Business Ethics Research Project

All answers are from the textbook “Business Ethics: A Conversation”.https://www.bvtlabbook.com/account
BA 290 – SPRING 2024
3rd PORTION OF RESEARCH PROJECT – REQUIRED SUBMISSION ©
The objective of the 3rd Portion of the Research Project is for the student to demonstrate a basic
understanding of:
a) what is a corporation;
b) roles or purposes of a corporation in our society;
c) corporate governance concepts, including legal duties imposed upon directors, officers,
managers, employees, and agents of the corporation;
d) corporate ethical leadership principles;
e) moral “rights” in the workplace;
f) diversity, discrimination, and sexual harassment in the workplace concepts; and
g) concerns doing business in a “global arena,” including United States’ “Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act.”
The maximum possible points for this 3rd portion of the Research Project are 10.0 points. This
represents another 10.0% of the total points that will be available for the Research Project. However,
working on this portion is also intended to help prepare you for the 2nd Test!!!
For the 3rd portion of the Research Project, you are required to answer/respond to each of the five
mandatory items (i.e., including all subparts under each item) listed below by 11:59 PM on Monday,
March 11, 2024 (i.e., must be submitted via email to me before midnight!). Please note that each
question or request for information is identified by a black square like this:
? (Sample black square which identifies a required question or request to be
answered/responded).
Students are to submit their complete answers/responses to each of the five items in a PDF1 type
document attached to an email sent to me at [email protected]. ***For each day a submission
is late/delayed, 5 points will be deducted from the score. So, for instance, if a
student’s email submission is sent at any time on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, 5 points will be deducted
from their score (e.g., so, if a student received a score of 10 for their answers/responses, that score
would be reduced to 5.0 points). *** For submissions after 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 12,
2024, no points will be earned!
1
Students can copy the questions/requests for information as a Word document for answers typing purposes, but
must save the Word document version as a PDF type document and attach the PDF version to their email.
Page 1 of 20
The five items below are based upon the five chapters that will be covered on the 2nd Test (i.e.,
Chapters 5 through 9 of our textbook). Work on this 3rd portion of the Research Project involves only
searching for information that is contained in the textbook. Most of the items required to be
answered/responded to are easily found in the textbook. Additionally, “hints” as to where in the
textbook you can locate the information are included with virtually every request. As such, though this
3rd portion involves numerous requests, it should take minimal effort to provide correct/accurate
answers/responses.
Included below, with this 3rd portion of the Research Project, is another rubric for how this portion’s
requirements will be scored. As noted in the rubric, points will be missed if there are incomplete or
inaccurate answers/responses. So, please make sure you answer/respond to all subparts! It’s a good
idea to double-check that all subparts are answered/responded to before submission.
Good skill and luck with your efforts!
Page 2 of 20
ITEMS TO BE COMPLETELY ANSWERED AND/OR RESPONDED TO FOR 3rd PORTION OF
RESEARCH PROJECT
1) The subparts of this first item are based on Chapter 5, “Corporate Social Responsibility” of the
textbook.
a) In Chapter 5 Professor Roe starts out with the question: “What is a corporation?” This question
is analyzed by distinguishing sole proprietorships and partnerships from corporations. Professor
Roe explains that personal owners of a sole proprietorship or partnership are personally liable
for the debts of their business/partnership. Professor Roe then states as follows:
“This personal liability for the business debts strongly
discourages __________ ___________ who might be willing to
risk financial investment, but unwilling to risk ___________
__________ for the business debts. To address this problem, the
law created the concept of the business corporation, which is a
“____________ __________” __________ and ____________
from the owners. In the corporate business structure, the
__________ and ______________ generally have no risk of
____________ _____________ for the business debts.”
? Fill in the missing blanks in red type. [Hint: See, Chapter 5, page 64].
Answer/Response:
b) Next in chapter 5, Professor Roe explains that a corporation is “an artificial person” and then
goes on to explain, however, that when decisions are made within a corporation, there is always
“some person [or persons]” who makes the decision. Professor Roe goes on to state:
“So, when we consider issues of corporate ethics and social
responsibility, it is important to remember that each and every
____________ ___________ faced by a corporation is really
being faced by people, _______ ________________, _______
_____________ ___ ____________, ____ ____________, and
____________, and its employees.”
? Fill in the missing blanks in red type. [Hint: See, Chapter 5, page
65, first full paragraph].
Answer/Response:
Page 3 of 20
c) Professor Roe next explains: “… it should be pointed out that the traditional definition of a
corporation has been evolving, at least from a legal perspective. Courts have been endowing
corporations with many of the attributes of the human beings who own and run them.
Traditionally, the inanimate corporation was not even capable of committing a crime, because it
could not think or have criminal intent (remember, it doesn’t have a soul or a mind). Over the
past 50 years, the courts and lawmakers have recognized that a corporation is capable of
criminal intent.” Professor Roe then states that, since 2010, the US Supreme Court has ruled
that a business corporation has certain other rights like the rights of individuals. [See, second
full paragraph on page 65 of Chapter 5].
? Identify the three rights that the US Supreme Court has ruled a business corporation can
have, as stated by Professor Roe. [Hint: See, Chapter 5, page 65, third full paragraph].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i.
ii.
iii.
d) An important issue is next addressed by Professor Roe. That being: “What is the Role of a
Corporation?”
? List the three views of the role or purpose of a corporation as identified by Professor Roe
in subsections 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6 of Chapter 5. Also briefly describe each of these three
views. [Hint: For some good short descriptions, see, Chapter Highlights at the end of
Chapter 5, items 3, 4 and 5, at page 74].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i.
ii.
iii.
Page 4 of 20
e) The last topic Professor Roe addresses in Chapter 5 is responsibility for corporate wrongdoing.
[This is in section 5.8 of Chapter 5]. Professor Roe goes on to address two different views of the
“moral responsibility” for wrongdoing within a corporation.
? State, and briefly describe both views of “moral responsibility” for wrongdoing within the
corporation, as discussed by Professor Roe. [Hint: See, Chapter Highlights at the end of
Chapter 5, items 7 and 8, at page 75].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i.
ii.
2) The subparts of this second item are based on Chapter 6, “Corporate Governance and Ethical
Leadership” of the textbook.
a) In Chapter 6, “Corporate Governance and Ethical Leadership,” Professor Roe starts off by
addressing some legal duties that arise with corporations. During lectures it was explained that
these legal duties arise out of the principal-agent relationship (i.e., agency law concepts)
between the directors, officers, and employees of the corporation (the agents) and the
corporation itself (the principal).
? List the three duties owed by agents to the corporation addressed in Chapter 6. [Hint: See,
Chapter 6, at pages 78 – 81].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i)
ii)
iii)
Page 5 of 20
b) With respect to the duty of obedience, Professor Roe states:
“When we speak of the duty of obedience, we mean that you are not to act
outside of the ___________ ____ ______ _________________________
______________ as it is defined in the company’s ________________ ____
________________________, or in violation of the laws of the state in which the
company is _______________________.”
? Fill in the missing blanks in red type. [Hint: See, Chapter 6, page 78, first
full paragraph].
Answer/Response:
c) In Chapter 6 Professor Roe raises the question of whether a corporation’s mission statement
(also sometimes referred to as a vision statement) must be obeyed as a legal duty. Professor Roe
then goes on to give examples of five corporations’ mission statements. [See, Chapter 6, bottom
of page 78 and top of page 79]
? Of those five examples, state which corporation’s mission statement is described to be
more in line with the “shareholder” view of the role or purpose of the corporation because
it speaks of “maximizing shareholder profits.”
? Also state which of those examples of corporation mission statements you find is most
likely (i.e., in your opinion, meaning there is no correct/accurate answer for this second
part!) to be found to impose a legal duty of obedience on the agents of the corporation.
