cases business ethics 2015-2016

Individual Case 1: “The lost coupon”

Joe, Ellen and a group of three others were riding in the hotel elevator from the twelfth floor to the casino. At the seventh floor one other individual joint and they all overheard the following conversation between the group of three: "Just tell them that you lost the coupon."

"We could, but that's what we told them last time and it was hard to convince them."

"Well, make-up a believable story, like you opened the outside deck door to your room and the wind just blew it out."

"We really want to save that $82.00, and we can't do it unless you get us a coupon too."

At this particular hotel if one stays an additional night as a registered guest, one can request an additional night coupon for half price. The cost of the room is normally $164.00. It appears that a couple wanted to check in for one night only, but wanted to use the discount coupon from a friend for their first night. By having the friend get the additional second night coupon, they could save $82.00 for their first night. It was hotel policy that the coupon could be used for an additional night or on a return visit.

From overhearing the conversation, the couple had made it clear that they were going directly to the front desk to negotiate the small scam and that is where Joe was going also. He realized he would be standing directly behind the person as they lied about their situation. Interestingly, Joe and Ellen are investors in the corporation that owns the hotel. What makes matters worse is that, behind Joe and Ellen, the individual from the seventh floor is also waiting in line….

Case based on and adapted from: http://www.uvu.edu

Question 1 Problem statementQuestion: Formulate short and brief the problem of this case. Instruction: Read the case. Pick the problem you would like to analyse and, based on this, formulate a problem statement.

It must clearly state:What the problem isWho has to act (the problem owner)The moral nature of the problem

Question 2 Problem analysisQuestion: State the 5 most important stakeholders and their interests.Which interests conflict with each other?State the relevant, uncertain and possible missing facts you need to solve this problem.

Question 3 Options for actionThe problem owner of your choice has several options in this case. Make a list of actions out of which he could choose. State four different options

Question 4 Intuition: Explain what you would do if you were the problem owner. Reflect on all options derived from question 3.

Hand in this assignment at or before the beginning of next lecture!

http://www.uvu.edu/

Review and feedback form Individual assignment 1

Name student: Date:Student ID: Assessor:

Topics Comment Points Phase 1: Moral problem statement (30 points)It must clearly state:What the problem isWho has to actThe moral nature of the problem

Phase 2: Problem Analysis (30 points)Stakeholders and their interestsRelevant moral valuesRelevant, uncertain and possible missing facts

Phase 3: Options for action (30 points)Black-and-white strategyCreative middle way solutionsCooperation strategyWhistle blowing

Phase 4: Ethical evaluation (10 points)Intuition (explain what you would do when you were the problem owner. Reflect on all options derived in phase 3)TOTAL POINTS AWARDED

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3.5.2 Individual assignment 2 Case: “HR dilemma”

Table of contents: Phase 1,2,3 and 4 of the ethical cycle: Moral problem statement Problem analysis Options for action Intuition Utilitarianism Bentham Mill

Individual Case: “HR dilemma”You are a Human Resources Specialist and work for a staffing services company. Early Monday morning you receive a phone call from one of your most important clients. They want to get rid of one of your assignment employees (is a temporary employee of your company). The employee has been absent for several days because she is pregnant. She has been working as a banking receptionist, a position that requires consistent attendance and a cheerful disposition towards bank clients. You discuss the legal consequences attendant on firing or reassigning a pregnant employee; this includes possibilities such as a wrongful dismissal and an anti discrimination suit. But your client is not receptive of this. He responds by asking you if you can think of a legal way to “get around” these problems.

Case based on and adapted from: http://www.uprm.edu/etica/PDF/Web/HumanResourcesSpecialist.pdf

Question 1 Moral problem statementFormulate short and brief the problem of this case. Instruction: Read the case. Pick the problem for analysis and, based on this, formulate a problem statement.

