Chapter 3 Relationship Between Law and Ethics Questions

Chapter 3 Application Activity
To clearly identify your answers, bold them or use a different color.
1. Go to the Discussions area on Canvas where you will find a thread titled “Application Activity #4
– Defining Ethics.” Make a substantive post there based on the prompt and then copy and paste
that post here.
2. Describe the relationship between Law and Ethics.
3. In the digital update on page 47, respond to the title question. What do you see as the ethical
boundaries?
4. In looking ahead and attempting reduce future road congestion, which generally comes with
higher accident rates and environmental costs due to unproductive fuel usage, the Texas
government is looking to exercise its eminent domain powers to take and pay “fair value” for
land just 30 miles east of I-35. In many cases, the taken land would divide farms that have been
in families for generations and displaces some people from homes they have lived in for more
than 30 years. Explain and evaluate the implications of this ethical dilemma utilizing at least two
specific ethical frameworks we studied.
5. You are the CEO of a major oil company. Years ago, you drilled and produced oil in Ecuador, but
the government eventually pushed you out in favor of domestic production. As you left, you
agreed to properly clean up a number of drilling sites equivalent to your percentage of
ownership, but not necessarily the ones you specifically operated. Once the cleanup was
completed, the government granted you a complete release from any environmental claims.
Now, many years later, you are being sued by some Ecuadorians over alleged health problems,
including cancer, caused by spills and contaminants in the oil and water. There were few
regulations on the manner of operations and drilling back in the day. As CEO, what would your
response be in light of the specific ethical concepts learned in Chapter 3? Explain substantively.
6. Think about an ethical dilemma you faced in your life. How did you decide what was the right
decision for that situation?
7. Answer the question at the end of the “ethics today” discussion on page 59.
8. Hunter’s company is doing business in Russia and he secures a very large contract with a private
company there, but the work and revenue won’t commence until the next calendar year. After
some other good contracts around the world, Hunter is very close to a huge year-end bonus, but
really needs that Russian contract revenue to start coming in this year. He contacts the CEO of
the Russian company and offers him $100,000 if they can start the contract and some of the
payments in the current year. Would this payment be a violation of the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act? Explain why/why not.
9. Answer Issues Spotter #1 on page 61.