pilar. During the next two
months, he was able to work in a favorable work environment, giving the best of himself,
demonstrating that he had many virtues, that his professional attitude made him a committed,
responsible, efficient and, most importantly, trustworthy person: reliable. So much so that she
herself recognized his ability to work and solve office issues, and she still remembers his words:
"Luis, I am very surprised with you, you have many things that they had not let you take out, I
am very happy and you do not know how sorry I am that you want to leave".
She tried countless times to convince him to stay, but he was very clear about what he
wanted, and when Pilar arrived, things would be the same again, and he was not willing to go
through that again.
On February 28, the last day in that office and due to Pilar's return, he spent it in the
Chief's office, since he had nowhere else to be, they had the last conversations, until finally, Luis
could say goodbye to everyone, including Pilar.
Having made the decision to run for another position, in another department, was of his
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own free will, something that he meditated on for a long time and that was taken with great care
and intelligence, and it was done freely and responsibly.
2. Ethical issues involved. Prudence, fortitude, responsibility
Luis showed signs of being a prudent and responsible person in his work, who above the
difficulties that arose in his work with the colleague and the boss, was always able to assume his
work as the objective and reason why he was there; obviously, if the environment was hostile, he
intelligently looked for other work spaces where he could deliver everything he had to deliver.
These three virtues were perfectly lived in Luis and are reflected not only in the decisions he
made, but also in his dealings with his boss and co-worker, as he always maintained the respect
he had for his boss and the correct treatment of Pilar.
3. Unraveling
Luis was able to leave the University office and go to a larger office and therefore with
people focused on their work, which allowed him to do his job well, while his former coworkers
continue to resist the presence of another person in that office; strangely, they prefer to be a
small office, with few people where they feel very secure, a security based on mediocrity and not
wanting to grow so as not to have to face the challenges of a small office.Strangely, they prefer to
be in a small office, with few people where they feel very secure, a security based on the
mediocrity of not wanting to grow so as not to have to face greater responsibilities. Pilar and the
boss regained the trust they always had in each other and Luis' other former partner is still in
charge of all the work in the office. The consequences of the mediocrity and comfort with which
they assume the work has caused the budget for the office to be increasingly reduced and,
compared to other agencies that are growing in occupation and budgets, it tends to disappear and
be absorbed by a faculty of the University, since the agency alone generates much more expenses
for the University than income, which makes it unsustainable. It is the cost of not wanting to grow
and assume the responsibilities that correspond.
4. Comment
If Luis had stayed there, with the tension experienced with Pilar and his boss, plus the
threat of the University's management to end his dependence on Pilar for expenses and low
income, he would have generated an emotional imbalance and damage to his self-esteem that
would be difficult to recover, hence the importance of creating or seeking good work environments
to ensure personal growth and development. Each person, evaluating the strength he or she has
to achieve the goals, must find the spaces and opportunities to achieve the proposed goals,
because it is important to remember that just as it is important to know the goal we want to
achieve, so is the path or the means to achieve it. It is important to know that the person must be
very attentive and prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that arise, because if he/she is
not prepared, the opportunity may present itself and pass without further ado.
5. Conclusion
The virtue of fortitude goes hand in hand with prudence, both allow us to know the reality
and to estimate which are the ends that the person can and should reach. However, while
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human capital
prudence correctly decides the appropriate means formation
for achieving a goal, in actual actions it also
requires the fortitude to face concrete problems and daily difficulties.
The acts of fortitude are mainly two: resisting and attacking. Resistance is related to
personal support in the face of difficulty, that is, to the habit of not letting oneself be defeated by
problems. Patience is also characteristic of endurance or constancy, a virtue that prevents a
person from being discouraged by evils. The patient is the one who has the habit of waiting for the
most favorable moments for the resolution of the problem. Fortitude is the virtue that enables
man also to face difficulties in the achievement of the goal. Perseverance makes it easier for us to
face not the difficulty, but the delay in achieving the goal. Thus, fortitude with constancy stands
the test of time and overcomes fatigue. Consistency is that quality that ratifies over time the
decision taken. Constancy is that quality that overcomes prolongation and tedium.
Attacking refers to the habit by which we face the obstacle having the necessary means to
overcome it, i.e. by strength, we behave as a preactive person. As we said, patience does not
properly refer to facing difficulty, but proactivity does. The one who knows how to attack is the
one who has the necessary attitude to face the problems with the spirit of solution and does not
wait for the problems to be solved by themselves, it is the active resistance that, on the one hand
endures the situation and on the other hand looks for effective solutions.
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Case 76 The balance between ends and means
1. The facts
Pedro works as a teller in a bank treasury. His duties, as well as those of his fourteen
colleagues, are divided into two: receiving and processing incoming cash deposits from large
companies, and also reviewing the monies processed by his colleagues. These tasks are randomly
assigned, so no one chooses which values to check.
For some time now, events have been occurring that are affecting the work environment.
On the one hand, in deposits received from large companies such as LAN Chile, Metalpar and
Mercedes Benz, losses of up to $100,000 per week have been detected. In addition, in the counts
among peers, one or two bills are inexplicably missing, always of the highest denominations
($10,000 and $20,000).
The situation has become unsustainable, because the companies are beginning to object to
the shortages, due to the high amounts involved and the abnormal regularity with which this is
happening. Managers have already made internal inquiries among their employees and have ruled
out the possibility that the money leakage occurred inside their facilities. On the other hand,
cashiers see how, almost magically, banknotes disappear from their deliveries, right in front of
their very eyes.
An important point worth noting is that all the personnel working in the treasury of this
bank belong to an external company, i.e., they provide their services to the bank, but are
subcontracted. This condition makes them absolutely dispensable in the event of problems, such
as those currently occurring. In the face of any irregularity, the bank simply terminates the
contract and calls another company, with the consequent detriment to the workers.
In view of the sensitivity of the situation, the treasury supervisor is ordered to conduct a
thorough investigation to find the cause of the irregularity. The first step is to establish which
cashier is the one who detects too many and too large shortages, either in money coming from
outside or in internal processes. The next step will be to review the videos from the security
cameras, which record all movements inside the treasury.
They were long and exhausting days in which all the recordings were reviewed second by second,
which resulted in a worsening of the work environment, which was already agitated by the issue of
the losses. In addition, there were strong rumors that once the investigation was completed, they
would be dismissed because of the inconvenience and damage they were causing to the bank. One
aspect that should be mentioned is that all the ATMs at this location were showing losses, but
suspiciously some were very small, relative to the others.
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2. Ethical issues involved. Honesty and loyalty
Here several problems are mixed, among which we can mention, on the one hand, the lack of
probity, because clearly the fact of stealing something that does not belong to us, in addition to a
fault, is a crime, legally typified as such; on the other hand, the lack of honesty in several aspects,
first with his family, since he is taking their livelihood through theft (a matter that they ignore)
and second with his colleagues by stealing money from them, even to the point of committing
self-robbery to support his lie. Finally, and saddest of all, he is being dishonest with himself.
The worst thing is that Pedro with his continuous thefts is putting his job and that of his colleagues
at risk, as well as the image of the company where they work, which means that the damage will
be much greater when the truth is known, because if the bank decides to dispense with the
external services of this company, surely the other banks will find out.
3. Unraveling
After the investigations, it is determined that the cashier who is stealing the securities is Pedro.
This person had great skill in making the necessary movements to carry out the robberies without
arousing suspicion, so much so that even with the help of videos he was difficult to detect.
The company that provided the external treasury services where Pedro worked, assumed
the responsibility and the total amount of the lost money to avoid a scandal that would damage
the company, and at the same time made a commitment to the Bank that this situation would not
happen again. Finally Pedro is fired, facing a precarious economic situation. His wife had just given
birth and this was the reason for Pedro's robberies. He claims that he initially thought of taking
some money from the more powerful companies, convinced that they would hardly notice, and
that if so, they had the means to cover those small losses. What he did not foresee was that the
shortages were deducted from each worker in particular and the damage was for everyone.
This caused surprise, and indignation as well, because Pedro was a very charismatic and kind
person, which had built him an image of sympathy among his colleagues, establishing close
friendships with some of them.
4. Comment
The perfect balance between ends, means and circumstances surrounding an act or decision
makes the action good, because it is not enough for the end to be good if the means used are
illegal, incorrect or against the good customs of society or the company. Peter did not understand
this and wanted to act like an excellent father, while being a bad worker. When it comes to being
virtuous and having a strong value structure, this must be built to be foolproof, i.e., one cannot be
virtuous at home while being bad at work or vice versa; on the contrary, values and virtues know
no borders or time. We must insist on the universal and necessary character to overcome moral
relativity. If human beings decide to be good, they should try to be good always, at all times and
in all places, and that regardless of external circumstances, their values and virtues will tell them
how to act. That is the true effort of the virtuous man.
5. Conclusion
The fact of having pressing needs, ethically these cannot be a reason or justification to act
badly and against the collective interests; because one of the human geniuses is the capacity to
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always look for alternatives and new possibilities that are translated into new ways towards the
goal, which in any case must be humanizing, to avoid harming people who do not have to pay the
price of our mistakes. It can also be seen how one loses his way when he is involved in a
borderline situation, as this subject begins by stealing for low amounts, but then the habit goes
beyond the thresholds, causing greed to push him to venture further and further.
Finally, it is clearly demonstrated that honesty is one of the most necessary values when
performing any type of work, as well as in our daily life, since transparent relationships are based
on it.
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Case 77 Not worth the effort

