Fred Sanquine is NYC produce broker. Ned Santini is a 19 year old college studen

Question

Fred Sanquine is NYC produce broker. Ned Santini is a 19 year old college student who works for Sanquine from 4-7am each weekday before he attends classes at Pace University. Fred has instructed Ned on the proper Packing of Produce as follows:

"Look, put the bad and small cherries at the bottom. Do the same with the strawberries and blueberries. Put the best fruit on the top and hide the bad stuff at the bottom. This way I get top dollar on all that I sell."

Ned is uncomfortable abut the instructions but as he explains to his roommate, "It is not me doing it. Im just following orders - besides, I need the job."

Should Ned Just follow the instructions? Is the manner in which the fruit is packed unethical?

Using IRAC, Issue, rule, Analysis and Conclusion. What is the rule?

Explanation / Answer

Issue: unethical practices are instructed to workers who can't defy the order and so should follow.

Rule: The follower is not the culprit but the one who has instructed the practice.

Analysis: As per the situation mentioned Fred is instructing Ned to follow unethical practices of putting all the bad fruits at the bottom and have all the good ones at the top for inspection. In this way all the bad ones are also paid for. In an ideal scenario all the bad ones should be discarded and the payment should be done only for good ones. But by instructions Fred has made it difficult for the workers or Ned in this case to practice ethical ways. So Ned is in no position to defy the instructions if he wants to keep his job and hence keeps following the unethical practices. And is not to be blamed for not being able to practice on his own.

Conclusion: Ned has choice of leaving the job or to follow the instructions or secretly defy the instructions but in all cases the instructions are from Fred and he is directly liable for the unethical practice.

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