Question 1

Two former sales representatives of Amgen,a biotech company,alleged the company strongly encouraged its sales force to search confidential medical records in physician's offices in an attempt to find names of patients that would benefit from the use of Amgen's drug Enbrel,a treatment for psoriasis.After reporting this practice,these two people sued Amgen,claiming they did not go along with the scheme because they objected to it as being unethical.Soon after,one of the reps was fired and the other resigned after receiving a poor performance review.These two people are

Accepted Answer

These former sales representatives are whistle-blowers as they reported the unethical practice of searching confidential medical records to find potential customers for Amgen's drug and subsequently sued the company after facing negative consequences for not going along with the scheme.

Question 2

Ultimately,ethical choices are based on

Accepted Answer

Ethical choices are ultimately based on the personal moral philosophy of the decision maker. While societal and business cultures may influence one's values and beliefs, individuals must ultimately make ethical decisions based on their own personal convictions. Laws and regulations can also provide guidance for ethical behavior, but they do not necessarily reflect an individual's personal moral code. Chance and opportunity are not relevant factors in making ethical choices.

Question 3

Two prominent personal moral philosophies that have direct bearing on marketing practice are

Accepted Answer

Moral idealism emphasizes on principles such as honesty, fairness, and justice and advocates that individuals should always act morally and ethically, regardless of the circumstances. Utilitarianism, on the other hand, focuses on achieving the greater good for the greatest number of people. In marketing, these two philosophies can clash, as marketers may be tempted to sacrifice ethical principles for the sake of financial gain or social responsibility. Therefore, understanding and applying the principles of moral idealism and utilitarianism can help marketers make ethical decisions that benefit both the company and the consumers.

Question 4

Which of the following statements best describes the activities of a whistle-blower?

Accepted Answer

A whistle-blower is someone who exposes illegal or unethical activities within an organization. In this scenario, the activity of a whistle-blower is best described by choice E, where a Mattel employee reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission that Mattel knowingly manufactured an electrical system for Power Wheels that would catch on fire after long use. This individual is exposing the unethical and potentially dangerous activities of their employer.

Question 5

Which of the following statements best describes a whistle-blower?

Accepted Answer

A whistle-blower is an employee who reports illegal or unethical behavior within their company to the authorities. In this scenario, the employee reports that the company falsified safety reports, which qualifies as illegal behavior. The other choices do not involve reporting illegal or unethical behavior.

Question 6

According to the personal moral philosophy of __________,if the benefits exceed the costs,the behavior is ethical.

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a personal moral philosophy that states that the ethicality of behavior is determined by its ability to maximize overall happiness or pleasure for the majority of people involved. In other words, if the benefits of an action outweigh the costs, it is considered ethical.

Question 7

-Consider the 3M Scotchgard photo above.3M voluntarily stopped the production of its popular Scotchgard because a chemical used in its manufacture was found in the tissues of both animals and humans and the company feared there could be health affects at high levels.The moral philosophy 3M used in making this decision was an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

Moral idealism involves making decisions based on moral principles, such as doing what is right and ethical, which aligns with 3M's decision to stop production due to potential health risks.

Question 8

The owners of Ben & Jerry's Homemade,Inc.adhere to the belief that the company should not harm the environment in any way but actually improve it.This is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

The owners' belief that the company should not harm the environment but improve it aligns with the principles of moral idealism, which emphasizes ethical values and making decisions that benefit society as a whole, rather than just the individual or the organization. Altruism is a selfless concern for the welfare of others, while utilitarianism focuses on maximizing overall happiness or well-being. Existentialism and socialism do not accurately describe the owners' belief in this scenario.

Question 9

The 3M company stopped production of a chemical it had made for over 40 years when tests showed the chemical could be accumulated in human tissue,even though the products in which it was used had no known harmful health or environmental effect.This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Moral idealism is a philosophy that considers certain individual rights or duties as universal, regardless of the outcome. In this case, 3M stopped production due to potential risks, prioritizing ethical considerations over practical benefits.

Question 10

Moral idealism refers to

Accepted Answer

Moral idealism is a personal moral philosophy that places greater emphasis on the individual's duty or right to adhere to certain ethical principles regardless of the outcome. It prioritizes ethical values such as honesty, justice, and integrity over achieving personal or societal goals. Therefore, choice E is the most appropriate answer.