1. The facts
Miguel has been working for more than five years in a hardware chain, with a high
qualification in his performance and with sufficient knowledge to hold senior positions. Two years
ago, he spoke to his boss so that with his help, he would be considered within the company to
apply for another position, following the normal selection process that everyone goes through
when they want to join the company, the only thing he asked was to be informed when new
positions were open. Once he opened for chief of staff for the central zone, he passed all his
papers with the aspiration of taking advantage of that opportunity. The conditions were given for
him, but like any other applicant, he went through the whole process; the confidence he had was
based on his human and technical qualities for the position, in addition to being overqualified for
the position he currently holds and knowing very well the company's background.
The requirements were clear. 3 years of experience in the hardware industry, HR

professional, good people management, leadership and empathy, plus the availability to travel to
other regions. However, Miguel was surprised to see that they had hired someone who did not
meet the requirements and who had not gone through the application process. He was Fernando,
a recent graduate with no work experience and a friend of his boss. A week after he heard the
news, Miguel asked the boss about this irregular hiring, the one that did not follow the rules of the
game and that had ended up choosing the least suitable person. In an aggressive tone, the boss
replied that Fernando met the minimum requirements for the position: "He is my friend".
2. Ethical issues involved. Injustice.
The injustice committed by Miguel's boss lies in the fact that he does not comply with the
minimum rules for hiring personnel, but ends up hiring a friend, which does not allow people to
apply on an equal footing, but only on the basis of their affections for the boss. Now, having
friends is not a bad thing, what is bad is to see how companies deal with such subjective criteria.
If the rules are there, they must be respected, so that all those who want to be in the company
know what they have to abide by, otherwise arbitrariness and injustice may be committed.
3. Unraveling
After Miguel's conversation with his boss, it was very clear to him what he had to do, so a
month later he resigned and went to another company, looking for new development opportunities
and above all, the possibility of being in a company with clear, fair and objective selection
processes.
It was learned that Fernando did not last long in the position, as Miguel's former
colleagues never believed in his abilities and therefore, he was not able to exercise the true
leadership required in the position. On the other hand, Miguel's former boss and the personnel
selection people were strongly reprimanded for the way they were handling the hiring processes,
which were evidently not transparent.
4. Comment
Cronyism" or elsewhere called "Clientelism" is a worldwide phenomenon that affects large,
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medium and small companies that unwittingly sacrifice their productivity by hiring people
incapable of living up to the responsibility of the position. Depending on the company's capital,
this scourge does not necessarily lead to bankruptcy, but it does lead to the loss of a lot of money
by having to compensate for the ineptitude of its workers, not to mention the moral damage it can
cause to workers who, like Miguel, had a lot to give him and never gave him the opportunity.
When a company is concerned about having the right people in the right position; that is, when it
manages to take advantage of individual talents and also has good leaders who form good work
groups, the company gains in productivity and competitiveness, fundamental elements that any
developing country requires to achieve the high standards of living of the working class and
society in general. Therein lies the difference between development and underdevelopment;
namely, in the mentality with which the processes and relationships of people are assumed within
the company and within society in general.
5. Conclusion
Responsibility is defined as the act by which a person assumes the consequences of his or
her intentional actions, which are the results of the decisions he or she makes or accepts. Being
responsible involves the ability to answer for one's own actions, their moral value and their
consequences not only to oneself, but also, and in a very special way, to others, since the results
of one's actions are also borne by others. The other is a very strong referent that determines in
one way or another our actions in the world, because we are not alone and in that sense,
consciously or unconsciously, the other is affected by our actions. In that sense for the human
being, it will be very good to think again and again before acting and above all to think how or in
what way it benefits or harms others.
When we have to make decisions, we have several alternatives. In Miguel's case, we