It must clearly state:What the problem isWho has to act (the problem owner)The moral nature of the problem

Question 2 Problem analysisState the 5 most important stakeholders and their interests.Which interests conflict with each other?State the relevant, uncertain and possible missing facts you need to solve this problem. (you may make assumptions)

Question 3 Options for actionThe problem owner of your choice has several options in this case. Make a list of actions out of which he could choose. State three different options.

Question 4 Ethical Evaluation - IntuitionBased on your intuition, what would you do?

Question 5 Ethical evaluation - UtilitarianismQuestion 5a: What would Jeremy Bentham say? List all stakeholders and their different interests for three options and score these - for example from 1 (being negative) to 5 (being positive). Which option would be regarded as the best according to utilitarian principles?Question 5b: Do you think that John Stuart Mill would come to another conclusion? Why or why not?

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http://www.uprm.edu/etica/PDF/Web/HumanResourcesSpecialist.pdf

Question 6 ReflectionWould these theories help you in choosing any of the options? If yes explain why, if not explain why not. Elaborate!


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Phase 2: Problem Analysis (20 points)Stakeholders and their interestsRelevant moral valuesRelevant, uncertain and possible missing facts (relevant facts derived from recent articles, literature)


Phase 4: Ethical evaluation (40 points)IntuitionCommon senseUtilitarianismUtility principle (Bentham)Freedom principle (Mill)

Phase 5: Reflection (10 points)Reflect on the outcomes and use of the utilitarian approach of phase 4TOTAL POINTS AWARDED

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3.5.3 Individual assignment 3: case: “Unreliable”

Table of contents:Phase 1,2,3 of the ethical cycle:

Moral problem statement Problem analysis Options for action Phase 4 of the ethical cycle: Intuition Utilitarianism Bentham Mill Kantiism Deontology (Kant)

Description of the case: “Marta Malasobras is unreliable”

Marta Malasobras is unreliable. She has arrived late to work almost every day. Her co-workers are quite angry about this and discuss their frustrations with the supervisor. They claim that she is affecting the work environment. Because she is not doing her share, everyone else in the work team is overloaded.

Marta’s group carries out a process that requires cooperative group work. Four operators must work as one coordinated production unit. If one team member is absent, the rest of the team works less efficiently. Company policy mandates that hourly employees must begin everyday at 6:00 a.m.

The supervisor talked with Marta and has asked her why she is so often late. She burst into tears. She had to drive her six-year old boy to school every morning. The school gates do not open until 6:30 and she has to wait until this time to drop off her son safely. This particular morning, bowing to the pressure she felt from her work team, she dropped her boy off before the gates opened. She worried about him the entire morning. She knew that she had to get to work on time. She understood the effect that her habitual lateness was having on her group’s effectiveness. Yet there was no one she could find to take her boy to work in the morning.The supervisor finds himself being unhappy about this situation and tries to figure out what to do.

Question 1 Problem Statement: Formulate short and brief the problem of this case. Instruction: Read the case. Pick the problem you would like to analyse and, based on this, formulate a problem statement by using a moral / normative question.

The question must clearly state: What the problem is Who has to act (the problem owner) The moral nature of the problem

Explain yourself!

Question 2 Problem AnalysisState the 5 most important stakeholders and their interests or values.Which interests conflict with each other?

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State the relevant facts and the uncertain or possible missing facts you need to solve this problem. (you may make assumptions)

Question 3 Options for actionThe problem owner of your choice has several options in this case. Make a list of actions out of which he could choose. State three different options.

Question 4 Ethical evaluation - Intuition

Based on your intuition, what would you do?

Question 5 Ethical evaluation - UtilitarianismQuestion 5a: What would Jeremy Bentham say? List all stakeholders and their different interests for three options and score these - for example from 1 (being negative) to 5 (being positive). Which option would be regarded as the best according to utilitarian principles? And from the black & white perspective?Question 5b: Do you think that John Stuart Mill would come to another conclusion? Why or why not?

