Name _______________________ Class _______________ Date _________
BUSINESS ETHICS
Directions: Work with a partner and read each of the following scenarios. Then
answer the questions that follow each scenario to determine whether the
individuals acted ethically.
Scenario 1
Henry owns a large tract of land in the northern part of the state. For several
years, there has been informal talk among lawmakers and developers about
developing a new Interstate highway that would run right through Henry’s land.
However, Henry has heard nothing about this. The land has been in his family for
over 50 years. He plans to retire there in three years and build a new home for
him and his wife.
Jamie, a major developer in the state, is aware of the possibility of the new
Interstate highway. He knows that Henry’s land could be very important to the
project if it moves forward. The land owner could make a substantial profit.
Jamie decides that he will meet with Henry and offer to buy his land. He plans to
offer Henry about half of what the land will sell for if the Interstate project
develops. He does not plan to tell Henry about the possibility of the proposed
Interstate project.
Discussion Questions
1. What are the major ethical issues involved in this case? ________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. Is Jamie acting ethically? Explain your answer. ________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. Does Henry have a right to know about the possibility of the Interstate
project? Explain your answer. _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
4. What would you do if you were a land developer who was interested in
purchasing Henry’s land? ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Scenario 2
As unit manager, you are responsible for monitoring the e-mail and Internet
usage of the four people you supervise. If you find anything that violates the
company’s acceptable use policy, you are to report it to the departmental
manager.
Mary is not only your coworker, but she is also a good friend outside of work.
Recently you found that Mary has been spending a large part of her workday
researching health care and visiting the websites of assisted living centers. You
know that Mary’s father has been having some health problems. Mary is very
concerned about her father and how best to handle his health care issues. But as
Mary’s supervisor you are concerned because much of her work day is being
spent on personal issues. Her work is beginning to suffer.
Discussion Questions
1. What are the major ethical issues involved in this situation? _____________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. Would you talk to Mary as a friend? Why or why not? ___________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. Would you talk to Mary as her supervisor? Why or why not? _____________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
4. Would you report Mary’s inappropriate use of company time to the department
manager? Why or why not? _______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
5. Would you ignore this and hope Mary corrects her work habits? Why or why
not? _________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
6. What do you think is the best approach to take to handle this situation?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Name _______________________ Class _______________ Date _________
TIME LOG
Directions: Choose a time period (one day, one week, one month) and keep a
log of your daily activities. At the end of the time period, review how you spent
your time. Identify time wasters and things that you can eliminate from your
routine in order to make more productive use of your time. Determine whether
most of your activities are planned in advance or are last-minute activities for
which you had not planned. Many unplanned activities can result in inefficient
use of your time. After keeping your time log, write a short report describing what
you have learned about how you use your time. Explain whether or not you plan
to make any changes in your daily routine.
Activity
Start Time
Finish
Time
Was This
Activity
Planned?
Value of
Activity to
You (high,
medium,
low)
Notes
Name _______________________ Class _______________ Date _________
BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE
Directions: As you assemble your final business plan, be sure that you have
included all of the items listed below. If you have any questions about these
items, refer to Chapter 3 for a detailed explanation.
Business Plan
I.
Introductory Elements
A. Cover Letter
B. Title Page
C. Table of Contents
D. Statement of Purpose
E. Executive Summary
II.
Introduction
A. Detailed Description
B. Ownership and Legal Structure
C. Skills and Experience
D. Advantages over Competitors
III.
Marketing
A. Products/Services
B. Market
C. Industry
D. Location
IV.
Financial Management
A. Identification of Risks
B. Financial Statements
C. Funding Request and Return on Investment
V.
Operations
A. Explanation of Management Procedures
B. Hiring and Personnel Plans
C. Production Equipment
D. Production Process
E. Harvest Strategy
VI.
Concluding Statement
Summary of business goals and objectives
VII. Appendix
Supporting documents such as personal financial statement, resume, tax
returns, lease or purchase agreements, copies of licenses, letters of
recommendation, and sales contracts