Ethics case studies task out.

Choose one case to review as a team and present to class

#1 A WOMAN NEW TO MANAGEMENT

My name is Martha and I have recently been hired as a manager at this large insurance company. An employee of mine, named Jill is only working four days a week, taking the fifth day off to follow her other vocation being a docent at a museum. When I told her I really needed her to be here every day, she said her former boss - now my boss - had given her permission that clearly trumped my objection. I confirmed with him that this was the case. My new role required me to travel a great deal so I am dependent on Jill to keep things running while I am away. Even though I clearly conveyed priorities to her, she worked on whatever she wanted to whenever she wanted. Again, I was new to the company and she was a tenured employee. Unfortunately, Jill was the only person trained to manage our complex database. The only other person in the company who could pull data from it was on the CEOs staff and that staff traveled frequently also. Jills reports were late to me so my reports were late to everyone else. The CEO would come to my office every morning asking for the latest numbers, which were our Companies barometer of progress in a new venture I was put in charge of. Yesterday, I saw Jill spent an hour talking to my boss behind closed doors in his office. When I asked her what was the discussing about she stated she was just catching up with her former Boss.

1. Define the Problem. What is the ethical dilemma? 2. Gather the Necessary Facts.
3. List Possible Alternative Solutions. 4. Analyze the Consequences of Each Alternative. 5. Recommend a Plan of Action.

#2 The Case of Maria Rotas

Maria Rotas has cleaned your house each week for more than a year. You agree with your friend who recommended her that she does an excellent job and is well worth the $30 cash you pay her for three hours work. Youve also come to like her, and you think she likes you, especially as her English has become better and youve been able to have some pleasant conversations.

Over the past three weeks, however, youve noticed Maria Rotas becoming more and more distracted. One day, you ask her if something is wrong, and she tells you she really needs to make additional money. She hastens to say she is not asking you for a raise, becomes upset, and begins to cry. When she calms down a little, she tells you her story.

She came to the United States six years ago from Mexico with her child, Paco, who is now 7 years old. They enter the county on a visitors visa that has expired, and Maria Rotas now uses a Social Security number she made up.

Her common-law husband, Luis, came to the United States first. He entered the country illegally, after paying smugglers $500 to hide him under piles of grass cuttings for a six-hour truck ride across the border. When he had made enough money from low-paying day jobs, he sent for Maria Rotas. Using a false green card, Luis now works as a busboy for a restaurant, which withholds part of his salary for taxes. When Maria Rotas comes to work at your house, she takes the bus and Luis baby-sits.

Luis quickly discovered, as did Maria Rotas, that life in the US was not the way they had heard it. The cousin did not tell them they would be able to

afford to live only in a run-down three-room apartment with two other couples and their children. He did not tell them they would always live in fear of INS raids.

After they entered the United States, Maria Rotas and Luis had a second child, Lorenzo, who is 5 years old. The birth was difficult because she didnt use the health-care system or welfare for fear of being discovered as undocumented. But, she tells you; she is willing to put up with anything so that her children can have a better life. All the money we make is for Paco and Lorenzo, she tells you. We work hard for their education and their future.

Now, however, her mother in Mexico is dying, and Maria Rotas must return home, leaving Luis and the children. She does not want to leave them because she might not be able to get back into the United States, but she is pretty sure she can find a way to return if the has enough money. That is her problem: She doesnt have enough money to make certain she can get back.

After she tells you her story, she becomes too distraught to continue talking. You now know she is an undocumented immigrant, working in your home.

1. Define the Problem. What is the ethical dilemma? 2. Gather the Necessary Facts.
3. List Possible Alternative Solutions. 4. Analyze the Consequences of Each Alternative. 5. Recommend a Plan of Action.

#3 An Issue of School Funding: A Business Case Study

Fizzell Corporation, with its Southwest headquarters in Peyton, has been in business since 1951. Its hottest-selling product is a soft drink, Fizzie, which has pushed it up to the top five beverage companies in the world. In addition to soft drinks, Fizzell produces candies and snack foods.

Rebecca Jones has worked for Fizzell since 1982 and has been its Executive Vice President for the past five years. She has lived in Peyton most of her life. Fizzell held a senior management meeting to discuss advertising and selling its products in the Peyton school district with its 30,000 students.

The school district hasnt passed a bond issue in 15 years and depends on funds from the state government for its increasing revenue needs. During this time, it added instructional programs for an increasing number of students who come to school with learning problems. In addition, the districts school buildings are aging and need substantial repairs.

In order to keep up with the times, the district purchased computers and software for all its schools classrooms along with up-to-date- technology for the central office. This expense has been controversial in the community. The district is strapped for cash and in danger of having to reduce popular programs and even close a few schools.

The Peyton City School District enrollment has gradually declined during the past decade. Its locale has little room for further development; new businesses tend to locate outside the district. Likewise, many people have been leaving to find newer, more affordable, suburban homes. All this has reduced tax revenues to support the schools.

Fizzells senior management team has prepared a proposal that would give the school district much-needed funds in exchange for exclusive rights to sell their beverages and snacks in school vending machines. This deal also includes the opportunity to advertise products on the district school buses and athletic scoreboards.

Rebeccas colleagues on the senior management team all favor the proposal. For a modest investment in the school district, the potential profit on the advertising and sale of their products could be substantial. But Rebecca had doubts about the integrity of this deal.

Rebecca has a keen interest in education and knows how important more funds are to the school district. However, she is troubled with the ethical consequences of selling to students who are a captive audience. Likewise, she heard from a parent group who argued persuasively that schools compromise their educational mission when they encourage students to be consumers.

The conflict between Rebeccas job as an officer of Fizzell and her responsibility as a citizen of the community leaves her in a quandary.

1. Define the Problem. What is the ethical dilemma? 2. Gather the Necessary Facts.
3. List Possible Alternative Solutions. 4. Analyze the Consequences of Each Alternative. 5. Recommend a Plan of Action.

#4 The Case of the Cyber City Network

The City Council of Cyber City, USA, is debating a new program: the Cyber City Network, a service that would allow residents to access a wide variety of municipal and school services from their home computers. If the program is approved, residents will be able to scan the citys job listings, apply for building permits, ask questions of the police department, or get their children's homework using the Internet. City Council agendas would be posted, and citizens could testify at council meetings from offsite computers. Recreation Department schedules would be available on the network, and parents could sign their children up for sports teams online. Parents could also communicate with teachers. Businesspeople who require city permits and licenses could apply for them via the Cyber City Network.

About a third of Cyber Citys 45,000 residents own a computer equipped with modems, which would allow them to log on to the network from their homes. The city has promised to provide 10 additional computers at elementary schools, senior centers, and libraries for those who dont have ready access at home. You have been asked to testify at City Council about the ethical implications of the Cyber City Network. Will you urge the members to vote yes or no?

1. Define the Problem. What is the ethical dilemma? 2. Gather the Necessary Facts.
3. List Possible Alternative Solutions. 4. Analyze the Consequences of Each Alternative. 5. Recommend a Plan of Action.

#5 Ethical Decision in a Garment Factory

1. Define the Problem. What is the ethical dilemma? 2. Gather the Necessary Facts.
3. List Possible Alternative Solutions. 4. Analyze the Consequences of Each Alternative. 5. Recommend a Plan of Action.

#6 Environmental Compliance

Jonica Gunson is the environmental compliance manager for a small plastics manufacturing company. She is currently faced with the decision whether or not to spend money on new technology that will reduce the level

of a particular toxin in the wastewater that flows out the back of the factory and into a lake. The factory's emission levels are already within legal limits. However, Jonica knows that environmental regulations for this particular toxin are lagging behind scientific evidence. In fact, a scientist from the university had been quoted in the newspaper recently, saying that if emission levels stayed at this level, the fish in the lakes and rivers in the area might soon have to be declared unsafe for human consumption. Further, if companies in the region don't engage in some self-regulation on this issue, there is reason to fear that the government backed by public opinion may force companies to begin using the new technology, and may also begin requiring monthly emission level reports (which would be both expensive and time consuming). But the company's environmental compliance budget is tight. Asking for this new technology to be installed would put Jonica's department overbudget, and could jeopardize the company's ability to show a profit this year.

1. Define the Problem. What is the ethical dilemma? 2. Gather the Necessary Facts.
3. List Possible Alternative Solutions. 4. Analyze the Consequences of Each Alternative. 5. Recommend a Plan of Action.

#7 Waste Alternate Location

Vickie Barker works as a clerk for Gravco Environmental Services, a small toxic-waste disposal company. The company has a contract to dispose of medical waste from a local hospital. During the course of her work, Vickie comes across documents that suggest that Gravco has actually been disposing of some of this medical waste in a local municipal landfill. Vickie is shocked. She knows this practice is illegal. And even though only a small portion of the medical

waste that Gravco handles is being disposed of this way, any amount at all seems a worrisome threat to public health. Vickie gathers together the appropriate documents and takes them to her immediate superior, Dave Lamb. Dave says, "Look, I don't think that sort of thing is your concern, or mine. We're in charge of record-keeping, not making decisions about where this stuff gets dumped. I suggest you drop it." The next day, Vickie decides to go one step further, and talk to Angela Silgenburg, the company's Operations Manager. Angela is clearly irritated. Angela says, "This isn't your concern. Look, these are the sorts of costcutting moves that let a little company like ours compete with our giant competitors. Besides, everyone knows that the regulations in this area are overly cautious. There's no real danger to anyone from the tiny amount of medical waste that 'slips' into the municipal dump. I consider this matter closed." Vickie considers her situation. The message from her superiors was loud and clear. She strongly suspects that making further noises about this issue could jeopardize her job. Further, she generally has faith in the company's management. They've always seemed like honest, trustworthy people. But she was troubled by this apparent disregard for public safety. On the other hand, she asks herself whether maybe Angela was right in arguing that the danger was minimal. Vickie looks up the phone number of an old friend who worked for the local newspaper.

1. Define the Problem. What is the ethical dilemma? 2. Gather the Necessary Facts.
3. List Possible Alternative Solutions. 4. Analyze the Consequences of Each Alternative. 5. Recommend a Plan of Action.