realize that the will of Miguel's boss was not strong enough to make the best choice, so the
respect and trust of the employees towards him declined. His authority would have been enhanced
had he followed the regular channels and considered his employee for the vacant position. Finally,
we see how authority and respect will depend on intelligence (knowledge) and the will to act
accordingly.
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Case 78 False promises
1. The facts
Patricia is the Assistant Dean of the Law School of one of the largest universities in Chile
and has been working there for nearly 5 years without interruption. Due to his efficiency and
unconditional support, he ended up doing the work of many people and attending the academic
and administrative consultations that corresponded to the dean or his academic coordinator. At
first Patricia felt bad because she knew that many things she was taking care of did not
correspond to her, but when she saw that the dean did not solve the issues, nor the coordinator
concreted anything, she with her experience took the reins of the faculty, which never stopped
working perfectly and thus the lack of character and authority of the dean and his academic
coordinator was never noticed.
As time went by and with so much experience accumulated by Patricia at the Faculty, she
made the decision to talk to the head of personnel to request a salary increase, as she did not see
it fair to earn what she was earning when her work was so efficient and timely. The university's
chief of staff did not understand the reasons why Patricia's salary should be increased, since she
prudently did not want to argue that she was practically doing the work of the dean and the
academic coordinator, so her request was not favorably received. Patricia, however, saw that new
secretaries and assistants were entering the University with better salaries than hers and with less
responsibility, so she decided to dedicate herself strictly to the duties of her position. When she
began to neglect matters that did not concern her, the dean called her attention to her because he
saw that her work performance had dropped. Patricia told him about the interview with the
personnel manager and that the results had not been optimal, so he would limit himself to his
duties.
The dean promised to help her with the personnel office to get the salary increase, as it
was well deserved. When the dean actually began the process to increase Patricia's salary,
because of her importance to the faculty, he was removed from his position and everything
remained there; a new dean arrived, who did not hesitate to rely on Patricia's experience to
manage the faculty. It wasn't six months later when she spoke to her boss and explained the
situation she was in. After this new interview and a new attempt by her boss in the personnel
office, things went back to the halfway point, as the new dean began to take another position
within the same university and now Patricia would have to wait for what would happen with her
third boss.
2. Ethical issues involved. Responsibility, commitment and personal mastery
Patricia, in spite of her frustrated attempts to obtain a salary increase, never gave up the
responsibilities assigned to her position and on the contrary, continued to do more than what was
asked of her, since it is in her nature to deliver more and better; she also understood that her
work well done could not depend on the amount paid at the end of the month or on the dean on
duty; that is to say, that beyond these externalities, the quality of her work depends on her
vocation and above all on her talent.In other words, beyond these externalities, the quality of her
work depends on her vocation and above all on her talent, because her reality, with all the
difficulties it presents, is an opportunity not only to strengthen herself and test her discipline, but
also to prove what she is.
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3. Unraveling
Patricia after 7 years is still at the university and because of her insistence on a salary
increase, one of her former bosses, who now has another important position within the institution,
managed to change her job, with the commitment of her former boss to fight for an improvement
in her salary, but so far nothing has happened. She is still waiting for a better remuneration as an
indicator of the recognition of her work and prudence, because when she spoke to the personnel
manager she never wanted to use as an argument the lack of commitment of her boss and the
academic coordinator, which would have allowed her, perhaps, to achieve her goal. What is unfair
is that Patricia continues to see new people coming to the University, with the same knowledge as
her, that would put them in the same rank and yet they earn more. Patricia sensibly believes that
there she will not have the salary or the recognition she expects and for this reason she has
begun, with much sadness, to look for new job opportunities, not only to grow more in her
profession, but also to consolidate herself economically and to be able to begin other studies that
will catapult her to where she believes she can get to.
4. Comment
Personal mastery is an ongoing and lifelong process. This has allowed Patricia to know her
strengths and admit her weaknesses, because she sensibly recognizes that regardless of the
experience she has at the university, she knows that she still has a lot to learn. Seen from the
outside, people could say that Patricia did things that did not correspond to her and that if she
was at some point loaded with work, it was because she wanted to do so and not because her
bosses imposed it; however, when a person has a vocation for service, it is not possible for her to
establish clear limits, because the only thing she sees is the commitment to make things work well
and if it depends on her to make sure everything is in order, she simply does it, without asking
questions.However, when a person has a vocation for service, it is not possible to establish clear
limits, because the only thing that person sees is the commitment to make things work well and if
it depends on her to make sure that everything is in order, she simply does it, without asking
herself if that task corresponds to her or not. It is a responsibility without limits that does not
point fingers when tasks are not done as they should be, but rather self-evaluates against the
objectives achieved. Thus, Patricia will not limit her spirit of service or commitment at any time
due to external factors, she will continue to be what she is and better; perhaps, at some point she
will find what she deserves. For the moment he is happy with what he does, because his
happiness is internal and obeys his nature.
5. Conclusion
The human being is, in a certain way, a force that stretches between reality and ideality,
that is, between what he is and what he wants to be; and it is precisely what he wants that gives
meaning to his own life and to his efforts not to accommodate himself to a situation if he really
does not like it. In this way, the human being becomes a great transformer of realities, since it is
enough to have a clear vision of what one wants to direct all efforts towards that new reality.
From the theory of creative tension, the current reality ceases to be an enemy and becomes an
ally. An accurate and penetrating vision of the current reality is as important as a clear vision.
Unfortunately, most of us have the habit of imposing prejudices on our perception of reality and
end up distrusting our observations, which sinks us in a sea of doubts. The most advisable thing
for the human being is to fully trust his vision so that others do too, and thus avoid being made
false promises by others.
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Case 79 Loss of authority
1. The facts
Don Julio is a very wealthy man who has made his fortune working hard in the textile
industry. It now has three large stores where it sells domestic and imported fabrics. It has the
habit of hiring young women, with good looks and very well spoken, and although the salaries are
not good, the sales bonuses mean that it always finds saleswomen with these characteristics,
because although the salary it pays is only $50,000 pesos more than the minimum, in sales
commissions the saleswomen can double or triple their salary depending on the time of year.
Amanda, Teresa, Anita, Fabiola, Juliana, Andrea, among many others, are part of Don Julio's
payroll, which in December reaches about 25 saleswomen and 5 administrative staff, all of them
women. He is known in the industry as Don Julio's "harem" and even though it is the subject of
many comments, Don Julio says that he will not make the mistake he made a couple of years ago,
when he became romantically involved with one of the employees.
It happened during the Christmas season of 2003 when, due to the volume of sales, he
hired 5 more saleswomen, among them Gloria, who in Don Julio's words was a goddess. Gloria
quickly won Don Julio's affections for her quality of work and her willingness to help him with
whatever he needed. After the summer season, Don Julio gave Gloria an indefinite contract and as
a sign of gratitude she told him that he could get whatever he wanted from her, that he could
count on her without reservation for whatever he wanted. Those words struck a deep chord in Don
Julio and it didn't take him long to ask her out; first to a movie theater, then to dance until they
began to spend weekends together. A normal relationship, except that don Julio was in the
process of separating from his wife and Gloria was recently married to her husband, who believed
that don Julio was opening a new store in Valdivia and the manager would be Gloria, which is why
she traveled constantly on weekends. Don Julio's happiness made him quickly trust Gloria and the
consequences were not long in coming. Gloria's husband became suspicious and Gloria began to
fail in her duties as a partner and as a salesperson. The unexpected announcement that Gloria
was pregnant made don Julio very nervous, because he thought, until the eighth month, that the
baby was his, a situation promoted by Gloria to make the most of the situation.
2. Ethical issues involved. Temperance, responsibility and guilt
Clearly, what happens to most men who do not control their tendencies and end up slaves
of their passions happened to Don Julio. In the context of Don Julio's work, it is obvious that if he
does not keep the necessary distance between himself and his female employees, he will end up
in an embarrassing situation in which, first of all, he fails to fulfill his marital commitments, then
he fails to fulfill the commitments of the female employee in question, and then the personal and
professional levels of the work relationship start to become confused.
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3. Unraveling
Once Gloria learned that she was pregnant, she took advantage of the situation to be
constantly absent from work and manipulated Don Julio into agreeing to her requests. There was
never any mistreatment or bad atmosphere at work, as it was not in the interest of either of them
for the relationship to be known. Worst of all, Don Julio lost authority over Gloria as an employee,
because around month five of her pregnancy, Gloria was practically paid for the secret, since she
never showed up for work again, but on the payroll is the payment made, even with some
commission on sales.
Already in month eight, Gloria decided to tell don Julio that the child she was expecting
was indeed her husband's and that even if it was not, she would support this for the sake of her
marriage and "dignity". When Don Julio received the news he had a mixed feeling of anger and
happiness, because despite the deception, he felt that he was not socially prepared to face this
scandal. Today Gloria is still employed by Don Julio, but as a mother he does not dare to take her
out of his company, and there is a "well-kept" secret between them. Little by little, she has been
regaining authority over her employee, because in order to disguise the situation, Gloria must at
least comply with the company's rules and schedules. However, even though Don Julio has never
been authoritarian, he feels that he has little control over Gloria. It would be in his best interest
for her to leave the store of her own free will, to close a sad chapter in her life and never make
the mistake again.
4. Comment
Common sense" has always said that it is best not to mix feelings and passions with
business, as the results are not always beneficial for the company and the people. This was what
happened to Don Julio, who had had this very much in mind, but before Gloria his theory
collapsed, instinct was stronger than reason and the will to keep enough distance from his female
employees; The complicated thing about ethics is that our actions must be adjusted as much as
possible to the principles and norms, for which human beings require an additional effort to
understand the concepts. Acting accordingly will always be a challenge for human beings.
5. Conclusion
When the authority necessary for the proper functioning of the company is weakened, the
people involved become worn out by constant questioning and reproaches, to the point of
producing stress and a drop in performance and concentration in daily work, which implies that
the productivity of the individual, of the companies and of the country is seriously compromised.
With this, the subject of virtues becomes relevant and valid, because in every situation human
beings must think again and again before acting or making a decision; that is to say, we must put
prudence into practice, which in turn will connect other virtues as the case may be. Understanding
the theoretical proposal of the virtues seems an easy task, what is complicated is to put that
theory into practice, that is the challenge.
Case 80 Buying Wills
1. The facts
Augusto is a teacher and in the twenty years he has been teaching in higher education, he
has never failed to give the same advice to his students in the first class: "Kids, never forget to
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buy wills" even in the groups with the lowest academic performance, the students ask him what
he means by that; however, the exception could not be missing. It happened in the first semester
of 2007 that at the beginning of the class he told a certain group that they should not forget to
buy wills. Augusto after that advice was left waiting for the question, but the question never came
and Augusto, impressed by the speed of this group to understand the advice, started with the
presentation of the course.
The course had a particularity and it was a mixture of two sections, one with bright
students and the other with students who were, as they say colloquially, just hanging out.
Coincidentally there were Natalia and Constanza, the former with a history of being a student with
poor academic performance, always on the verge of losing for non-attendance and with the bad
habit of never attending class, which deeply annoyed the teachers, while Constanza was the best
student of the institute, she had everything that a good professional should have: virtues,
vocation, talent and respect for people, teachers and colleagues. Natalia, knowing that the teacher
was very demanding, spent her time outside of class, arriving late and constantly asking for
permission to go to the doctor. The rules were very clear for her, if she exceeded 25% of her
absences, she would lose the class for non-attendance. Having reached the maximum number of
absences the teacher, as was usual for him, warned her of her critical situation in attendance and
that another leave to go to the doctor would harm her. Constanza, being the best student of the
institute, had a particularly difficult semester due to her mother's illness, the difficulties in public
transportation and the fact that she was diagnosed with a disease that required urgent treatment
to avoid surgery. The thing was that, while Natalia said she was going to the doctor just to get out
of class, Constanza really had problems; in fact, her attitude was quite different. While Natalia
laughed at the childish prank and thought she was cheating on her teacher, Constanza kept her
doctor's appointments, her disability and medical check-ups, as well as always being aware of
what was going on in class, in order to be on top of things.
At the end of the semester and with the final grades and consolidated attendance record,
Natalia had a final grade of 3.8 and Constanza a final grade of 5.2. Both students approached the
professor to ask for a chance to raise their average; the first one to pass the course and the
second one because she believed she could give more, since her career average was 6.5, which
showed her ability and dedication to her career.
2. Ethical issues involved. Will and intelligence
The will is a force that must be mixed with intelligence to obtain the results we expect from
it; however, just as human beings develop their intelligence, they must also strengthen their will
so that it can function at the level of the circumstances. In this case, Natalia's willpower is
overcome by her irresponsibility and relaxed vision of life, while Constanza has strengthened her
willpower much more and is thus getting closer to her proposed goals. If there is no will, it is
difficult for us to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves, no matter how human or brilliant
they may be.
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3. Unraveling
Professor Augusto first asked them if they remembered the advice he had given them on
the first day of the course and the answer was positive, the second question was if they
understood the advice, to which Natalia answered that it was simply about doing anything so that
others do for you what you want and need, Constanza for her part commented that buying wills
was not to put a price on people's will, but rather to be nice to gain space in the will of
others.Constanza commented that buying wills was not about putting a price on people's will, but
rather about being nice in order to gain space in the will of others, at the same time that others
gain space in one's own will. Although the answers point to the same thing, they reflect a different
attitude towards life. The former believes that others should bend to her wishes without her
having to give anything in return, while the latter is very clear that it is a matter of gaining space
in the will of others while at the same time offering oneself to other wills. After this answer, which
reflects a clear difference in attitude towards life, Augusto asked the third question: Why should I
agree to the request of each of you? Natalia, in an aggressive tone replies: because you teachers
are at the service of us students, we are the ones who pay so that you can get paid. Constanza,
almost with embarrassment, reproaches Natalia for this opinion, but without going into details,
Constanza believes that, despite her illness and non-attendance, she has made an effort to learn
and now that the semester is over she has time to make another effort for the course, as long as
the professor allows her to do so. After hearing the arguments of both students, he granted
Constanza's request and denied Natalia's, for obvious reasons.
The next day the professor received several e-mails from the Director of Career, the
Director of the Headquarters and Natalia's father, to appeal the decision and the strength of the
"argument" was the injustice that was committed by giving the opportunity to raise the average to
Constanza and not help Natalia, because both students deserved the opportunity. In order not to
wear himself out on the subject, the professor called both students and set them an assignment
with the same guidelines and the same demands and the deadline was one week. The week
passed and Constanza arrived with the work while Natalia asked the career manager to talk to the
professor to grant her two more days for the delivery, a request that was accepted by the
professor. The surprise was even greater when Natalia's work had all come from a web page, from
the title, the subtitles, the paragraphs, the theme and the conclusion belonged to a Mexican
professor. Of course Constanza got a grade of 7.0 for excellent work and Natalia got a grade of
1.0 for plagiarism. When the teacher gave the results, the teachers and directors with
embarrassed faces understood Natalia's shamelessness in asking for a second grader for this
work, while the student cried because no one helped her. The professor in a serene voice says:
Natalia, you have to buy wills.
Natalia did not enroll for the second semester and Constanza recovered from her ailments
and hopes to graduate very soon.
4. Comment
The teacher did not have to engage in justifications or passionate judgments as things fall
by their weight; and although he never agreed to give Natalia another chance, because he never
bought her will, in the final grade did not mediate his criteria but the irresponsibility of the
student, as many at first glance could have argued that the teacher had no appreciation for
Natalia and that is why the grade of 1.0 and much appreciation for Constanza's performance and
level, hence the grade of 7.0.
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Value, according to Ortega y Gasset, is a quality of things and people that make us feel
comfortable in the world; this is how a person with moral values such as Respect, Tolerance,
Justice, Dialogue, among others, gives us more confidence, comfort and sympathy than a person
who steals, lies or swindles. Our values and principles should not only serve to make us feel
comfortable with others, but also to make others feel comfortable with me, there should be a
reciprocity, which Natalia perhaps did not understand, because her concept is that others,
especially teachers, should be there to serve her without her having to make any effort. The
question, from my human condition is: What is there in me for others to welcome me, to offer me
their friendship and collaboration? In other words, what is there to make them feel comfortable? It
is a constant question that we have to ask ourselves in all the environments in which we operate,
in order to buy wills; that is, so that others agree to collaborate in solidarity with our requirements
without feeling used, manipulated and manipulated. When I buy wills I surround myself with
people who are willing to do a lot for me and in that sense things in life become easier, without
forgetting of course that it is a human exercise and as such, reciprocal.
Finally, the will needs to be accompanied by intelligence to select very well the acts and
actions shared with others. For Natalia, for example, a little intelligence and discipline would have
been enough to have bought the professor's will.
5. Conclusion
To paraphrase Alejo Sison in his text "Habits, the compound interest of moral capital", the
ethical value of an action derives from the knowledge and consent with which it is performed, i.e.
the action is based on intelligence and will. Thus, an act acquires human meaning and counts as
moral capital only to the extent that it involves these two elements of human individuality. An
individual then assumes responsibility for actions from a deliberate and conscious effort. The other
important element in the ethical value of human actions has to do with the habituality with which
actions are repeated, which allows us to build habits or virtues. With the three elements
mentioned above, discovering human intentionality is much easier; thus, Natalia's intentionality
was to annoy the professor and "force" him to solve her problems, which she could have avoided
if she had combined will and intelligence with good habituality. There is no way to think that this
was an isolated case, it was rather part of her character, the same one that has given her the
identity she has today as a bad student. Constanza, for her part, has been able to create an
identity of a good student, always cooperative and willing, with a respect for teachers and a sense
of responsibility that allowed her to buy wills.
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PART II Descriptions for case construction
Case 1
Maria, together with three colleagues, are in charge of the archives of one of the most
important banks in Chile; all the confidential documents of the bank's clients pass through them
and they manage a very important database for the financial entity, such as each client's capital,
debts with other banks, mortgage loans and Dicom records, among much other information.
Maria, being the most senior in that department, has some autonomy and advantage over the
others, without this meaning that she is the head of the archive; simply because of her
experience, the others come to her to resolve any doubts. Teresa, the newest in the archive has
become her most loyal friend and it is she who helps her with the work, including the weekly
delivery of the updated database to Julio, a friend of Maria. Before long Teresa realizes that Julio
has nothing to do with the bank and that the information Maria provides is confidential. In view of
the suspicion, Teresa decides to talk to Maria and ask her about sending this information to Julio,
the answer was not very clear, so Teresa decided not to continue helping him. Teresa's suspicions
became effective when one day she met Julio and he told her that Maria was providing the
updated information from the bank's database to an insurance company, all for a few extra pesos.
Teresa's indignation was such that she spoke to Maria and demanded that she stop sending the
information, otherwise she would talk to her boss and tell him the truth. Maria cynically and
shamelessly tells her that if she counts, they both fall, because the bank's cameras recorded
Teresa's weekly departure, with documents in hand and at the same time, which will obviously be
very suspicious for the bank. What should Teresa do?
• Ethical issues involved

