C01 Introduction to Business
Directions: Be sure to save an electronic copy of your answer before submitting it to Ashworth College for grading. Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) double-spaced pages; refer to the "Assignment Format" page located on the Course Home page for specific format requirements.
Part A
MKD Transportation owns and operates a fleet of container ships and tankers that transport goods around the globe. Company executives have just been contacted by the media with a credible report that one of their ships is leaking an oily substance off the coast of Belize. If true, some of the world's most beautiful coral reefs could be in danger. On the other hand, the captain of the ship in question has not notified the company of any problem, and cleanup could be very costly. Environmental groups and the government of Belize have demanded that the company admit responsibility and immediately begin cleanup.
1. Managers at MKD claim to exercise ethical behavior toward their employees. Describe three (3) matters this behavior might cover.
2. What might the general public begin to think about MKD's responsibilities toward the environment? Provide one (1) example.
3. If MKD adopts an obstructionist stance, how will the company respond to this media report? Provide one (1) supporting fact.
4. If MKD adopts a defensive stance, how will the company respond to this situation? Provide one (1) supporting fact.
5. If MKD adopts an accommodative stance, how will the company respond to the media and demands by the government of Belize and environmental groups? Provide one (1) supporting fact.
6. How might this situation have been different in the event that MKD had initially adopted a proactive stance to social responsibility? Provide one (1) supporting fact.
7.
Part B
Describe one (1) example of a situation in which a company might adopt a pricing objective other than profit maximization. Provide two (2) supporting facts.
Grading Rubric
Please refer to the rubric on the following page for the grading criteria for this assignment.
CATEGORYExemplarySatisfactoryUnsatisfactoryUnacceptable
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student provides a clear,
logical description of at least
3 matters the "ethical
behavior" of MKD towards
their employees might cover.
Student provides a mostly
clear, logical description of
at least 2 matters the
"ethical behavior" of MKD
towards their employees
might cover.
Student provides a weak or
unclear description of at
least 1 matter the "ethical
behavior" of MKD towards
their employees might
cover.
Student provides a poor
description of at least 1
matter the "ethical
behavior" of MKD towards
their employees might
cover.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student provides a clear,
logical example of what the
general public might begin to
think about MKD's
responsibilities toward the
environment.
Student provides a mostly
clear, logical example of
what the general public
might begin to think about
MKD's responsibilities
toward the environment.
Student provides a weak or
unclear example of what
the general public might
begin to think about MKD's
responsibilities toward the
environment.
Student provides a poor
example of what the
general public might begin
to think about MKD's
responsibilities toward the
environment.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student provides a clear,
logical description of how
the company will respond to
the media report if they
adopt an obstructionist
stance, with at least 1 clear,
logical supporting fact.
Student provides a mostly
clear, logical description of
how the company will
respond to the media report
if they adopt an
obstructionist stance, with
at least 1 mostly clear,
logical supporting fact.
Student provides a weak or
unclear description of how
the company will respond
to the media report if they
adopt an obstructionist
stance, with at least 1 weak
or unclear supporting fact.
Student provides a poor
description of how the
company will respond to
the media report if they
adopt an obstructionist
stance, with at least 1 poor
supporting fact.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student provides a clear,
logical description of how
the company will respond to
the media report if they
adopt a defensive stance,
with at least 1 clear, logical
supporting fact.
Student provides a mostly
clear, logical description of
how the company will
respond to the media report
if they adopt a defensive
stance, with at least 1 mostly
clear, logical supporting fact.
Student provides a weak or
unclear description of how
the company will respond
to the media report if they
adopt a defensive stance,
with at least 1 weak or
unclear supporting fact.
Student provides a poor
description of how the
company will respond to
the media report if they
adopt a defensive stance,
with at least 1 poor
supporting fact.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student provides a clear,
logical description of how
the company will respond to
the media report if they
adopt an accommodative
stance, with at least 1 clear,
logical supporting fact.
Student provides a mostly
clear, logical description of
how the company will
respond to the media report
if they adopt an
accommodative stance, with
at least 1 mostly clear,
logical supporting fact.
Student provides a weak or
unclear description of how
the company will respond
to the media report if they
adopt an accommodative
stance, with at least 1 weak
or unclear supporting fact.
Student provides a poor
description of how the
company will respond to
the media report if they
adopt an accommodative
stance, with at least 1 poor
supporting fact.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student provides a clear,
logical description of how
the situation might have
been different in the event
that MKD had initially
adopted a proactive stance to
social responsibility, with at
least 1 clear, logical
supporting fact.
Student provides a mostly
clear, logical description of
how the situation might
have been different in the
event that MKD had initially
adopted a proactive stance
to social responsibility, with
at least 1 mostly clear,
logical supporting fact.
Student provides a weak or
unclear description of how
the situation might have
been different in the event
that MKD had initially
adopted a proactive stance
to social responsibility, with
at least 1 weak or unclear
supporting fact.
Student provides a poor
description of how the
situation might have been
different in the event that
MKD had initially adopted
a proactive stance to social
responsibility, with at least
1 poor supporting fact.
15 points12 points8 points5 points
Student provides a clear,
logical description of at least
1 example of a situation in
which a company might
adopt a pricing objective
other than profit
maximization, with at least 2
clear, logical supporting
facts.
Student provides a mostly
clear, logical description of
at least 1 example of a
situation in which a
company might adopt a
pricing objective other than
profit maximization, with 1-
2 mostly clear, logical
supporting facts.
Student provides a weak or
unclear description of at
least 1 example of a
situation in which a
company might adopt a
pricing objective other than
profit maximization, with 1-
2 weak or unclear
supporting facts.
Student provides a poor
description of at least 1
example of a situation in
which a company might
adopt a pricing objective
other than profit
maximization, with 1-2
poor supporting facts.
15 points12 points8 points5 points
Student makes no errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes 1-2 errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes 3-4 errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes more than
4 errors in grammar or
spelling that distract the
reader from the content.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
The paper is written in
proper format. All sources
used for quotes and facts are
credible and cited correctly.
The paper is written in
proper format with only 1-2
errors. All sources used for
quotes and facts are credible
and most are cited correctly.
The paper is written in
proper format with only 3-5
errors. Most sources used
for quotes and facts are
credible and cited correctly.
The paper is not written in
proper format. Many
sources used for quotes
and facts are less than
credible (suspect) and/or
are not cited correctly.
Part A: Proactive
stance (10 points)
Part B: Pricing
Objective (15
points)
Format (10 Points)
Mechanics (15
Points)
Part A: Ethical
behavior (10 points)
Part A:
Environmental
responsibilities (10
points)
Part A:
Obstructionist
stance (10 points)
Part A: Defensive
stance (10 points)
Part A:
Accommodative
stance (10 points)