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E T H I C S A
T C D G
BUSINESS
ETHICS ANSWERS
- C. One of the things that makes ethics so complicated
is that we have overlapping responsibilities: to our employer,
our client, our coworkers, our community and to ourselves. We
violate our obligations to our community (and break the law) by
helping another person steal copyrighted software (A). On the
other hand, shaming a client (B) risks hurting our employer and
our fellow CDGers.
Fortunately, tact is not immoral. Your ethical values don't require
you to say that you personally don't approve. By engaging Nancy
in a conversation about objectives, you have a chance to suggest
alternatives (such as buying an inexpensive tutorial). You can
also explain that your company doesn't allow giving its software
away.
- C. Pretending that you are doing a favor when all you
are doing is fulfilling your contract (B) is dishonest. Moreover,
by being forthright, you are establishing trust that can be built
on later.
- C. Agatha is clearly not a person of integrity. Sam
may have deserved firing, but he doesn't deserve to have incompetence
falsely attributed to him. If Agatha will lie about Sam today
to cover her own errors, she will lie about you tomorrow. Tell
her that you have already reported to CDG on the delays and that
you cannot contradict yourself now. Then immediately contact your
EM and explain your situation, documenting everything in as much
detail as you can muster.
- C. As a question of business ethics, the issue is not
what you personally think of Alice's sexual behavior, but whether
your obligations to others require a particular course of action.
There appears to be no suggestion that Alice's work has harmed
the client or CDG, and there are laws in many jurisdictions prohibiting
discrimination in the workplace on the basis of religious beliefs
or sexual orientation. It would be inappropriate and possibly
subject CDG to liability to give Jack encouragement for firing
Alice. Rather than deny what you know to be true, tell Jack that
you cannot comment on his employee's personal life. Add that CDG's
policies prohibit your becoming involved in an employment issue
that is unrelated to the project you are there to implement.
- A. Painful as it may be—even if you are convinced
that Max is really sorry—your responsibility to CDG and to
your fellow CDGers requires that you alert them to behavior that
is not only dishonest, but you may be considered a party to dishonesty
if the client discovers you knew and kept silent. CDG has a responsibility
to inform the client, but (unless you are a manager) that is not
your issue. Your obligation is to notify CDG.
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