Ethics means different things to different people, but it generally boils down t

Question

Ethics means different things to different people, but it generally boils down to a basic sense of societal right and wrong. Within the business context, it involves making decisions that align with that sense of right and wrong, as well as with the law. Various examples of ethical dilemmas exist in today’s business environment. What is the solution to one or more scenario?

Discrimination

You're the boss in a predominantly male environment. The presence of a new female employee stirs up conflict because your company has not had a chance to conduct sensitivity training. Some of your male employees make inappropriate remarks to your new employee. She complains to you; in response, you sanction those responsible for the conduct. You also wonder if it would be wise to move your new female employee to another position where she would be less likely to draw attention. Treating your female employee differently based on her gender or in response to a harassment complaint may be considered discriminatory and unethical conduct.

Side Deals

You're a business manager with an employment contract. The contract requires you to work solely for your employer and use your talents to attract new clients to the business. If you begin attracting more clients than you believe your employer can reasonably handle, you may wonder if there would be an ethical issue with your diverting that excess business elsewhere and taking the commission. If you don't, at minimum, disclose the idea to your employer, you will likely be in breach of both your contractual and ethical duties.

Partners

You're a partner in a business and see a great deal of profitability on the horizon. You don't believe that your partner deserves to profit from the business' future success, because you don't like his personality. You may wonder if you could simply take his name off the bank accounts, change the locks and continue without him. If you proceed with this course of action, you would likely be in violation of your ethical and legal obligation to act in good faith concerning your partner. The better course of action may be to simply buy out his interest in the business.

Gross Negligence

You're on the board of directors for a publicly traded corporation. You and your fellow board members, in hopes of heading off early for the holidays, rush through the investigatory process involved in a much-anticipated merger. As a board member, you have a duty to exercise the utmost care respecting decisions that affect the corporation and its shareholders. Failing to properly investigate a matter that affects their interests could be viewed as gross negligence supporting a breach of your ethical and legal duty of care.

Explanation / Answer

Discrimination

Moving the female to another position will not solve the problem, chances are she will receive similar treatment from male’s employees in other positions. What needs to be done is provide a mandatory training to all employees about harassment at work and start a zero tolerance policy in the organization about harassment. If someone after the training still conducts harassment he will be fired and charges might be press.

Side Deals

As a business manager I have a commitment to my employer and can’t conduct any side deals. If we are handling more business than we can perform we should hire more people to assist our customer but not taking the business elsewhere.

Partners

It would be illegal to just remove the partner, you are in business with him for a reason: to make money. If you don’t like his personality you should have thought about it before partnering with him but I do think that is something that can be overcome by talking to each other.

Gross Negligence

Rushing the process would fall into unethical and illegal actions, holidays are important but as a board of director there is a big responsibility on the duties. I would suggest to perform all the necessary work for the merge even though this means not heading off early for the holidays.

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