Module 1 - Background
THE HISTORY OF BUSINESS ETHICS AND STAKEHOLDER THEORY IN AMERICA
The Evolution of Business Ethics
One thing nice about this course is that you will find your background reading page rather short… but there will still be a respectable amount of reading to do. The reason for this is because will be using a text book for your case assignments. Well, it’s actually more of a narrative of the history of Lockheed Martin’s (LM) ethics program than an actual text book.
The first part of the text provides a general history of the company and also provides the setting for the creation of the company’s ethics program. Military contractors like LM tend to find themselves in the unique position of manufacturing weapons of war which they sell for a profit. But those weapons also provide a military superiority that helps to protect our troops in the field.
With this said, please read pages 1-48 for this module of the following book in our e-library.
Terris, Daniel. (2005) Ethics at Work: Creating Virtue at an American Corporation. Brandeis University Press. Waltham, MA. Retrieved from ProQuest ebrary.
For your SLP assignment you will be asked to spend some time reviewing an article on stakeholder management. Stakeholder management is foundational to the practice of business ethics. This is because typically when a company player does something unethical, stakeholders are the ones impacted. As always, some stakeholders may benefit and others may lose, but stakeholders will always be involved. Balancing stakeholder concerns is subsequently an important aspect of ethical decision making. This article provides a good overview of stakeholder management.
Howitt, M., & McManus, J. (2012). Stakeholder management: An instrument for decision making. Management Services, 56(3), 29-34. Retrieved from Trident University Library (ProQuest).
Harrison, J. S., & Wicks, A. C. (2013). Stakeholder Theory, Value, and Firm Performance. Business Ethics Quarterly, 23(1), 97-124. Retrieved from the Trident Online Library.
Module 1 - SLP
THE HISTORY OF BUSINESS ETHICS AND STAKEHOLDER THEORY IN AMERICA
Business Ethics and Stakeholder Management
For your SLP this session you will be asked to review articles on business ethics from the Trident Online Library. You will review one or more articles each in Modules 1 through 4 dealing with different ethical concepts.
In this SLP we will be reviewing articles that cover the concept of stakeholder management. Stakeholders are important to consider in significant business related decisions. This is because organizational decisions – especially substantial decisions involving significant resource allocations/re-allocations – tend to impact various stakeholder groups as you will be reminded in your reading. These stakeholders may have the power to impact the organization’s success.
Assignment Instructions:
In this assignment you will be asked to apply stakeholder management theory to the following scenario:
A public corporation of 980 employees manufactures a popular brand of garments (mostly jeans) that are primarily made and sold in America nation-wide. It has a large contingent of employees in several small rural communities in the Eastern US and is the primary employer in all of those communities. Two if its 5 shops are unionized but the union and management have a good working relationship. The company has traditionally marketed its clothing line as “Made in the USA” and attracted a bit of a “cult like” following as a result, but an outside consulting firm has suggested that significantly greater profits are possible if a different strategy is employed. The corporation is subsequently considering whether to off-shore its manufacturing facilities to a poor nation to save money on labor. It would also discretely discontinue its “Made in the USA” marketing ads and hopefully ride the wave of its previous marketing campaigns for a while. It is estimated that total cost per unit of production will be decreased by one third which equates to tens of millions of dollars.
Please write a 3-page paper in which you respond to the following:
1. Provide a paragraph summarizing the concept of stakeholder management based on your readings.
2. How do you think the following stakeholder groups in the above scenario will be impacted?
· Employees/unions
· Communities
· Stockholders
3. What would you recommend the employer described above should do?
SLP Assignment Expectations
Your 3 (or more) page paper should be double-spaced and in 12-point type.
Your paper should have a separate cover page and if you are using any in-text citations then a separate reference page.
Use APA style, and proofread your paper.
Upload your paper by the end of the module.
Module 2 - Background
ETHICAL DECISION MAKING IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
Required Reading
For your Case Assignment, please read pages 49-75 for this module of the following book in our e-library.
Terris, Daniel. (2005) Ethics at Work: Creating Virtue at an American Corporation. Brandeis University Press. Waltham, MA. Retrieved from ProQuest ebrary.
For your SLP assignment, please read the following article.
De Cremer, D., & de Bettignies, H. (2013).Pragmatic business ethics.Business Strategy Review,24(2), 64-67. Retrieved from Trident University Library.
Also, please spend some time researching other sources to help you develop your key arguments.
Snell, R. (2013). Teaching rules-based and values-based ethics. Journal of Health Care Compliance, 15(1), 29-32. Retrieved from the Trident Online Library.
Module 2 - Case
ETHICAL DECISION MAKING IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
Assignment Overview
Moving Toward an Ethical Workplace
As you can see from your reading for the case assignment Lockheed Martin has a very interesting history and this history has had an impact on where the company is today with respect to its existing ethics program.
Case Assignment
After reading Chapter 2 of the text, please write a 4-5 page essay that addresses the following:
Lockheed has an interesting history that seemed innocent enough up until around the 1950s. You'll note on p. 56 of Terris’ book that the company began to engage in some questionable sales strategies with other nations in an effort sell the F-104 Starfighter so as to recoup costs when their US sales strategy failed.
