Swiss Business School Business Values and Ethics Paper

Business Values and Ethics

SBS MBA / MSc

Assignment – Qatar 2020

Business Values and Ethics

SBS MBA / MSc

Assignment – Qatar 2020Business Values and Ethics

SBS MBA / MSc

Assignment – Qatar 2020 Business Values and Ethics
SBS MBA / MSc
Assignment – Qatar 2020
STUDENT ID
UNIT TITLE / CODE:
___________________________________________________
NAME (in Full):
___________________________________________________
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
●
●
●
●
If assignment is not submitted on date, will follow with penalty of 10% deduction of marks
for every day.
Similarity between students work is strictly not accepted, any student found with similar work
will be graded Zero and fail for the course. However, Plagiarism is an academic offence and
will not be tolerated under SBS
Assignment once submitted to exam board is final for marking.
Total 100 marks
GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT
1.
2.
If assignment is Question & Answer based then.
• Introduction is needed for each question.
• Question has to be answered based on the mark allotted for each question with references
if any idea or information is taken from other source.
If assignment is case based then,
• Executive summary
• Table of content
• Body of assignment (questions related to case need to be answered)
• Conclusion / Recommendation if any
• References (in-text + citation) to be used.
Total Marks
©Al Tareeqah Management Studies – 2020
/ 100
1
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is a form of cheating, by representing someone else’s work as your own or using
someone else’s work (another student or author) without acknowledging it with a reference.
This is a serious breach of the Academic Regulations and will be dealt with accordingly.
Students found to have plagiarised can be excluded from the program.
Plagiarism occurs whenever you do any of the following things without acknowledging the
original source:
✓ Copy information from any source (including the study guide, books, newspapers, the internet)
✓ Use another person’s concepts or ideas
✓ Summarise or paraphrase another person’s work.
How do I avoid plagiarism?
To ensure you are not plagiarising, you must acknowledge with a reference whenever you:
✓ use another person’s ideas, opinions or theory
✓ include any statistics, graphs or images that have been compiled or created by another
person or organization
✓ Paraphrase another’s written or spoken word.
What are the penalties?
The penalties for plagiarism are:
✓ Deduction of marks,
✓ A mark of zero for the assignment or the unit, or
✓ Exclusion from the program.
Plagiarism is dealt with on a case-by-case basis and the penalties will reflect the seriousness
of the breach.
Please note: claiming that you were not aware of need to reference is no excuse.
©Al Tareeqah Management Studies – 2020
2
Answer any 5 from the below.
Each question carries equal marks
Case Scenario I
You are running with a business since last many years. Over a period of time you have very good
corporate image in market. But unfortunately since last two years your firm is passing through crisis.
Your business is suffering from heavy losses. You are planning to wind up your business. Meanwhile
one big corporate house has announced a big corporate deal through auction. You have also decided to
take part in that deal as it will be a last option for you to save your business. On the day of auction, so
many companies have participated for this bid. Committee would declare the result after lunch break.
You found the closed envelope of your competitor’s bid during lunch break.
a) Will you be ethical in this situation? If yes how? And if no! Why?
b) If you be ethical, how you will survive your business.
Case Scenario II: Discrimination in the Workplace
Marian, a top graduate from Loyola in Humanities, was hired by a major corporation into a
management position. Marian finished the corporation’s management training program top in her
group, and is performing above the norm in her position. She is really enjoying her work.
As a woman she feels isolated, as there are no other women managers and few women in her area.
One night at a company party she heard a conversation between two of her male co-workers and their
supervisor. They were complaining to him about Marian’s lack of qualifications and her unpleasant
personality. They cursed affirmative action regulations for making the hiring of Marian necessary.
Marian is very upset and wants to quit.
Questions:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Should Marian quit?
Are her co-workers correct in their evaluation?
Should Marian confront the co-workers?
Should Marian file a discrimination suit?
Should Marian go to the supervisor?
What else could Marian do?
Case Scenario III: Employee Absence
Joan, an employee of Great American Market, was warned about her excessive absenteeism several
times, both verbally and in writing. The written warning included notice that “further violations will
result in disciplinary actions,” including suspension or discharge.
