MGT 7019 ASSIGNMENT 1 & 2
Task List
These are your Module 1 tasks to complete.
Lesson 1
1. Read all Required Resources posted in the Course Resources.
2. Review the Unethical Behavior.
3. Complete the Assignment 1: Evaluate the Price of Unethical Behavior.
Unethical Behavior
Many argue if and to what degree corporate social responsibility should be considered in businesses. Unfortunately, there are many cases that clearly and definitively cross ethical (and sometimes legal) lines. In these cases, the price corporate leaders, employees, companies, and stakeholders pay can be quite high. However, some would argue there may not always be an appropriate or harsh enough consequence to deter unethical behavior, and thus, the topic is worth continued exploration and attention. Despite significant negative press and organizational outcomes, 2022 included some high-profile cases of fraud. These included companies such as Theranos, Celsius, and FTX. The list of fraudulent activities noted in 2022 in prominent news stories resulted in billions of dollars lost (Adamek, 2022; Liebman, 2023). Sadly, many examples of poor business ethics can be found throughout history. Understanding the history of ethics in business is to understand human behavior in the desire for gain. The desire for gain is not wrong, but the desire to gain through unethical and dishonest business practices is wrong.
During the Industrial Revolution of the 1900s, working conditions were dismal, and governments did not have legislation in place to protect the rights of employees in the workplace. Some workplaces had unsanitary or dangerous conditions, which resulted in employees becoming sick or even dying as a result. Since so many people were willing to work, employers exploited them with long hours, child labor was the norm, and low wages were widespread. These dismal conditions resulted in strikes, which led to the formation of labor unions that engaged in collective bargaining with management. This also led to new legislation being passed by governments to improve workplace conditions. The example of the Industrial Revolution demonstrates that law and ethics do not always keep up with the pace of economic development within society.
Be sure to review this lesson’s resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.
Reference
Adamek, D. (2022). A close look back at 2022 and its biggest cases of corporate fraud. CFO Brew. https://www.cfobrew.com/stories/2022/12/13/the-year-in-fraud-crypto
Liebman, J. (2023, January/February). 5 most scandalous fraud of 2022. Fraud Magazine. https://www.fraud-magazine.com/article.aspx?id=4295020061
Heads-Up to the Signature Assignment
Your culminating Signature Assignment (due in Lesson 8) will be a reflection of all that you have learned within the course, and it may require that you complete some work ahead of time. To ensure you are prepared and have adequate time to complete this assignment, please review the instructions by looking ahead to Lesson 8. You can contact your professor if you have questions.
Lesson 1 Required Resources
Articles
• Business Ethics: What Everyone Needs to Know https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/nu/detail.action?docID=6897965
Nelson, J. (2022). Business Ethics: What Everyone Needs to Know. In Business ethics: What everyone needs to know. Oxford University Press.
A primer on the business ethics.
• General Motors: The Ignition Switch from Hell
Wanasika, I., & Conner, S. L. (2018). General Motors: The ignition switch from hell. Journal of Case Studies, 36(2), 66–81.
A case study of ethical issues and responses in a real-world business scenario.
• Research Methods & Design – Research Ethics & Quality Library Guide https://resources.nu.edu/c.php?g=680748&p=4803395
National University. (n.d.). Research methods & design – Research ethics & quality library guide.
Research methods and design foundation information to ensure ethical business research.
• Business Ethics Library Guide
National University. (n.d). Business ethics library guide.
A National University Library pages focused on business ethics research and information.
• Promoting Ethical and Prosocial Behavior: The Combined Effect of Ethical Leadership and Coworker Ethicality https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10508422.2017.1365607
O’Keefe, D. F., Messervey, D., & Squires, E. C. (2018). Promoting Ethical and Prosocial Behavior: The Combined Effect of Ethical Leadership and Coworker Ethicality. Ethics & Behavior, 28(3), 235–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2017.1365607
An assessment of ethical leadership and worker behavior in an organization.
Videos
• What is Ethics? https://fod-infobase-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=32706
•
Films for Humanities & Sciences (Producer). (2004). What is ethics? [Video file].
A video presentation of the basic foundation of what business ethics is.
• Business Ethics https://fod-infobase-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=59761
Master Communications, Inc. (Producer). (2012). Business ethics [Video file].
A review of Proctor and Gamble’s ethical considerations in conducting business.
• Privacy and Ethical Behavior https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/privacy-and-ethical-behavior
Privacy and Ethical Behavior, in Cutting Edge Communication Comedy Series. (2019, Jan 01).[Video/DVD] Seven Dimensions.
Managing personal information as part of modern ethical business practices.
• Making Decisions and Choices https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/making-decisions-and-choices
Making Decisions and Choices, in Cutting Edge Communication Comedy Series. . (2021, Jan 01).[Video/DVD] Seven Dimensions.
A humorous look at the serious topic of daily decision making on ethics in business.