1. Describe some of the unorthodox strategies covered by Terris during this era that made Lockheed become "…a byword for the shady practices of American multi-national corporations, and a major impetus for new legislation...".
2. On the issue of overseas bribes, Terris asks the questions, "Who was hurt by the [overseas bribes to secure sales of aircraft]? The competitors, of course, but what was unethical about beating out the competition that was playing by the same rules?” (p.59). What do you think about a situation where underhanded and back door deals are the way the game is played if everybody is on the same playing field? That is to say, if everybody is playing by the same shady rules, is it unethical to compete?
In your reading you will note that defense contractors continued to find themselves in hot water well into the 1970s as a result of overpricing and additional charges of bribery. In the late 70s Lockheed established its first code of ethics and later the major defense contractors came to the table to level the playing field with the Defense Industry Initiative (DII), by agreeing on a set of ethical principles. This was an important turning point as was bringing Norman Augustine on board.
3. Why was the DII so important to the eventual success of Lockheed Martin’s ethics program?
4. Discuss Norman Augustine's and Dilbert's contribution in helping Lockheed Martin turn the corner with its ethics program.
Assignment Expectations
Your paper should be 4 to 5 pages, should be double-spaced and in 12-point type size.
Your paper should have a separate cover page and a separate reference page. Make sure you cite your sources.
Use APA style, and proofread your paper.
Upload your paper to by the end of the module.
Module 2 - SLP
ETHICAL DECISION MAKING IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
Ethical Decisions in the Workplace
After reading your background readings, please review the following scenario and address the questions at the end.
Jerry Stevens heads up an excavation crew for the municipal utilities district in a city in Nebraska. A sewer line needs to be replaced and it has been excavated with a back-hoe. The trench is 7 feet deep. The municipality's safety rules indicate that employees should not go into the trench without a trench box. This rule is to prevent employees from being buried if the trench walls collapse. People die every year from trench cave-ins.
The trench box won't arrive on site for another 6 hours and the city promised residents that the sewer would be fixed by the end of the day, which now seems impossible. The City Administrator called Jerry on his cell phone and indicated that it was imperative that the sewer be fixed as soon as conceivably possible because a City Council member is served by that sewer line and will raise a fuss if it’s not fixed by the promised time.
One of the more experienced workers states, "It's only going to take 30 minutes to dig under the pipe and loosen the fittings. We don't need the trench box. We used to do this all the time before we were required to use one of those darn things."
Jerry knows he's right. He used to do it himself before the rule was put in place. Also, the soil is clearly a cohesive soil and it's highly unlikely that it will collapse. And although there is an organizational policy to use a trench box for trenches deeper than 5 feet, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not have
Jurisdiction over municipalities in Nebraska because municipalities are political subdivisions of the State. The only entity regulating safety policies is the City's Safety Director and he took the day off.
1. In this scenario, to what extent do you think allowing the crew into the trench without a trench box would be pushing (or exceeding) the limit?
2. Discuss any ethical grey areas in this scenario?
3. What in your mind is the right thing to do?
4. What is the value of having an ethics program (and related programs like safety programs) and what are the responsibilities of front line leaders/supervisors and the workers when they face dilemmas such as the one described?
SLP Assignment Expectations
Please take some time to review the materials and take a position on the issue. Write a 2- to 3-page assessment of the authors’ claims, and your assessment of what might be done in a place of business to prevent the "moral amnesia" phenomenon from taking a foothold in a place of business.
Your paper should be double-spaced and in 12-point type size.
Your paper should have a separate cover page and a separate reference page. Make sure you cite your sources.
Use APA style, and proofread your paper.
Upload your paper by the end of the module.
Module 3 - Background
BUILDING AN ETHICS-BASED WORKPLACE CULTURE
Required Reading
For Case 3, read Chapter 3 of the e-library text below.
Terris, Daniel. (2005) Ethics at Work: Creating Virtue at an American Corporation. Brandeis University Press. Waltham, MA. Retrieved from ProQuest ebrary.
For your SLP assignment, please read the following article.
Gnazzo, P. J. (2011). The Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer: A Test of Endurance.Business & Society Review (00453609),116(4). Retrieved from Trident University Library.
Also, please spend some time researching other sources to help you develop your key arguments.
Mihelic, K. K., Lipicnik, B., & Tekavcic, M., (2010). Ethical leadership. International Journal of Management and Information Systems, 14(5), 31-41. Retrieved from the Trident Online Library.
Oates, V., & Dalmau, Tim,. (2013). Instilling ethical leadership. Accountancy SA, 38-41. Retrieved from the Trident Online Library.
Module 3 - Case
BUILDING AN ETHICS-BASED WORKPLACE CULTURE
Assignment Overview
Ethics Program Implementation
As you can see by your reading, a lot of energy goes into the implementation of an organizational ethics program. And Lockheed Martin has clearly allotted considerable resources to assuring their program is successful. In this assignment we’ll be focusing on what the company did to ensure the implementation of a successful program that was flexible enough to accommodate the changing needs of the organization.