A short time after the written warning was issued, Joan called work to say she was not going to be in
because her babysitter had called in sick and she had to stay home and care for her young child. Joan’s
supervisor, Sylvia, told her that she had already exceeded the allowed number of absences and warned
that if she did not report to work, she could be suspended. When Joan did not report for her shift,
Sylvia suspended her for fifteen days.
In a subsequent hearing, Joan argued that it was not her fault that the babysitter had canceled, and
protested that she had no other choice but to stay home. Sylvia pointed out that Joan had not made a
©Al Tareeqah Management Studies – 2020
3
good faith effort to find an alternate babysitter, nor had she tried to swap shifts with a co-worker.
Furthermore, Sylvia said that the lack of a babysitter was not a justifiable excuse for being absent.
Questions:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
Was the suspension fair?
Did Sylvia act responsibly?
Should Joan be fired?
Should the babysitter be fired?
Was Sylvia fair in her actions?
Is there ever a solution for working mothers?
Should working fathers take turns staying home?
Case Scenario IV
Sandoz Nutrition Corporation is a subsidiary of the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, Sandoz Ltd. Sandoz,
based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, began manufacturing Optifast 70, a liquid meal-replacement weight
loss program in 1976. The six month program is designed for people who are at least 30 percent or 50
pounds over their ideal weight. Health problems often accompany excessive weight. Optifast provides
an opportunity to get rid of the weight fast.
The Optifast program is only available through doctors, hospitals, and medical clinics; a prescription is
required to purchase the products. The Optifast program typically begins with the patient being placed
on 420 to 800 calorie diet per day of liquid protein for 12 to 16 weeks. Calorie intake is then increased
to 1000 or 1200 calories per day for the remainder of the program. The total cost is between $1400 and
$2800. Optifast sales grew slowly following its introduction as the medical community and consumers
became aware of the program. Sales continued to build slowly until mid November1988. Then Oprah
Winfrey announced on her TV talk show that she had lost 67 pounds using Optifast. She appeared on
the program in size 10 jeans to prove her point. Here was a celebrity endorsing Optifast without being
asked for or paid! Within hours Sandoz received more than 200,000 phone inquires about the Optifast
diet program.
The firm does not publish sales figures, but they forecasted a sales increase of from 25 to 30 percent
during the six weeks following Oprah’s announcement. In 1989 Sandoz launched a print
advertisement program, mostly in professional journals. Its promotional brochure and ad claims
included: (1) “ The one that’s clinically proven safe and effective” and (2) “You can call the Optifast
program today, and have all you need to control your weight for the rest of your life.” Unfortunately
for Oprah, she regained 17 pounds during the first year after she completed the Optifast program.
Studies at the University of Pennsylvania suggested that people who undertake quick weight loss
programs such as liquid diets are likely to experience weight rebounds. Studies at the University of
Michigan indicated that as many as 90 percent of dieters regain weight within five years after losing it.
Liquid diets have also been linked with dizziness, headaches, nausea, gallbladder problems, and
irregular heartbeat. Thus, there appears to be some difference between claims and use experience.
Questions:
a) Were any ethical norms or principles violated by Sandoz?
b) Are liquid diet products ethical products? Justify your answer
c) What moral responsibility might Sandoz have considered when developing its promotion messages
for the customers?
©Al Tareeqah Management Studies – 2020
4
Case Scenario V
Arthur Edward Anderson (1885-1947), the founder of Arthur Anderson & Co. must have turned in his
grave in 2001, as the auditor firm founded by him became a synonym for scandal in the accounting
profession. On 15th August 2001, Sherron Watkins, an employee of Enron, questioned the company’s
accounting practices, in a single-page letter to its CEO. Enron, the energy giant that ruled the world,
and its auditor Arthur Anderson & Co., became the ridicule of the world. In early 2002, the US Justice
Department began criminal investigations into Enron’s bankruptcy. In 2002, Arthur Anderson was
convicted by the lower and appellate courts for obstruction of justice. The firm had worked hand in
glove with Enron and cooked its account books. The audit firm that once had an 85,000 strong
workforce, now had closed offices and business interests around the globe. The firm’s name is so
tarnished that there is no other business going on in it, other than attending to over a hundred civil
suits.