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i)
ii)
Page 6 of 20
d) With respect to the duty of loyalty, the following is stated in Chapter 6:
“The duty of loyalty dictates that a director or corporate officer must act in
________ __________ and must not allow his or her personal interest to
prevail over the interests of the __________________. Put another way,
you have a duty to ______ ________ ______ _______________ ____
______ ________ _____________________________ ______ ________
__________________, and not what is first and foremost in your own
personal interest.”
? Fill in the missing blanks in red type. [Hint: See, Chapter 6, starting at the
bottom of page 79 and on to the top of page 80].
Answer/Response:
e) The duty of care is described as follows in Chapter 6:
“The duty of care requires you to be _______________ and _____________
in managing the corporation’s affairs. This does not mean that you can
never make a mistake. In fact, under a principle of the law of corporations
called the _________________ ________________ ________________,
you are not liable for losses incurred for decisions you make in _________
_________ and in the exercise of ______________________ ________.”
? Fill in the missing blanks in red type. [Hint: See, Chapter 6, starting at the
bottom of page 80 and on to the top of page 81].
Answer/Response:
Page 7 of 20
f)
Discussed in the section titled “Ethical Leadership” [See, Chapter 6, page 81], Professor Roe
addresses seven guidelines that have become the foundation for companies to follow in
establishing themselves as a minimally ethical company. These are described as the “Seven
Pillars of Corporate Compliance?”
? List the seven principles for corporate conduct. [Hint: See, Chapter 6, pages 82 – 87].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)
? Professor Roe also described why these seven principles should be taken “seriously.” State
why, as described by Professor Roe, these seven principles should be taken seriously.
[Hint: See, Chapter 6, bottom of page 87 onto the top of page 88].
State the reason the seven pillars should be taken “seriously” (typed in red):
Page 8 of 20
3) The subparts of this third item are based on Chapter 7, “Moral Rights in the Workplace,” of the
textbook.
a) Chapter 7 starts off with a discussion of the concept of a “ right to work.” Professor Roe
distinguishes the “philosophy” of a “right to work” as stated in Article 23 of the United Nations
Universal Declaration of Human Rights from what the legal context of a “right to work” is in the
United States. During this “right to work” discussion, Professor Roe addresses whether, in the
United States, either the private sector or the public sector has a duty to employ/hire anyone.
[See, Chapter 7, pages 93 in 94].
? State which, if any, of the private and public sectors is under a legal duty in the United
States to employ/hire anyone.
? Also, fill in the blanks for this quote from Professor Roe’s discussion of the “right to
work” (in red type):
“At best, one has the right to _________________ ________________ of being
employed, but again, no __________________ ___________ to an actual job.” [Hint:
See, second full paragraph on page 94 of Chapter 7].
? Additionally, Professor Roe then goes on to mention what the “right to work” means in a
legal context. State what Professor Roe describes as the “so-called right to work.” [Hint:
See, last paragraph of page 94 of Chapter 7].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
1)
2)
3)
Page 9 of 20
b) Professor Roe next discusses the employment-at-will doctrine. After initially explaining what is
meant by the employment-at-will doctrine, Professor Roe goes on to address three arguments
in favor of the employment-at-will doctrine, as well as some counter arguments. [See, pages 96
and 90 seven of Chapter 7].
? Explain what is meant by the employment-at-will doctrine. [Hint: See, the first three
sentences of section 7.3 of Chapter 7].
? List the three arguments addressed by Professor Roe which favor the employment-at-will
doctrine. [Hint: See, the Chapter Highlights at the end of Chapter 7, item #6].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
1)
2)
c) Professor Roe goes on to suggest that, though employees under the employment-at-will
doctrine can be terminated for no reason, ethically, “…employees should have some rights to
what we call ‘due process,’ and should not fear being terminated for no valid reason.” Professor
Roe then discusses two aspects of “due process.”
? List and briefly explain the two aspects of due process as addressed by Professor Roe.
