Overview
A sales manager has asked you to do something you know isn’t right. You don’t feel comfortable with this request but aren’t sure how to proceed. The company has an established whistleblowing policy, so you are willing to alert management of this issue if need be. You decide to consult an ethical decision tree and follow those steps until you reach a resolution.
Directions
Read the full scenario in the Supporting Materials section; then, write an executive summary outlining how to resolve this dilemma and explain how unethical behavior like this can impact accounting practices in the company.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
- Summarize the steps you would take to resolve the dilemma outlined in the scenario.
- Recommend a solution to the dilemma outlined in the scenario.
- Identify the potential impact of this solution.
- Explain how the unethical behavior requested in the scenario could influence the company’s accounting practices.
- Summarize the importance of a whistleblowing program on detecting ethical violations in this scenario.
What to Submit
Submit your executive summary as a 2- to 4-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Sources should be cited according to APA style.
Supporting Materials
The following resources support your work on this assignment:
Scenario: Project One Milestone Scenario Use this resource to complete the assignment.
Resource: Ethics Decision Tree for CPAs in Business Use this resource to resolve the dilemma in the scenario. Click on “Ethics Decision for CPAs in Business” to open the PDF document.
Project One Milestone Rubric
| Criteria | Exemplary (100%) | Proficient (90%) | Needs Improvement (70%) | Not Evident (0%) | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resolve the Dilemma | Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, or sophisticated manner | Summarizes the steps to take to resolve the dilemma outlined in the scenario | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include adding details related to the steps to take to resolve the dilemma outlined in the scenario | Does not attempt criterion | 15 |
| Solution to the Dilemma | Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, or sophisticated manner | Recommends a solution to the dilemma outlined in the scenario | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include adding details related to a solution to the dilemma outlined in the scenario | Does not attempt criterion | 15 |
| Potential Impact | Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, or sophisticated manner | Identifies the potential impact of this solution | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include adding details related to the potential impact of this solution | Does not attempt criterion | 15 |
| Unethical Behavior | Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, or sophisticated manner | Explains how unethical behavior requested in the scenario could influence the company’s accounting practices | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include adding details related to how unethical behavior requested in the scenario could influence the company’s accounting practices | Does not attempt criterion | 20 |
| Whistleblowing Program | Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, or sophisticated manner | Summarizes the importance of a whistleblowing program on detecting ethical violations in this scenario | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include adding details related to the importance of a whistleblowing program on detecting ethical violations in this scenario | Does not attempt criterion | 15 |
| Clear Communication | Exceeds proficiency with an intentional use of language that promotes a thorough understanding | Consistently and effectively communicates in an organized way to a specific audience | Shows progress towards proficiency, but communication is inconsistent or ineffective in a way that negatively impacts understanding | Shows no evidence of consistent, effective, or organized communication | 10 |
| Citations and Attributions | Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with few or no minor errors | Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with consistent minor errors | Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with major errors | Does not use citations for ideas requiring attribution | 10 |
| Total: |