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Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
Case 13.1: Choosing a Research Assistant
Case Synopsis and Analysis
Dr. Angi Dirks must select a summer research assistant. Four candidates were identified, and
Dr. Dirks seems to prefer Roberto and Michelle because they both have flexible schedules
over the summer. Roberto is an international student who receives high course evaluations, is
well liked and needs a job to help pay for school. Michelle is an exceptional graduate student
who plans to pursue a PhD, but does not seem to need the income from the summer work as
much as some of the other candidates. Carson receives excellent grades, is high achieving,
Learning objectives:
• Students should be able to evaluate an ethical issue in hiring by applying
utilitarianism, egoism, and deontology.
• Students should be able to apply concepts of distributive justice to a hiring
decision.
Answers to questions in the text:
1. Of the four options available to Angi, which is the most ethical?
This is a difficult question, perhaps best answered by applying different ethical
theories or lenses.
Ethical egoism states that a person should act so as to create the greatest good for
himself or herself. Using that theory, Angi should pick Roberto, Michelle, or Analisa.
Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
2. Using the principles of distributive justice, who would Angi choose to become the
research assistant?
Distributive justice concerns equal opportunity according to individual needs, as well
as a person’s rights, effort, societal contribution, and merit. Three of the candidates
3. From Heifetz’s perspective, can Angi use this decision to help her department and
faculty face a difficult situation? Should she?
According to Heifetz, leaders should use authority to get people to pay attention to
the issues, to act as a reality test regarding information, to manage and frame issues,
Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
4. Do you agree with Burns’s perspective that it is Angi’s responsibility to help
followers assess their own values and needs in order to raise them to a higher level that
will stress values such as liberty, justice, and equality?
Most students will agree that a leader should help followers assess their own values
and needs in order to raise them to a higher level. Doing so enhances motivation and
Potential teaching approaches:
This case study is conducive to group discussions and exercises.
Below is a way to structure a class based on Leadership Ethics and Case Study 13.1:
• Hold a lecture on Kohlberg and ethical theories.
• Read Case Study 13.1 and answer Question 1, applying the theories.
• The professor may choose to conduct the debate (Exercise 1) described below.
• Lecture on remaining sections of the chapter.
• Discuss Questions 3 and 4 from the case study.
• Consider other exercises listed below.
Exercises for this case study:
1) Break the students into four small groups. Each group is assigned a candidate and
2) Students should develop a framework for hiring that could assist in Angi’s
decision and for future decisions concerning the selection of research assistants.
The list must address what should be considered in the selection of a candidate.
Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
3) Role-Play: Assign students roles for each character from the case and let the case
play out as outlined. At the end of the role-play, ask the student playing Dr. Dirks