Questions:
(a) What do you think can be the outcomes of an accounting fraud to the society and business at large?
(b) Why do you think that the history of accounting fraud repeats itself, such as so many frauds which
we have heard after Enron scandal?
Case Scenario – VI: Purchasing Ethics
J.R. accepted a position at Cripple Creek Vocational University and he and his family made a
permanent move. Soon, J.R. was promoted to Administrative Vice President, overseeing the
purchasing department of the University. His oldest son, Jim, got a good job in educational equipment
sales at Tiddley Computer Corporation in Fort Worth.
As Vice President, J.R. quickly saw the need for 4 to 5 computers in his office. Although CCVU had a
bidding policy, J.R. purchased Tiddley Corporation’s computers direct from Tiddley for about $3500
each, when IBM clones were selling for around $2000 and the clone had more promising features than
the Tiddley. Jim handled the sale and received a healthy commission on the sale. If the purchase had
gone through the normal bidding process, the TC model would not have been selected. Tiddley’s local
Cripple Creek franchise dealer objected to Tiddley Corporation that his protected franchise had been
bypassed in the deal.
Questions:
(a) Since J.R. was over the purchasing department and had final decision authority, should
purchasing have gone through the normal bidding routine?
(b) Is it acceptable for a V.P. to bypass the normal routine to do business with a family
member?
(c) Was J.R.’s decision not to request bids an ethical choice?
(d) What should the college purchasing agent do?
(e) Should anyone else at CCVU have any interest in this activity?
(f) Has Tiddley’s Cripple Creek franchise owner been wronged?
(g) Should Jim have made the sale? Received a commission?
©Al Tareeqah Management Studies – 2020
5
REFERENCING GUIDELINES
What is Referencing?
Referencing is a standardized method of formatting the information sources
you have used in your assignments or written work.
Any given referencing style serves two purposes:
❖ acknowledges the source
❖ allows the reader to trace the source
When writing a piece of academic work, for example an essay or thesis, you
must acknowledge the sources of information that you have used.
This acknowledgement of sources is called referencing or citing.
Why is Referencing Important?
Honesty:
By giving the source you make it clear to the reader that you are not trying to
pretend that somebody else’s work is your own.
Courtesy:
Acknowledging a source is a courtesy and respect to the person whose ideas or
words you have used or referred to.
Credibility:
People will have more confident in your assertion if they know where your
information comes from. Thoroughness in referencing suggests that you have
also been thorough in checking your facts.
Helping Others:
The source helps your readers to find the original texts or web pages to read
themselves, should they wish.
How will it help me?
❖ provides evidence that you have read wisely and understand your subject
❖ protect yourself from accusations of plagiarism
❖ strengthen your argument or point of view
❖ demonstrate that you have paraphrased and summarized appropriately and
quoted correctly
What if I do not Reference?
Failure to reference, or poor referencing can be classified as Academic
Misconduct.
Avoiding plagiarism is the individual’s responsibility, and there are penalties
for failing to do so.
In professional life, you will find that plagiarism can have serious effects on
your reputation and that of your colleagues and employer. It may prompt legal
action from the copyright owner of any work that is not acknowledged.
What is Plagiarism?
The most common offense under the Academic Code of Conduct is plagiarism
which the Code defines as “the presentation of the work of another person
as one’s own or without proper acknowledgement“
❖ material copied word for word from books, journals, internet sites,
professor’s course notes, etc.
❖ material that is paraphrased but closely resembles the original source.
❖ work of a fellow student, for example, an answer on a quiz, data for a lab
report, a paper or assignment completed by another student.
❖ paper purchased through one of the many available sources.
❖ Plagiarism does not refer to words alone – it can also refer to copying
images, graphs, tables, and ideas.
❖ If you translate the work of another person into French or English and do
not cite the source, this is also plagiarism.
❖ If you cite your own work without the correct citation, this too is
plagiarism.
When Should I Reference?
❖ Whenever you draw upon another source of information
❖Direct quotations
❖ Paraphrasing Ideas
❖ Specific information such as statistics or tables or images
❖ When using someone else’s ideas, arguments, theories or point of view.
Referencing Style
Sets of instructions explaining how you should reference the resources you use
are called “referencing styles”.