Case Assignment
Please address the following questions:
1. On p. 83 Terris discusses the company's ethics code. Why is the code considered important to the company's ethics program?
2. Discuss the importance of ethics training and employee involvement. What are some of the things Lockheed does to make the training process interesting and worthwhile?
3. How does Lockheed measure success with respect to ethics in the workplace?
4. What are some of the things Lockheed does at the operational level to make their ethics program work?
Assignment Expectations
Write a 4- to 5-page paper, not including title page or references page addressing the issue and upload it by the end of this module.
Your paper should be double-spaced and in 12-point type size.
Your paper should have a separate cover page and a separate reference page. Make sure you cite your sources.
Use APA style, and proofread your paper.
Upload your paper by the end of the module.
Module 3 - SLP
BUILDING AN ETHICS-BASED WORKPLACE CULTURE
The Chief Ethics Officer
Assignment Overview
In this assignment you will be asked to consider the role of organizational leaders with respect to ensuring companies work to create an ethical workplace culture. It is important for all upper level leaders to ‘walk the talk’ so to speak. In addition, many larger companies have a Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer who provides leadership and oversight to the company’s business ethics related endeavors. Recall that Lockheed Martin has such an executive level position. However, not all companies have such a position. In this assignment you will be asked to discuss the contributions of executive leaders and of the Ethics Officer with respect to building an organization that values workplace ethics.
1. What do you believe are the most important characteristics of ethical leadership?
2. Describe the relationship between the ethical leader and the follower.
3. Why is this relationship important for organizations that are attempting to do the right thing?
4. Based on your readings (both the articles provided and Terris' text), what is the role of the Chief Ethics Officer and how does the role of this person relate to the success of the ethics related endeavors within large organizations?
SLP Assignment Expectations
Your paper should be 3–4 pages, double-spaced and in 12-point type size.
Your paper should have a separate cover page and a separate reference page. Make sure you cite your sources.
Use APA style, and proofread your paper.
Upload your paper to by the end of the module.
Module 4 - Background
ORGANIZATIONAL ETHICS AND CSR
Required Reading
For this Module's Case Assignment, please read Chapter 4, pages 117-154, of the following book in our e-library.
Terris, Daniel. (2005) Ethics at Work: Creating Virtue at an American Corporation. Brandeis University Press. Waltham, MA. Retrieved from ProQuest ebrary.
For your SLP assignment, please read the following article.
Popa, M., & Salanta, I. (2014). Corporate social responsibility versus corporate social irresponsibility. Management & Marketing, 9(2), 137–146. Retrieved from Trident University Library.
Here is some additional reading material that may be useful:
Lindgreen, A., & Swaen, V. (2010, March). Corporate Social Responsibility. International Journal of Management Reviews. pp. 1-7. Retrieved from the Trident Online Library.
Also, please spend some time researching other sources to help you develop your key arguments.
Module 4 - Case
ORGANIZATIONAL ETHICS AND CSR
Assignment Overview
A Critique of Lockheed Martin
In this assignment you will be asked to review Chapter 4, the final chapter of Terris’ book, and to spend some time applying your critical thinking skills in evaluating Lockheed Martin’s efforts.
Case Assignment
1. What do you think about the notion presented by Terris that Lockheed's ethics program does little to prevent ethical breaches at the highest level of the organization?
2. Are the efforts put forth—such as making sure higher level executives participate in training—enough to help executives navigate what Terris calls the 'ethical minefield' faced by leadership in such an organization?
3. What are some things that could be done to address the issue related to ethics at higher executive levels of the organization?
4. Terris points out that the company's program is overly focused on individuals and that it doesn't really address group dynamics that can impact ethical situations. For instance, there can be a tendency for groups to ‘go with the flow’ of the group decision making process and overlook ethical issues in the process. What would you recommend that Lockheed Martin do to address this situation?
(Hint: reviewing p. 128 and the following pages – before section headed “Personal Responsibility, Collective Innocence” - of the text might be helpful).
Assignment Expectations
Write a 4- to 5-page paper, not including title page or references page addressing the issue and upload it by the end of this module.
Your paper should be double-spaced and in 12-point type size.
Your paper should have a separate cover page and a separate reference page. Make sure you cite your sources.
Use APA style, and proofread your paper.
Upload your paper by the end of the module.
Module 4 - SLP
ORGANIZATIONAL ETHICS AND CSR
Corporate Social Responsibility
Assignment Overview
In this assignment please read the articles in your background readings and respond to the following:
1. Describe corporate social responsibility.
2. Describe corporate social irresponsibility.
3. Where do you stand on the issue of CSR v CSI? Do corporations have a right to ignore their responsibility to some stakeholders in order to add to the short term bottom line? Provide a well-reasoned response and do some of your own research to provide some examples to support your arguments.
SLP Assignment Expectations
Your paper should be 3–4 pages, double-spaced and in 12-point type size.
Your paper should have a separate cover page and a separate reference page. Make sure you cite your sources.
Use APA style, and proofread your paper.
Upload your paper to by the end of the module..
