Case Title: The Produce Department “I’ve worked at the local supermarket for 5 y

Question

Case Title: The Produce Department “I’ve worked at the local supermarket for 5 years as a part-time associate in the produce department. I work around a lot food that can easily be eaten. If you go into the cooler there aren’t any cameras, so it’s unlikely you’ll get caught unless the store manager or store assistant walks in on you.

A. When we cut fruit to put into mixed fruit bowls, even our manager snacked on it. Everyone in our department does it.

B. Sometimes when I stock shelves, if I see a bruised fruit or veggie, I take a bite before throwing it into the compost bin. Those compost bins save money for the company because food doesn’t go into the trash that we pay to haul away.

C. The produce department looks out on the hot food bar outside of the deli, which offers wings, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, etc. Customers and associates fill to-go containers to bring to the register and pay per pound of food. I see customers and associates eat food on the way to the register. One employee got food from the hot food bar during his breaks and lunchtime, filling the container partway. He paid but didn’t go right up to the break room that is behind the registers, as most employees do after purchasing food. He would go back to the hot food bar and continue to fill the container, then head upstairs. The produce associates all witnessed this employee take food he hadn’t paid for.

D. I once witnessed our manager steal from a customer. A woman had left her wallet in her shopping cart. When she walked away from her cart to look for something in another aisle, our manager took some of the cash out of her wallet. I didn’t say anything because I thought my manager would retaliate against me.”

1. Rate each of the above scenarios (A, B, C, and D) on your perception of their moral intensity on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 = “no moral intensity” and 10 = “high moral intensity.” Explain why you rated each scenario with the value that you assigned it. You should provide a separate rationale for each of the four scenarios, even if you assigned two or more scenarios with the same number.

2. Consider Scenario C and Scenario D and the four-component model of ethical decision making. At what stage of the model do you think the individuals “went wrong?” In other words, for Scenario C, identify at which stage you think they determined that it was okay to take food without paying for it (moral awareness, moral judgement, or moral intent). Explain why you chose that stage of the model.

For Scenario D, identify at which stage you think the manager determined that it was okay to steal the customer’s money (moral awareness, moral judgement, or moral intent). Explain why you chose that stage of the model.

Explanation / Answer

A. I will rate this scenario as 4 which means that it possess some.moral intensity but not that intense because the department is aware and is generally considered as normal which it is not but still acceptable to some extent. the manager should not indilge in such cases because I feel that the manager needs to set examples and if this goes on the issue will increase.

B. I will rate this scenario as 2 because I feel that it is ok to have a bit before throwing it into composite bins as anyway this items will not be used for selling any more.

C. I will rate this scenario as 7 because I feel this is a moral violation if quite some extent because it can be considered as unfair as the employee is violating the norms of the organization by resirting to such a gesture.

D. I will rate this as 10 because theft cannot be justifies by any means and not only is this immoral but also illegal and may be punishable if caught. Morally, the manager should not set such example for the employees and staffs.

2. Scenario C the issue is regarding moral awareness because the employee is not morally aware of the magnittude that may cause the issue to happen. Here the employee needs to understand the consequences that they may experience.

In Scnario D the issue is regarding the moral intent because a theft cannot be justified at any cost because his intentions are wrong and may affect the organization.

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