Step 1
Analyze ethical business decisions.
Using a word processor, respond to the bulleted items in less than a page. Explain why you think each of the following is or is not ethical:
- Keeping quiet about a possible environmental hazard you've just discovered in your company's processing plant
- Overselling the benefits of instant messaging to your company's management; they never seem to understand the benefits of technology, so you believe it's the only way to convince them to make the right choice
- Telling an associate and close friend that she'd better pay more attention to her work responsibilities or management will fire her
- Recommending the purchase of excess equipment to use up your allocated funds before the end of the fiscal year so that your budget won't be cut next year
Step 2
Defend etiquette training.
Potential customers frequently visit your production facility before making purchase decisions. You and the people who report to you in the sales department have received extensive training in etiquette issues because you deal with high-profile clients so frequently. However, the rest of the workforce has not received such training, and you worry that someone might inadvertently say or do something that would offend one of these potential customers.
- In a two-paragraph email, explain to the general manager why you think anyone who might come in contact with customers should receive basic etiquette training.
Step 3
Discuss company policy.
Knowing that you have so many friends throughout the company, your boss relies on you for feedback concerning employee morale and other issues affecting the staff. She recently approached you and asked you to start reporting any behavior that might violate company policies, from taking office supplies home to making personal long-distance calls.
- List the issues you'd like to discuss with her before you respond to her request.
Step 4
Analyze data etiquette.
You've been given the critical assignment of selecting the site for your company's new plant. After months of negotiations with landowners, numerous cost calculations, and investments in ecological, social, and community impact studies, you are about to recommend building the new plant on the Lansing River site. Now, just 15 minutes before your big presentation to top management, you discover a possible mistake in your calculations: site purchase costs appear to be $500,000 more than you calculated—nearly 10% over budget. You don't have time to recheck all your figures, so you're tempted to just go ahead with your recommendation and ignore any discrepancies. You're worried that management won't approve the purchase if you can't present a clear, unqualified solution. You also know that many projects run over their original estimates, so you can probably work the extra cost into the budget later. On your way to the meeting room, you make your final decision.
- In a few paragraphs, explain the decision you made.
Step 5
Analyzes meeting etiquette.
In group meetings, some of your colleagues have a habit of interrupting and arguing with the speaker, taking credit for ideas that aren't theirs, and shooting down ideas they don't agree with. You're the newest person in the group and not sure if this is accepted behavior in this company, but it concerns you both personally and professionally. Should you go with the flow and adopt their behavior, or stick with your own communication style, even though you might get lost in the noise?
- In two paragraphs, explain the pros and cons of both approaches.
- I am an international student from Morocco age 22 and my major is business administration and I am currently a senior.