Question 1

Your company's policy on company vehicles is that no family members may use them or ride in them. It would be unethical to use a company car to drive you and your spouse to a movie.

Accepted Answer

The company policy clearly states that family members are not allowed to use or ride in company vehicles, therefore it would be unethical to use a company car to drive you and your spouse to a movie.

Question 2

Although you are not part of your company's engineering group, you have discovered a major flaw in the company's new paper-thin solar calculator. The calculator adds when the subtract button is pressed if there are more than three figures to the right of the decimal point. Since it is not your area, you should do and say nothing.

Accepted Answer

As a responsible employee, it is important to bring attention to any major flaws or errors that you have discovered, regardless of whether it falls within your specific job functions or not. The company can only improve and function better if all employees actively participate in identifying and addressing issues.

Question 3

With respect to #10, using your work computer and paper to complete the case analyses would be unethical.

Accepted Answer

Using company resources (such as a work computer) for personal use without permission is typically considered unethical. Additionally, using paper from the workplace for personal use could result in theft of company property.

Question 4

Attending a class on company time would be unethical.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Attending a class on company time would...

Question 5

If I discovered that I unintentionally violated a federal environmental regulation, I should just wait and see if anything happens before taking any action.

Accepted Answer

It is important to take immediate action to identify and correct the violation. Waiting and seeing if anything happens can result in further violations and potential legal penalties. It is better to self-report and work towards compliance to mitigate potential consequences.

Question 6

Murry Gunty was expelled from Harvard.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Murry Gunty was expelled from Harvard....

Question 7

You are taking a graduate level course in management that will help you in performing your duties at work. Each week you must submit case analyses to your professor. Using work time to complete the analyses would be unethical.

Accepted Answer

Using work time to complete personal tasks, such as school work, would be considered unethical as it is not fulfilling the responsibilities and duties assigned by the employer. It would be more appropriate to complete the case analyses during personal time or outside of work hours.

Question 8

The failure to disclose that your college degree was withheld because of outstanding parking fines and violations is unethical.

Accepted Answer

Failing to disclose important information about your education, including the reason for any delays or issues, is unethical and dishonest. It is important to be transparent and honest in all aspects of your job application process.

Question 9

Your company has several outdated computers sitting in a storage closet that no one is using. You have taken one home and set it up for personal use. This is unethical conduct.

Accepted Answer

Taking company property that is being stored for future use or disposal for personal use is considered unethical conduct.

Question 10

Alice is a co-worker who is going through a divorce and has two small children. Alice's husband is not paying the child support the temporary court order requires. As a result, Alice is broke until she can get her court hearing. Alice has been able, through diverting checks returned to the company, to take about $2200 from the company to "temporarily help her cover her bills," as she has explained to you. You must report Alice's embezzlement.

Accepted Answer

As an AI language model, my programming and ethical guidelines require me to report any illegal or unethical behavior, such as embezzlement, to the appropriate authorities. Embezzlement is a serious crime that can harm individuals and organizations, and it is important to protect the integrity of the company and its financial records. Therefore, it is necessary to report Alice's embezzlement to the appropriate authorities.

Question 11

Taking information from a confidential file accidentally left on your desk is not unethical.

Accepted Answer

Taking information from a confidential file that was not intended for you and was left on your desk is a violation of privacy and unethical behavior. It is important to respect the confidentiality of sensitive information and to ask for permission before accessing it. If you are unsure about the appropriateness of viewing certain information, consult with your supervisor or human resources department.

Question 12

Peter Drucker believes that those who have more education should be held to higher standards.

Accepted Answer

According to Peter Drucker, those with more education should be held to higher standards because they have more knowledge and skills to apply in their work.

Question 13

You are a building inspector for the county. A friend of yours is a plumbing contractor. Under county regulations, all steps in plumbing construction from the initial dig to the final installation of sink and bathroom fixtures requires an inspection sign-off. Your plumbing contractor friend has just called and wants to take you to dinner for your birthday at a five-star restaurant. Because you are friends anyway, the dinner presents no ethical problems.

Accepted Answer

It would be a conflict of interest for the building inspector to accept a gift or dinner from a contractor they have authority over in regards to inspections. It could be seen as accepting a bribe or favoritism, which would be a violation of ethical standards.

Question 14

A supplier has just been awarded a large contract by your company. As an employee in purchasing, you were largely responsible for awarding that supplier the contract. The supplier's sales representative has just called and would like to take you to lunch to thank you for the support. Going to lunch with the sale representative does not present any ethical problems.

Accepted Answer

Accepting gifts, including meals, from suppliers can create a conflict of interest and compromise the impartiality of the procurement process. It is important to maintain the appearance of neutrality and avoid even the perception of impropriety. It is best to politely decline the lunch invitation and instead thank the sales representative for their service and assure them that the selection was based on objective criteria and their company's merit.

Question 15

Murry Gunty was a Harvard MBA who rigged his election as an officer in the Finance Club.

Accepted Answer

Murry Gunty rigged his election as an officer in the Finance Club, as stated in the given question.

Question 16

If my supervisor asked me to cover for him by lying about his whereabouts, I should agree to do it but remind him that I can't make it a habit.

Accepted Answer

Lying for someone else is unethical and can potentially harm one's own reputation and credibility. It's important to communicate to the supervisor that such requests are not acceptable and should not be made in the future.

Question 17

You work for a school district as a facilities coordinator. You drive to the various schools in the district and supervise construction and remodeling and assess various building needs. When you are traveling around to the various schools, you use a district vehicle that is clearly marked as such. One day you stop at the country club and have lunch before heading to the next school since the country club is on the way. You also stop at the bank drive-thru teller to do some personal banking business. Both the lunch and the bank stop are ethical breaches.

Accepted Answer

It is an ethical breach for a district employee to use a district vehicle for personal errands, such as stopping for lunch or banking. District vehicles are intended for work-related travel only.

Question 18

The mayor owns property next to one of the proposed sites for the city's new baseball stadium. The mayor has a conflict of interest and should not vote on the location of the stadium when the city council takes action on the site.

Accepted Answer

The mayor's ownership of property next to the proposed site creates a conflict of interest and could potentially bias their decision-making. To ensure fairness and impartiality, the mayor should recuse themselves from voting on the stadium's location.

Question 19

Your supervisor has told you that he wants to "get rid of Jane." Jane is a Hispanic female co-worker who is very bright and capable and hardworking. Your supervisor has asked you to document everything Jane does and says that will help build a case for termination. You should do as your supervisor tells you.

Accepted Answer

It is not ethical or lawful to participate in discrimination or wrongful termination of an employee based on their ethnicity or gender. As a responsible employee, you should report the supervisor's request to a higher authority or HR department.

Question 20

Leaders who are focused on their own goals are less likely to lose their way when it comes to ethics.

Accepted Answer

Leaders who are focused solely on their own goals may prioritize actions that benefit themselves over what is ethically right or best for their organization/team. This self-centered focus can lead to ethical lapses and mistakes. True leaders prioritize not only their individual goals, but also the well-being and success of their team and organization, including adhering to ethical principles.

Quiz 2: Solving Ethical Dilemmas and Personal Introspection