Question 11

Whistle-blowers refer to

Accepted Answer

Whistle-blowers are employees who report unethical or illegal actions of their employers. They may do so anonymously or at great personal risk, but their actions are aimed at exposing wrongdoings and bringing about positive change. The importance of whistle-blowers in promoting corporate responsibility and accountability has been recognized by numerous laws and regulations that protect them from retaliation and provide incentives for reporting.

Question 12

All of the following statements about a person's moral philosophy are true EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Moral philosophy can be learned through formal education, such as through philosophy courses or ethics classes.

Question 13

Why did 3M phase out production of Scotchgard fabric protector?

Accepted Answer

Traces of the potentially harmful chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were found in humans, including 3M employees, and the company decided to voluntarily phase out production of Scotchgard fabric protector in 2002. PFOA has been linked to health concerns and environmental contamination.

Question 14

Western Digital,the Irvine,California-based maker of disk drives,recalled about 400,000 of its hard drives because of a faulty internal chip.The chip will not affect the disk drive motor until after six to twelve months of use.This delay in the problem's appearance means that many consumers would not think to blame the disk drive manufacturer.But,instead of taking the less expensive route of remaining quiet about the problem,Western Digital chose to offer replacement disk drives for all the disk drives that had the faulty chip.This action is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Western Digital,the Irvine,California-based maker of disk drives,recalled...

Question 15

Moral idealism refers to a personal moral philosophy that

Accepted Answer

Moral idealism considers individual rights or duties as universal, regardless of the outcome. This means that regardless of whether the action results in good or bad consequences, it is the duty of an individual to uphold certain moral standards and values.

Question 16

A moral philosophy that exists in the Consumer Bill of Rights and is favored by moral philosophers and consumer interest groups is referred to as __________.

Accepted Answer

The moral philosophy favored by moral philosophers and consumer interest groups is moral idealism. This philosophy emphasizes the importance of individual rights and moral principles in guiding decision making. The Consumer Bill of Rights also reflects this philosophy by outlining the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, and the right to be heard. Social responsibility, utilitarianism, and hedonism are all different moral philosophies that may influence decision making, but they are not specifically reflected in the Consumer Bill of Rights. The Golden Rule is a principle of treating others as you would like to be treated, but it is not a comprehensive moral philosophy.

Question 17

A personal moral philosophy that focuses on "the greatest good for the greatest number" by assessing the costs and benefits of the consequences of ethical behavior is referred to as __________.

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a moral philosophy that suggests that the best course of action is the one that maximizes overall happiness and minimizes overall suffering. It involves assessing the costs and benefits of the consequences of ethical behavior and choosing the course of action that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Question 18

A personal moral philosophy that considers individual rights or duties as universal,regardless of the outcome,is referred to as __________.

Accepted Answer

Moral idealism is a personal moral philosophy that places primary importance on individual rights or duties, regardless of the consequences or outcome. This philosophy emphasizes the importance of adhering to moral principles or values, regardless of the practicality, feasibility or outcome of a given action or decision. It is based on the belief that moral values are absolute and universal, and that they should be upheld without compromise or exception. In contrast, utilitarianism is a moral philosophy that is based on the principle of maximizing the overall happiness or utility of society, even if it means sacrificing individual rights or interests in certain cases.

Question 19

An employee who contacts the SEC to report her companies use of illegal accounting procedures is an example of a(n)

Accepted Answer

The employee who contacts the SEC to report her company's use of illegal accounting procedures is engaging in whistleblowing. Whistleblowing refers to the act of reporting illegal or unethical behavior by a company, organization, or government entity. This act is usually performed by an insider who has access to information that can expose the wrongdoing. The whistleblower is often protected by law, but there can be retribution by the employer for this action.

Question 20

Employees who report unethical or illegal actions of their employers are referred to as

Accepted Answer

The term "whistle-blower" is commonly used to refer to employees who report illegal or unethical actions of their employers or colleagues.

Quiz 3: Scanning the Marketing Environment, Ethical Behavior and Social Responsibility