After a few years of being in business, employees who worked for a start-up software company noticed that the owner overlooked certain questionable actions of high billing associates, versus other employees who worked hard but only brought in an average number of new clients each month. With respect to what you learned in this chapter about the ethical behavior of many Americans, which of the following statements applies here?
A) This story indicates that moral absolutes are very prevalent today in business settings.
B) The owner will continue to operate this way until someone blows the whistle.
C) We cannot expect people in the U.S. to all follow similar ethical patterns because there are too many cultures to deal with. Businesses are no different.
D) As is often the case today, some leaders will look at each situation individually when making value judgments.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The scenario presented suggests that the owner is making individual value judgments, and not adhering to moral absolutes or cultural norms. The behavior of the owner suggests that they may continue to operate this way as long as they believe they are benefiting the company. It is possible that someone may blow the whistle, but there is no evidence to suggest that this will happen. While cultural factors can influence ethical behavior, it is not presented as a major factor in this scenario.

After a Few Years of Being in Business, Employees Who