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 2
Pedro is a young man who lives in a very good neighborhood in the city and thanks to his
wealthy family, when he turned 18 his father gave him a car so he could get around and go to
college. Pedro's youth, plus the need to make himself more visible in front of his classmates,
turned him into an F1 runner through the streets of Santiago. In addition to speeding with which
transits, in thenights has the vice from
red traffic lights, generating no tension only in other drivers but to the
people accompanying him in his car. I did not carry6 months withthe car when in a
corner, 110 Km. per hour and traffic light in red, crashed with a truck to which because of its
size no
nothing happened, but Pedro's car was totally destroyed. Fortunately, there were no fatalities but
there were serious injuries. Pedro, very scared, asked his colleagues to lie saying that the truck
had gone through the red light and that he was innocent of everything, so that the insurance
would make the owner of the truck pay the hospitalization expenses and the replacement of his
vehicle. Pedro's father, convinced that his son was a very responsible driver, since nothing had
happened to him in six months, hired a lawyer for his defense; a seemingly easy case if everyone
gives the same version. Catalina and Luis agree to lie, while Carolina is not very convinced to do
so, as she thinks it is unfair to the truck driver who has nothing to do with Pedro's irresponsibility.
Is it better to tell the truth and lose Peter's friendship?

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 3
Three students from a large institute, in the fourth semester of their careers and with excellent
relations with the career director and coordinator, decided to enroll in a course that crossed their
regular work schedule; the hope was that the career director would help them pass the course by
just taking the tests without having to attend classes. Halfway through the semester, when they
arrived at the second test, the teacher let them know that they were failing the course for non-
attendance and their defiant response was: Talk to the principal. In fact, the teacher consulted the
principal about the situation and the principal told him that he had to be flexible with the students
who were working, since their work depended on the support of their studies. Obviously the
professor asks about the meaning of flexibility, since the student regulations, being very flexible,
state exactly the percentage of absences. Finally, the director suggested to the teacher to be
flexible beyond the regulations. In week sixteen, these students had 85% absences to date and
the teacher's determination was to fail these students for non-attendance. When they got to the
final exam the professor let him know that they had already failed and that there was no point in
taking the final exam. They immediately went to talk to the director of the career to shield them in
irresponsibility and what he did was to send a note suggesting to the professor to allow them to
take the exam, but the professor argued that above each of the employees of that institute are
the rules to be complied with and abided by all. To fill a rule with exceptions is to invalidate the
rule. Finally, the students did not take the exam and failed due to non-attendance, which
generated a bad relationship between the professor and the director of the course, who apparently
has the habit of granting many alternatives to the students of the course. Are rules or men
obeyed?