There are many different styles, and you must not mix and match them—it is
important to follow a single style.
Some of the styles are given below with the name by which it is usually
known:
❖ Harvard (University of Exeter)
❖ Chicago (University of Chicago Press)
❖ MLA (Modern Language Association of America)
❖ NZLSG (New Zealand Law Style Guide)
❖ OSCOLA (The Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal
Authorities )
Harvard Referencing
Harvard referencing is the most commonly used referencing system in social
sciences and education and originates from the American university.
Harvard referencing uses the author and the date of the work in the main body
of the text, and then uses a reference list at the end of the assignment which
contains the references cited in alphabetical order by author; this contains full
details of the journal or book cited.
The purpose of incorporating the author and date into the main body of the
text is to make it easy to locate works in the reference list.
Harvard referencing consists of two elements:
❖ in-text citations (in the body)
❖ The complete reference list (end of the project/assignment) in
alphabetical order
Referencing from the Book
Single Author:
In-text: Last Name (Year of Publication) p. Page Number
Citation: Last Name, First Name Initials (Year Published) Title of the Book.
Edition. Place of Publication: Publisher, p. Pages.
2 Authors:
In-text: Last Name 1 and Last Name 2 (Year Published) p. Pages Used
Citation: Last Name 1, Initial 1. and Last Name 2, Initial 2. (Year Published)
Title of the Book. City Published: Publisher, p. Pages Used.
Referencing from the Book
3 or more Authors:
In-text: Last Name 1 and Last Name 2 et al. (Year Published) p. Pages Used
Citation: Last Name 1, Initial 1., Last Name 2, Initial 2. and Last Name 3, Initial
3. Year Published. Title of the Book. City Published: Publisher, p. Pages Used.
Illustration – Book Reference:
Author(s)
Surname, Initial(s).,
Use & between two authors.
Date
Year of publication
Naidoo, J. & Willis, J. 2001. Health studies:
an introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Title
In sentence case and italicised.
Publisher
Place of publication, publisher.
Referencing from Journal
Articles
In-text: Last Name (Year Published)
Citation: Last Name, Initials. (Year Published) Article Title. Journal Name.
Volume No (Issue No), p. Pages Used.
Illustration – Journal Reference:
Author(s)
Surname, Initial(s).
Use & between two authors.
Date
Year of publication
Article Title
In sentence case
Kelly, C. & Lynes, D. (2008) Psychological
effects of chronic lung disease. Nursing Times.
104(47), pp.82-85.
Journal Title
In Title Case and italicised
Journal information
Give volume and issue as x(x), followed by
page numbers
pp. For multiple pages
p. For a single page item
Referencing from the Website
In-text: Website Name (Year Published)
Citation: Author/Editor, Initials. Year Published). Title. [online]. Place of
Publication: Publisher (if ascertainable). Available from: URL [Accessed Date
Month Year].
Illustration – Website
Author(s)
Surname, Initial(s) if a person is
the author. Otherwise use
corporate author or organisation.
Date
Year site last updated (often shown
at the bottom of the page).
If not known, enter (no date).
Department for Children, Schools and Families. 2009. Background to
every child matters. Every Child Matters [Online]. Available at
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/about/background/background.
Accessed on 18th February 2010, 11:10pm.
Page Title
In sentence case
Website Title
In Title Case and
italicised. Followed
by [Online].
Access information
Give full address of webpage,
and date and time you accessed
the resource.
Referencing from Newspaper
In-text: Last Name (Year Published) p. Pages Used
Citation: Author(s) of article, initials. Year of publication).‘Title of article’, Title
of newspaper, Day month, Page number(s).
Illustration – Newspaper
Author(s)
Surname, Initial(s).
Use & between two authors.
Date
Year of publication
Article Title
In sentence case
Simpson, L. 1997. ‘Tasmania’s railway goes
private’, Australian Financial Review, 13 October,
p. 10.
Title of Newspaper
In Title Case and italicised
Page Access information
Date and Month
p. Page number
Referencing from Course
Materials/Lecture Notes
In-text: Lecturer/Author’s Surname (Year of Publication)
Citation: Author Surname, Initial(s). Year of Publication. Subject Code Title of
the study guide. Publisher, Place of Publication.
