Deck 3: Ethics and Social Responsibility in Strategic Management

Question 1

Friedman referred to the social responsibility of business as a "fundamentally subversive doctrine."

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A study concerning social responsibility indicates that socially responsible firms are more likely to be welcomed into another country.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Relationship-based countries tend to be less transparent and have a higher degree of corruption than do rule-based countries.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The broader concept of sustainability is closely aligned with Carroll's view of social responsibility.

Question 5

The first step in stakeholder analysis is identifying those who have only an indirect stake in the corporation.

Question 6

A company may have some stakeholders of which it is only marginally aware.

Question 7

Cultural norms and values seldom guide ethical behavior in business.

Question 8

Archie Carroll contends that the primary goal of business is profit maximization.

Question 9

There is no truth to the comment that "business ethics" is an oxymoron.

Question 10

The statement, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," reflects the essence of cultural relativism.

Question 11

Ethical responsibilities are voluntary obligations a corporation assumes.

Question 12

Archie Carroll proposes that managers in companies have four responsibilities: economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary.

Question 13

"Let the buyer beware" is a traditional saying in free market capitalism that argues customers have the right to choose how they spend their money.

Question 14

Secondary stakeholders have a direct connection with the corporation and have sufficient bargaining to directly affect corporate activities.

Question 15

The difference between ethical and discretionary responsibilities is that few people expect an organization to fulfill ethical responsibilities.

Question 16

In any one strategic decision, the interests of one stakeholder group seldom conflict with another.

Question 17

Stakeholders are all constituencies that affect and are affected by the achievement of the firm's objectives.

Question 18

According to Carroll, legal responsibilities are defined by governments in laws that management is expected to obey.

Question 19

The concept of social responsibility proposes that a corporation has responsibilities to society that extend beyond making a profit.

Question 20

Being known as a socially responsible firm may provide a company with social capital that can be used for competitive advantage.

Question 21

The Golden Rule is the essence of one of Immanuel Kant's categorical imperatives to resolve ethical dilemmas.

Question 22

Moral relativism could enable a person to justify almost any sort of decision or action, so long as it is not declared illegal.

Question 23

The justice approach to ethics proposes that actions and plans should be judged by their consequences.

Question 24

The term "social responsibility," according to Carroll, can be viewed as a combination of an

A) organization's ethical and discretionary responsibilities.
B) organization's legal and ethical responsibilities.
C) organization's economic and ethical responsibilities.
D) organization's financial and economic responsibilities.
E) organization's legal and discretionary responsibilities.

Question 25

Which one of the following is NOT one of the arguments against social responsibility as used by economist Milton Friedman?

A) Spending money for social responsibility is spending the stockholder's money for a general social interest.
B) Businesses can actually do very little in terms of social responsibility.
C) Spending money on social responsibility is acting from motives other than economic and may, in the long-run, cause harm to the very society the firm is trying to help.
D) There is one and only one social responsibility of business - to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game.
E) Through taking on the burden of social costs, the organization becomes less efficient, causing price increases or postponement of growth.

Question 26

Carroll's four responsibilities listed in order of priority are

A) legal, economic, ethical, and discretionary.
B) legal, ethical, discretionary, and economic.
C) economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary.
D) economic, ethical, discretionary, and legal.
E) ethical, economic, legal, and discretionary.

Question 27

Economist Milton Friedman has argued that a business's only responsibility is to

A) maximize profits and stay within the rules of the game.
B) sustain its market share.
C) promote the welfare of society.
D) satisfy its employees.
E) satisfy its customers.

Question 28

A problem with the individual rights approach to ethics is the difficulty in defining fundamental rights.

Question 29

According to Carroll, the responsibilities defined by government in laws for management to obey are

A) legal responsibilities.
B) ethical responsibilities.
C) financial responsibilities.
D) economic responsibilities.
E) discretionary responsibilities.

Question 30

Kohlberg places 80 percent of U.S.adults in the principled level of development.