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 4
Tomás is an excellent cook graduated from one of the best gastronomy schools in the city and
in his desperate search for work he managed to get a job in a Pub where he offers some light
dishes and tables that do not demand much from him, just attending the orders in the kitchen and
making sure that the dishes and tables arrive well to the table. The bar's main profit is in the
drinks, so the food is something additional to the business and therefore the conditions in which
the kitchen is located are deplorable, not only because of the small space, but also because it is
located next to the warehouse where the boxes of liquor and garbage cans are stored, which must
be thrown away every day. All kinds of people circulate in the kitchen, from those who load and
unload the boxes of drinks and liquors, to those who pick up the garbage, to the waiters and other
bar staff. Tomas, uncomfortable with this situation, decides to talk to the owner of the bar to try
to convince him that the conditions of the kitchen are not the most adequate and that he should
look for another place or do some remodeling to have at least hygienic conditions with which to
cook. The bar owner's response was that food was not as profitable as liquor sales and that he
would not incur expenses for any reason. Tomás continued to work there but felt that everything
he had been taught in school did not apply at all, obviously he understood that the mistake was in
the management of the bar and not in what he had learned. His dilemma was whether to continue
working in that bar where everything was done wrong or to quit and look for a new job. If he
stayed there he would try to persuade the owner to make the necessary changes and if he looked
for a new job it would have to be in a place where he could learn and at the same time apply what
he had learned; only the reality was beginning to show him a considerable distance between
theory and practice. Should theory modify reality or reality modify theory? These are profound
questions about the job performance that Tomás is beginning to ask himself and that the
thousands and thousands of recent graduates of gastronomy who live different realities in each of
the restaurants and bars where they go with their knowledge are surely asking themselves.

• Unraveling
• Comments
• Conclusion
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Case 5
Ana María is an assistant at "Los Palomos" medical center; she has worked for 6 years with
the center's psychiatrist and supervises medical appointments and medication dispensing. Over
the years, the medical visitors know her very well and start their day at the medical center,
handing out the latest innovations in the field of medications for different psychiatric pathologies,
many of which have not been tested on people and are in the process of evaluation, for which
patients are needed who are willing to try new medications and follow a controlled treatment. Dr.
Muniz is aware of this and is against the administration of new drugs without knowing the side
effects they may generate and the complications they may entail. For this reason, he controls the
entrance of the medical visitors and the delivery of medicines must be supervised by him. There
are many of the doctor's patients who have been attending him for several years, many of them
of low income, for whom the medicines are intended to be delivered.
The medical visitors arrive very early to the doctor's office, whenever the doctor is not
present, leave the medicines with the indications for their administration and leave. Ana Maria
receives some gifts from them so that she can hand out the medicines after medical registration.
Ana Maria feels it is her duty to give out the medications, since the costs of psychiatric
treatment are very high and she believes that having so much medicine in her hands it would be
very selfish not to give them out. Every day patients show up to pick up their medicines, she has
told them they are the same ones the doctor prescribes, just with a different name. She hasn't
sized up the risk involved in dispensing medication, but she knows she is doing something wrong,
as she must resort to various ruses to get the doctor's signature to fill out patient enrollment
forms.
Over time, several patients have suffered severe crises for no apparent reason, the doctor
has consulted them for treatment without knowing that they are consuming other types of drugs.
One day the doctor receives a call from the Psychiatric Hospital to consult him about the dosage of
medication for a patient, Mr. Williams. When the hospital manager tells him the name of the
medication, Dr. Muniz points out that his patient is taking another type of medication and
indicates that he does not know the name of the medication. With this call, Dr. Muniz presumes
that something is going on.
Where is the ethical dilemma, in the patients or in Ana Maria's attitude? Should Ana Maria
help patients with medications? Why?

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 6
Lucia has been married to Jesus for 2 years and has just graduated in systems
engineering; her dream is to help her husband with the household responsibilities, since they have
acquired a series of debts that they need to cover. Once Lucia has finished her resume she asks
Jesus to review it for errors, obviously, before taking it to a couple of companies. When Jesús
reviews it, he realizes that there are a series of data that do not correspond to reality, for
example, it says that she worked for two years as a consultant for a multinational company and
that she was an advisor to the president of a shipping company. Jesus then suggests to Lucia to
remove that information from the resume, she thinks that the information is not completely false,
since she actually worked supporting some projects of the multinational and her closeness to the
president of the shipping company has also allowed her to give some advice to the president.
Jesús insists that it is one thing to give some advice and suggestions on projects and quite
another to call herself a consultant, when there have never been any contracts or fees involved.
The discussion between Jesus and Lucia has to do with the scope of the terms that Lucia
intends to use in her Curriculum, which would effectively commit her to an experience that she
does not yet have and in turn involves people who may not be able to testify to her knowledge.
Jesus' position seems much more sensible than Lucia's, yet she believes that Jesus is too fearful.
Her argument for a strong entry into such a competitive job market is to give relevance to the
things you do.
In the words of Jesús, Lucía lies on her résumé and in the words of Lucía, it is giving
importance to things that although small, can be fundamental when revealing information on a
résumé. What do you think of their position? What would be your position? What is the outcome of
this dilemma whether or not the information is put as intended by Lucia?

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Case 7
Juan is a junior in a postal company and works from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Your
responsibility is the delivery of Cable company invoices and to achieve on-time deliveries you
must deliver at least 300 invoices per day. It depends on your order to be able to sectorize the
deliveries for a better use of time. The first year he worked under the supervision of a crew chief,
who managed 8 people with different responsibilities, but due to personnel cuts, this group was
left without a supervisor and each person must answer for the daily deliveries; his only control is
the form where people sign when they receive the invoice. Juan was running out of time on a daily
basis and on many occasions he had to extend his workday until 6:30 p.m. to reach the daily
quota, but he saw that his coworkers were relaxed and extended their snack time beyond the hour
and finished the day half an hour earlier. When Juan spoke to one of his colleagues and asked him
to give him the key to make the time work for him, he told him that the idea was to deliver half of
what was due and the other half to throw it in the trash and on the control sheet to invent the
signatures and names of the people who received it. At first Juan tried to work this way, but his
high degree of responsibility did not allow him to go home with peace of mind, knowing that many
people were not receiving their bills and that this would cause delays in payment and subsequent
cut-off of service. When Juan began to calculate the consequences of his actions, he realized that
many people had been harmed and preferred to continue extending his day until 6:30 pm. and in
many occasions sacrificing snack time.
After six months of working without a supervisor, the companies that contracted the postal
service began to complain and detected that some sectors and all the companies, except the cable
company, were having problems with deliveries. After observing this phenomenon, they called
Juan and asked him to be the supervisor of the crew. When speaking with the company manager,
he asked him to dispense with the services of the people who were currently doing the courier
work and asked him to put together his own team. So, when Juan took over as supervisor of the
crew, he changed all the deliverymen, hired new people and was very rigorous in the supervision
of deliveries, thinking that trust is very good, but in these cases control is much better.
Juan's coworkers called it unfair at the time of the dismissal, but Juan, knowing of the vices
they had acquired, preferred to train new deliverymen and avoid the vices and irresponsibilities.
Was Juan unfair in requesting the dismissal of his colleagues, was there another solution to correct
the errors and be able to respond efficiently to the companies?

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
Case 8
Freddy is an excellent automotive mechanic and his experience has led him to great
recognition by the company and customers of a major Japanese brand, to the extent that many
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prefer to wait to be served by him before being served by another mechanic. Freddy, seeing this
situation, began to feel saturated by so much work and talked to the owners of the dealership to
increase his overtime commission, but they did not want to, arguing that this was outside the
payroll parameters provided by the company. Freddy saw that at the end of the month the
mechanics' salaries did not differ by more than $30,000, which was unfair for the amount of work
he had and how relaxed others worked.
When he discussed this with some of his customers, many of them began to encourage
him to set up his own workshop, with a commitment to continue seeking his technical advice. This
"Rumor" reached the ears of his immediate boss who immediately interpreted it as an act of
disloyalty towards the company, which created a very complicated work environment for Freddy.
However, he ignored his boss's pressure and stopped working overtime, which he began to put
into his new project. Freddy's strategy consisted of keeping his steady job to take out a loan at
the bank and with this money set up a small workshop in the backyard of his house, to gradually
gain enough customers to become independent for good. Four months after Freddy was no longer
working overtime, customers began to pull out and look for Freddy in his own shop. The senior
partner called Freddy to offer him a salary increase and a better overtime commission in order to
win back the customers who had left, but Freddy was very clear and told him that even he was
thinking of retiring, since he had set up his own workshop to attend to the people who were
looking for him. The senior partner was surprised by what Freddy was doing, but Freddy told him
that months ago he had requested an increase in overtime commissions without receiving a
positive response; on the contrary, he had generated an atmosphere that had led him to think
about withdrawing from the concessionaire. After the meeting with Freddy, the senior partner
decided to change the workshop manager and after Freddy's retirement from the company, they
decided to improve the working conditions of the best mechanics to prevent them from leaving.
Freddy is in his workshop, working with a great sense of responsibility and with a steady clientele
that gives him economic peace of mind. Do you think Freddy's process was correct or was he
unfaithful to the company? Should Freddy feel guilty about his boss being fired from the company?

