Exam 1: Ethical Theory, Philosophical Foundations, Our Reasoning Flaws, and Types of Ethical Dilemma

Your college of business is sponsoring a case competition.All teams must watch the other teams compete.The order of presentation is by luck of a draw.The team that is the last to present left during one of the presentations, went to the computer room and redid its PowerPoint slides and restructured its presentation based on what other teams had presented.This team has done nothing wrong.

With respect to #73, it would be unethical for you to hire your friend to get him to bring the information to your company.

Following positive law is not the full extent of ethics.

One of the questions in the Laura Nash model is whether the proposed conduct is legal.

Accepting gifts from suppliers and vendors is not a problem so long as no bid decisions are pending.

Which of the following is not an element of the Laura Nash's model for evaluating ethical dilemmas?

Taking advantage of a party in a contract situation due to the party's inexperience, and not due to any lack of disclosure on your part, is ethical.

A group of Wachovia (now part of Wells Fargo) customers filed a class action lawsuit against Wachovia Bank because fraudulent telemarketers had taken money from their accounts and that the telemarketers did so with the knowledge of bank executives who were aware of the fraud but did nothing to stop it.Banks executives insisted that they knew nothing about the thefts.However, internal e-mails released during discovery in the case showed that executives were discussing the frauds and providing warnings. "YIKES!!!!" "DOUBLE YIKES!!!!" "There is more, but nothing more that I want to put into a note." Warning from a Wachovia bank executive to colleagues that the bank had received 4,500 complaints of fraud in two months from customers who had been fleeced of $400 million by marketing firms who paid the bank large fees for access and on returned checks. "We are making a ton of money from them." What test for resolving ethical dilemmas would have helped the executives at Wachovia reach a better decision as they debated the issue on their e-mails?

Which category of ethical dilemma does line-cutting fall into?

Professor Reba McGintry is the head of the Student Conduct Board.Charges have been brought against three students who are also members of the university basketball team.The charges are based on the criminal charges brought by the local district attorney against the three men for sexual assault.Professor McGintry's husband was one of the staff attorneys in the DA's office who made the decision to go forward with the prosecution.Professor McGintry:

Into which group would the students at Stuyvesant High School fall?

The failure to disclose a current employee's conduct that resulted in dismissal and harm to a prospective employer is a breach of ethics.

Explain who is affected when dog walkers don't scoop up after their dogs.

Randy White is the executive director of a non-profit preschool for special needs children.Part of Randy's responsibilities include fundraising for the preschool.Because of his experience and success in operating specialty pre-schools, Randy is sought after as a consultant at locations around the country to assist in the start-up and operation of such facilities.Randy does so quite frequently.Randy does not take vacation time for this work, and his consultant fees (which range from $750 - $1500 per day) are kept by him as personal income.Randy uses his secretary at the preschool to book his travel arrangements and prepare his consultant reports and bills for these outside engagements.

Laura Nash does not see any purpose in examining how an ethical dilemma occurs.

Minnesota has a statewide smoking ban for public places.However, the state statute includes an exemption that permits smoking by actors in theatrical performances.In order to take advantage of the exemption, the Old Clover Inn, located in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota, has begun holding theater night, every night.The Old Clover Inn has placed its pool tables in an area that is framed with theater curtains and refers to the pool players as its actors.The Inn also has a stage for its cribbage players who sit and play cribbage and smoke. The Inn calls the nightly production, "As the Clover Turned," and it distributes a playbill that describes the nightly plays as involving "numerous uncredited actors in the role of bar patrons." The Inn distributes buttons for $1 to patrons.The buttons read, "Act Now!" The Minnesota Health Department has warned the Inn that what it is doing is an attempt to circumvent the law.Which statement best describes the Old Clover Inn's approach to ethics?

Submitting a new pair of shoes as a travel expense is an example of a dishonest act.

Discuss norm shifting and speeding.

"I did fudge on some of the numbers in our financial reports, but that kept 6,000 employees from losing their jobs," a statement by a CFO, is an example of:

Using co-workers to give your supervisor the impression that you are in the office is not an ethical issue.