Question 1

Consumers have witnessed numerous instances in the brokerage (insider trading), insurance (deceptive sales practices), and defence (bribery)industries going awry but where executives from these firms argues that they were simply behaving in a manner consistent with others in their industry. This corporate behaviour might mean that these firms:

Accepted Answer

The executives from these firms are arguing that they were behaving in a manner consistent with others in their industry, which suggests that they attribute their actions to business culture.

Question 2

A computer program aimed at car dealers shows financing outcomes that misstate taxes and interest. The computer company agrees the program misleads buyers, but says it will provide what dealers want as long as it is not against the law. This is an example of an act that is:

Accepted Answer

The act is unethical because it intentionally misleads buyers, but it is not necessarily illegal if it does not violate any specific laws. The company's willingness to continue providing the program despite acknowledging its misleading nature highlights the ethical issue, but legality is determined by the law, not ethics.

Question 3

Those employees that report unethical or illegal actions of their employers are known as:

Accepted Answer

Whistle-blowers are employees who report unethical or illegal actions of their employers, even if it means going against their superiors. Transparency champions and business heroes may be used interchangeably with whistle-blowers, but they are not commonly used terms in this context. Corporate employees is a broad term that does not specifically refer to those who report unethical or illegal actions of their employers.

Question 4

When the procurement officer at a local municipality accepted lavish gifts from a road construction firm, who had just recently submitted a Request for Proposal for a published contract, this is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Accepting gifts from a company that has submitted a Request for Proposal could be seen as an attempt to influence the procurement decision in the company's favor, which is a form of bribery. It is illegal and unethical behavior.

Question 5

A large investment bank has been notified by the Securities and Exchange Commission that several of its sales and trading officials may face charges for taking inflated commissions -in exchange for providing information on IPO shares in 1999 and 2000. This plus many other allegations caused the bank to release the following statement: "Our business dealings follow an accepted code of conduct in our industry." This statement means the bank executives:

Accepted Answer

The statement made by the bank executives suggests that they are attributing the bank's actions to the culture of the industry, rather than taking full blame or placing blame on others in the industry. They are essentially stating that they followed accepted practices within their industry, which implies that their behavior is not unusual or outside the norm.

Question 6

In various communities and businesses, culture serves as a socializing force that employees and residents explicitly and implicitly abide by. In essence, culture is helping to shape what is:

Accepted Answer

Culture often has values and norms that are considered morally right and just within a particular community or business environment. These values and norms are not necessarily the law of the land, nor are they always the opinion of the elders or the will of the majority.

Question 7

The goal of Transparency International is to rank businesses and countries according to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Transparency International's goal is to combat corruption and promote transparency. Therefore, they rank businesses and countries according to levels of bribery and corruption.

Question 8

First Nations of Canada are very concerned about the disconnect of their ancestor's culture and the culture of their children growing up today in the 21st century. Culture refers to:

Accepted Answer

The definition of culture that best aligns with the concerns of First Nations of Canada is option C: "the set of values, ideas, and attitudes of a homogenous group of people that are transmitted from one generation to the next." This definition highlights the importance of cultural transmission across generations, which is a concern for the First Nations of Canada, who are worried about the loss of their ancestors' culture among their children growing up today. Option A is too narrow and only includes certain cultural expressions. Option B is too broad as it includes individual beliefs and behaviours that may not be related to a specific culture. Option D excludes the possibility of non-ethnic or non-religious groups having a distinct culture.

Question 9

10 percent of Canadian and American entrepreneurs surveyed reported that it was ethical to use insider trading information. Using insider trading information is both

Accepted Answer

Using insider trading information is considered unethical and illegal. It is unethical because it involves exploiting an unfair advantage over other investors and violates the principle of fairness in the market. It is also illegal because it involves trading securities based on non-public information, which is considered fraudulent and a breach of securities laws. Therefore, the correct choice is C.

Question 10

As the use of the Internet grows around the world, understanding between countries must be reached so that there can be as easy an exchange of ideas and information as possible. One important issue is opt-in versus opt-out. All European websites have opt-in policies, and U.S. websites have opt-out policies. Opt-in means customers must ask to be involved in data collection and marketing while opt-out companies
Automatically include customers in data collection unless the customer specifically asks not to be included. Europeans and European businesses believe it is unethical to invade someone's privacy. American businesses do it all the time because Americans are not nearly as protective of their right to privacy. What ethical factor is illustrated by this example?