Illustration – Course Materials
Author(s)
Surname, Initial(s).
Use & between two authors.
Date
Year of publication
Subject Code Title
In Title Case and italicised
Collins, M. 2010. ED1441 Information
technologies in education:, James Cook
University, Cairns.
Publisher
Place of Publication or Unpublished
Country/City/State
Referencing from Interview
In-text: Candidate’s Last Name (Year of Interview)
Citation: Candidate’s Last Name, Initial. Year of Interview. Title of Interview.
Interviewed by.. Name [Type of medium: TV/Radio/In person] Date, Time.
Illustration – Interview
Author(s)
Surname, Initial(s).
Use & between two authors.
Date
Year of Interview
Title of Interview
In Title Case and italicised
Ahern, B. 1999. Interview on Morning Ireland
Interviewed by… John Boyd [radio] RTE Radio 1,
15 February 1999, 08:30.
Interviewee’s Name
Date and Time of Interview
Type of Medium (Radio, TV, etc)
Harvard Referencing Tool
www.citethisforme.com
Assignment Structure
❑ Cover Page
❑ Executive Summary
❑ Table of Contents
❑ Introduction
❑ Body
❑ Conclusions & Recommendations
❑ References (Using Harvard Referencing)
❑ Appendix (if any)
Cover Page
Unit Code – Unit Name
Lecturer Name
Topic Name
Submission Date
Student Name
Student ID
Executive Summary
An executive summary is an overall summary of the entire report. It
should have 3-4 short paragraphs:
Paragraph 1: Based on the Introduction (Introduce the topic of your
report)
Paragraph 2: Summary of the body (Indicate main subjects
examined in the discussion section of your report)
Paragraph 3: Summary of the conclusions
Paragraph 4: Outline recommendations, if any, in bullet points
NOTE: Even though it appears first, the Executive Summary is
one of the last things you will write.
Table of Content
Introduction
1. Topic 1
1.1 Sub Topic 1
1.2 Sub Topic 2
1.2.1 Sub Topic 2.1
1.2.2 Sub Topc 2.2
1.3 Sub Topic 3
1.3.1 Sub Topic 3.1
1.4 Sub Topic 4
1.4.1 Sub Topic 4.1
1
2
2
2
3
4
4
4
4
5
Conclusion
6
List of Figures
Figure 1
8
Introduction
The introduction should generally include three key types of information:
a) Background – brief background information required for the reader to
understand the report.
NOTE: Detailed company background should not be included here. It is best
discussed in the body of the report
b) Aims/ objectives – It indicates what key questions the report is trying to
answer and what it is trying to achieve. Why was it written?
c) Scope – Tell the reader exactly what areas/ideas are covered in the report.
This also helps to explain how the report is organized.
Body
All your assignment questions must be answered here in detail with proper
headings and sub-headings, numbered sequentially.
IN-TEXT HARVARD REFERENCING MUST BE USED
In-text Referencing:
If you take any information from the textbook, website, etc, you will need
to mention it between the lines within your report.
Conclusion
This is your final chance to impress the reader so make it
powerful. Most conclusions include three main parts:
❑ stating the aim/ context of the assignment again
❑ a very brief summary of the main points
❑ final comments and recommendations
References
Last page of your assignment must include the complete list of
the references used during the completion of your assignment
with all the details.
Formatting Guidelines
Margins: 1 cm on all sides except right side (2 cm on the right side)
Font: 12 point, Times New Roman
Line Spacing: 1.5
Alignment: Left Flush
Pagination: Use footer for Page Numbers
Headings:
• Main headings: Centered, boldface, uppercase and lowercase heading
(title case)
• Subheadings: Flush left, boldface, uppercase and lowercase heading (title
case)
THANKS
Business Values and Ethics
SBS MBA / MSc
Assignment – Qatar 2020
STUDENT ID
UNIT TITLE / CODE:
___________________________________________________
NAME (in Full):
___________________________________________________
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
●
●
●
●
If assignment is not submitted on date, will follow with penalty of 10% deduction of marks
for every day.
Similarity between students work is strictly not accepted, any student found with similar work
will be graded Zero and fail for the course. However, Plagiarism is an academic offence and
will not be tolerated under SBS
Assignment once submitted to exam board is final for marking.
