Writing and Analyzing Ethics Cases in Business William Frey ADMI 6005

The Key Points A Case Taxonomy How to choose your case A template for writing and analyzing your case Poster Presentations: a proposal

Examples onlineethics.org – Killer Robot Case – APPE cases in graduate research ethics computingcases.org – Therac-25 – Hughes Aircraft – Machado uprm.edu/etica

Five Kinds of Cases Thick vs. Thin – Thin cases are useful for abstracting a single point and focusing work on that point. – Thick cases can give the student practice in making ethical decisions in the full context of the messy real world. Historical vs. Hypothetical – Based in actual experience in the field. – These provide excitement and immediate relevance. – Cases that are hypothetical, fictional, or abstract remove much of the impact of the historical case, but allow freedom to structure the discussion on specific issues.

Five Kinds of Cases Good vs. Bad News cases – Tendency in ethics is focus on bad news Questionable choices cause bad outcomes. – Grabs the imagination and motivates attention but can give the false impression that business and research ethics is primarily about staying out of trouble. – Balance bad news with good news Morally exemplary scientists and engineers overcome obstacles and realize moral value

Five Kinds of Cases Big vs. Small News cases – Disasters and corruption are in the media. Like Denathor looking through the palentir controlled by Sauron What he sees is true but one-sidedly bad – Disasters are rare Focusing on avoiding disasters leaves out important issues. – Small news cases are more likely because they portray everyday problems confronting scientists and engineers Collecting data, integrating specifications, responding to constraints, making timely decisions, etc. – Students gain insight and practice in managing the issues that they are most likely to encounter

Five Kinds of Cases Participant 1.Case approached from standpoint of participant 2.Participant integrates ethical considerations into solutions designed and implemented in real world 3.Case poses real world constraints such as uncertainty and shortage of time Evaluator 1.Case approached from standpoint of judge 2.Case introduces ethical principles and concepts 3.Case helps to distinguish ethical principles and rules and decide which is best for which situation

Example: Aquaculture Case (NSF SBR ) Original version: A local aquaculture facility near Ponce was closed by the EPA for violating environmental standards. The EPA claimed they shot birds from endangered species (because the birds were eating the crop, e.g., lobster fingerlings) and also that they dumped untreated waste water into the local river. Question: Was the EPA just or unjust in closing the facility?

The students rewrote this case… The EPA has informed an aquaculture facility that they are in violation of environmental regulations (shooting endangered birds; improper disposal of waste water). This facility has two months to submit a compliance report. To write this report, they have hired a group of engineers as consultants. You are one of the consultants. Describe several possible compliance responses. Compare these in terms of the ethical implications and feasibility.

What does student version add? Case approached from perspective of participant rather than judge Requires a response that integrates technical and ethical components – it is interdisciplinary Business/ engineering skill/knowledge required to specify the ethical problem. Elicits a proactive rather than a reactive, judgmental response.

What you are going to do Write several scenarios /Brainstorm different topics Choose one Identify paths for developing your theme into a case (track 1) or a case (track 2) that involves business, government, and society issues (emphasizing their ethical import) Develop either a Social Impact Statement or a Case Study Analysis – See template used in Toysmart case (m14789) – Prepare a poster presentation for end of semester

Choosing Your Topic Tie to your areas of interest and research Look for an ethical issue such as… – Avoiding harm – Integrating ethical and financial value – Balancing and respecting stakeholder rights – Transforming a dysfunctional corporate environment Topic should be supported with reliable, accessible information – Look for information on its socio-technical system Topic should be interesting and engaging. The time you spend preparing it should be time well spent.

Track One: Case Study Write out the case narrative – Accompany with a chronology table to help sum up and relate the different events – A narrative is a story with a beginning, middle (with some kind of obstacle), and an end (a resolution of the obstacle?) Design a table portraying the Socio-technical System of your case – Provide a short paragraph length description of each component of the STS: hardware, software, physical surroundings, people/groups/roles, procedures, laws, information and Information systems – Use the STS analysis to specify your problem as an impending harm or a value vulnerability Develop a Decision Point – This is a crucial point in the narrative where the participants are called upon to solve a problem with social and ethical implications Work through the four steps to problem solving – Specify the problem – Generate solutions and refine to 3 or 4 – Construct a Solution Evaluation Matrix to compare the solutions in terms of their ethics – Carry out a feasibility analysis to anticipate obstacles to solution implementation Write out a short dialogue and act it out during your presentation (optional) Recommend a course of action

Examples Finance students develop a case that examines using financial instruments to produce deceptive end of year audit Group examines the causes the Oil Storage Tank Explosions in Catano Groups examines a drinking at the workplace problem from the perspective of a supervisor

Examples Student group adopts an orphan: Laminating Press Case Student group develops a scenario where programmer inserts a backdoor through which government officials can conduct secret surveilance

Track Two: A Socio Impact Statement Executive Summary – Outlines problem, describes method used, lays out solutions, and summarizes report’s final recommendations Construct Socio Technical System – Triangulate surveys, interviews, participatory observation Identify Value Vulnerabilities in STS Design and Compare Solutions using a Solution Evaluation Matrix Compare Feasibility using Feasibility table Conclusion – Restate conclusion and summarize its grounds.

Examples Students assess the Windmar Windmill Project Students identify recycling problem with the conversion of televisions from analogical to digital Students examine evidence of harmful impacts of microwave towers Student group identifies and resolves a value vulnerability in the layout of a UPRM computer lab.

Possibilities Computer disposal problems Via Verde Real or hypothetical windmill project Developing and Implementing a data base in a Doctor’s Office

Stages Your group will develop a poster presentation for December 16 and 23 rd. – Presentation will be graded using a rubric. – Class and instructor will make suggestions for improvement Each group will prepare a written report summarizing presentation and incorporating class feedback

STS Table HardwareSoftwarePhysical Surroundings People, groups, and roles ProceduresLawsInformation and Information Systems Level of Description V1 V2 V3

Solution Evaluation Matrix Reversibility / Rights Harm / Benefits Publicity (Virtues and Values) Feasibility Solution 1 Solution 2 Solution 3

Feasibility Table Interest ConstraintsResource ConstraintsTechnical Constraints Individuals who may oppose solution TimeTechnology not yet designed Solution violates organizational norms MoneyTechnology designed but expensive Solution defies legal, political, or social constraints MaterialsManufactur-ability is problematic

Agenda for Fall 2010 November 4 – Lecture + Workshop November 11 – Technological Lenses: Determinism and Social Constructionism November 18 – Group Article Presentations November 23 – Environmental Ethics December 2 – Ethics of Risk December 9 – Corporate Social Responsibility December 16 and 23 – Case study presentations