Assignment 1: Evaluate the Price of Unethical Behavior
Instructions
Just as with Theranos, Celsius, and FTX, there are many examples of unethical business actions over the past few decades that have made headlines. It is important to understand unethical practices to make ethical business decisions.
Your task in this lesson is to prepare a timeline to document and evaluate a recent business case of unethical behavior with which you are familiar. You may create your timeline using Microsoft Word or another program that would allow you to create a visually appealing format, such as an infographic. Begin by researching the case to learn the history of the company or companies involved, dates of operation, and how these unethical behaviors were discovered.
Be sure to include the following in your timeline.
• Introduce the historical scenario surrounding your selected case. Include any available dates.
• Explain how these unethical behaviors occurred for as long as they did. Include any conflicting objectives you discovered among involved business leaders.
• Evaluate the outcome of events, including relations with internal and external stakeholders.
• Determine if the punishment was justified.
• Explain why it may be difficult for business professionals to identify ethical breaches that they committed.
Support your timeline with a minimum of three scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.
Length: 2 page timeline, not including the reference page. Your references can be included within the timeline or submitted in a separate Word document.
Your timeline should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards where appropriate. Be sure to adhere to National University’s Academic Integrity Policy.
Upload your document, and then click the Submit to Dropbox button.
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2
• Evaluate the ethical approaches of the parties who influence business decision making.
• Critique the conflicting objectives of business leaders who influence business decisions.
•
Lesson 2
1. Read all Required Resources posted in the Course Resources.
2. Review The Effects of Potentially Unethical Behaviors.
3. Complete the Assignment 2: Evaluate a Company’s Behaviors.
4. The Effects of Potentially Unethical Behaviors
5. There are instances, as you explored in the last lesson, in which an individual or corporation makes obvious and purposive unethical (and often illegal) choices. However, there are also times in which the situation is less clear, without evidence that any of the decision-makers in the case were conscious that their choices also involved moral choices. These types of situations are often overlooked in an examination of ethics but are quite important to review and consider. These unclear situations are ones that you, as a manager and leader, may face. Possessing a solid understanding of the issue at hand, your moral and ethical viewpoints, and the impact of your actions can deter you from making unethical decisions.
6. Ethical business behavior often depends on the business acknowledging that ethical issues or moral obligations do, in fact, exist. In some regards, these capabilities to observe and act ethically are tied to the dimensions of organizational culture and the moral effects of leadership decision-making rather than individual employees. Increasing ethics in business begins with the acknowledgment of obligations and corporate social responsibility to employees, customers, and other stakeholders that go above the standards set in business policy, regulation, and law. Leadership that encourages a cooperative culture to raise ethical awareness and promote low to high-level leadership behavior develops ethical behavior in the organization, which can address potentially unethical behavior proactively before it begins.
7. Understanding the relationship between potential unethical behaviors and business ethics is critical in contemporary business practice management and leadership. This subject receives significant public, social media, and lawmaker attention due to its profound impact on businesses, stakeholders, and society at large. As you continue in this lesson to explore the consequences of such behaviors, focus on the critical importance of maintaining ethical standards within all types of organizations.
8. It should be noted that business ethics may be dismissed as focused only on for-profit enterprises. However, all organizations that operate within some business functionalities are obligated to execute their affairs ethically. A simple way to think of this is to consider that all organizations, for-profit or nonprofit organizations, must be considered as a business from an operational perspective. As such, each type of organization must operate with sound business ethics. Hornsey et al. (2021) argued the need for ethical practices in nonprofit organizations may be even stronger than in for-profit organizations.
9.
10. For the purpose of this course, and in general, business ethics is addressed from the perspective of being a need for all businesses (for-profit or nonprofit). With that perspective in mind, unethical behaviors within a business can have detrimental effects on its reputation. Organizations involved in activities that are just perceived as unethical can suffer significant challenges that are not always monetary. In an age where social media trends can dictate organizational success, even the perception of unethical activity can have lasting effects. Consumers, who are becoming increasingly conscious of corporate ethics, may boycott a company’s products or services or may create social perceptions of poor corporate citizenship. This damages the bottom line and erodes the trust crucial for the long-term success of an organization.
11. Unethical behaviors can often lead to legal repercussions. Sometimes, these unethical behaviors are simply morally questionable. In other cases, they can violate laws and regulations, resulting in hefty fines, legal battles, and even imprisonment for the individuals involved. While companies are legal entities where leaders and employees have some legal protections, those protections do not exclude them from facing class-action lawsuits from affected parties. It should be obvious that responding to these legal challenges can drain financial resources and further tarnish the company’s reputation.
12. Often overlooked in the discussion of business ethics is that unethical behaviors can undermine employee productivity and morale. Employees witnessing unethical actions within their organization may struggle with feelings of comfort and belonging. Unethical behaviors can lead to a toxic work environment characterized by mistrust and disillusionment. The result of this is poorer collaboration, innovation, and overall employee performance. Ethical breaches often drive away talented employees who seek a more principled workplace.
