Please DO NOT USE OTHER RESOURCES, only use the lecture slides That I will provide.
MMM 343– Business Ethics, Assessment 2, Exam T1 2020 4 of 4 MMM343- Business Ethics Examination assessment brief Trimester 1, 2020 RELEASE DATE AND TIME:Tuesday 16/06/2020 9.00 am AEST DUE DATE AND TIME: Thursday 18/06/2020 9.00 am AEST PERCENTAGE OF FINAL GRADE:50% This exam comprises of 5 questions related to two case studies. You may complete them in any order. All questions are compulsory. This exam is ‘open-book’, meaning you can use any resource to help you answer the questions, including unit material, library databases and the internet. This assessment is to be completed individually. You will have 48 hours to complete the exam and upload to CloudDeakin within the due date and time mentioned above. If you have a DRC-approved Learning Access Plan (academic adjustments) relating to the exam, your total time has been extended according to your personalised plan. This will be reflected in the due time recorded in CloudDeakin. Managing your submission: · Download the exam paper and rename the document, using the unit code and your student ID as the document name. For example, MMM343_123456789. Save it somewhere easy to find. · When you have completed the exam, upload this document to the Examination Dropbox on the MMM343 CloudDeakin site Record all answers in the space provided following each question. All submissions will be checked by Turnitin upon submission. Your writing must be your own. If you refer to others’ work, you must cite them, using the Harvard referencing style. Save and submit this as a docx file. Other formats (e.g. PDF) will not be marked In line with assessment policy there will be no extensions or late submissions on this exam. If you submit your exam late, you will receive zero (0) for the exam. Late means the submission was uploaded after the due date and time outlined above. Remember: save your work regularly throughout the exam period. Preparation You may be unfamiliar with open-book, online exams. To prepare we recommend you: · Review the unit content -> this means more than re-reading. As you read, take notes that you can refer to during the exam. You want to be able to quickly access information, and not have to spend time searching for it. A few pages of concise notes will help you find the information you need quickly · Please read the cases and related questions carefully before you start writing your answers Working and submission details · Keep a backup copy your response until your final marks for the trimester have been released · You can make multiple submissions up until the due date, only your most recent upload will be marked. Subsequent uploads will replace your existing submission · When you submit your response in the Dropbox on the unit site, you will receive an email to your Deakin email address confirming that it has been submitted. You should check that you can see your submission in the Submissions view of the Assessment task Dropbox folder after upload, and check for, and keep, the email receipt for the submission. Late submission: If you fail to upload your response by the deadline, your response will not be marked. Unlike with assignments there will be no five-day grace period for late submission · Policies and procedures around academic misconduct, special consideration, extensions, and assessment feedback are still in force. To read up on these, refer to the Rights and responsibilities as a student document in the unit site (Resources -> Unit Guide & Information) · Once the exam is released, the unit team is not permitted to answer any questions about it. Discussion boards will be closed once the exam is released · The unit team cannot grant extensions to this exam. If you feel that there are circumstances beyond your control that have affected your ability to complete this exam, then you must apply for Special Consideration via the faculty portal · Question 1 (30 marks) Read the case study, Amex in China and answer each question related to the case drawing on facts from the case and theories of Business Ethics. Case Study - Amex in China After graduating from college and working for a few years at a small tech firm, John got a job with Amex Corporation. The company sells high quality electronic goods that are extremely popular. Part of John’s job involves working with a team to oversee Amex’s contractors in China. Amex contracts with many supplier factories across Asia to build components for their products. John and his team have to ensure that shipments are timely. John’s team has innovative people, and they perform well with the company giving them responsibility, including solving major challenges that arise with these factories. One day John was to visit the factory in the Shandong province of China. Shipments were falling behind schedule, and there seemed to be more accidents occurring there. John was to visit the factory and observe production to determine where the problems occurred. John looked forward to his first trip to China and to actually visit a supplier factory to learn more about the manufacturing process as well. When John arrived at the airport, the managers of the supplier factory greeted him and took him over to the factory. John found all employees hard at work with one group of workers cleaning components using special chemicals. John noticed, to his surprise, that workers did not wear protective face masks, even though it was mandated and known to the supplier’s officials that those chemicals were harmful if inhaled. When John asked about this, he was told that face masks were recommended but not required because the chances of getting sick from the chemicals was low. As John spent time at the factory, he noticed more things were wrong. He discovered employees, on average worked at least 12 hours per day, sometimes with no breaks. He knew company policy mandated an eight hour work day. Sometimes employees would put in as much as 18 hour shifts. John spoke with one of the employees who told him on condition of anonymity that they were denied sick leave. Any perceived idleness on the employees’ part resulted in reduced pay. He also informed him there had been several suicides at the plant from overworked employees. When John asked the supervisor why the factory did not hire more workers, he replied they did not have the money for that. When John returned to the United States, he wrote a list of recommendations for improving the factory. Later, that month his team met with the company’s top managers in the logistics department. They expressed concern about John’s findings but offered no recommendations on how to fix them. Afterwards John complained to members of his team. “Of course they aren’t going to do anything” said Joyce, who had been working in the logistics department for 10 years. “Why should they? As long as the company gets their shipments, they aren’t going to disrupt the process by requiring major changes.” Dawn who had only been working for six months chimed in. “But Joyce, they have to do something. From what John said, the workers have terrible working conditions.” Joyce sighed. “Dawn you haven’t been in this business long enough to see how things work. The factory in Shandong really isn’t that bad compared to many other factories in China. It is not unusual for factory workers to work longer hours. Besides, you might think the employees there don’t make much for the amount that they work, but it is a lot better than what people get in other factories. For better pay people are willing to work in less than ideal conditions.” John spoke up. “Just because that’s normal in the culture doesn’t necessarily make it right. Many of these problems could be avoided if the factory ensured their workers wore appropriate safety gear and hired more employees.” “The factory probably can’t hire more workers,” Joyce said. “Where are they going to get the money?” “Well, maybe Amex should begin paying them more, “Dawn replied. “That would translate into higher wages and the ability to hire more staff.” “You’ve got to be kidding!” Joyce said. “The whole reason why Amex is there in the first place is because labour costs are so cheap. Besides being able to keep costs low is the only way to price our products reasonably. Consumers want low priced products.” “But consumers also care about how workers are treated, don’t they?” John asked. They might show some concern, “Joyce replied. “But if it’s between higher-priced products or better working conditions, I guarantee consumers will choose the latter. Case questions (all questions carry equal marks of 10 each) a) Amex does not own the Chinese factory, are they still accountable for the working conditions in the factory? Explain with reasons, why or why not? b) Identify and discuss at least two ethical issues in this case and suggest solutions that address these. Consider ethical standards of behaviour (based on theory). c) Describe the approach taken by Joyce using the framework of cultural relativism. Question 2 (20 marks) Read the case study, Apple CEO’s threats to Palm.com and answer each question related to the case drawing on facts from the case and theories of Business Ethics.