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Instructions for Business Ethics College Essay Examples

Essay Instructions: Business Ethics

Please use the following text book
Business Ethics : Decision Making for Personal Integrity & Social Responsibility, by Laura Hartman & Joe Desjardins

Also, in addition to the textbook above, there are articles other references (youtube videos, websites) contained in the questions below..in addition to those citations, please cite an additional 15 citations, in the following manner

- every 2 page paper, use the textbook + 2 other citations (or youtube, or article)..the idea here is to have 3 citations minimum for every 2 page paper
- the "paragraph" answers DO NOT have to be cited


1. 2 Pages
Choose one of the following companies (or any company that has been in the press) and write a APA style critical analysis of the ethical issues involved in the case.

Legal Cases:

Tyco
Imclone
Global Crossing
WorldCom
Adelphia
NYSE and Richard Grasso
Merrill Lynch
Health South
Marsh and McLennan
Al Dunlap and Sunbeam
The analysis should include the following:

A short description of case
identification of the ethical issues involved (what was the alleged ethical wrong done, and why is/was it wrong?)
A statement, in their own opinion, of whether it was wrong or not, and more importantly, why?
Thoughts on what could have been done to avoid the problem ? do we need more laws & government regulation? What internal controls might have prevented this situation?
Was the problem more a matter of individuals gone wrong, or was it more systemic and organizational?


2. 1 Paragraph
What kind of organization would you like to work for? What would be the best? What would be the most realistic?

Think about and Discuss its structure, physical environment, lines of communication, treatment of employees, recruitment and promotion practices, policies towards the community and so on.

Consider also what you lose because of some of these benefits (for example if the company contributes in the community or offers more benefits for employees there might be less money for raises.)

Discuss trade-offs. Link the costs and benefits (utilitarianism) to the value of what the firm is doing (universalism).

3. 2 Pages
How should the decision-making process be handled.
How should the intrinsic as well as the instrumental value of a human life be determined?
Consider how you would measure your own worth or the value of someone close to you. Who are their stakeholders and what is their value to each of them? How will they measure it financially?
How much would your stakeholders suffer if they lost you?
How much do you currently contribute to society and what would society lose if you were not here?
How much would society benefit if you continued to survive?
Businesses have reasons to consider these issues, though extraordinarily difficult; how would you prefer that they reach conclusions in these areas?

4. 2 Pages
The scenario discussed is that of the Ford Pinto, which involves a decision that teaches the hazards of considering only the instrumental value of a life.

In 1968, Ford Motor Company made a historic decision regarding the Pinto, which was engineered with a rear gas tank assembly that had a tendency to explode in accidents that involved some rear-end collisions. The company allowed the Pinto to remain on the market after it determined that it would be more costly to engage in a recall effort than to pay out the costs of liability for injuries and deaths incurred.

In an infamous memo, Ford?s senior management calculated what the company would likely have to pay per life lost. It is noteworthy that these estimates were not Ford?s alone but were based on figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Using these figures, the costs for recalling and modifying the Pinto were $121 million, while the costs for settling cases in which injuries were expected to occur would be only about $50 million.

Write APA style paper considering the following questions when assessing this scenario:

How should the decision-making process be handled.
How should the intrinsic as well as the instrumental value of a human life be determined?
Consider how you would measure your own worth or the value of someone close to you. Who are their stakeholders and what is their value to each of them? How will they measure it financially?
How much would your stakeholders suffer if they lost you?
How much do you currently contribute to society and what would society lose if you were not here?
How much would society benefit if you continued to survive?
Businesses have reasons to consider these issues, though extraordinarily difficult; how would you prefer that they reach conclusions in these areas?

5. 1 Paragraph
Rethinking the Social Responsibility of Business: A Reason to Debate Featuring Milton Friedman, Whole Food?s John Mackey, and Cypress Semicondutor?s T. J. Rodgers. Pages 231-239
Discuss the concept that corporations add far more to society by maximizing ?long-term shareholder value? than they do by donating time and money to charity.

How important is this concept to business, society, and to you? Which position do you believe is more accurate?Rodgers or Mackey?

6. 2 Pages

Watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwDhx1XkXX0

Write a summary of the lecture.

Answer the following questions:

What ethical considerations were discussed in the video.
Are the questions posed in this video still relevant today in light of the current business environment?
How can this lecture help you to become a better business person provide two good examples on how this lecture material could change the way you do business.

7. Paragraph
Inquiring Employers Want to Know

The following information is sometimes requested on standard employment applications, though job candidates might consider some of it to be private or personal.

Which of the following items about an employee might an employer have a legitimate claim to know, and why?

A job applicant?s social security number
An applicant?s arrest record
An employee?s medical records
An employee?s marital status
Whether a job applicant smokes
An employee?s political affiliation
An employee?s sexual orientation
An employee?s credit rating
Consider the following questions in the assessment of this scenario:

What facts are relevant to your decisions?
What would the consequences be of refusing to answer any questions on an employment application?
Are you basing your decision on particular rights of the employee or the employer?
Are there people other than the employer and employee who might have a stake in what information is released to employers?

