Problem:
Read the case "Responding to a business downturn and The Mike Wallace factors and the common good" Answer the following questions based on "Responding to a business downturn": When George moved to the four-day workweek scheme, should he have expected his managers to work five days for four days' pay? Should George tell anyone except his immediate staff about the impending layoff before the details have been worked out? What about the board of directors? The union? The employees? Answer the following questions based on "The Mike Wallace factor and the common good": Was George's decision to be open about the impending layoff the ethical thing to do? Are there situations in which it is best to try to keep a lid on such information? The particular jobs cut at ACI were chosen on the basis of the long-range interests of the business and not on the nationality of the workforce. As the reporter's questions implied, shouldn't American businesses favor American employees over foreign employees? What do you think George said to the TV reporters? Assignments will be assessed using the following criteria: Identifies all the relevant facts of the case. Identify stakeholders - Determines who should be involved in the decision-making process for this case and accurately identifies all of the interested stakeholders evidencing the author thoroughly reflected on the viewpoints of these key players as well as their value systems and thought through what each of these stakeholders would like the student to decide as a plan of action. Describe the ethical issues - recognize ethical issues when presented in a complex, multilayered (gray) context AND can recognize cross-relationships among the issues. Apply ethical perspectives/ concepts to an ethical question, accurately, and is able to consider full implications of the application. Evaluation of Different Ethical Perspectives/Concepts - States a position and can state the objections to, assumptions, and implications of and can reasonably defend against the objections to, assumptions, and implications of different ethical perspectives/concepts, and the student's defense is adequate and effective. Choose recommended action - Determines the best alternative available, describes how their decision maximizes the benefit and minimizes the risk for everyone involved, and challenge their decision as they think others might, and defend it by from the ethical arguments they predict others would use.