Final Paper - Ethics Policy
Being able to successfully adopt and/or adapt principles of ethical theories and laws is essential to business practitioners and leaders. To this end, you will analyze the topics of this class and how they might be applied in a realistic business setting.
SOURCES
Sources should be used that are in support of your own ideas. The actual number of sources is dependent upon the topic and scope of the assignment.
Students should use outside sources in addition to the textbook or other readings that are relevant to the assignment and used to support your own ideas. Be sure to credit all sources that you utilize. Not citing will result in a ZERO grade for the assignment.
INSTRUCTIONS
Individually, create an ethics policy for a company. The purpose of this assignment is to provide members of your company with the information and tools necessary to make ethical business decisions.
Consider this written component of the final project as an annual awareness training that you would hand out to employees in a seminar to stress the importance of ethics in the workplace. This policy will be distributed to senior level management of the company of your choosing.
• Select a company
o Identify mission of company
o Define core business structure
• Draft a code of ethics
o Define ethical business approach
o Define theories to apply within the policy
• Select at least 3 topics to include in your policy (NOTE: The topics should relate to the core business structure of the company you chose. For example, Starbucks' ethical policy should include: trade secrets, discrimination, OSHA, marketing, etc.
Although some companies may include all topics, you are only required to include 3 topics in your policy for this assignment. If you select a financial industry-based company, ethics in finance and corporate governance should be included as two of your 3 topics as they relate to the core business structure of a financial business.)
o Whistle-Blowing
o Trade Secrets
o Conflicts of Interest
o Privacy
o Discrimination
o Employment Rights
o Occupational Safety & Health
o Finance
o Marketing
o Corporate Social Responsibility
o Corporate Governance
o International Business
• For each topic area, make sure to develop a policy on how to handle ethical dilemmas in those areas. Describe the topics and address what ethical theories the company uses to handle any related dilemmas (Utilitarianism, Virtue, Justice, etc.)
The ethics policy should be a minimum of 7 pages.
You may also use these questions for additional guidance in your paper for each topic area:
1. What is the ethical issue/problem, in one sentence? State this in the form of an ethical question a business practitioner would need to consider.
2. What facts have the most bearing on the ethical decision you must render in this case? Note: facts do not include ethical judgments at this point.
3. Are there any other external or internal factors to be considered? (Economic, political, etc.)
4. Who are the claimants and in what way are you obligated to each of them? (List all affected by your decision.)
5. What are the operant ideals? Note: ideals are values and behaviors based on them.
• For the client/organization/profession
6. Do any of these ideals conflict?
7. What are the company's options, and which would be favored by each affected party? (List at least three.)
8. Which options could cause harm to any claimant?
9. Would honoring any of the ideals listed above invalidate any of the company's options?
10. Are there any rules, principles or codes (legal, professional, organizational, or other) that automatically invalidate any of the company's options?
11. Which ethical theories support or reject which options? Explain.
Utilitarianism
Kant's theory
Other duties (religious, etc.)
12. Determine a course of action to follow for each topic area in the event of an issue that may arise. For example, with whistle-blowing, develop a framework for how to deal with whistle blowing within the organization.