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Johnson, Organizational Ethics 3e, © 2015 – Instructor Resources
Case Study 10.1
Cyberloafing
Case Synopsis and Analysis
A great many Americans cyberloaf or cyberslack at work, using organizational computers and
other electronic devices to surf the Web, play games, post Facebook messages or shop and chat
on line. While cyberloafing appears to divert time and attention away from organizational tasks,
it may have some positive effects. Employees don’t have to leave work to run errands, for
instance, and many work on line at home, more than making up for any time lost at the office.
Experts suggest setting up organizational policies and provisions for Internet use, rather than
trying to ban cyberloafing altogether.
Learning Objectives
*Students will determine if cyberloafing is unethical.
*Students will develop guidelines for personal Internet use on the job.
Discussion Guide
Case Study 10.2
Leaving Goldman Sachs
Case Synopsis and Analysis
Goldman Sachs executive Greg Smith made a big splash when he quit the firm in 2012, detailing
his reasons for quitting in an open letter published in the New York Times. He later expanded on
his experiences in a book. Smith argued Goldman changed dramatically during his tenure,
shifting its focus from caring for clients to making money at the expense of customers. Top
company officials fired back, asserting that Smith’s claims about the firm’s corporate culture
were inaccurate.
Smith’s experience demonstrates the impact of culture on ethical performance. In the case of
Goldman, there were a number of unethical drivers that undermined ethical behavior, including
shifts in leadership, selection processes, reward systems and language.
Johnson, Organizational Ethics 3e, © 2015 – Instructor Resources
Learning Objectives
*Students will identify important ethical cultural transmission mechanisms at Goldman-
Sachs.
*Students will apply informal and formal cultural elements to explain the cultural shift at
Goldman Sachs.
*Students will evaluate the ethical behavior of Smith, Goldman Sachs, and Goldman
Sachs leadership.
Discussion Guide
Case Study 10.3
Costco’s Fish Story
Case Synopsis and Analysis
Executives at Costco, the giant discount warehouse chain, tell the “Salmon Story” and give out
the “Salmon Award” to recognize outstanding employee performance. The story describes how
employees in the firm’s meat department increased the quality of salmon filets while reducing
the price. The company was able to lower costs in part by relying on farmed rather than wild
salmon. However, environmental groups claim that salmon farming does significant harm to the
ocean and have called on Costco and other retailers to stop selling farmed salmon.
The salmon story not only illustrates the power of organizational stories, but also the importance
of modifying narratives when needed. If Costco discontinues sale of farmed salmon due to
outside pressure, it may have to retire or modify its fish story.
Learning Objectives
*Students will identify the cultural messages sent by the salmon story.
*Students will identify the elements of effective corporate stories.
*Students will evaluate the ethics of selling farmed salmon.
Johnson, Organizational Ethics 3e, © 2015 – Instructor Resources
Discussion Guide
