Practice Case Assignment

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Case Instructions

Step 1: Ethical Issues

1. Use one paragraph to describe each ethical issue identified in the case.

2. In the first sentence of each paragraph, simply tell me what the ethical issue was in this

case without explaining it. Tell me which chapter the ethical issue comes from at the end

of the sentence in parentheses.

3. In the next sentences of your paragraph, describe the ethical issue using information from

your book, outlines, and/or lectures. You do not need to cite this material in this class.

(Note: Ethical issues in the cases you do in this class will come from Chapters 5 – 10.)

4. In the next sentences of your paragraph, use facts from the case to support your answer.

You do not need to cite this material in this class.

5. In the final sentence of your paragraph, use a concluding sentence to wrap everything up.

6. CAUTION: Do not make any decisions at this time. You are simply identifying and

explaining the ethical issues facing you as the decision-maker at this point. In addition, do

not discuss ethical issues facing others in the case—again, I am only concerned with

whether you can identify the issues facing you as the decision-maker.

Step 2: Stakeholder Analysis

1. Starting with the decision-maker (you), identify and list in sentence form ALL your

stakes in the decision to be made. Stakes are what you hope to gain, fear losing, or want

given the situation and the decision or decisions you must eventually make. THEY ARE

NOT DECISIONS.

2. Identify the other key stakeholders as specifically as possible and then identify and list in

sentence form NO MORE THAN TWO important stakes facing each key stakeholder.

Key stakeholders are individuals or groups that are essential to solving the ethical issue(s)

identified in Step 1 above. (Instructor’s Hint: They are usually, but not always, mentioned

in the case so use that as a starting point.)

3. Explain each stake for each stakeholder in a separate sentence and make sure you use

complete, grammatically correct sentences. MAKE SURE YOUR SENTENCES ARE

SIMPLE SENTENCES, NOT COMPOUND SENTENCES.

4. SEQUENTIALLY NUMBER YOUR STAKES (see the assignment answer format

below).

Step 3: Ethical Decisions

1. Determine what the most ethical decision or decisions are that resolve all of the ethical

issues you identified in Step 1. List and describe each decision in a separate paragraph

labeling them sequentially (e.g., Decision #1, Decision #2, etc.) as shown in the sample

case and answers. Remember to look at both the short-term and long-term consequences of

your decisions.

2. VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure you do not make alternate decisions. Alternate

decisions are “either-or” decisions. For example, if I stated in the sample case that my

Decision #1 was to lay off one-third of the sewers and my Decision #2 was to cut all

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sewers’ pay by one-third, these would be alternate decisions in this case. There is no way

to implement both decisions at the same time and, therefore, no way to analyze which

decision is the most ethical.

3. After listing and describing all of your decisions, explain how they resolve all of the ethical

issues you identified in Step 1 of the case (see the sample case and answers).

Step 4: Ethical Decisions Analysis

Nonconsequentialist Analysis of Decisions:

1. Review all of the 26 SUBCHARACTERISTICS identified on the Six Pillars of Character

Outline in Chapter 2 (i.e., ones with an “(S)” after them) asking yourself if any ONE of

your decisions violates that subcharacteristic. If any one of your decision(s) violates a

subcharacteristic, it is not an ethical decision using a nonconsequentialist analysis. For

example, if I decided to immediately layoff 1000 sewers in the sample case, that decision

violates the WARN Act and violates the lawfulness subcharacteristic. That decision would

not be an ethical decision and I would need to start over.

2. If none of your decision(s) violates one of the 26 subcharacteristics, then choose the

STRONGEST FOUR subcharacteristics that you feel support your decision(s) as being

the most ethical.

3. In a separate paragraph for each subcharacteristic:

A. First, type the name of the subcharacteristic with a “:” after it.

B. Second, copy and paste the EXACT definition of the subcharacteristic used in the

Six Pillars of Character Outline.

C. Third, explain in detail how a specific decision or decisions uphold the

subcharacteristic identified.

Consequentialist Analysis of Decisions:

1. BASED ON YOUR DECISIONS ABOVE, categorize every stake identified in Step 2 as

either a cost, a benefit, or part cost and benefit. DO NOT RE-NUMBER YOUR

STAKES.

2. Categorize any additional costs and benefits generated by your decisions.

3. Analyze your costs and benefits identified in #1 and #2 above. Do the benefits outweigh

the costs? If so, your decision(s) are ethical using a consequentialist analysis. If not, your

decision(s) are not ethical using a consequentialist analysis and you need to start over.

4. If you believe the benefits outweigh the costs, argue why you believe so in no more than

one paragraph.

Case Format

Assignment Body

Use APA writing rules subject to the following specific modifications:

• Use Times New Roman font, 12 point.

• In general, single space within the document using left alignment subject to the instructions below.

• Use one-inch margins and tab stops at 0.35 inches.

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• Page numbers should be in a footer 0.7 inches from the bottom of each page except any cover page.

• Use page breaks instead of multiple lines when starting a new page.

• Paragraphs are written in block paragraph form, left aligned

• Lists are sequentially numbered or lettered indented lines that are left aligned and formatted using the Word multilevel list tool. Single space between lines in your lists.

• Section headings are 12 point bold, centered. Double space after these headings.

• First subsection headings are 12 point underlined, left aligned. Single space after these headings.

• Second subsection headings are 12 point followed by a colon. Single space after these headings.

Assignment Outline and Headings

Step 1: Ethical Issues

[Block Paragraph]

[Block Paragraph]

…

Step 2: Key Stakeholder Analysis

[Stakeholder Name (Decision Maker)]

1. I hope/fear/want…

2. I hope/fear/want…

…

[Stakeholder Name]

3. He/She/They/It hope/fear/want…

4. He/She/They/It hope/fear/want…

[Stakeholder Name]

5. He/She/They/It hope/fear/want…

6. He/She/They/It hope/fear/want…

…

Step 3: Ethical Decisions

Decision #1

[Block Paragraph]

4

[Decision #2]

[Block Paragraph]

…

How These Decisions Resolve the Ethical Issues

[Block Paragraph]

Step 4: Ethical Decisions Analysis

Nonconsequentialist Analysis of Decisions

[1st Subcharacteristic: Explanation]

[2nd Subcharacteristic: Explanation]

[3rd Subcharacteristic: Explanation]

[4th Subcharacteristic: Explanation]

Consequentialist Analysis of Decisions

Costs:

[Costs in outline form.]

Benefits:

[Benefits in outline form.]

Analysis: [Explanation]