Discussion Board

The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion.

At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Friday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Friday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation.

The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each unit.

Discussion Board Question

Review these scenarios:

• Your boss owns 2,000 shares of stock of one of the vendors, his wife works for another vendor, and he is on the procurement selection committee for the project.

• A third vendor in contention for this project has offered everyone on your team tickets to the hockey game this weekend in the company box with dinner included.

• Your stock broker is recommending the purchase of a technology mutual fund that contains stock belonging to several of the vendors in contention.

In your opinion, are there any ethics violations in these three scenarios? For each scenario, is there a way to avoid the ethics conflict? What do you see as the legal ramifications of your alternatives on the effectiveness of the project? Will the alternatives positively or negatively affect the effort?

In your own words, post a substantive response to the Discussion Board question(s) and comment on other postings. Your response should address the DB question(s) and move the conversation forward. You will be graded on the quality of your postings, including mastery of the concept as well as critical thinking. If asked for your opinion, do not simply state that it is a good or bad idea; elaborate on your reasons and argument. Include enough detail to substantiate your thinking as well as your position on the questions or comments.