Accepted Answer

The example highlights the difference in societal culture and norms between Europe and the United States regarding privacy and data collection. Europeans view privacy as a fundamental right and believe that it is unethical to invade someone's privacy without their explicit consent, while Americans are generally less protective of their right to privacy.

Question 11

Which of the following is considered to be a positive factor that influences ethical behaviour?

Accepted Answer

Societal culture and norms play a significant role in shaping ethical behavior. They provide a set of shared values and norms that influence how individuals behave and make decisions. People are more likely to act ethically when they feel that their behavior is aligned with societal expectations and values.

Question 12

In a study of Canadian and American entrepreneurs, researchers found that American entrepreneurs found which of the following more ethical, in comparison to Canadian entrepreneurs?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a study of Canadian and American...

Question 13

Making counterfeit copies of Rolex watches, Mont Blanc fountain pens, Prada purses and other international brands is pervasive in China because it is so easy to get away with it. Laws protecting intellectual property are unclear and sporadically enforced. Even when they are applied, sanctions are minimal, typically consisting of confiscation, a warning, a public apology, and perhaps a fine (negotiated, of course). Moreover, copying enjoys a long tradition in China and does not carry a stigma. Copying a masterpiece was historically considered an art form in its own right, and Chinese students have been taught for centuries to copy their teachers as accurately as possible before attempting to create. A business introducing a product into China Needs to know that_________ may lead to trademark infringements.

Accepted Answer

China's societal culture and norms regarding copying and counterfeiting contribute to the prevalence of trademark infringements.

Question 14

A small high tech firm doesn't have the financial resources to pay a licensing fee to use a patented technology in the design of its new computer technology but uses it none-the-less. This is an example of an act that is:

Accepted Answer

The act of using a patented technology without paying a licensing fee is both unethical and illegal since it violates the intellectual property rights of the patent holder.

Question 15

In Korea, copying is quite common and according to international trade officials, many Koreans have the idea that the thoughts of one person should benefit all, and the
 Korean  government  rarely prosecutes infringements.  	 infringements.

Accepted Answer

The passage suggests that the prevalence of copying in Korea is due to societal norms and beliefs, specifically the idea that the thoughts of one person should benefit all. This indicates that societal culture and norms are the best choice to describe the situation in Korea.

Question 16

If numbers from the state-run China National Network Information Center (CNNIC)are correct, China has more than 17 million Internet users as of June 2000. The Chinese government is filtering, tracing, and monitoring everything Chinese users do online as it looks for dissidents. Yahoo!, a U.S. Internet service provider, excludes correspondence related to human rights, democracy, or Tibetan freedom transmission to and from China so it will not lose its ability to operate in China. By self-regulating communication to and from China, Yahoo! is acting:

Accepted Answer

While Yahoo!'s actions may be considered unethical by some, they are not illegal. Excluding sensitive correspondence allows Yahoo! to continue operating in China without facing repercussions from the government. However, this decision goes against principles of free speech and human rights, which some may see as unethical. Therefore, Yahoo!'s actions are legal but potentially unethical.

Question 17

The effective rules of the game, the boundaries between competitive and unethical behaviour, and the codes of conduct in business dealings in business activities are collectively referred to as

Accepted Answer

Business cultures encompass the effective rules of the game, the boundaries between competitive and unethical behaviour, and the codes of conduct in business dealings, defining how business activities are conducted within a specific context.

Question 18

Desjardins Group is one of Canada's Top Corporate Citizens, for example, their CEO's compensation is also tied to sustainability-related performance targets. This is just one example of how Desjardins Group is demonstrating:

Accepted Answer

The fact that Desjardins Group ties their CEO's compensation to sustainability-related performance targets shows their commitment to corporate social responsibility, which includes sustainability efforts and initiatives.

Question 19

Business culture affects ethical conduct both in the exchange relationship between sellers and buyers and in the:

Accepted Answer

Business culture influences competitive behavior among sellers, as it shapes norms and practices that can impact how businesses compete ethically in the marketplace.

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT considered to be a factor influencing ethical behaviour?

Accepted Answer

Government legislation is not considered a factor influencing ethical behavior but rather a framework that sets the minimum standards for behavior. Ethical behavior often goes beyond legal requirements, focusing on what is right and wrong beyond just what is legally mandated.

Quiz 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility for Sustainable Marketing