Question 31

Who said that the social responsibility of business is a "fundamentally subversive doctrine" and that the one social responsibility of business is "to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game..."?

A) Adam Smith
B) Edward Freeman
C) Archie Carroll
D) William C. Norris
E) Milton Friedman

Question 32

A code of ethics is a useful way to promote ethical behavior.

Question 33

Research indicates that when faced with a question of ethics, managers tend to ignore codes of ethics and try to solve their dilemma on their own.

Question 34

The concept that proposes private corporations have responsibilities to society that extend beyond making a profit is known as

A) flexible responsibility.
B) social responsibility.
C) social flexibility.
D) managerial responsibility.
E) profit maximization.

Question 35

Kohlberg's preconventional level is characterized by a person's adherence to an internal moral code.

Question 36

According to Kohlberg's levels of moral development, the conventional level is characterized by considerations of society's laws and norms.

Question 37

According to Carroll, the responsibility that management of a business organization has to produce goods and services of value to society so that the firm may repay its creditors and stockholders is called

A) legal responsibilities.
B) ethical responsibilities.
C) economic responsibilities.
D) financial responsibilities.
E) discretionary responsibilities.

Question 38

Law refers to formal codes that permit or forbid certain behaviors and may or may not enforce ethics or morality.

Question 39

Society generally expects firms to work with employees and the company to plan for layoffs.This is an example of which of Carroll's responsibilities?

A) economic
B) legal
C) justice
D) ethical
E) discretionary

Question 40

According to Carroll, the responsibilities that management of a business organization assumes which are purely voluntary obligations are

A) legal responsibilities.
B) ethical responsibilities.
C) financial responsibilities.
D) economic responsibilities.
E) discretionary responsibilities.

Question 41

Rule-based governance

A) is generally found in developing nations.
B) relies on publicly verifiable information.
C) relies on implicit agreement.
D) is inherently nontransparent.
E) requires an investment in time and money to build relationships.

Question 42

All of the following are considered primary stakeholders EXCEPT

A) customers.
B) governments.
C) employees.
D) shareholders.
E) creditors.

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT one of the examples provided as an organizational benefit received from being socially responsible?

A) They can attract outstanding employees who prefer working for a socially responsible firm.
B) They are more likely to be welcomed into a foreign country.
C) They are more likely to attract capital infusions from investors who view reputable companies as desirable long-term investments.
D) They are guaranteed to maximize resource productivity and reduce the average payback period of investment.
E) Their environmental concerns may enable them to charge premium prices and gain brand loyalty.

Question 44

The first step in stakeholder analysis is to

A) identify primary stakeholders.
B) monitor what all the stakeholders want.
C) identify the stakeholders with an indirect stake in the corporation.
D) estimate the effect on each stakeholder group from any particular strategic decision.
E) identify the influence of each stakeholder group.

Question 45

All of the following are considered secondary stakeholders EXCEPT

A) governments.
B) suppliers.
C) competitors.
D) trade associations.
E) activists.

Question 46

Which of the following is one of the most common reasons given by surveyed executives for bending the rules to attain their objectives?

A) organizational performance required it
B) rules were too rigid
C) no one will know
D) no oversight
E) all of the above

Question 47

Which of the following companies was cited by the text as an example of a company which does its best to consider its responsibilities to its primary and secondary stakeholders when making strategic decisions?

A) McDonald's
B) Maytag
C) Johnson & Johnson
D) Microsoft
E) Enron

Question 48

Former Enron Vice President Sherron Watkins used the ________ analogy to explain why executives at Enron engaged in unethical and illegal actions.

A) borrowing earnings
B) Napoleon complex
C) moral relativism
D) frogs in boiling water
E) distributive justice

Question 49

Being socially responsible

A) provides a company with a more positive overall reputation.
B) has opened doors in local communities.
C) has enhanced the company's reputation with consumers.
D) may have a positive effect on the firm's financial performance.
E) all of the above

Question 50

As opposed to rule-based countries, relationship-based countries tend to

A) be more transparent and have a higher degree of corruption.
B) be more transparent and have a lower degree of corruption.
C) be less transparent and have a lower degree of corruption.
D) be less transparent and have a higher degree of corruption.
E) have the same transparency and same degree of corruption.

