ETHICS EXPLORED Chapter 15 Lecture 2

John Snyder Video Case— Somewhere in Southeast Asia When watching, be thinking of how to answer these questions: –What are the facts of the case: who is who and why? –How does this case of a single business illustrate globalization in the environments we’ve studied and interconnections?

What are the Facts of the Case? Who are the characters and their roles? What are the facts of the case?

Connecting Globally How does this case of a single business illustrate globalization in the environments we’ve studied and interconnections? –Economy –Politics –Culture –Natural Environment –Businesses and Industries –Technology

So Now it’s Decision Time What is your company going to do in the face of these conditions in global environments and their interconnections?

As a Group Select roles to play: John, the Board—take a few minutes to develop your own positions (as John, as the Board) Then discuss/debate the situation in your roles Consider strengths/weaknesses of alternatives available to you. Select the best alternative; develop it to present to the class –what are likely benefits? –what are likely challenges? For John and the Company

What do You Think Businesses Really do When Faced with this Decision?

Ethical Challenges are Difficult in a Global World Because ethics is a moral choice between right and wrong And as we have seen, there are few shared standards worldwide, especially not a common sense of what is right or wrong

An Ethical Business Decision creates value –for individuals –sustains and develops personal relationships –enhances the functioning of groups and organizations –is grounded in human dignity.

Three Common Values for Global Business* respect for human dignity respect for human rights good citizenship Source material: Thomas Donaldson. 1996, September/October

Why Ethics Matter to You More managers interact cross-culturally Managers tend to operate out of their own cultural assumptions (moral beliefs) Moral beliefs differ cross-culturally Calling for ethical reasoning in more situations where neither questions nor answers are clear

Tests for Ethical Decision- making in Everyday Life The child test: what would you tell your child to do? The newspaper test: would you want to see this decision in the next morning's newspaper? The stink test: does it smell?

Job Seeker’s Ethics Audit Is there a formal code of ethics? How are employees educated about it? Is it enforced? Are workers trained in ethical decision making? –e.g, are they trained to question authority when asked to do something they think might be wrong? Do employees have formal channels through which they confidentially express concerns? Is misconduct disciplined swiftly and justly? Is integrity important to hiring? Do employees believe senior leaders operate with integrity? How do leaders serve as models for ethical behavior and integrity?