PART A - BUSINESS VALUES ASSESSMENT REPORT
This activity is based on the exercise on page 226 of ‘Business Ethics' (Crane & Matten, 2010) - a copy of the relevant pages are available on the course Moodle page.
For this component, you need to work in a group of three to four (3-4) students to consider the values and social performance of two companies. You are required to consider and discuss the companies as a group, but must submit your responses to the questions as individuals.
1. As a group, select two companies that produce social reports and whose values are identified on their websites or in other company documents (that are publicly available). The two companies selected by your group must be either:
(a) From different industries but in the same country; or
(b) From the same industry but different countries.
By Week 5, your group must provide the names of the companies you have selected to research, and the industry and country within which they operate.
2. As a group, research each of your companies to determine their company values, their approaches to social responsibility and their reporting of their social performances.
3. As an individual, you are required to submit responses to the following questions:
i. Identify and describe the two companies you have researched; their core business activities and the countries and/or industries in which they operate.
ii. What differences are evident between the two companies in terms of the range of issues dealt with in their social reports and the depth of coverage on specific issues? Please note - this question does not ask for a description or summary of the content of each company's reports. Instead, you need to analyse the types of information, the major themes, the presentation, formatting and tone of each report - and explain the ways in which the reports are similar to each other and the ways in which they are different.
iii. To what extent can these differences be explained by the country or industry differences? What other explanations might there be?
iv. Assess the apparent quality of the social accounting approach utilized by each company according to Zadek et al.'s (1997) criteria.
v. Discuss the extent to which the social reports provided by these companies reflect their stated values.
vi. Briefly reflect on your groups' discussions of these companies. In what ways did the ideas presented by your group confirm your own conclusions, influence your thinking and/or present another perspective to you?
- A score will be allocated for presentation, written expression, spelling, grammar, punctuation and referencing.
Word limit: 2000 words
Referencing: You are required to follow the APA style of referencing for this task. There is no set number of references required. It is recommended, however, that you independently seek out resources in addition to those provided by the lecturer.
Part B - Application of GVV Framework
In this group task you will work with the same group members as for Assessment 2 - Part A. This task requires your group to consider an ethical dilemma that emerges at a workplace of your choosing. This workplace may be based on one of the companies analysed in Assessment 2 - Part A, another workplace or company with which you are familiar or a fictional workplace developed by your group. As a group, you are required to:
1. Write a fictional scenario that describes the emergence an ethical/moral dilemma for stakeholders in a workplace of your choosing;
2. Develop a script in which the central character in this scenario applies the Giving Voice to Values framework to the give voice to his/her values;
3. Present your script to the class as a role play.
1. Scenario Development
Develop a fictional scenario that outlines the emergence of an ethical dilemma in a workplace of your choosing. This scenario should be written as a narrative piece of writing, similar in format and style to the GVV/Babson scenarios. Your scenario should describe a possible workplace situation that illustrates the emergence of this dilemma as a values conflict for one or more people. It should introduce the key stakeholders & characters, the key facts and the background information that has led to this issue.
Please discuss your scenario/workplace/ethical dilemma with your lecturer to ensure it is suitable for this task before you proceed with the development of your script.
2. Script Development
Your group is required to develop a script in which the central character in your scenario applies the Giving Voice to Values framework in response to the values conflict or ethical dilemma identified in your scenario. Your script should include evidence that you have addressed the following questions:
- What is the ethical dilemma/values conflict presented in your scenario?
- Who are the stakeholders and what is at stake for the key parties (including those who disagree with you)?
- What are the main arguments you are trying to counter? That is, what are the reasons and rationalizations you need to address?
- What levers/arguments could you use to counter the reasons and rationalisations, to influence those with whom you disagree?
- What is your most powerful and persuasive response to the reasons and rationalizations you need to address? To whom should the arguments be made? When and in what context?
3. Script Presentation to Class
Your group then needs to present this script to the class as a group role play. The presentation of the script should be clear and enable the audience to engage with the issues. All group members must be meaningfully included. Creativity and expression is encouraged.