Question 51

The Dow Jones Sustainability Index includes

A) environmental, economic, and quality sustainability.
B) industry, environmental, and economic sustainability.
C) environmental, economic, and social sustainability.
D) ethical, economic, and social sustainability.
E) environmental, ethical, and quality sustainability.

Question 52

Providing daycare centers to employees is an example of which of Carroll's responsibilities?

A) economic
B) legal
C) justice
D) ethical
E) discretionary

Question 53

A 2012 survey of 169 CFOs at publicly traded companies in the United States found what percent intentionally misrepresented their economic performance primarily to influence stock price?

A) 1%
B) 20%
C) 40%
D) 60 %
E) 90%

Question 54

According to a 2011 survey by the Ethics Resource Center, which was NOT cited as one of the most common questionable behaviors that employees engage in?

A) cutting corners on quality
B) misusing company time
C) lying to employees
D) engaging in abusive behavior
E) violating Internet use policies

Question 55

Of the six values measured by the Allpot-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values test, both U.S.and British executives consistently score highest on ________ values and lowest on ________ values.

A) religious and theoretical; economic and social
B) religious and economic; political and social
C) economic and political; social and religious
D) social and religious; aesthetic and political
E) religious; economic

Question 56

Friedman's position on social responsibility

A) proposes that a lack of social responsibility results in increased government regulations.
B) appears to be losing traction with business executives.
C) suggests that a lack of social responsibility reduces a firm's efficiency.
D) explains why firms are using their socially responsible actions for competitive advantage.
E) mirrors Carroll's position.

Question 57

In 2011, the Ethics Resource Center found that ________ percent of employees surveyed had witnessed misconduct at work and ________ percent had reported it.

A) 65; 45
B) 65; 65
C) 60; 20
D) 45; 65
E) 45; 45

Question 58

As societal values evolve, it is likely that the ________ responsibilities of today may become the ________ responsibilities to tomorrow.

A) economic; ethical
B) legal; ethical
C) discretionary; ethical
D) discretionary; economic
E) legal; discretionary

Question 59

Which of the following statements is true concerning secondary stakeholders?

A) Secondary stakeholders are those who have only an indirect stake in the corporation, but who are affected by corporate activities.
B) Secondary stakeholders may include non-governmental organizations (like Greenpeace) and trade associations.
C) Because the corporation's relationship with each of these stakeholders is usually not covered by any written or verbal agreement, there is room for misunderstanding.
D) Aside from competitors, secondary stakeholders are not usually monitored by the corporation in any systematic fashion.
E) all of the above

Question 60

In order for a business to be sustainable, it must satisfy which of Carroll's responsibilities?

A) economic
B) legal
C) ethical
D) discretionary
E) all of the above

Question 61

A code of ethics is important to clarify company expectations of employee conduct in various situations and to

A) reduce the burden on the judicial system.
B) make it clear that the company expects its people to recognize the ethical dimensions in decision and actions.
C) promote a high level of societal norms.
D) encourage individuals to strive for good citizenship and corporations to contribute positively to society.
E) minimize the possibility of mandatory regulations.

Question 62

All of the following reasons provide rationale for unethical behavior EXCEPT

A) the impact of cultural norms and values.
B) differences in values between business people and key stakeholders.
C) ambiguous rules.
D) agreement among stakeholders and business people about what is ethical.
E) difficulty of one group to understand another's actions.

Question 63

Ethics is defined as

A) formal codes that permit or forbid certain behaviors.
B) a general rule of conduct of personal behavior, based on religious or philosophical grounds.
C) consensually accepted standards of behavior for an occupation, trade, or profession.
D) imposing one's morality upon another.
E) voluntary obligations assumed by an individual or organization.