Total 100 marks
GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT
1.
2.
If assignment is Question & Answer based then.
• Introduction is needed for each question.
• Question has to be answered based on the mark allotted for each question with references
if any idea or information is taken from other source.
If assignment is case based then,
• Executive summary
• Table of content
• Body of assignment (questions related to case need to be answered)
• Conclusion / Recommendation if any
• References (in-text + citation) to be used.
Total Marks
©Al Tareeqah Management Studies – 2020
/ 100
1
Answer any 5 from the below.
Each question carries equal marks
Case Scenario I
You are running with a business since last many years. Over a period of time you have very good
corporate image in market. But unfortunately since last two years your firm is passing through crisis.
Your business is suffering from heavy losses. You are planning to wind up your business. Meanwhile
one big corporate house has announced a big corporate deal through auction. You have also decided to
take part in that deal as it will be a last option for you to save your business. On the day of auction, so
many companies have participated for this bid. Committee would declare the result after lunch break.
You found the closed envelope of your competitor’s bid during lunch break.
a) Will you be ethical in this situation? If yes how? And if no! Why?
In this situation, I would prefer to be ethical and choose either to take the competitor’s
bid to the auctioneers or the competitor himself. According to the National Auctioneers
Association code of ethics that outlines clients’ and customers’ responsibilities, I would
inform the whole gathering about the situation. After this, it would be wise for me to demand
every party involved in the process to declare their conflict of interest. Moreover, I would
not present the competitor’s bid to the auctioneers in secrete so that we can agree on keeping
the information away from the other parties. Further, I will not keep the found bid to myself
so that I may win the bid. Additionally, I would hold the auctioneers responsible for such
misconduct then ask them to try to perform their duties in honesty, fair dealings, and integrity
b) If you be ethical, how you will survive your business.
Upholding ethical standards, in this case, does not mean one is going to lose the bid to the
competitor. Upon winning the bid, more physical assets will be brought into the business, which
can increase the business net-worth, thus attracting more investors. However, upon losing the bid to
other competitors, I would realign the corporate business strategies to the business goal that will
make every employee in the organization work towards achieving the set business goals. Further, I
would invest in teamwork in the organization. Collaboration in any organization promotes
relationship and talent identification, which will be appropriate to realigning individuals towards
their talent ideologies.
©Al Tareeqah Management Studies – 2020
2
Case Scenario II: Discrimination in the Workplace
Marian, a top graduate from Loyola in Humanities, was hired by a major corporation into a management
position. Marian finished the corporation’s management training program top in her group, and is
performing above the norm in her position. She is really enjoying her work.
As a woman she feels isolated, as there are no other women managers and few women in her area. One
night at a company party she heard a conversation between two of her male co-workers and their
supervisor. They were complaining to him about Marian’s lack of qualifications and her unpleasant
personality. They cursed affirmative action regulations for making the hiring of Marian necessary.
Marian is very upset and wants to quit.
Questions:
a) Should Marian quit?
Marian should not quit her position because none of the junior workers under her has
complained about her style of leadership; neither does she underperforms; therefore, there are no
grounds for Marian’ to quit.
b) Are her co-workers correct in their evaluation?
The co-workers are wrong and unethical to judge Mariam basing on the affirmative action
regulation.
c) Should Marian confront the co-workers?
Marian should not confront the co-workers since she was not invited to the discussion.
Additionally, facing co-workers will create a new rift in the management spectrum through conflict
activation.
d) Should Marian file a discrimination suit?
Yes, Marian should file a discrimination suit since the allegation as weighty and is based on
gender incitement. The discrimination suit will help the masculine managers cope up with Marian as
their fellow manager but of the feminine gender. Further, the discrimination suit will help Marian to
fight for gender balance in the management.
e) Should Marian go to the supervisor?
Yes, Marian should go to the supervisor since the supervisor is the only superior individual
after the management. Further, going to the supervisor will portray Marian as an ethical individual
©Al Tareeqah Management Studies – 2020
3
through following the channels of communication. Further, the supervisor will also have a chance to
listen to Marian’s side of the story, thus eliminating biases.
f) What else could Marian do?