• Unraveling
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• Conclusion
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Case 9
Luis belongs to a household consisting of his parents and three siblings. Both the father and
mother work hard to support the household, but the high costs of food, housing and education
keep living conditions low. Luis, on the other hand, invented a way to get a few extra "pesitos"
with which he can buy his daily snack. It consists of taking advantage of his "poor" condition to
ask teachers, classmates and neighbors for money, without his siblings and parents knowing what
he is doing. Every day Luis collects between three and four thousand pesos, and he has the luxury
of eating ice cream and cakes without depriving himself in costs. After a while, the teachers were
less cooperative and his classmates stopped helping him, so Luis, in order not to lose his income,
began to visit other neighborhoods and even, some days he did not go to class to go to the traffic
lights to ask for money. What caught the teachers' attention was that Luis' siblings did not ask for
money and at a parent-teacher meeting the head teacher spoke with Luis' father and told him
about Luis' habit of asking teachers and classmates for money. Luis' father, surprised, told the
teacher that despite their economic conditions, the children have never had to go out and beg for
money to bring food to the house. In the evening, when they were all together having their
"onces", Luis' father asked him if it was true what the teacher had told him; after a long silence
Luis denied everything and his father, without giving more importance to the matter, changed the
subject and never mentioned anything about it again. For a while Luis stopped asking for money,
but soon he was back to asking and asking for money, only his needs were greater and greater
and he had to devote more time to what he considered a "job". When he turned 18, he left home,
without giving any explanation other than his desire for freedom, rented a small house in a poor
neighborhood and began to beg for money at traffic lights from eight in the morning to six in the
afternoon, with an income of between ten and fifteen thousand pesos a day, enough to live
without so much effort, according to Luis. It is a matter of knowing how to live off human charity
and for that you don't have to study so much or work so hard, much less have to put up with a
boss giving orders. Is that freedom? Is it okay to live and abuse human charity? Can what Luis
does be considered a job?

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 10
Fabiola is a 25 year old young woman in the tourism industry. His greatest virtue is his
command of the English language, since he lived in the United States for five years and decided to
enroll in a tourism school to validate some courses and finish the career he had started outside
Chile. The areas that had to do with hotel management, event organization and communication
skills were approved, and the only thing he had to do in rigor was related to geography, especially
Chilean geography, where he had more gaps. However, he was never seen with much enthusiasm
for learning Chilean geography, as his idea was to return to the United States and operate from
there. Once he finished his degree, he received an interesting job offer, which would allow him to
raise money for his trip abroad. This job consisted of assisting and guiding oriental tourists,
basically Chinese and Japanese, who always asked for a guide with a good command of English. At
the beginning it was pleasant, however, he began to face more and more complicated questions or
requests for new tourist sites and to get out of the difficulties, he decided to lie every time he
encountered a question whose answer he did not know; thus, all tourists left with the feeling of
having learned something about Chile and its geography. With the little she learned and the lies
she made up when she did not know something, it was enough to keep her job for five years and
with a very good income, without the bosses ever finding out about her strategy; what was
reprehensible in Fabiola's attitude was that in spite of the many unanswered questions, she never
wanted to study to give information corresponding to reality, obviously taking advantage of her
command of English, as if it were the only or fundamental thing for her job performance.The
reprehensible thing about Fabiola's attitude was that despite the many unanswered questions, she
never wanted to study in order to give the information corresponding to reality, obviously taking
advantage of her command of English, as if it were the only or fundamental thing for her job
performance. Is English sufficient for the attention of foreign tourists? Is it okay that when the
guide does not know the answer, he/she lies to leave the tourist "satisfied"?

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• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 11
Ana is a young woman who recently graduated in systems and wants to start her own
company, with the idea of providing consulting services and technical support to small and
medium-sized companies, in addition to selling computer supplies. To this end, he decides to team
up with a fellow student who, although not very good in the field, has excellent contacts in the
systems market. When they sit down to make the budget to start the company, Ana's partner tells
her that he has a friend who sells stolen equipment at very low cost, which can be used to have a
stock of spare parts for the maintenance they do to customer equipment. When the partner gives
her the price of each computer purchased on the black market, Ana is tempted to buy the
equipment to start the company with a lower budget, but the fear of being discovered inhibits her
from acting in this way. After much discussion, they decide to buy 20 computers to start with and
the promise that the partner makes to Ana is that they will not make this type of purchase again,
since they did it only to be able to start with the company. After some time, Ana realizes that her
partner is still buying stolen computers and that he is also using cloned credit cards to buy
supplies for the company, which gives them very good profits, reflected in the growth of the
company, the expansion of the premises and the opening of a new office, a situation that Ana took
advantage of to ask her partner to split up since she did not want to continue in this way. Her
feeling of guilt would not let her be calm. The problem was that the company's clients had been
obtained by Ana, which meant that by dividing the company she could be left with all the clients
and her partner with nothing, because to tell the truth, the company was used by him for his
shady business dealings. In a very long conversation between Ana and her partner, he proposed
to buy her share and keep all of it, since he would not sell his share since he was doing well
financially and it also served as a front for his bad business dealings. Ana was still very anxious
and in an analysis of the situation she began to think about what would happen if someone found
out about the purchases of supplies with cloned credit cards and the stolen computers they had
bought when they started the company. Questions were not long in coming: should he sell the
company to his partner, abandoning his project? Should you stay with him? Will you be able to
prevent your partner from continuing with these vices?

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 12
Camilo is the General Manager of a company dedicated to the distribution of office supplies
and is in charge of some 250 people, including men and women of all ages. Camilo is
characterized by being very respectful and fair in his decisions; however, since Luisa joined the
company, he has assumed a different attitude towards her, because without knowing why, he
cannot stand her, because apart from the bad energy he feels towards her, Luisa is efficient and a
good worker, very responsible and overqualified for the position she holds. As time went by,
Camilo's relationship with Luisa worsened, to the point that he began to make her life impossible
in order to make her resign without having to pay the indemnity. When Luisa completed one year
in the company, she asked for her vacation and her return coincided with Camilo's vacation, which
allowed Luisa to have an apparently calm return, but once the manager returned, the pressures
towards Luisa began. Carlos, the company's submanager and Camilo's friend, asked him what was
or had happened with Luisa to have such ill will towards her, since it was evident that the way he
treated her was different from the way he treated other employees. Camilo didn't really know
what was wrong with Luisa, the only thing that was certain was that he couldn't stand her. The
solution Carlos gave her was to move her to a section where he didn't have much to do with her,
because the company was big enough for him to have other people around him and Luisa far from
his field of action. At first the idea was accepted by Camilo, but as he had the habit of meeting
with the employees of each section once a month, the section where Luisa was, started to become
a torture for Camilo and Luisa's colleagues started to make his life impossible. The latter was what
made Luisa resign and go to work for another company, so that everything in that section and in
the company would go back to the way it was before. How to interpret Camilo's attitude? Is it
possible to call the attitude of Luisa's colleagues who ended up provoking Luisa's departure and in
the process doing the manager a favor? Did Luisa have any other alternative?

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 13
Felipe is an acting student and since he started his career he has shown natural ability for his
chosen profession, but he has serious problems when facing texts or when he has to write any
kind of essay, because he admits that he is not good at writing.He also says that many others
have thought of things that he would not dare to think of and using this argument is that he
resorts to the Internet when he has to present an essay or a summary of a book. In practical
workshops his grades are outstanding and in theory, he has lost a couple of classes for
plagiarizing texts that do not correspond to him, so Felipe refuses to have to write essays or
summaries that are already written and will continue plagiarizing papers until they admit his
argument as valid. After three semesters and owing a good amount of theoretical classes, the
director of the career called him to his office so that he would come to his senses and change his
way of thinking about the theoretical work imposed by his professors, otherwise he would end up
owing all the theoretical classes and would not be able to graduate. In a compromise between
Felipe and the director of the career, he agreed to dedicate himself to getting his theoretical
courses ahead in order to qualify for the professional degree, although his commitment was short-
lived in the sense that at the first demand he searched the Internet for an article and presented it
as his own. Faced with such repeated misconduct, the school principal had no choice but to expel
him from school for poor academic performance and plagiarism of texts. Felipe's luck was with
him for a couple of years, because once he left school he went to a couple of casting calls and was
selected for a couple of supporting roles that would open a space for him in the world of acting;
however, when he had to face denser scripts, his lack of discipline in front of the texts revealed
his weakness as an actor. From then on, he was called upon to play minor and undemanding
roles, which limited him in what promised to be a successful career. The dilemma is whether Philip
should return to school and apply for re-entry or try to overcome his textbook bias.

