task 2

Introduction

In a complex, multicultural business environment, business professionals must adhere to ethical standards throughout their daily activities. In order to assess your understanding of the material and your ability to apply the required concepts, you will be asked to evaluate three different common ethical dilemmas and analyze the consequences of the dilemmas. You will also be tasked with examining the dilemma in the context of different ethical theories and describing a resolution based on those theoretical perspectives.

Requirements

Ethical Dilemma: Conflict of Interest

A. A procurement manager must choose between several vendors, one of whom is a close friend. Accepting their bid might appear biased, even if it is legitimate. Evaluate this ethical dilemma by doing the following:

1. Without discussing how the manager is affected personally, explain one potential impact on the organization if the manager accepts the bid from the friend’s company.

2. Without discussing how the manager is affected personally, explain one potential impact on the organization if the manager rejects the bid from the friend’s company.

3. Analyze the ethical dilemma from a utilitarian perspective by doing the following:

a. Explain utilitarian ethics, including two key features or characteristics.

b. Describe how a person using utilitarian ethics would resolve the ethical dilemma from part A.

Ethical Dilemma: Whistleblowing

B. An accountant uncovers evidence of financial fraud by their supervisor and is concerned about possible retaliation if they report it. Evaluate this ethical dilemma by doing the following:

1. Without discussing how the accountant is affected personally, explain one potential impact on the organization of reporting the fraud.

2. Without discussing how the accountant is affected personally, explain one potential impact on the organization of not reporting the fraud.

3. Analyze the ethical dilemma from a virtue ethics perspective by doing the following:

a. Explain virtue ethics, including two key features or characteristics.

b. Describe how a person using virtue ethics would resolve the ethical dilemma from part B.

International Ethical Dilemma: Accepting Gifts or Favors

C. A U.S.-based company with a strict policy against accepting gifts or favors sends a salesperson on a visit to an important supplier in Spain, a country that presents gifts as a sign of respect and relationship building. The salesperson is offered tickets to a World Cup match by the supplier. Evaluate this ethical dilemma by doing the following:

1. Without discussing how the salesperson is affected personally, explain one potential impact on the organization of accepting the tickets.

2. Without discussing how the salesperson is affected personally, explain one potential impact on the organization of declining the tickets.

3. Analyze the ethical dilemma from a principle-based perspective by doing the following:

a. Explain principle-based ethics, including two key features or characteristics.

b. Describe how a person using principle-based ethics would resolve the ethical dilemma from part C.