Marian could also write a formal application addressing the concerns in the organization as a
manager of the feminine gender to not only the supervisor but also the board of management.
Case Scenario III: Employee Absence
Joan, an employee of Great American Market, was warned about her excessive absenteeism several
times, both verbally and in writing. The written warning included notice that “further violations will
result in disciplinary actions,” including suspension or discharge.
A short time after the written warning was issued, Joan called work to say she was not going to be in
because her babysitter had called in sick and she had to stay home and care for her young child. Joan’s
supervisor, Sylvia, told her that she had already exceeded the allowed number of absences and warned
that if she did not report to work, she could be suspended. When Joan did not report for her shift, Sylvia
suspended her for fifteen days.
In a subsequent hearing, Joan argued that it was not her fault that the babysitter had canceled, and
protested that she had no other choice but to stay home. Sylvia pointed out that Joan had not made a
good faith effort to find an alternate babysitter, nor had she tried to swap shifts with a co-worker.
Furthermore, Sylvia said that the lack of a babysitter was not a justifiable excuse for being absent.
Questions:
a) Was the suspension fair?
The suspension was fair because Joan had already exceeded the leave limits and had a trend of
being absent without an apology to the supervisor. Further, Joan had already received a warning for
her tremendous absenteeism action.
b) Did Sylvia act responsibly?
Yes, Sylvia acted responsibly because, as a supervisor, she is supposed to make sure Joan serve
within the organization acceptable standards.
c) Should Joan be fired?
Joan should be fired from her work because she had gone against the organization’s set
standards, in addition to defying the supervisor’s directives.
©Al Tareeqah Management Studies – 2020
4
d) Should the babysitter be fired?
The babysitter should not be fired since she has not recorded any case of malpractice except on
the occasion she communicated her intention of not going to work to her boss Joan.
e) Was Sylvia fair in her action?
Yes, Sylvia was fair in her action since Joan knew her work trend and insisted on not going to
work despite Sylvia’s action communication.
f) Is there a solution for working mothers?
Yes, there is a solution for working mothers. Working mothers should be given the first three
months of their delivery, paying leave. Further, they should also be given an allowance to come to
work with their children and their babysitters so that they can attend to their children during break
times.
g) Should working fathers take turns staying home?
Yes, working fathers should also take turns staying home to help the mothers look after their
young ones.
Case Scenario IV
Sandoz Nutrition Corporation is a subsidiary of the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, Sandoz Ltd. Sandoz,
based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, began manufacturing Optifast 70, a liquid meal-replacement weight
loss program in 1976. The six month program is designed for people who are at least 30 percent or 50
pounds over their ideal weight. Health problems often accompany excessive weight. Optifast provides
an opportunity to get rid of the weight fast.
The Optifast program is only available through doctors, hospitals, and medical clinics; a prescription is
required to purchase the products. The Optifast program typically begins with the patient being placed
on 420 to 800 calorie diet per day of liquid protein for 12 to 16 weeks. Calorie intake is then increased
to 1000 or 1200 calories per day for the remainder of the program. The total cost is between $1400 and
$2800. Optifast sales grew slowly following its introduction as the medical community and consumers
became aware of the program. Sales continued to build slowly until mid November1988. Then Oprah
Winfrey announced on her TV talk show that she had lost 67 pounds using Optifast. She appeared on
the program in size 10 jeans to prove her point. Here was a celebrity endorsing Optifast without being
asked for or paid! Within hours Sandoz received more than 200,000 phone inquires about the Optifast
diet program.
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The firm does not publish sales figures, but they forecasted a sales increase of from 25 to 30 percent
during the six weeks following Oprah’s announcement. In 1989 Sandoz launched a print advertisement
program, mostly in professional journals. Its promotional brochure and ad claims included: (1) “ The
one that’s clinically proven safe and effective” and (2) “You can call the Optifast program today, and
have all you need to control your weight for the rest of your life.” Unfortunately for Oprah, she regained
17 pounds during the first year after she completed the Optifast program. Studies at the University of
Pennsylvania suggested that people who undertake quick weight loss programs such as liquid diets are
likely to experience weight rebounds. Studies at the University of Michigan indicated that as many as
90 percent of dieters regain weight within five years after losing it. Liquid diets have also been linked
with dizziness, headaches, nausea, gallbladder problems, and irregular heartbeat. Thus, there appears to
be some difference between claims and use experience.
Questions:
a) Were any ethical norms or principles violated by Sandoz?
Sandoz violated the ethical principle of beneficence and non-maleficence. Beneficence means
doing good for your clients, for example, providing them with immunization in case the product is
body reactive. Non-maleficence entails not harm either intentionally or unintentionally. Therefore,
Sandoz violated this principle by not communicating the long-run effect of the product they were
producing.
b) Are liquid diet products ethical products? Justify your answer.
Liquid products are ethical products since their effects can be measured without further processing.
c) What moral responsibility might Sandoz have considered when developing its
promotion messages for the customers?
The moral responsibility that Sandoz considered is safe and effective. In as much as the product is
useful in that it reduces body size in a short span, its safety is not yet guaranteed. Further, the
organization commits the moral responsibility of lying to potential clients about the product solving
their weight problems for the rest of their life. From the studies’ perspective, the product has been
found to express quick weight regain on individuals, and it has some health-related problems.
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Case Scenario V
Arthur Edward Anderson (1885-1947), the founder of Arthur Anderson & Co. must have turned in his
grave in 2001, as the auditor firm founded by him became a synonym for scandal in the accounting
profession. On 15th August 2001, Sherron Watkins, an employee of Enron, questioned the company’s
accounting practices, in a single-page letter to its CEO. Enron, the energy giant that ruled the world, and
its auditor Arthur Anderson & Co., became the ridicule of the world. In early 2002, the US Justice
Department began criminal investigations into Enron’s bankruptcy. In 2002, Arthur Anderson was
convicted by the lower and appellate courts for obstruction of justice. The firm had worked hand in
glove with Enron and cooked its account books. The audit firm that once had an 85,000 strong
workforce, now had closed offices and business interests around the globe. The firm’s name is so
tarnished that there is no other business going on in it, other than attending to over a hundred civil suits.
Questions:
(a) What do you think can be the outcome of accounting fraud to society and
business at large?
Accounting fraud has not only an economic impact on the society and business but also social,
emotional, and physical effects. Accounting fraud results in societal revenue denial since every time
the organization will be recording fewer sales resulting in less tax remitting. Further, it can deny the
society, such as the government and financial supporters, credible information that can lead to the
proper valuation of the organization’s financial capacity. Further, to the business, it impacts on the
business group and profit-making.
(b) Why do you think that the history of accounting fraud repeats itself, such as so
many frauds which we have after the Enron scandal?
A company’s book of account is essential in a business setup as it speaks volumes about the
organization. Therefore, accounting fraud usually takes place due to evidence hiding, funds
misappropriation, or even liability claims.
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Case Scenario – VI: Purchasing Ethics
J.R. accepted a position at Cripple Creek Vocational University and he and his family made a permanent
move. Soon, J.R. was promoted to Administrative Vice President, overseeing the purchasing department
of the University. His oldest son, Jim, got a good job in educational equipment sales at Tiddley Computer
Corporation in Fort Worth.
As Vice President, J.R. quickly saw the need for 4 to 5 computers in his office. Although CCVU had a
bidding policy, J.R. purchased Tiddley Corporation’s computers direct from Tiddley for about $3500
each, when IBM clones were selling for around $2000 and the clone had more promising features than
the Tiddley. Jim handled the sale and received a healthy commission on the sale. If the purchase had
gone through the normal bidding process, the TC model would not have been selected. Tiddley’s local
Cripple Creek franchise dealer objected to Tiddley Corporation that his protected franchise had been
bypassed in the deal.
Questions:
(a) Since J.R. was over the purchasing department and had final decision authority, should
purchasing have gone through the normal bidding routine?
(b) Is it acceptable for a V.P. to bypass the normal routine to do business with a family
member?
(c) Was J.R.’s decision not to request bids an ethical choice?
(d) What should the college purchasing agent do?
(e) Should anyone else at CCVU have any interest in this activity?
(f) Has Tiddley’s Cripple Creek franchise owner been wronged?
(g) Should Jim have made the sale? Received a commission?
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