8. 2 Pages

Term Papers
Term papers on practically every subject imaginable are available on the Internet. Many of those who submit the papers as their own work defend their practice in Various ways: (1) These papers are posted to assist in research in the same way any other resource is posted on the Web and should simply be cited if used; (2) these papers are posted in order to encourage faculty to modify paper topics and/or exams and not to simply bring back assignments that have been used countless times in the past, (3) they don?t have time to complete a paper and since they have paid for the course they have in effect paid for the degree, and (4) if the professor doesn?t ?catch? them what harm has been done?

Are you persuaded?

Write an APA style paper addressing the above issues while answering the following:

Is there anything unethical about this service in general?
If so, who should be held accountable, the poster, the ultimate user (student), the professor, the university, or someone else?
Use the ethical decision making model process to determine the ethics of the term paper service.

9. 1 Paragraph
Are some products too dangerous to be marketed in any circumstance? What regulations, if any, would you place on marketing cigarettes? Handguns? Prescription drugs?

As a starting point, refer to The American Marketing Association?s Statement of Ethics, found at www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Pages/Statement of Ethics.aspx which provides guidelines for marketing products.

This code of ethics can be used to locate other codes and regulations that may address this issue.

10. 2 Pages
Research the case Pelman v. McDonald?s in which it was alleged that McDonald?s was partially responsible for the health problems associated with the obesity of children who eat MacDonald?s fast food.

Write an APA style paper addressing the above issues while answering the following:

Should MacDonald?s and other fast-food restaurants be judged negligent for selling dangerous products, failing to warn consumers of the dangers of a high-fat diet, and deceptive advertising?

11. 1 Paragraph
Do you believe that business has any direct ethical duties to living beings other than humans? Do animals, plants, or ecosystems have rights?
What criteria have you used in answering such questions? What is your own standard for determining what objects count, from a moral point of view?

12. 2 Pages
Investigate LEED (Leadership in energy and Environmental Design) building designs. Should all new buildings be required by law to adopt LEED design standards and conform to the LEED rating system?

Write an, APA style paper addressing the above issue.

Students can learn about LEED on the U.S. Green Building Council?s website:

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19

Excerpt From Essay:

Title: Current state of Business ethics in the 21st century

Total Pages: 2 Words: 701 Works Cited: 0 Citation Style: MLA Document Type: Research Paper

Essay Instructions: Business Ethics course-APA format.

Write a 2 page paper on the "The Current State of Business Ethics in the 21st century.

Thank you!

Excerpt From Essay:

Title: Home Depot and Business Ethics

Total Pages: 3 Words: 1060 Bibliography: 4 Citation Style: APA Document Type: Essay

Essay Instructions: Business Ethics

Robert Nardelli was heavily criticized for his leadership style and methods he used during his tenure as CEO of Home Depot. Using your readings for this week, along with outside research, describe his style of leadership and take a position on whether you think his actions rose to the level of being unethical.

Write a three- to four-page paper (excluding the title and reference pages) addressing the following in your paper:
a.Clearly describe Robert Nardelli?s leadership style in terms of Leadership Theory, incorporating the following theories within your paper:

?Trait Theory
?Behavioral Theory
?Situational and Contingency Theories

b.State whether his actions were ethical or unethical.
c.Cite the text material and research that support your position.

Your paper must use a minimum of three scholarly sources, in addition to the textbook. Your paper must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Excerpt From Essay:

Title: Business Ethics Case

Total Pages: 2 Words: 764 Sources: 3 Citation Style: MLA Document Type: Research Paper

Essay Instructions: Business Ethics Case 3.5 at the end of Ch. 3 of The Legal Environment of Business and Online Commerce. After reading the case, be prpared to answer the questions that follow. All Questions posed are fully answered with substantive responses beyond yes or no and include explaintions and evidence of through as to the issues posed. The response is a min of 500 words.

Main Reference is:
Cheeseman, H. R. (2010). The legal environment of business and online commerce: Business ethics, e-commerce, regulatory, and international issues. (6th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

3.5 Business Ethics The National Enquirer, Inc., is a
Florida corporation with its principal place of business in
Florida. It publishes the National Enquirer, a national weekly
newspaper with a total circulation of more than 5 million
copies. About 600,000 copies, almost twice the level in the
next highest state, are sold in California. The National
Enquirer published an article about Shirley Jones, an entertainer.
Jones, a California resident, filed a lawsuit in California
state court against the National Enquirer and its president, who
was a resident of Florida. The California lawsuit sought damages
for alleged defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional
infliction of emotional distress. Calder v. Jones, 465 U.S.
783, 104 S.Ct. 1482, 79 L.Ed.2d 804, Web 1984 U.S. Lexis 4
(Supreme Court of the United States)

1. What kind of paper is the National Enquirer?
2. Was it ethical for the National Enquirer to try to avoid
suit in California?
3. Are the defendants subject to suit in California? Why or
why not?

There are faxes for this order.

Excerpt From Essay:

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