Question 6 Ethical Evaluation - Kant

Question 6a - Universalistic principle (The first maxim)Formulate the universalistic principle for both the black and the white scenario. Could this be a universal law? If yes, explain. If no, formulate the contradiction.

Question 6b - Respect principle (The second maxim)State for the black and white scenario whether or not the stakeholders (Other than the problem owner) are treated as an end (goal) and/or as a mean (tool). (in other words: are they being given the opportunity to act as a rational human being?) Explain yourself.

Question 6 c - What would a deontologist do in this situation?

Question 7 Reflection

What would you do after your ethical evaluation?What makes it difficult for you to make this choice?What conflicts do you feel or could you create following this decision?What do you like about Kant’s ethics of principles?What criticism do you have on Kant’s ethics of principle?

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Phase 4: Ethical evaluation (60 points)IntuitionCommon senseUtilitarianismUtility principle (Bentham)Freedom principle (Mill)Kant’s theoryUniversality principleReciprocity principle

Phase 5: Reflection (10 points)Reflect on the differences and outcomes of the utilitarian an Kantian approach of phase 4TOTAL POINTS AWARDED


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3.5.4 Individual assignment 4:Case “Yesterday's Pastry”

Table of contents:Phase 1,2,3 of the ethical cycle:

Moral problem statement Problem analysis Options for action

Phase 4 of the ethical cycle: Intuition

Utilitarianism Bentham Mill Kantiism Deontology (Kant) Virtue Ethics and professional virtues

Phase 5 of the ethical cycle: Wide reflective equilibrium

Yesterday's Pastry

By Rama Asundi

Atlantic bakery, owned by Manuel Trigo, makes a variety of pastries to serve the Mayagüez community. The product is good, and Trigo's business has grown rapidly. He is justly proud of the quality of his products and their fair prices. But success brings its own problems. Trigo finds it increasingly difficult to handle both the financial aspects of the business and the bakery operation. He has decided to concentrate on baking and delegate the financial responsibilities to José Chavito, a recent graduate from the College of Business Administration at UPRM. José joined Atlantic bakery with great expectations of improving the business operation and increasing its profitability. Upon setting up a paper accounting system, he found that the profitability of the operation was not very good and somewhat erratic. Part of the problem stemmed from increasing competition. But Atlantic also lost money because of the large amounts of left over pastries that were simply thrown away. José decided to solve this problem by mixing the left over pastries with fresh ones and then selling the whole lot at a slightly reduced price. This eliminated the waste and also benefited the customer by lowering the overall price. But it also lowered quality because some of the items bought by the customer were not as fresh as the others. Still, José reasoned that the lower prices would attract new customers while eliminating profit draining waste. Manuel Trigo feels a bit uncomfortable with the situation, and he wonders if he is doing the right thing for both his customers and the company….Overall he has 8 employees in the bakery, and he can’t afford to let his bakery go bankrupt, since he feels responsible for the wellbeing of his employees and their families….

Question 1 Problem statement

Question: Formulate short and brief the problem of this case. Instruction: Read the case. Pick the problem for analysis and, based on this, formulate a problem statement.

It must clearly state: What the problem is

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Who has to act The moral nature of the problem Problem analysis

Question 2 Problem analysisState the 4 most important stakeholders and their interests.Which interests conflict with each other?State the relevant, uncertain and possible missing facts you need to solve this problem. (you may make assumptions)

Question 3 Options for action

Question: The problem owner has several options in this case. Make a list of actions out of which he could choose. State three different options.

Question 4 Ethical Evaluation - Intuition

Based on your intuition, what would you do?

Question 5 Ethical evaluation - Utilitarianism

Question 5a: What would Jeremy Bentham say? List all stakeholders and their different interests for three options and score these - for example from 1 (being negative) to 5 (being positive). Which option would be regarded as the best according to utilitarian principles? And from the black & white perspective?

Question 5b: Do you think that John Stuart Mill would come to another conclusion? Why or why not?

