MODULE 2 Case 2 Assignment
Ethical Decision Making in Difficult Situations
Assignment Overview
Moving Toward an Ethical Workplace
As you can see from your reading for the Case Assignment Lockheed Martin has a very interesting history and this history has had an impact on where the company is today with respect to its existing ethics program.
Case Assignment
After reading Chapter 2 of the text, please write a 4- to 5-page essay that addresses the following:
Lockheed has an interesting history that seemed innocent enough up until around the 1950s. You'll note on p. 56 of Terris’ book that the company began to engage in some questionable sales strategies with other nations in an effort sell the F-104 Starfighter so as to recoup costs when their U.S. sales strategy failed.
- Describe some of the unorthodox strategies covered by Terris during this era that made Lockheed become "…a byword for the shady practices of American multi-national corporations, and a major impetus for new legislation...".
- On the issue of overseas bribes, Terris asks the questions, "Who was hurt by the [overseas bribes to secure sales of aircraft]? The competitors, of course, but what was unethical about beating out the competition that was playing by the same rules?” (p.59). What do you think about a situation where underhanded and back-door deals are the way the game is played if everybody is on the same playing field? That is to say, if everybody is playing by the same shady rules, is it unethical to compete?
In your reading you will note that defense contractors continued to find themselves in hot water well into the 1970s as a result of overpricing and additional charges of bribery. In the late '70s Lockheed established its first code of ethics and later the major defense contractors came to the table to level the playing field with the Defense Industry Initiative (DII), by agreeing on a set of ethical principles. This was an important turning point as was bringing Norman Augustine on board. - Why was the DII so important to the eventual success of Lockheed Martin’s ethics program?
- Discuss Norman Augustine's and Dilbert's contribution in helping Lockheed Martin turn the corner with its ethics program.
Assignment Expectations
Your paper should be 4 to 5 pages, be double-spaced, and in 12-point type size.
Your paper should have a separate cover page and a separate reference page. Make sure you cite your sources.
Use APA style, and proofread your paper.
Ethical Decision Making in Difficult Situations
MODULE 2 SLP 2 ASSIGNMENT
Ethical Decisions in the Workplace
After reading your background readings, review the following scenario and address the questions at the end.
Utilitarian ethics is a very common decision-making approach in the business world. It essentially is the philosophical school of thought that asserts that the most ethical decision is the one that does the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Utilitarianism seeks to achieve “pleasure” (advantages) and avoid “pains” (disadvantages). Utilitarianism grows more complex when one weighs the magnitude and the importance of certain pleasures and pains against each other.
Review this short video on utilitarianism as well as the background readings:
Then & Now. (2017, May 30). Utilitarianism - John Stuart Mill [Video]. YouTube.
Once you have a firm understanding of utilitarian ethics, review the following scenario and address the corresponding questions:
A new virus is rapidly spreading, causing a worldwide pandemic. Millions of people have died or have been hospitalized. Low-income communities, communities of color, the elderly, and those with health conditions have been disproportionately affected. Healthcare systems are crippled in many communities. Millions of people have lost their jobs. Entire business industries are devastated and/or sent into disarray as a result of the pandemic.
A vaccine was recently developed which proves highly effective in preventing the spread of the virus. Government officials are strongly encouraging people to take the vaccine, and many other organizations are even mandating a vaccine. Many people are skeptical of the long-term effects of the vaccine and/or feel pressure from the government, individuals, and other entities to receive the vaccine. Although data exists that supports the need for a vaccine in response to the damage being caused by the virus, a sizeable part of the population believe the numbers to be inflated; that people are overreacting; and that their personal rights are being infringed upon.
You are a leader in your organization, and you have a responsibility to turn profits and achieve organizational outcomes in addition to acting responsibly to protect your colleagues, employees, and external stakeholders, and maintain the health of your organization. You need to make a decision on how, or whether, you should implement a vaccine policy at your organization. As a leader, you need to consider the demographics, backgrounds, and beliefs that make up the internal and external stakeholders of your organization, and make a decision that is in the best interest for all internal and external stakeholders within your organization.
Complete an essay that addresses the following:
- Describe and explain the key principles of utilitarian ethics, including ideas like higher-ordered pleasures and pains, act and rule utilitarianism, etc.. What is the role of utilitarian ethics in this business scenario?
- Describe and explain the key principles of stakeholder management theory. What is the role of stakeholder management theory in business scenario?
- Using the principles of utilitarian ethics and stakeholder management, explain how, or whether, managers/business leaders should implement a vaccination policy in response to the pandemic. Explain how your decision would positively and negatively affect the following (make sure to identify both positive and negative effects for each group in your response):
- Those of different demographics (e.g., race, religion, sex, politics, age, ability, culture, values, etc.).
- Individuals and certain groups of employees within the organization.
- The organization as a whole.
- External stakeholders.
- Provide in-text citations from objective, credible resources to support your ideas and decisions.
SLP Assignment Expectations
Take some time to review the materials and take a position on the issue. Write a 3- to 5-page assessment of the situation. You will be assessed on how well you:
- Identify key concepts of ethics and diversity and how they impact individuals, groups, and/or organizations.
- Apply knowledge of ethics and diversity to workplace situations.
- Demonstrate ability to see things from diverse viewpoints and justify business decisions.
It is expected that students complete their essays in APA format. This involves the following elements:
Introduction paragraph that summarizes the main ideas of your essay and outlines the learning outcomes of the assignment (found on the Module Homepage).
Body paragraphs with Headings that highlight the main idea of each portion of the assignment (do not restate the actual question within the expectations).
Conclusion paragraph that re-summarizes the main ideas of your essay and outline the learning outcomes of the assignment (found on the Module Homepage).
APA-style in-text citations. Feel free to use the Trident Introduction to APA and Purdue OWL APA style guide as references, as they can be very helpful.
Feel free to make use of the Trident Writing Style Guide, located under the My Resources dropdown menu of the TLC Portal if you need support in these areas.
Your paper should follow proper APA guidelines; be double-spaced; use 12-point type font size; and be free from grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors.