Part # 1

The issue of right and wrong has always been open to debate and scrutiny. In people's private lives, it is open to interpretation and is quite subjective. However, in the business world, there is not that individual definition of right and wrong, at least there should not be. Reflect back on your professional life and recall any time you can identify when, in your own opinion, your organization may have done something unethical. Please do not state or specify the name of the business, just the incident. Then, support your opinion with some research to substantiate your assertions.

• Search the library and the Internet for information pertaining to the ethical violation made by your organization, past or present, and be sure not to identify the organization. See if this incident has occurred in other organizations; give 2 examples and their outcomes.
• Can you think of any legitimate justification for the organization's actions with 2 examples? Explain.

Part # 2

Recent events in the news have indicated that the environment is suffering, and this is having an obvious effect on your own company's international operations. Between pollution, natural disasters, and neglect, your facilities are rapidly eroding. However, you have identified a potential market for your products; unfortunately, it is located in a country that does not have a good track record for adhering to the legal and ethical guidelines concerning sustainability. Assess the risk involved, and decide whether you should recommend doing business in this country.

• What legal and ethical responsibilities do companies have regarding the protection of the environment?
• Cite a legal or ethical guideline that has been enacted to protect the environment and the circumstances under which or reasons why it was written.
• Should firms invest money in sustainability efforts? Why or why not? Who are the stakeholders affected by this?

Part # 3

Unfortunately, over the last several years, there have been many examples of illegal and unethical business dealings; some involved practicing unethical accounting processes, as well as situations that involved public figures from various genres caught performing various questionable activities. From a philosophical and theoretical point of view, do you feel that individuals holding positions of power or influence should be held to higher levels of accountability for their unethical actions or inactions?

• Using the Internet and library, provide at least 2 examples of how corporations and individuals in positions of power and authority have acted unethically either by their actions or inactions.
• Regarding the incidences you found, do you feel the individuals should be held to a higher level of accountability based upon their real or perceived power and influence over others? Explain.