Assignment: BJ's Ethical Dilemma
Although BJ just graduated from GSU last year, he has advanced rapidly in his company and is now Senior Purchasing Agent in the Corporate Procurement Division of Mega Life Insurance Company. Yesterday, his boss asked him to buy 28 new computers for the analysts in the Corporate Finance division.
After talking with several analysts to determine the computer specifications they need in their positions, he found two computers that appear to meet the company's needs and specifications: (1) the CompuWiz 2.3 desktop, which is listed on the CompuWiz website at a price of $2,300 and (2) the ProcessCore 2000, produced by ProcessCore, Inc., which lists at a price of $2,000.
Today, BJ contacted his local CompuWiz dealer to verify that the 2.3 desktop has the capabilities to meet the needs of Mega Life' financials analysts. He discussed the computer's specifications and pricing before saying that he would call the dealer back after verifying price, features and capabilities of the Process Core 2000 that the company is also considering.
Before they hang up, the CompuWiz dealer said, "One more thing... I'd like to throw in our latest-model tablet computer for you, valued at $399, as a gesture of CompuWiz's commitment to your company. You'll never be able to get this kind of a deal from ProcessCore."
What should BJ do? Answer the questions below to conduct an ethical analysis of BJ's options.
For this exercise, BJ has only two options: accept the $399 tablet from CompuWiz and purchase the 28 computers from CompuWiz or to reject that offer and purchase the 28 computers from Process Core.
1. What is the ethical question confronting BJ? Be as specific as possible, using the word "should" as his choice raises an ethical, not a legal issue.
2. Who are the primary stakeholders who might be affected by BJ's choice? Identify at least 5.
3. Make an initial decision based on BJ's two options and analyze it below by (a) describing each ethical theory, (b) applying each theory to your initial decision, and then (c) concluding whether your initial choice is ethical, based on that ethical theory. Show your analysis for each theory in 3-5 complete sentences.
Initial decision?
Utilitarian theory
Rights theory
Justice theory
Virtue theory
4. Based on your ethical analysis, what is your decision? Which of the four ethical theories was most helpful in guiding your decision? How?
5. In real life, might BJ have had other options? What might they be? What other information, if any, might you have wanted to know if you had been in BJ's position?