Business ethics dilemma related to your own personal experience

Résumé du document

Identify, analyze and discuss a business ethics dilemma directly related to your own personal experience (i.e. a complex choice you had to face in your role as employee, intern, consumer, student, etc.). During the seminar, you will have the chance to familiarize with some example of “business ethics dilemmas” that will help you in choosing an appropriate topic. Writing the paper will require additional individual research on a specific company, or industry, or around a specific issue. For example, one could focus the paper analysis on a specific company, or on the ethical issues facing a specific industry, or on a specific issue across different industries.

The final paper should include the following elements:
• DILEMMA DESCRIPTION: An introduction of the business ethics dilemma situation, presenting 3-5 alternative choices should be presented, and their rationale explained;
• STAKEHOLDER MAP: An analysis of all the stakeholders involved; Who are they? What are their interests, rights, expectations and claims around the issue?
• ETHICAL DISCUSSION: A discussion of the different stakeholder positions on the issue pointing out their preferred solution of the dilemma and discussing their motivation – if possible with reference to ethical theories and frameworks discussed in class.
• PERSONAL VIEW: The presentation of personal view of the student on this dilemma.

Extraits

[...] Business ethics dilemma related to your own personal experience Option “My Dilemma” Identify, analyze and discuss a business ethics dilemma directly related to your own personal experience (i.e. a complex choice you had to face in your role as employee, intern, consumer, student, etc.). During the seminar, you will have the chance to familiarize with some example of “business ethics dilemmas” that will help you in choosing an appropriate topic. Writing the paper will require additional individual research on a specific company, or industry, or around a specific issue. [...]

[...] • PERSONAL VIEW: The presentation of personal view of the student on this dilemma. Part Dilemma description In June 2010, I was just finishing my second year at ISEG and I was about to do my third year abroad in San Diego, California. I needed some money to afford this trip so I decided to not take any vacation and work during the whole summer. I had already some experience in sales so I applied for a sales assistant position in several stores around my place in Villeneuve d'Ascq (northern France, near Lille). [...]

[...] Thus, when we received a new product we had to assemble it, and put it on display. The showcase zone of my section was just beside the showcase zone of the barbecues, so I used to talk a lot with my colleague Cyprien, who worked in this section. If the stock of a product was empty, the policy of the store was to put the displayed model on sale, with a discount of because the customer had to take the product already assembled, without packaging. [...]

[...] When we make choices which result in the correct consequences, then we are acting morally; when we make choices which result in the incorrect consequences, then we are acting immorally. http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/phil/blfaq_phileth_teleo.htm) In this situation Cyprien only focused on the consequences to determine if his action was right or wrong. As the consequences were good for him (he didn't compromise his career), he didn't considered his choices immoral. Part Personal view For my part, I had another approach of business ethics, based on a deontological theory. Deontological moral systems are characterized primarily by a focus upon adherence to independent moral rules or duties. [...]

[...] My manager went to advise the customer on the product, obviously he didn't know that it was damaged, and he told him that it was clearly the best deal that he could get. The customer seemed convinced and was about to buy the barbecue. At this moment I was really facing a business ethics dilemma, and the situation was complicated to solve because it was a “Right versus Right” dilemma. Indeed, this dilemma involved several values, and I had to choose which value was the most important. In this situation, the values at stake are honesty, integrity and loyalty. [...]