Business Ethics Chapter 10 Homework Did They Actually Calculate The Number Using

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Chapter 10: Managing on the Ethical Frontier

Sample Discussion Answers

These answers should be treated as supplemental to your own thoughts and analysis and

are by no means comprehensive. Feel encouraged to include your own experiences and

points of disagreement with the chapter should you find any.

1. From your own experience, when do you feel like you are operating on the ethical

frontier? What makes you think so?

2. How does the text characterize the ethical frontier? Is it tied solely to technology?

Why is studying it important?

3. What are risk and uncertainty and how do they play a role in managing at the

frontier? What approaches are helpful in facing this?

Uncertainty describes a situation with unpredictable outcomes. Risk is what is entailed in

taking an action with uncertain outcomes. In that sense, we all take risks in every task we

4. What is privacy and why is it associated with managing at the frontier? What are

some key examples of privacy issues at the frontier?

5. What is responsibility at the frontier? How do managers need to think about

responsibility in contexts where society and key stakeholders often have little idea of

what is going on or who they might blame if something goes wrong?

The future is ultimately the responsibility of all of us. That is especially apparent at the

ethical frontier. Precisely because there are no established guidelines, the assignment of

Monsanto*

Teaching Notes

Synopsis

This case chronicles Monsanto’s formation and its forays into bioengineering

technologies. Of particular note is Monsanto’s development of genetically modified

organisms. It is one of the largest companies in the industry and has subsequently been

involved in a number of controversies surrounding the use of genetically modified

organisms. The public uproar over the presence of Bt-modified corn (a genetically

Objectives

In this chapter, we seek to explore how managers can think through some of the

challenges they face on the frontiers of business, including how to better prepare

themselves either avoid or better address them. While it is true that the future is riddled

with uncertainty and that we can never predict what problems will face business in the

Questions for Discussion

1. Take any example of a controversy involving Monsanto. What did Monsanto do wrong

and how could it have handled the situation better? Were there any circumstances that

were simply out of the company’s control?

2. Much of the concern over genetically modified organisms seems to stem from an

uncertainty about the potential repercussions of the technology. What are ways that

managers can cope with uncertainty?

3. Are there health hazards associated with continuing development of this technology?

Do we know (or not) how big they are and whom they will affect and does that matter?

6. What does this case tell us about managing at the frontier? What are some best or

worst practices that emerge from this example that you would want to use to think about

future cases?

Suggested Lesson Plan (85 minutes)

1. Gauge Opinions (5 minutes): Ask the class if they have heard of genetically

2. Question 1 (15 minutes): There is plenty of room for discussion here. The

question is not whether or not Monsanto could or should be held responsible for

3. Question 2 (15 minutes): Uncertainty is present, in varying degrees, in every

aspect of a person’s life and certainly in every business decision. After a certain

4. Question 3 (15 minutes): This question is really meant to be a consideration that

applies to a broad range of industries (“frontier” or not). Obviously, if the

company is aware of any potential risks to human health that may arise from the

5. Question 4 (15 minutes): This question is similar to question 3. What are the

obligations a company has in regard to external harms before the event? What

6. Question 5 (10 minutes): This provides an opportunity to step back and assess

Monsanto’s performance, particularly in terms of its overall level of responsibility

7. Question 6 (10 minutes): Here is an opportunity to reflect on the conversation and

Danville Airlines

Teaching Notes

Synopsis

A pilot for Danville, David Reiger, has just been given a genetic test (without his

consent) and found to have tested positive for Huntington’s Disease. Management is

concerned that his having this gene, even though he does not yet have the disease, may

put passengers and crew at risk. Previous research shows that in a very small percentage

of cases the initial onset of the disease may inhibit his ability to fly. Is the risk large

enough to justify taking him out of a flying role, or are his claims that he is fine and

should be allowed to continue to fly more compelling? Reiger claims he doesn’t want to

die or put others at risk and that he will be the first to ground himself if symptoms start to

appear, but in the meantime he wants to be allowed to fly – and he will sue you if you try

to either fire or ground him.

