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PART IV
COMMENTS ON ETHICAL DILEMMAS
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CHAPTER 1: “Mexico, Here I Come!”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Accept John’s offer without consulting your boss and send the merchandise to his store – in
turn, receiving a $500 bonus, a trip to Mexico, and praise from your boss for making the
sale and reaching your sales quota.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
B. Talk to your boss about the situation and explain John’s offer. Let your boss be the
ultimate decision maker (taking responsibility instead of you) knowing that he will tell you
to take the “sale” from John
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are
C. Thank John for trying to be a supportive friend but decline his offer since it would not be
right to falsify sales for your own benefit.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are following
CHAPTER 2: “The Boss Told Me to Do It!”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Tell your boss that you do not believe that it is right to lie to the customer. State that you
will not pass the four-week lead-time along, but you would be more than happy to tell the
customer the true six-week lead-time. Tell your boss that you cannot support dishonesty
within the company.
This option represents the principled moral development level. It is the right thing to do,
B. Do as your boss says and promise the four-week deadline, eve though you know there is no
possibility of meeting this deadline.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
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C. Tell your boss to pass the information to the customer himself. That way, you do not have to
actually lie.
This option represents the conventional moral development level. The salesperson might
wonder “What am I legally required to do?” He or she does not want to get in trouble with
CHAPTER 3: “What Would You Do?”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Tell the customer to but the more expensive model. She probably has enough money and
you will get more commission.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
B. Advise the customer that you think she would be happier with the less expensive model —
she does not seem to need or want all of the high-tech gadgets in the more expensive car.
Offer to call other dealers in town to see if they have one in stock. You might lose the
commission, but at least you have a satisfied customer.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are following
C. Advise the customer that both are equally good options and let her make the decision
herself. But, do tell her that you only have the more expensive model in stock and that the
other car would take 6-8 weeks to deliver.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are
CHAPTER 4: “It’s Party Time!”
What is the most ethical action to take?
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A. Interject with your opinion. This might start a heated debate, but at least you did not
compromise your ideas.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are
B. Interject with your opinion during dinner and leave dinner if the negative conversation
continues. Sit down with your boss the next day and suggest that he bring the other
salesperson in to discuss what the underlying problems are and how they might be resolved.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are following
C. Let him talk. Everybody is entitled to his/her own opinions.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
CHAPTER 5: “Advertising Will Close the Deal”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Tell the customer that you currently have a small amount of TV advertising but that you
are thinking of looking into expanding into magazines and radio. Technically, you would
not be lying – it might never actually happen, but you can “look into” it.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are
B. Tell the customer what he wants to hear. A little exaggeration won’t hurt and you will gain
profit for your company.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
C. Tell the customer that because you are a small company, you don’t really have the
resources to do a lot of advertising. Let him know that you do a small amount on TV and
none in radio or magazines. Let the customer decide what he would like to do based on this
information.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are following
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CHAPTER 6: “What An Offer! Or is It?”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Take the information. It could really help you get started.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
acting in your own self-interest to gain financial rewards. (Worst Option)
B. Thank your friend for the offer but refuse the information. It would not be right to accept
something that is marked confidential.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are dong
C. Refuse the information and tell your friend that it was not in good practice for him to offer
it. Let him know that if anything like this were to happen again, you would have to report
him to the proper people in his company.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are following
Chapter 7: “To Check, or Not to Check…”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Take your manager aside and tell him/her what you witnessed. Let your manager handle
the situation from there since it is potentially dangerous.
B. Do Nothing. It is not your responsibility to investigate the situation. Let your manager find
out him/herself.
C. Pull the person aside and tell him/her that you thought you saw them put something in their
bag. Let them know that you aren’t going to tell anyone if it is true, but that they should
really stop so that they do not jeopardize their job.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you trying to
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sound decision. You are trying to please others first. (Median Option)
Chapter 8: “To Fix the Mistake…Or Not”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Apologize to Dick and tell them that there has been an error. Offer to go and talk to your
boss to see if there is a way to get him some type of discount.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are doing
B. Nothing. It’s only $100 – chances are that nobody will notice and you like helping out your
favorite customer.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
C. Tell Dick that there has been an error but that you will keep it quiet if he does. Let Dick
decide if he is comfortable with that.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you trying to
CHAPTER 9: “Oh, How You’d Love to Know!”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Take the offered competitor’s bid prices from the perspective customer. It will save you
time and earn you and your company more money in the long run.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
B. Do not take the offered competitor’s bid prices. Not only could it effect your business, but it
is also not fair to your competition. You need to work for each sale you get.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are following
your self-chosen ethical principles and speaking out about what you know to be correct and
true even if it means risking a bid. (Best Option)
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C. Don’t take the competitor’s bid prices since it would break your competitor’s
confidentiality. However, tell your customer that were he to tell you a “good” number to be
at (based on what he knows about the competitor’s bid), you could get to where you need to
be.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are doing
CHAPTER 10: “What Would You Do?”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Tell your customer that you have never heard or seen the information she is showing you.
Offer to do some additional research into the matter so that she can make her decision
based on the most accurate information possible.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are following
B. Do your best to refute the information on the chart. It is not your job to tell the customer
that your competitor is being untruthful. It is only your job to sell your product.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
C. Tell your customer that you believe that the brand X research is misleading. Based on
everything you have seen or heard, brand X dies not meet the standards it states.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are trying
CHAPTER 11: “A University Sets a Condition”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Tell your boss that you do not think that the situation is fair but go ahead and do it anyway
– it is ultimately her call in the end.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are trying
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B. Tell your boss that you are uncomfortable making that type of sale and that you no longer
want to be involved. It is not only unfair to your customers, but also unfair to you by asking
you to keep it quiet.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are following
C. Go ahead – take the sale and donate the computer and the money.
CHAPTER 12: “I’ll Buy If…”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Tell the customer that you will fill out the preferred non-smoker application if he agrees to
try and quit smoking. However, let him know that if the doctor disagrees with your
application type, you will have to go with the doctor’s recommendation.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are doing
B. Go ahead with the preferred non-smoker application, falsifying information where you
need to. Chances are that no one will find out and you can get the commission.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
C. Tell the customer that you cannot submit the preferred non-smoker application. You might
lose the sale, but at least you did not compromise your job or your values.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are following
CHAPTER 13: “I Appreciate Your Business”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Get a season ticket for yourself and for your client. That way, you can always justify it as a
“business meeting” if people ask.
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This option represents the conventional moral development level because you try to do
B. Buy your client and his wife the season tickets. You are just trying to show your
appreciation for his business.
This option represents the preconventional moral development level because you are
C. Do not buy the season tickets. It is unprofessional to mix work and social ties. Instead,
write your client a nice thank you letter stating that you appreciate his continued business.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are doing
CHAPTER 14: “A Breakdown in Productivity”
What is the most ethical action to take?
A. Tell your boss nothing. State that your territory must be particularly active right now and
that you think the other territories must just be slow right now. It does not affect you so
why should you get involved.
This option represents s the preconventional moral development level because you are
B. Tell your boss that your numbers have been so high because you have been working very
hard and putting in long hours. Let him know that you have noticed that the other sales
people have been slacking and, in fact, have told you to “slow up”. After all, it isn’t right
that they are abusing their positions and hurting the company’s profits.
This option represents the principled moral development level because you are doing
C. Suggest to your boss that he have some type of new sales incentive plan. This way, maybe
the other sales people will stop “goofing off” and you don’t have to say anything.
This option represents the conventional moral development level because you are trying