INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPORTS
CLASS PREPARATION REPORTS
Class Preparation Report 1: This assignment is based on the Opening Decision
Point for Chapter 3 (p. 64). Respond to the 4th, 5th, and/or 6th question (p. 65).
Class Preparation Report 2: This assignment is based on the Opening Decision
Point for Chapter 5 (p. 148). Respond to the 7th and/or 8th question (p. 148).
Class Preparation Report 3: This assignment is based on the Decision Point for
Chapter 7 on p.278. Write a report on a scenario of your choice.
Class Preparation Report 4: This assignment is based on questions at the end
of the Chapter (p. 345). Respond to question 5, 6, or 8.
Class Preparation Report 5: This assignment is based on the Reading at the end
of Chapter 10 (10-4 on p. 468). The Report should address the following: what
are the defining features of “moral courage” as discussed in the reading? why
does the author think Time magazine found it timely to honor these women’s
moral courage?
Ethical Issue Report 1
Each group should evaluate the situations described in articles to be pasted on
the website and scheduled for discussion on Oct 15. Based on these
evaluations, the group should write a report to the CEO of a company (not
necessarily one of the companies included in the articles) on the topic, what can
the articles teach or illustrate about ethical (or unethical) decisions? Assume the
CEO wants to build an ethical organization. In 3-5 pages, the report should
cover the following:
a) How could one distinguish an ethical from an unethical decision? In
addition to a brief response, the group may illustrate by way of an exhibit
or attachment, how the group evaluated at least one situation as an
example of how the group went about its work. This exhibit should
address the following: who was the principal decision maker (who made
the decision, ethical or otherwise), what was the ethical decision and how
was it made, who are the stakeholders that has been considered, what
were the interests of these stakeholders, and what were the
consequences to the individual and the company. In the latter, it will be
necessary to find out what happened beyond what is reported in the
article.)
b) State and explain the more important theme(s) that is(are) common
across all situations in the articles. In other words, what are the ethical
implications common across the various ethical decisions described in
these articles, e.g. the rights of (stakeholder) were not respected?
c) State and explain the ethical implication(s) that is(are) not common across
all situations, i.e. one that may be unique to a specific situation,
d) How were these ethical challenges brought to the attention of
management?
e) Given our understanding of corporate culture, how could these unethical
decisions have been made? How can these have been avoided?
A good report will organize the responses to (a), (b), and (c) in such a way as to
divide the situations discussed in the articles into those that share which themes
(there are more than one) and how raised, discuss organizational realities that
can create or lead to unethical decision, and will be written as one essay.
Reports are expected to show application of concepts covered in the text, e.g.
the ethical decision-making process discussed in Ch 2, discussions of the impact
of corporate culture on ethical decision-making based on Ch 4, etc.
Ethical Issue Report 2
Groups should choose one of the companies in the lists below (or any company that has
been in the press) and develop a critical analysis of the ethical issues involved in the
case. There are several lists below: one lists companies which have had to deal with
legal cases, another activist-lead consumer boycotts, and the third contains a list of
companies and specific ethical issues they have had to face. By the week of the
Midterm exam, each group should submit a name of a company they would like to work
on.
In 4-6 pages, the Ethical Issue Report 2 should cover the following:
1. a short description of case or situation
2. identification of the ethical issues involved (what was the alleged ethical
wrong done, and why is/was it wrong?)
3. A statement, in the group’s own opinion, of whether it was wrong or not, and
more importantly, why?
4. Thoughts on what could have been done to avoid the problem – do we need
more laws & government regulation? What internal controls might have
prevented this situation?
5. Was the problem more a matter of individuals gone wrong, or was it more
systemic and organizational?
The group will need to do some research to get at the facts, but beyond that groups
should rely on their own thinking. A good report will cover all of the points raised above,
discuss these clearly in a comprehensive and concise manner, and where appropriate,
demonstrate application of concepts covered in the course.
In addition to the paper, each group should prepare 4 power point slides: one containing
bullets for (1), a second for (2) and (3), a third for (4), and the fourth to guide a
presentation of the group’s thinking on (5).
LISTS
Note: while this list provides names of companies who have had to face ethical
situations, do not assume that all the companies responded in an unethical manner.
List of Companies with Legal Cases:
Tyco
Imclone
WorldCom
Adelphia
Merrill Lynch
Health South
Al Dunlap and Sunbeam
Global Crossing
NYSE and Richard Grasso
List of Companies facing Activist-lead Consumer Boycotts
Wal-Mart
GAP
L’Oreal
Nike
Body Shop
Nestle
McDonalds
De Beers
Shell
List of Companies with Specific Ethical Issues
Johnson and Johnson and its handling of the tainted Tylenol situation
Nestle’s and the marketing of infant formula in Africa
Union Carbide and the Bhopal incident
Shell and allegations it supported terrorists in Nigeria
Chiquita and charges it paid bribes to a revolutionary group in Columbia
Merck and the Vioxx drug