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Case 14
Roberto and Claudia have been married for three years and the doctor confirmed a few days
ago that they are going to have a baby, a fact that will strengthen their promise of three years
ago: to be together for life. Once Claudia found out that she had become pregnant with Roberto's
child, they had a big family party to tell the good news. From that moment on, both Roberto and
Claudia devoted themselves completely to prepare for the arrival of their firstborn, not only from a
family and emotional point of view, but also from a scientific one, since they attended medical
check-ups on a regular basis.
When it was time for the ultrasound to show the sex of their first child, they agreed that no
matter if it was a boy or a girl, what they most wanted was for the baby to be born healthy,
however the doctor was concerned about the shape of the baby's head showing some
malformation, which would be confirmed in a couple of weeks when they had another
ultrasound.However, the doctor was concerned about the shape of the baby's head showing some
malformation, which would be confirmed in a couple of weeks when they had another ultrasound.
Once the malformation was confirmed, sadness and anguish took over Roberto and Claudia who
blamed each other for what happened to the baby; however, in the midst of the crisis, they
decided to visit another doctor to confirm the reading of their doctor and indeed the ultrasound
showed a malformation in the head and a flattening of the nose which led them to presume the
presence of Down Syndrome. Roberto thought about therapeutic abortion while Claudia continued
with the idea of having the baby. In consultation with her former doctor, he agreed with Roberto
and made many arguments to try to convince Claudia that abortion was the best option. Despite
understanding the reasons given by the doctor and Roberto's total conviction regarding the
abortion, Claudia made the decision to go ahead and have her baby, convinced that she would
give him the same love she would have given to a child born under normal conditions. In the
midst of the crisis, Roberto abandoned her and let Claudia have her baby with the support of the
maternal family and the rejection of the entire paternal family. Is there something reprehensible
about Claudia's attitude? What's wrong with Roberto's attitude? What is the right thing to do in
these cases?

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 15
Isabel is a woman who works for an insurance company and her salary depends on selling and
renewing insurance to her clients. She is one of the best in the company, as she is always at the
top of the ranking within the company. In order to stay at the top of the list, she lies to her clients
by inventing coverage that does not really exist, besides, a new insurance is worth more than a
renewal, which has led her to invent a way to increase her commissions; this consists of
suggesting to her oldest clients that one month before the insurance expires, they cancel it and
she renews them with other rates and greater benefits. In this way Isabel registers new
memberships in the company without the other colleagues or her boss suspecting what she is
doing. The few clients who do not agree to cancel their insurance one month in advance are
entered as renewals, but the vast majority are entered as new clients. This worked very well for
her until one of the company's supervisors began to investigate the reasons why these clients
cancelled their insurance policies a month before their expiration date, as there were many cases
and with the same saleswoman, which meant that this phenomenon was directly related to her.
The investigation showed that the saleswoman was the one who convinced them to do this in
order to improve the conditions of the plan, but in the end she was the one who benefited the
most in terms of her income at the end of the month. Fortunately for Isabel, among so many
insurance policies cancelled and reinstated as new ones, no claim occurred to the clients that
made her calculate the risks of what she was doing, however, for the insurance company this fault
turned out to be very serious and led to Isabel's expulsion from the company. Isabel, very angry,
considered that the dismissal was unfair; was Isabel's dismissal unfair?

• Unraveling
• Comment
• Conclusion
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Case 16
Carolina works in the post-sales office of one of the largest construction companies in Santiago
de Chile and her responsibility is to attend to the claims and complaints of the new owners, who,
upon occupying the houses and apartments, begin to find many faults in the finishes and poorly
finished works. But Carolina, by express order of one of her bosses, delays the process as long as
possible, so that the new owners end up making the arrangements on their own without
generating additional costs for the construction company. Despite her success, Carolina feels very
bad, as she questions her work within the construction company and how her work goes against
her principles, as she knows that the buildings and houses were built with low quality materials
and that despite being the responsibility of the construction company, the only thing she does is
to tire the people and finally evade responsibility. Of all the projects, there is one in particular that
has not only finishing flaws but also structural flaws, and the construction company may face a
lawsuit from the owners. There was so much pressure from the new owners to meet their
demands that Carolina collapsed and ended up resigning from the construction company. Her
crisis has led her to seriously question the social work and honesty of people who, like her, are
dedicated to construction. In one of her many reflections, Carolina has thought of studying
something else, as she does not think she can bear the corrupt environment that exists within her
profession. Who is responsible for the irresponsibility of construction companies? Should Carolina
abandon her profession or try to do something to change the deteriorating image of the guild?

• Unraveling
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• Conclusion
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Case 17
Enrique is an ambitious and unscrupulous person, because he does whatever it takes to win
friends in the upper echelons of the company; this is how for some time now he has been bringing
information to and from the bosses in order to gain appreciation, but his immediate boss, who
knows his game, has not entered into the dynamic of asking Enrique what he should know by his
own means. Thus, Enrique begins to create a bad atmosphere for his boss with the sole intention
of keeping his job and moving up quickly within the company. At Enrique's request, the board of
directors evaluates the possibility of a promotion for him, which would put him at the level of his
immediate boss in order to wage "war" on him with more autonomy, since his ambition is not only
to be promoted but also to manipulate the people who work there at his whim. Once in the new
position, Enrique continues the game of telling the owners of the company everything they need
to know to control it, only that his information is distorted and even ill-intentioned, which has
made many of the company's bosses lose their sympathy towards Enrique and not knowing what
to do with him, they decide to leave him in his current position but with many restrictions to
information and to the offices of the top executives of the company.This has caused many of the
company's bosses to lose their sympathy towards Enrique and not knowing what to do with him
they decide to leave him in his current position but with many restrictions to the information and
the offices of the company's top executives. Upon noticing this drastic change towards him,
Enrique believes that this is just his former boss's manipulations and starts an offensive against
his ex-boss, which only exposes Enrique's bad intentions and the abandonment of his
responsibilities because he is busy with things that do not correspond to him. In the midst of this
war declared by Enrique, everyone in the company continues to do their own thing while Enrique
has entered into a crisis of nerves that has made him sick, to the point of having to request a
medical leave of absence due to a nervous breakdown. The atmosphere in the company has
become so difficult for him that he is seriously thinking of resigning, as he believes that the bosses
are ungrateful for not having continued to trust him.

• Unraveling
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Case 18
At Centro Medico de la Mujer, they make around 20 silicone implants daily, most of them are
breast implants and the material they use is of very good quality; however, in order to lower
operating costs they have decided to buy the silicone from another company that has a couple of
lawsuits for selling very low quality products. This medical center, without warning the patients of
the risk they were running, decided to offer the implant with a promotion in which, with the
payment of one implant, a second woman could have the operation with a significant discount,
which made many of them raise the money and go to the operating room en masse. After having
made a lot of money with that promotion, they decided to go back to their old supplier and raise
the prices of the implants, in order to have in stock the best silicone that could be bought in the
market and thus avoid any suspicion.
Indeed, after a while, many women began to have allergic reactions to the silicone purchased
from the second supplier, when it was not that the implant did not present the consistency that
the client expected. After an investigation by the Ministry of Health, due to the irregularities found
and the constant complaints from women, they found nothing to indicate that they were using
poor quality products; but there was a client who requested a new investigation to determine if
indeed the promotion they had offered, was done with the same guarantees of quality, because
coincidentally, the complaints came from women who had undergone the surgery on
offer.However, there was a client who requested a new investigation to determine if the promotion
they had offered was actually carried out with the same quality guarantees, since, coincidentally,
the complaints came from women who had undergone the surgery offered. When the Ministry of
Health ordered to check the quality of the products used in the offer, it was able to verify that the
material had been withdrawn from the market for presenting a risk to patients. The order given by
the ministry to the medical center was to respond to the clients for their claims, disregarding the
vital risk they are in. An agreement has been reached between the Ministry of Health and the
medical center to reoperate on the women to avoid a major scandal or lawsuit. Is that the
solution? Won't there be other types of irregularities there? What about the nurses, medical staff
and anesthesiologists who volunteered for this Offer?