Question 6 Ethical Evaluation - Kant

Question 6a - Universalistic principle (The first maxim)Formulate the universalistic principle for both the black and the white scenario. Could this be a universal law? If yes, explain. If no, formulate the contradiction.

Question 6b - Respect principle (The second maxim)State for the black and white scenario whether or not the stakeholders (Other than the problem owner) are treated as an end (goal) and/or as a mean (tool). (in other words: are they being given the opportunity to act as a rational human being?) Explain yourself.

Question 6 c - What would a deontologist do in this situation?

Question 7 Ethical evaluation - Virtues

Question 7a: Which professional virtues do you think, does an entrepreneur need to have in general? List 5 virtues in order of relevance, the first being the most important, according to you.12…..

Question 7b: Which virtues does the problem owner need to possess to make a morally right decision in this specific situation? List 5 virtues in order of relevance, the first being the most important, according to you.12……

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Question 7c: Are there any differences between the first and second list of virtues? If no, why not. If yes, explain why these differences occur.

Question 7d: Considering your answers above: If Manuel Trigo had to act according to virtue ethics, what would be the right decision in this situation?

Question 8 Reflection

Explore your answers on the four ethical approaches (Intuition, Utilitarianism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics) and see if you gave (can give) an answer considering the questions below.

Final questions:

a)What is your philosophical or ethical justification whichever way you decide? Utilitarianism? Deontology? Virtue Ethics? Other?

b)Which theory helps you best in this situation? Explain yourself by giving pro’s and con’s about the different theories.

c)Which of these theories helps you to bargain for your own intuitive decision?

d)Are you able to reason against people who favor other decisions in this case?

e)What happens if you would have to take it on against somebody with a complete different opinion?

f) What would you do in this specific business situation?

g)Would the same solution work in different countries?

h)Can company rules or codes of conduct provide a solution in this situation?


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Name student: Date:Student ID: Assessor:Topics Comment Points Phase 1: Moral problem statement (5 points)It must clearly state:What the problem isWho has to actThe moral nature of the problem



Phase 4: Ethical evaluation (50 points)IntuitionCommon senseUtilitarianismUtility principle (Bentham)Freedom principle (Mill)Kant’s theoryUniversality principleReciprocity principleVirtue ethics (Aristotle) / professional virtues

Phase 5: Reflection (15 points)Criticise each of the ethical theories Answer the questions for reflection:Does an ethical framework provide reasons that support my intuitive opinion?Does an ethical framework succeed in selecting those features of a situation that are morally relevant?Wide reflective equilibrium!

Phase 6: Moral acceptable action (5 points)

Define the Moral acceptable actionTOTAL POINTS AWARDED

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4 Group assignment second period: Research Paper

4.1 Assessment criteria Research Plan of Approach EBEBEH1B.5

Countries:………………………………………. First/second change:………………………..

Name student/ID:……………………………… Name Student/ID…………………………….

Name student/ID:……………………………… Name Student/ID…………………………….

Subjects GO/NOGO Remarks Two countries of research Main Research question

(something like the question “How is business ethics practised in country x and y?” is possible)

Sub questions: Theoretical, Empirical, Analytical.(which questions does the student need to ask in order to solve the main research questions? See also the main topics from the assessment criteria)

Research methodology (interview, survey, desk research, observations, literature study etc.)

Time plan (when to execute the activities / research methodology): What does the student need to know and in which order?

Division of tasks and responsibilities.

Assignments to be handed in hardcopy and well presented (covers, front, title page, index, references, reference list and appendixes etc…).

The title page includes: Course name Title Students names Students Ids Signature of each student Date Total GO/NOGO

Teacher:……………………………………. Date:……………………………………………………

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4.2 Assessment Criteria Research Paper EBEBEH1B.7

Name student: Date:

Student ID: Assessor:

Topics Comment Points

Analysis of definitions (10 points) Describe with a clear and correct use of

resources, four common international definitions of ethics, business ethics and culture. (other than the ones we have used in class)

Give a critical comparison of the definitions, look for similarities and differences.