Question 64

Role relativism is based on the belief that

A) morality is relative to a particular culture.
B) all moral decisions are deeply personal and each person should be allowed to interpret situations and act on his own moral values.
C) social roles carry with them certain obligations.
D) morality is simply a matter of following the norms of an individual's peer group.
E) a decision is legitimate if it is common practice.

Question 65

Blindly following orders reflects which type of moral relativism?

A) naive relativism
B) role relativism
C) principled relativism
D) cultural relativism
E) social group relativism

Question 66

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do" reflects which type of moral relativism?

A) naive relativism
B) role relativism
C) principled relativism
D) cultural relativism
E) social group relativism

Question 67

Some people claim that morality is relative to some personal, social, or cultural standard and that there is no method for deciding whether one decision is better than another.This is called

A) ethical relativity.
B) moral philosophy.
C) comparative ethics.
D) cultural imperialism.
E) moral relativism.

Question 68

Morality is defined as

A) formal codes that permit or forbid certain behaviors.
B) a general rule of conduct of personal behavior, based on religious or philosophical grounds.
C) consensually accepted standards of behavior for an occupation, trade, or profession.
D) imposing one's morality upon another.
E) voluntary obligations assumed by an individual or organization.

Question 69

A code of conduct that regulates supplier conduct

A) is never enforced.
B) almost always protects a corporation's reputation if an offshore supplier conceals abuses.
C) is recommended if the company outsources manufacturing to a company in another country.
D) is rarely used.
E) has always been found to be legally enforceable.

Question 70

Law is defined as

A) formal codes that permit or forbid certain behaviors.
B) a general rule of conduct of personal behavior, based on religious or philosophical grounds.
C) consensually accepted standards of behavior for an occupation, trade, or profession.
D) imposing one's morality upon another.
E) voluntary obligations assumed by an individual or organization.

Question 71

The approach to ethical behavior which proposes that human beings have certain fundamental rights that should be respected in all decisions, thus avoiding interfering with the rights of others is called

A) individual rights approach.
B) mercantilism approach.
C) utilitarian approach.
D) justice approach.
E) moral imperialism approach.

Question 72

According to Kohlberg, the first level of moral development, characterized by concern for self, is called

A) principled.
B) conventional.
C) essential.
D) preconventional.
E) fundamental.

Question 73

All of the following are one of the four types of moral relativism EXCEPT

A) naive relativism.
B) role relativism.
C) principled relativism.
D) social group relativism.
E) cultural relativism.

Question 74

According to Kohlberg, in what stage of moral development do the vast majority of people in the United States occupy?

A) principled stage
B) conventional stage
C) essential stage
D) preconventional stage
E) fundamental stage

Question 75

The approach to ethical behavior which proposes that actions and plans should be judged by their consequences, thus producing the greatest benefit to society with the least harm or the lowest cost is called

A) individual rights approach.
B) mercantilism approach.
C) utilitarian approach.
D) justice approach.
E) moral imperialism approach.

Question 76

Employees who report illegal or unethical behavior on the part of others are known as

A) stakeholders.
B) whistleblowers.
C) moral relativists.
D) retaliators.
E) outside directors.

Question 77

According to Kohlberg, the third level of moral development, characterized by a person's adherence to an internal moral code, is called

A) principled.
B) conventional.
C) essential.
D) preconventional.
E) fundamental.

Question 78

According to Kohlberg, the second level of moral development, characterized by considerations of society's laws and norms, is called

A) principled.
B) essential.
C) conventional.
D) preconventional.
E) fundamental.

Question 79

According to a 2011 National Business Ethics survey, what percent of respondents who observed corporate misconduct rated their cultures as weak?

A) 90
B) 70
C) 50
D) 30
E) 10

Question 80

Managers who want to improve ethical behavior should take actions such as

A) communicate the code of ethics in training programs.
B) emphasize the code of ethics in performance appraisal systems.
C) follow a code of ethical behavior themselves.
D) communicate the code of ethics in policies and procedures.
E) all of the above