Scenario:
You are a sales representative for a medical device company that manufactures artificial joints. Your company has developed an artificial knee joint that is less expensive than the competition and will dramatically reduce healing time for patients. However, it is also known to produce a serious, and potentially lethal, infection in a small percentage of patients. Your company refuses to disclose this potential side effect to patients. You feel you have a duty to disclose, but signed a non-disclosure agreement (a contract stating that you would keep all information about the company confidential) when you were hired by the company.
A. Select a leader who you feel has exhibited exemplary ethical conduct to do the following:
1. Discuss two ethical traits that your chosen leader has demonstrated.
2. Explain how your chosen leader has exhibited ethical conduct.
B. Analyze the dilemma found in the scenario from both the consequentialist and deontological perspectives.
Note: Consider how consequentialists and deontologists would approach the dilemma: What questions would they ask and what decision might they reach?
1. Discuss which level of cognitive moral development (i.e., preconventional, conventional, or postconventional) is represented in the scenario for each of the following questions:
• What action would be best for society in the long term?
• If I reveal this information, will my company find out and fire me?
• Which course of action would best serve justice?
• Are there any laws that indicate whether I should disclose this information?
• If I keep quiet, will my company reward me for that?