Analyse and make your own definition of ethics, business ethics and culture based on the four definitions you have found.

Show examples of how business ethics is executed from theoretical research. (What are the common approaches, other than the theories you had during this class?)

Analysis of cultures in two different countries (20 points)

Compare and analyse the cultures of the two selected countries on the basis of the theories of Hofstede and Trompenaars. (use all the appropriate dimensions! >10 % difference in scores between countries is assumed to give cross cultural problems)

Analyse and describe the possible influence of the national cultures on the practice of business ethics in these countries (think of topics like HR, Marketing etc..Your own interest; meaning 3 or 4 topics)

Elaborate! Summarise these factors.

Description and analysis of ethics in practice in two different countries (10 points)

Describe how ethics is practiced in the two selected countries, using various resources (Internet, articles, literature).

Address at least two practices per country. Analyse and compares the resemblances and differences and explain them from ethical theories and cultural dimensions.

Elaborate. Draw conclusions.

Two examples of ‘business ethics in practice’ from companies in the respective countries (25 points)

Describe two real life examples of business ethics in practice, using input from real profit or non-profit organisations from these countries. Analyse these real life examples and explain the resemblances and differences and explains them from theory of business ethics and cultural dimensions. - Formulates a correct moral problem

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statement 10% - Makes a relevant problem analysis 20%- Defines options for action 10%- Evaluates ethical options 50%- Reflects on the outcomes 10%

Draw conclusions.

Compares theory and practice and draws conclusions, answering the main research question, including a critical reflection on the research, validity and reliability issues. (15 points)

This analysis includes an analysis of different cultural factors

Presents research process, outcomes and critical reflection to the rest of the class (15 points)

(see also reflection criteria from previous assignments)

TOTAL POINTS AWARDED

Notes: Do not forget to use the ethical theories we have addressed in previous period!Make use of correct references in the text and in reference list!

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5. Peer assessment Group assignment EBEBEH1B.9

This peer assessment gives you the opportunity to assess your fellow group members and yourself. As every group member will have this opportunity, it gives a clear indication of the contributions each team member has made to this assignment. Furthermore this is of course also an ethical issue, so it is a tool that fits with this course.The result of this peer assessment will influence the individual grades, based on the overall assignment grade.

Please complete the form below:

A: Your overall group assignment grade =

B: Number of team members (including yourself) =

A x B (number of points you can divide among team members =

You may now divide the outcome amongst yourself and your team members. Please note that you may split this up in content, group dynamics and procedures. Content meaning the actual input and work on the content of the assignment. Group dynamics, meaning the contribution to the team and atmosphere. Procedures, meaning following up agreements, being on time, handing in work etc….

4.1 Example

A: Your overall group assignment grade = 8

B: Number of team members (including yourself) = 4

A x B (number of points you can divide among team members) = 32

Member: Stephan Plat

Points awarded

TOP – compliment TIP - advice

Content 2,5 Good job on the article search Try to give more input for the analysis

Group dynamics 3Always cheerful Try to talk with less volume

Procedures 2Always on time for meetings Try to follow up deadlines

Overall* 7,5

* The overall score is the grade that you would assess to this person. The total of overall points of all team members should correspond with the outcome of A x B.

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After scoring, discuss the outcomes with your fellow group members: State three personal points for improvement which you will actively pursue in the next group assignment (research)

Member:

Points awarded


Content

Group dynamics

Procedures

Overall*


Member:

Points awarded


Content

Group dynamics

Procedures

Overall*


Member:

Points awarded


Content

Group dynamics

Procedures

Overall*


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Member:

Points awarded


Content

Group dynamics

Procedures

Overall*


Member:

Points awarded


Content

Group dynamics

Procedures

Overall*


Member:

Points awarded


Content

Group dynamics

Procedures

Overall*


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cases business ethics 2015-2016

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