• Unraveling
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Case 19
At the beginning of 2005 Daniela started her internship in Design and in order to get a good
grade she worked overtime and helped all her colleagues in the office. As time went by, Daniela
acquired even more knowledge and because of her unconditional spirit, her bosses considered her
indispensable in the company, which led her to sign a contract without having finished her career,
a fact that made her very happy and was a source of pride for her entire family. However, due to
Daniela's workload, she left pending the final project with which she would get her degree. Two
years have passed and Daniela is still very important in the company, she has acquired more
knowledge, she is a good worker and has a very good relationship with her coworkers, which gave
her enough confidence to accept her boyfriend's marriage proposal. Daniela is all about happiness,
her job and her new family made her feel like a fulfilled woman, to the extent that she left behind
the need to get her degree. After 5 years in the office, the boss gathered the whole team and
gave them a big announcement and it consisted in the expansion of the office and the
incorporation of new personnel. The unpleasant situation for Daniela was that two former
colleagues from her career came to work in the office and although they had less experience than
her, the salary they had been assigned was higher. Daniela immediately spoke to her boss and
asked for a salary increase, since her experience was enough to put her above the designers who
had recently joined the office. The reason they arrived with a better salary was their professional
degree, which Daniela had "depreciated" because she had stayed there working. Everything seems
to indicate that Daniela will continue to earn less than any of her colleagues in the office due to
the lack of a professional degree, and that her experience will not be recognized. Is what
happened to Daniela unfair or is it a product of her carelessness for not having graduated?

• Unraveling
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Case 20
Flor is a Nursing Assistant who works in a private medical center and her job is to take blood
samples from patients who arrive there with a doctor's order. His knowledge of the subject allows
him to read and interpret the test results with some clarity, but it is the physician alone who is
empowered to deliver the results to his patients. On one occasion a patient came in with an order
for a blood sample to determine if he had AIDS, and once the results came back, the patient's
curiosity led him to ask the nurse for the results. Flor, knowing the result, preferred to keep quiet
and wait for the doctor to give him the news that he was a carrier of the virus. However, the
doctor preferred to hide the truth because he was dealing with the son of a great friend, who had
been diagnosed with cancer and in order not to give him this news that would surely increase his
pain and suffering, he decided to hide the truth. To Flor this lie seemed a very serious fault and
she decided to talk to the doctor, who explained to her the delicate situation in which the father of
the patient carrying the virus found himself; however, Flor asked the doctor if he had ever thought
about whether this patient, believing himself healthy, could infect other people, which would be
much more serious if the father with cancer died because of the pain of the news. However, Flor
asked the doctor if he had ever thought about whether this patient, believing he was healthy,
could infect other people, which would be much more serious than the father with cancer dying
because of the pain of the news. The conversation with the doctor concluded that he would, in due
course, tell his friend's son that he was an AIDS carrier so that he would undergo treatment
immediately; however, six months had passed and the doctor had still not told the truth to his
friend's son and, of course, Flor did not stop thinking that valuable time was being wasted to start
treatment with the patient and that he could be infecting other people with his virus.However, six
months had passed and the doctor still did not tell his friend's son the truth and of course Flor
kept thinking that he was losing valuable time to start treatment with the patient and that he
could be infecting other people with his virus. Should Flor tell this patient the truth? Should you
pressure the doctor to do so?

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General Conclusion
Almost all the literature dedicated to ethics agrees that there is not and cannot be a guide
or a manual from which the human being can give answers to all the dilemmas that arise in life.
For this reason, it must resort to common sense or ethical principles as the main guiding principles
for its actions.
Common sense and universal ethical principles are two things that go hand in hand, since
when we speak of ethical principles, we are referring to notions that have been the fruit of
reflection over the centuries on human nature and the way in which it can be perfected through
individual actions. One danger, in this type of discussion, is that of moral relativism, which
embodies the "easiest" position to sustain, since it allows us to dissociate ourselves from the
notions of "good" and "evil" as possible predicates of our actions. One could calmly do "whatever
one wants"; but at the same time represent the most easily refutable ethical position, since if -as
a relativist- I point out as "bad" to come to tell one what is "right" or what is "wrong," it turns out
that I would be contradicting myself by qualifying that as "wrong," that is, by using a predicate
that I myself am dismissing as inconclusive.
However, any ethical discussion, if it really intends to arrive at a convincing answer, must
constantly confront itself with the ethical principles that should guide the actions of individuals and
with the virtues that they should embody in order to act in accordance with these principles, that
is, for their own good and that of others.
The study of practical ethics through cases, combining common sense and principles as a
basis for decision making. Thus, cases can be analyzed from different angles.
The first is that, by reading the facts, the reader can anticipate the consequences of each
particular choice or situation, identifying the people affected by the decision and drawing his or
her own conclusions.
Second, you can use the rules or ethical principles, assuming that we always keep them in
mind, such as never lie, never kill, defend the freedom of others as strongly as I defend my own,
among others.
Third: the possibility of launching hypotheses about how we would like to be treated or
how we would have liked the person to act; that is, to put in front of reality an ideal situation that
can serve in the future for better decision making, because in life we have situations that are
similar and if we have adopted a position with criteria, it will not be difficult for reality to resemble
what we want.
What remains after presenting 80 cases so that teachers and students can do the exercise
with real elements, is that reflection tells us that when faced with an ethical dilemma we must
take the necessary time and think the situation over two or three times, so as not to regret
irreparable consequences; in the worst case, we can know where the mistake was in order to
learn from it.
- 209
-
Office
The purpose of this work is to encourage schools and all their professors to encourage the
discussion of ethical issues, since teachers who do not belong to the Ethics Program spend most of
their time thinking about their specific discipline, and ethical reflection with students is left only for
the Ethics professors; hence, in most cases this subject is considered strange and sometimes even
unproductive.This is the reason why in most cases this subject that is taught is considered strange
and sometimes even unproductive. However, the students' criteria is unanimous on the subject:
leadership and ethical learning begins with moral leaders, those who today should be inside the
classroom, since in many families they have been lost. All this means that students expect their
teachers to be human beings who can teach by example at all times, which implies a double
responsibility: to educate and to train, that is, to deliver specific knowledge and soft knowledge
for the formation of the person. This can only be achieved if ethical judgment is trained and
strengthened; that is, if we make it a habit.
This work, done in simple language, is the first manual of moral training, from which great
moral champions can be formed.
- 210
-

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COMMITMENT TO QUALITY

Luis Franco Gaviria

I PART I Presentation of the Cases

Case 1 Executive Assistant

However, this work aims to be a useful contribution, since it is aimed at developing in

I PART I Presentation of the Cases

Case 1 On Equal Terms

2. Ethical issues involved: Prudence, Equality, and Respect.

Case 2 A Good Decision

2. Ethical issues involved: Strength, Honesty and Freedom.

Case 3 Why, if they are going to die anyway?

2. Ethical issues involved: Lack of professionalism and unfairness.

Case 4 Do not forget the principles

2. Ethical issues involved: Responsibility and Dialogue

Case 5 Misdirected loyalty

2. Ethical Issues Involved: Abuse of Power, Servility, Fortitude, Justice

In Marie-France Irigoyen's terms, we are faced with a typical case of a perverse

Case 6 Company "Torreblanca

2. Ethical issues involved: Responsibility, Respect, Fortitude, Temperance and Justice.

Nowadays it is common for some companies to use certain accounting irregularities to

Case 7 Not everything in life is made for the money

2. Ethical issues involved: Justice

Case 8 No vision for the future

TyT is a subcontractor in the telecommunications industry and its basic function is to

2. Ethical issues involved: Loyalty, Honesty, Dialogue and Trust.

Case 9 A second chance

2. Ethical Issues Involved: Prudence, Honesty

Case 10 The Offer

2. Ethical Issues involved: Loyalty and Dialogue

Case 11 Abuse of Power

ASOJOVEN is an international institution dedicated to benefiting low-income youth with

2. Ethical issues involved. Abuse of power, corruption, prudence

Although the efficiency of a person in a position normally depends on the knowledge

Case 12 Use and abuse of medical licenses

The units are composed as follows:

Special Cases Nursing Assistants:

• JB: constant licenses, traumatological (every time she has

• MA: conflictive person, so she does not communicate well

- LS : presents a leave of absence for depression due to

- VB : very special person in the service, constantly

^ Special cases Midwives:

• CR: leave of absence as head midwife due to pregnancy,

• SA: third child since joining the institution. In the case of

Special case Secretary:

-EJ : 18 years in the institution, chief secretary, first leave

2. Ethical Issues. Responsibility, prudence, Vocation

Case 13 False illusions

2. Ethical issues involved. Sincerity, strength, human dignity

Case 14 Dialogue companies

2. Ethical issues involved. Tolerance, equality, respect and solidarity

Case 16 Rivalry in the workplace

2. Ethical Issues Involved. Strength, Negative Values and Envy

Case 17 A wrong decision

Luisa Martinez, graduated in 1994, with a degree in Aquaculture Engineering from a

2. Ethical issues involved. Mix of virtues and vices

document he signed with the boss.

2. Ethical Issues Involved. Fortitude, temperance, justice

Case 19 Teaching to steal

The family, as a stable entity (father-mother-children relationship), is indispensable for the

2. Ethical issues involved. Prudence, Humility

However, to speak of professionals who make long-term decisions, obviously under

CASE 21 Unemployment or Unemployability

2. Ethical issues involved. Creative tension and discipline