Student Resource
Johnson, Organizational Ethics, 5e
SAGE Publications, 2022
Case Notes
Chapter 9: Building an Ethical Organization
Case Study 9.1: Making Ethics Matter at Tata Steel
Case Synopsis and Analysis
India’s Tata Steel, one of the world’s largest steel makers, takes ethics seriously. The firm
sponsors an annual ethics month, honors reputation champions, publicizes code violations and
Learning Objectives
• Students will recognize the characteristics of an ethically transformed organization in Tata
Steel.
Discussion Guide
Tata Steel is an example of a value centered, ethically transformed organization. Have students
identify the characteristics of ethically transformed organizations they see at Tata. Drill down to
analyze elements of Tata’s ethics efforts, addressing its ethics month, treatment of code
Student Resource
Johnson, Organizational Ethics, 5e
SAGE Publications, 2022
Case Study 9.2: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Failing to Live Up to Corporate
Values at U.S. Bank
Case Synopsis and Analysis
Minneapolis based US Bank violated its “people–first” corporate vision and values on Christmas
Eve 2019. Portland Oregon call center employee Emily James drove to a local service station to
give $20 to a bank customer so he could buy gas to drive home. For two days, the bank denied
Learning Objectives
• Students will recognize the importance of living up to corporate values.
Discussion Guide
This case demonstrates that damage caused by not living up to corporate values. Massive size,
bureaucracy and other factors make it difficult to live up to these commitments in every
situation. Note, if students don’t, that delivering the money to the customer could have
Student Resource
Johnson, Organizational Ethics, 5e
SAGE Publications, 2022
Case Study 9.3: Striking Out: How the Astros’ Culture of Success Became a Culture
of Dysfunction
Case Synopsis and Analysis
The Houston Astros saw a meteoric rise to success, going from the worst team in Major League
Baseball to World Series champions after only four years. Yet, as the team achieved great
success on the field, it was developing a negative reputation around the league. The first major
Learning Objectives
• Students will analyze the role of winning and losing in organizational ethics and success.
Student Resource
Johnson, Organizational Ethics, 5e
SAGE Publications, 2022
Discussion Guide
Sports hold a major place in cultures across the globe. At the core of all major sports is the desire
to win, and a team’s success is directly measured by its wins and losses. The metaphor of