[Hint: See, item #7 of the Chapter Highlights at the end of Chapter 7].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
Page 10 of 20
d) A couple of contract rights are next discussed in Chapter 7. Those include: 1) covenants not to
compete; and 2) confidentiality agreements. Professor Roe addresses how one of these type
contracts/agreements are typically enforced under the law when deemed reasonable based
upon three (3) requirements being met while the other type is typically enforced because it is
based upon the concept of an employee’s duty of loyalty. [See, last paragraph at the bottom of
page 99 and discussion on page 100 of Chapter 7].
? State which of these two types of contracts is typically only enforceable when deemed
reasonable based upon the three (3) requirements being met and which one is
enforceable because it is based upon the concept of an employee’s duty of loyalty.
? Professor Roe goes on to discuss that, for covenants not to compete to be enforceable,
the employer must establish that its covenant not to compete agreement passes the
“reasonability test.” State the three areas that this “reasonability test” requires to be
reasonable. [Hint: See, item #8 of the Chapter Highlights at the end of Chapter 7].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
1)
2)
e) When discussing health and safety in the workplace, Professor Roe explains “that there is no
such thing as a completely safe work environment.” Professor Roe goes on to suggest that there
is a “twofold analysis of risk” that can be applied to any activity in which we engage. [See,
page 101 of Chapter 7]. The discussion of the risk analysis leads to Professor Roe identifying
“two moving targets and any decision that we make when it comes to risk analysis.” [See,
page 101 of Chapter 7].
? List the “two moving targets” that, according to Professor Roe, are involved in any
decision that we make when it comes to a risk analysis. [Hint: See, second full paragraph
on page 102 of Chapter 7].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
Page 11 of 20
f)
The last thing discussed in Chapter 7 is the concept of whether there is a right to privacy in the
workplace.
? With respect to things like company computers, cell phones, emails and similar items,
state what the general rule is to whether an employee has any workplace privacy rights.
[Hint: See, item #11 of the Chapter Highlights at the end of Chapter 7].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
Page 12 of 20
4) The subparts of this fourth item are based on Chapter 8, “Diversity and Discrimination,” of the
textbook.
a) In section 8.3 of Chapter 8, title “Preferential Hiring,” Professor Roe states: “preferential hiring
in affirmative action is most often justified as a form of compensatory justice.”
? State what is meant by compensatory justice as it applies to hiring preferences. [Hint: See,
item #3 of the Chapter Highlights at the end of Chapter 8].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
b) Sexual harassment is discussed in section 8.4 of Chapter 8. Professor Roe starts by addressing
what, according to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC),
constitutes sexual harassment.
? State what the EEOC describes as “sexual harassment.” [Hint: see, page 118 of Chapter 8,
second paragraph of the quote from the EEOC, and item #7 of the Chapter Highlights at
the end of Chapter 8].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
c) There are two forms of sexual harassment that are discussed in chapter eight.
? List the two forms of sexual harassment addressed in Chapter 8. [Hint: See, last two
paragraphs on page 119 of Chapter 8].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
Page 13 of 20
d) In order for there to be a finding of liability on a claim of sexual harassment based upon a
“hostile work environment,” four things must be shown or proven.
? List the four things the current EEOC guidelines states must be established or proven for
there to be a finding of liability on a claim of sexual harassment based upon a “hostile
work environment.” [Hint: See, numbered items on page 120 of Chapter 8].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
e) Professor Roe goes on to address “some fairly good guidelines” provided by the EEOC to
prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Some things that “an effective preventive
program” should have are then addressed by Professor Roe.
? List the three items that Professor Roe states a company should have or do for an
effective sexual harassment preventive program. [Hint: See, numbered items starting on
the bottom page 121 of Chapter 8].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i.
ii.
iii.
Page 14 of 20
f) The last topic discussed in Chapter 8 is what a company should do after it receives a complaint
of sexual harassment.
? List the five things that a corporation/employer should do after it receives a complaint of
sexual harassment. [Hint: See, numbered items at the top of page 122 of Chapter 8].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Page 15 of 20
5) The subparts of this fifth item are based on Chapter 9, “Ethics in a Global Environment,” of the
textbook.
