In order to complete this discussion assignment, you will need to:
- Select a company that you are familiar with as a customer, employee, or investor.
- Locate a copy of the company’s code of ethics. You can generally find this on their Web site in the “About Us” section of the site. Make sure to get the link/URL for the code of ethics when you are there, because you need to include that link in your initial post.
- Do some general research about the company you selected regarding possible activities by the company or its leadership that either violates or supports this code of ethics. You will use this information to support the position you take in your initial post.
For Discussion
- Share the company you selected, the link/URL to the company’s code of ethics, and your reason for selecting the company.
- Based on your reading of the company’s code of ethics, and your research into the activities of the company, what grade would you give them for adhering to their code of ethics? Use the same grading scale you are evaluated by: A, B, C, D, F. Provide your reasoning for assigning them the grade you did.
- Now, consider the industry in which the company operates (e.g., Disney in the entertainment industry). Are there forces at work in that industry that makes it easier or harder to be ethical?
- Are there external factors (public opinion, social norms, attitudes, values) that influence public perception of the company’s ethical behavior? For example, even though cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris may conduct its business according to its own code of ethics, some people believe it is unethical for them to make and sell a product that is known to cause cancer.
- Does a company’s adherence or nonadherence to a code of ethics influence your decision to do business with them?
