Essay Instructions: ? select ONE of the five philosophical ethical approaches for decision making from the following list - Utilitarian, Rights, Fairness or Justice, Common Good, or Virtue - that you believe aligns the best with the way in which you make business decisions;
? write a concise about "Who owns new ideas" at The Case of the X979 Jumpstart. Then analyze the case information to address the questions -- If you were Susan and presented with this situation,
1. what are her alternatives
2. which one should she select based on your ethical position [why]
3. "who owns the ideas [why]
To address the 3 questions noted above you paper should
4. Demonstrate your understanding of the philosophical ethical approach you typically select for dealing with moral issues and explain how and why it relates to the manner in which you make decisions
5. Use the case information to address the 3 questions noted above by taking into account all relevant stakeholders to the issue presented. Specifically apply your selected philosophical ethical approach to the decisions surrounding the issues presented in this case to explain what actions you would recommend and why you would recommend them (you need to make a solid connection between your selected ethical approach and your response to this situation by "asking and answering appropriate questions"). You will employ the questioning approach described in Asking the Right Questions in your analysis of this case BY EMPLOYING AT LEAST 3 OF THE QUESTIONS NOTED IN THIS REFERENCE and
6. Describe how "social responsibility and the societal marketing concept" might be incorporated into your decisions regarding the Marketing issues associated with this case
*********** Case X979 Jumpstart **********
The Case of the X979 Jumpstart
By Peter A. Facione
Who owns ideas? That question comes up again and again in the start-up environment. This fictional case study asks us to consider the ethical boundaries involved in intellectual property.
The computer market was ready for a new chip. That had been Knoll Tings? assessment two years ago when he joined forces with John Callender, a genius engineer who had left Silicon Industries after the wafer-making giant declined to pursue his idea for a faster chip. Tings, who had 15 years experience as a marketing executive in technology, helped Callender obtain venture funding. Together, they had set up Millbrae Technologies to develop X979, Callender?s brainchild. Now CEO of the company, Tings had to get his product off the ground within the next few months or Millbrae Technologies would be in serious trouble. But the project was behind schedule due to technical glitches Callender had said "weren't supposed to happen."
Tings was beginning to wonder whether Callender was just not smart enough to bring his project to fruition. Or was it something else? Tings suspected that San Bruno Instruments, the chief competitor of Silicon Industries, was also working on a faster chip. It had to be. The timing was right. For a crazy moment, Tings actually wondered whether someone on the Millbrae Tech payroll might also be working for the San Bruno firm. Deliberate sabotage? No, that's not likely. His employees have more loyalty than that. Millbrae Tech is a family. He takes care of his people and they know it.
Thinking about the folks at San Bruno Instruments gave Tings an idea. He picked up the phone and called the CFO of the company, Susan Finn. The third member of the founding team, Finn was chief financial officer and, as is so often the case in a start-up, also a sort of chief cook and bottle washer. The company was too young for an HR director, but Finn had helped with some key hires.
"Susan," Tings told her earnestly, "we really need to jumpstart the X979 project. I?m seriously beginning to wonder if John is up to the job. We need a new pair of eyes in that lab, someone who can think outside the box, see what everyone else is missing. We have to get this project back on track."
Finn, who had also been worrying about the delays, responded, "I'm thinking a senior-level scientist or development expert, someone who knows our industry, our kinds of products, our markets?."
"Yes, you have the idea, Susan. We don't have any time to waste on this one. In fact, I was thinking, Susan, maybe you should target one of the senior R&D people at San Bruno Instruments. They have a chip design skunk works. Find out who their top people are there, and see if one of them is interested in making a lucrative career move."