In the introduction to Chapter 9, ethics in a global environment, Professor Roe states that, the simple
fact is, that we live in a global environment. He goes on to state that the odds are excellent that most of
us, eventually, are going to be involved in some aspect of international trade and business. [This is also
covered at page 33 of the chapter 4 lecture notes].
? State what Professor Roe describes as the most common ethical challenge faced by companies
and individuals working in a “global environment.”
Answer/Response (typed in red):
? When was the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enacted and what was the
FCPA enacted in response to (according to Professor Roe)? [Hint: See, Page 130, first
paragraph of section 9.3 of Chapter 9].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
? According to Professor Roe, what does the FCPA prohibit? [Hint: See, page 130, section 9.3, of
Chapter 9].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
Page 16 of 20
Starting at the bottom of page 130 of Chapter 9, Professor Roe states that: “Before the
government can successfully prosecute someone for violation of the [FCPA], its case must pass
by tests.”
? List the five tests which the government must establish to successfully prosecute someone for
a violation of the FCPA. [Hint: You need only restate what is contained in the first sentence of
each of the paragraphs each step is identified in. You do not have to provide any further
explanations, though Professor Roe goes on to further explain each of the five steps.]
Answer/Response (typed in red):
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Page 17 of 20
Professor Roe next addresses what happens if the government accuses you of violating the FCPA. He
then addresses two types of defenses to a charge of violating the FCPA.
? State the two types of defenses to a charge of violating the FCPA addressed by Professor
Roe. [Hint: See, The last two paragraphs of page 133 and the first full paragraph of page
134 of Chapter 9].
? Also, describe what types of payments are considered “facilitating payments,” which are a
type of payment that is allowed under the FCPA. [See, the first full paragraph of page 134
of Chapter 9].
Answer/Response (typed in red):
i.
ii.
Facilitating payments are defined as (typed in red):
Page 18 of 20
BA 290 – Grading Rubric for 3rd Portion of Research Project
Possible Points ?
Item 1:
2.0 points
1.5 points
1.0 point
All answers/responses
Most, but not all,
Less than half of the
to the questions or
answers/responses to
answers/responses to
requested information
the questions or
the questions or
were completely
requested information
requested information
accurate.
were complete or
were complete or
accurate.
accurate.
All answers/responses
Most, but not all,
Less than half of the
to the questions or
answers/responses to
answers/responses to
requested information
the questions or
the questions or
were completely
requested information
requested information
accurate.
were complete or
were complete or
accurate.
accurate.
All answers/responses
Most, but not all,
Less than half of the
to the questions or
answers/responses to
answers/responses to
requested information
the questions or
the questions or
Chapter 7, “Moral
were completely
requested information
requested information
Rights in the
accurate.
were complete or
were complete or
accurate.
accurate.
All answers/responses
Most, but not all,
Less than half of the
to the questions or
answers/responses to
answers/responses to
requested information
the questions or
the questions or
were completely
requested information
requested information
accurate.
were complete or
were complete or
accurate.
accurate.
Materials from
Chapter 5,
“Corporate Social
Responsibility”
Item 2:
Materials from
Chapter 6,
“Corporate
Governance and
0 points
No answer/response.
No answer response.
Ethical Leadership”
Item 3:
Materials from
Workplace”
Item 4:
Materials from
Chapter 8, “Diversity
and Discrimination”
Page 19 of 20
No answer/response.
No answer/response.
Item 5:
Materials from
All answers/responses
Most, but not all,
Less than half of the
Chapter 9, “Ethics in
to the questions or
answers/responses to
answers/responses to
a Global
requested information
the questions or
the questions or
Environment”
were completely
requested information
requested information
accurate.
were complete or
were complete or
accurate.
accurate.
No answer/response.
*** 5 points will be
deducted for each
day the
submission of
Not available
Not available
answers/responses
is late.
*** So, for
submissions more
than 1 day late, no
points will be
earned!
Page 20 of 20
Not available