13. To guard against unethical behavior, organizations must establish clear codes of conduct, provide ethics training, and ensure that ethical principles are upheld at all levels of the organization. Ultimately, the relationship between potentially unethical behaviors and business ethics underscores the reality that ethical conduct is not just a matter of compliance, but a fundamental aspect of sustainable and responsible business operations.
14. Be sure to review this lesson’s resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.
15. Resources
16. Hornsey, M. J., Chapman, C. M., Mangan, H., La Macchia, S., & Gillespie, N. (2021). The moral disillusionment model of organizational transgressions: Ethical transgressions trigger more negative reactions from consumers when committed by nonprofits. Journal of Business Ethics, 172(4), 653–671. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04492-7
17. Summary
18. The issues and debate surrounding corporate social responsibility and business ethics continue to be a one. While some argue that there should be stricter consideration of ethical values in business operations, others believe that there might not always be adequate consequences to deter unethical behavior. Clearly, this indicates the need to keep these topics a subject of ongoing scrutiny and professional business education. Despite significant negative publicity and financial repercussions, high-profile cases of corporate fraud continue to emerge, resulting in billions of dollars in losses. Such cases highlight the enduring challenge of ensuring ethical behavior in business.
19. Often legal and ethical standards lag behind economic development. This can result in poor working conditions and exploitation of employees until collective actions and government intervention lead to systemic controls and improvements. In modern business operations, the complexity of ethical decision-making extends beyond blatant violations of ethics and laws. Less clear situations and emerging and developing technologies require careful consideration in their usage and protection of information. Building an ethical organizational culture and promoting responsible leadership can diminish, and often prevent, unethical behavior.
20. The importance of upholding ethical standards in contemporary business practices cannot be overstated. Given the profound impact of unethical behaviors on businesses, stakeholders, and society, organizations must maintain good corporate citizenship. This is important whether the organization operates as a for-profit or non-profit entity. Failure to do so can result in reputational damage, legal consequences, diminished employee morale, and hampered organizational performance. Hence, a commitment to ethics is not merely a matter of compliance but an essential aspect of sustainable and responsible business operations.
Lesson 2 Required Resources
Articles
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Perspectives on the CSR Construct’s Development and Future
Carroll, A. B. (2021). Corporate Social Responsibility: Perspectives on the CSR Construct’s Development and Future. Business & Society, 60, 1258–1278.
Historical and progressive assessment of CSR as an outcome of strong business ethics in action.
• The Effects of the Dark Triad on Unethical Behavior
Harrison, A., Summers, J., & Mennecke, B. (2018). The effects of the dark triad on unethical behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 153(1), 53–77.
An assessment of behavioral theories and their application in the study of ethics.
• The Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Performance: An Application of Quantile Regression
Wang, Y. G., Hsu, W. L., & Chang, K. (2012). The Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Performance: An Application of Quantile Regression. Frontiers of Business Research in China, 6(2), 218-244.
A solid assessment of the connection between business ethics and CSR.
• Business Ethics Library Guide
National University. (n.d). Business ethics library guide.
A National University Library pages focused on business ethics research and information.
• Why “Doing Well by Doing Good” Went Wrong: Getting beyond “Good Ethics Pays” Claims in Managerial Thinking
Lynn, A. (2021). Why “Doing Well by Doing Good” Went Wrong: Getting beyond “Good Ethics Pays” Claims in Managerial Thinking. Academy of Management Review, 46(3), 512–533. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2018.0250
A critical assessment of where academic and practitioner assessment of business ethics have not historically aligned.
• Research Methods & Design – Research Ethics & Quality Library Guide https://resources.nu.edu/c.php?g=680748&p=4803395
National University. (n.d.). Research methods & design – Research ethics & quality library guide.
Research methods and design foundation information to ensure ethical business research.
Assignment 2: Evaluate a Company’s Behaviors
Instructions
While Walmart may employ many individuals (e.g., 2.1 million worldwide), the company has received negative attention in terms of its business model and practices. Not only has Walmart been accused of treating employees poorly, but it has also been the target of discrimination scandals.
After reviewing this lesson’s resources, conduct a review of relevant research regarding Walmart and its practices. Then, prepare a written report of your findings that addresses the following:
• Briefly summarize Walmart’s mission, vision, and values.
• Evaluate Walmart’s actions (e.g., any unethical behaviors and cases of ethical actions found in your research).
• Elaborate on whether specific actions taken by Walmart are illegal as well as unethical. Justify your rationale.
• Determine how Walmart can improve its corporate culture and leadership. Then, recommend steps for improvement that could be taken to improve Walmart’s culture.
Support your report with a minimum of five scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.
Length: 5 pages, not including title and reference pages
Your report should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards. Be sure to adhere to National University’s Academic Integrity Policy.
Learning Outcomes: 3, 4, 5
• Critique the actions that companies may take to meet ethical considerations relative to social performance, financial performance, and reputation.
• Assess the extent to which social, ethical, and public issues must be considered in internal and external stakeholder relationships.
• Interpret ethics in a business setting with regards to integrity and code of conduct.
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