Objectives

This case pushes us to consider the growing influence of genetics and genetic technology

into our lives – in this case genetic screening and what we do with this information. Our

society (and our institutions) has a growing interest in technology and the power it can

generate to make our lives better. At the same time individuals have great fear of how

this new technology will be used, particularly if people view certain uses as harmful to

the individual and individual rights. Management in this case faces some hard questions

Questions for Discussion

1. As you read the case, what did your gut tell you about what to do with Reiger?

2. When you fly, how many of you think about dying? What about when you get in

a car or riding a bus? How does that square with the actual risks involved? What

do we do with that information here?

3. How much should we be worried about lawsuits here? How big a deal are they,

and if we are, how should they inform our choice?

4. Given that the FAA doesn’t do genetic testing and would allow Reiger to fly, how

should we look at this genetic information? Does this mean we have to consider

5. Is this a chance for us to demonstrate our commitment to safety and if so how? Or

are we more likely to be viewed as “bigot airlines”?

6. Who and what else was important in your thinking about this case? Any other key

Standards of Conduct or core stakeholders we should be considering?

7. Make a decision and defend it: allow him to fly or ground him? Make sure you

8. What about genetic screening? What policy should Danville adopt going forward

– to genetically test or not? If so, when should it be used? How do you feel about

being genetically screened in your workplace?

Suggested Lesson Plan (85 minutes)

1. Question 1 (5 minutes): this case usually generates strong reactions from

2. Question 2 (10 minutes): the psychology involved in this case needs to be

addressed. People are not rational about risk and flying, for most people, is a

3. Question 3 (10 minutes): you face lawsuits here regardless of what you do – from

Reiger if you ground him (which is highly likely to be successful, but may not

cost you a huge sum), and from the families of passengers if he flies and a crash

4. Question 4 (15 minutes): this is a key question for a firm on the frontier. Given

these uncharted waters, do we simply go with what is required by the government

or do we believe it is our obligation to use this new technology to increase flight

safety on our airline? There is a great deal to discuss here and some strong

5. Question 5 (10 minutes): there are some key character questions here – what will

the actions the company takes say about who they are and what they value? Spend

6. Question 6 (10 minutes): here’s a chance to let in whatever else was on the minds

7. Question 7 (15 minutes): have the students vote and then take time to unpack the

thinking behind their decision. Why was their decision the right one? Push them

8. Question 8 (10 minutes): this provides a chance to come full circle and think

about genetic screening as a broader policy. You can think about this from the

standpoint of Danville and the issue of generalizability – if they tested Reiger and

thought doing so was a good idea (or generated relevant information), then aren’t

Make Mine a Russian Shorthair, and Hold the Allergies, Please

Teaching Notes

Synopsis

Chris is trying to impress his stepson and is thinking about using new genetic technology

to do the trick. The case raises the possibility that Chris could purchase a cat that was

cloned, allowing pet owners to have new pets that are genetic replicas of pets they love

(or loved and who are now deceased). In addition to being genetically identical, they can

Objectives

This case is relatively short but raises a whole slew of “frontier” issues to consider, but

within the case context and in extensions of the core issues to other situations. Genetic

technology is evolving rapidly and our ability to use genetic information as well as

genetic manipulation holds great promise and huge risks. The Shorthair case provides a

chance to think about cloning and genetic manipulation in a less controversial context – a

Questions for Discussion

1. How many of you have had a beloved pet die? How many of you would like to be

able to have another one, just like them? Does this technology offer that

opportunity or not?

2. What should Chris think about before deciding whether to buy a clone of

Gatticus?

3. Should Chris buy the clone of Gatticus or not? Why or why not?

4. Where is the line for you here? If Chris wanted to make inroads with Charles by

helping him battle against his cancer, should he consider trying to support cloning

Charles to create the perfect tissue donor?

a. Why or why not?

5. What key safeguards need to be in place to make sure we harness this technology

properly? What are the biggest risks and what are your biggest fears?

6. How do managers need to handle the risks and uncertainties to make sure that

these initiatives turn out well for all stakeholders?

Suggested Lesson Plan (85 minutes)

1. Question 1 (15 minutes): this question (and the follow ups) provides a chance to

make this case personal. Chances are many in the class have had beloved pets die

2. Question 2 (20 minutes): here you can push students to develop a wide range of

4. Question 4 (15 minutes): after the argument about Gatticus, take time to explore

this extension of the technology. It is very likely that students will find this

5. Question 5 (10 minutes): there are lots of stories out there exploring the world

6. Question 6 (10 minutes): connect the conversation back to managing on the