978-0078023866 Chapter 2 Internet Exercise and Supplements Part 1

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Chapter 02 – Business Ethics

Internet Exercise and Supplements

Answers to Internet Exercise (p. 81)

a. Their answer: Like Socrates, most psychologists would agree that ethics can be taught.

process. See http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/canethicsbetaught.html.

b. The students could have a discussion based on this question.

Student Project

Locate a website that in some fashion discusses business ethics or raises an ethical issue in a

business context. For example, the students could find a news article about a particular business or

industry that is facing some ethical challenge; or they could find some article that discusses business

ethics or some aspect of business or corporate ethics or responsibilities; or they might find the home

page of some business that they think illustrates some ethical value (either positively or negatively).

Explain the ethical issue raised. Provide ethical arguments for resolving it in at least two different

ways.

Supplemental Web Addresses

http://www.scu.edu/Ethics (Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University)

http://www.singerpubs.com/ethikos (ethikos and Corporate Conduct Quarterly)

http://onlineethics.org (Ethics Center for Engineering and Science)

Answers

Answer to ‘Practicing Ethics: Baseball Bats Encourage Subprime Loan

Approvals’ Question (p. 51)

1. The students could have a discussion based on this question. See ethics data later in chapter,

particularly “Organizational Forces” data relating to pressure to cheat and workplace misconduct.

Answers to ‘A Conscience at Goldman Sachs?’ Questions (p. 53)

1. He meant that he wanted Goldman Sachs to do things the right way. Making his criticism of the

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Chapter 02 – Business Ethics

a. Smith was once proud of Goldman Sachs’s culture of teamwork, integrity, humility, and

b. & c. Students’ answers will vary.

a. Students’ answers will vary.

b. Students’ answers will vary. One Goldman client told The New York Times that the company

had traded against its clients for years. “Come on, that is what they do and they are good

Answers to ‘Ethics Survey’ Questions (p. 54)

1, 2, 3, & 4. Students’ answers will vary.

Answers to ‘College Students’ Questions (p. 56)

1. Students’ opinions will vary.

2. A study built upon a small sample of 230 upper division undergraduate business students found

that those going to church more frequently were less likely to cheat while those going to church

3. Prentice cited research by Jonathan Haidt finding that people who strive primarily for wealth and

Answers to ‘Changing Values?’ Questions (p. 57)

1. Students’ opinions will vary.

2. Sara Konrath and Edward O’Brien, primary authors of the empathy study, speculated that the

reasons for declining college student empathy might include the following:

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Chapter 02 – Business Ethics

Answers to Too Little Studying = Cheating? Questions (p. 57)

1. Students’ answers will vary. “Business education has come to be defined in the minds of students

and management. [http://chronicle.com/article/Business-Education-Not-Always/127108/]

2. Students may say that it is because of the focus on group work, which may result in weakening of

3. Students’ answers will vary. Some may say that cheating in business schools would reduce if they

[http://chronicle.com/article/Business-Education-Not-Always/127108/]

4. Students’ opinions will vary.

Answers to ‘Spirituality at Work’ Questions (p. 59)

1. The Wall Street Journal reports that an increasing number of schools are offering courses

addressing spirituality and self-fulfillment in the workplace. Scholars claim people are yearning to

2. As seen in a 2007 Pew survey, throughout much of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, large

majorities feel that faith in God is a necessary foundation for morality and good values, while in

3. Students’ opinions will vary. Some of them may say that corporations should be excused on

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Chapter 02 – Business Ethics

[http://www.theguardian.com/law/2014/jun/30/supreme-court-employers-religious-objections-contr

aception]

Answers to ‘Deontology’ Questions (p. 61)

1. Autry did what he “felt was right” suggesting that he was moved by principle; a deontological

position.

a. Jones was arguing from a teleological point of view. Jones asked that the theft be directed to

b. Students’ answers will vary. Rushworth Kidder decried what he described as the

outcome-based, consequentialist nature of Jones’ advice. Clearly, poor families’ lives would

Beyond the consequentialist and deontological perspectives, Kidder went on to raise a third

ethic—the care-based principle of the Golden Rule. Kidder asked about the harm of

a. The advertisement is an example of consequentialist thinking.

b & c. Students’ opinions will vary.

Answers to ‘Are Layoffs Unethical? Case One—Toyota’ Questions (p. 63)

1, 2, 3, & 4. Students’ opinions will vary.

Answers to ‘Are Layoffs Unethical? Case Two (Part I)—Aaron Feuerstein and

Malden Mills’ Questions (p. 64)

a. Feuerstein was employing formalist reasoning. He was acting without regard to

b. The students could have a discussion based on this question.

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Chapter 02 – Business Ethics

a. Clearly, utilitarian reasoning based on ultimate consequences of the decision.

b. The students could have a discussion based on this question. This statement of the bishops

3. The students could have a discussion based on this question. Owners of closely-held companies

Answers to ‘Are Layoffs Unethical? Case Two (Part 2)—Aaron Feuerstein,

Malden Mills, and Bankruptcy’ Questions (p. 64)

a. Certainly some layoffs may be defended on free market grounds. That is, greater efficiency

On the other hand, perhaps the decision should not always be left to business decision

makers.

b. The students could have a discussion based on this question.

2. The reading points out that poor business decisions may have also played a role, e.g., the

3. It is perhaps worth pointing out to students that Feuerstein did not in fact protect his workers “at

4. The students could have a discussion based on this question. They may have more quickly

5. The students could have a discussion based on this question. One might profitably turn the

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Chapter 02 – Business Ethics

Answers to ‘Corporate Ethical Climate’ Questions (p. 66)

1. Both legally and morally, people would generally be disinclined to attach blame unless they could

2. The boycott may be defensible as one means of encouraging changes in BP behavior. The

boycott has the disadvantage of most directly harming the innocent people at the local stations.

3. Students’ opinions will vary. Some of them may say that BP had not revealed how bad the

Answers to ‘Bill Hawkins: A Tough Decision’ Questions (p. 71)

1. Of course, many issues would have been considered. Hawkins mentioned: the company culture,

the balancing of the various costs and benefits including the risk of removing already implanted

2. Ethicist Chris MacDonald said the decision clearly was not easy. MacDonald pointed to the

ambiguous failure data that made the Sprint Fidelis situation one of uncertainty; that is, not a clear

Answers to Questions—Part Three (p. 71)

a. According to one survey, 46% of those polled said it was very important to have heroes in

b. In the same survey, 64% said there are fewer heroes today than in the past. Id.

c. The students could have a discussion based on this question.

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Chapter 02 – Business Ethics

a. The students could have a discussion based on this question.

b. Dan Gainor, director of the Business & Media Institute and the cited study’s author, says he

3. The students could have a discussion based on this question.

4. 89% of respondents said they would not flirt with their boss or someone else who could help them

get a promotion, 10% said they might, and only 1% responded that they would do it. Money

a, b, & c. Students’ opinions will vary.

d. His reasoning appears to be largely formalist. “I wasn’t earning my money.” “It just wasn’t the

right thing to do.” He seems to be relying on principled reasoning rather than assessing the

a, b, & c. Students’ opinions will vary.

Answers to ‘Is Theft Sometimes OK?’ Questions (p. 74)

1. Perhaps he meant that the thief was taking a small measure of retribution against the corporate

2. The students could have a discussion based on this question. Justice seems to require going

Answer to ‘Too Lenient’ Question (p. 75)

1. Students’ answers will vary. Beckwith said the following about her decision:

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Chapter 02 – Business Ethics

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