practice case

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Practice Case 3 Individual/Team Assignment

Assignment Instructions

1. This assignment can be done individually or in teams of no more than two persons. Whether you work individually or as a team, I expect your answers to be your own

thoughts and written in your own words! (See ECU’s Academic Integrity Policy in your

Syllabus.) In addition, use ONLY the information from your textbook, chapter outlines,

and lectures when completing this assignment. DO NOT LOOK UP INFORMATION

ON THE INTERNET OR SOME OTHER EXTERNAL SOURCE UNLESS

OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED.

2. Save your file as a Word 2016 or more recent document (“.docx”). DO NOT SAVE YOUR FILE IN ANY OTHER FORMAT. I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS

YOUR FILE AND THEREFORE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE YOU A GRADE OF

“0.”

3. If you are working on this assignment individually, save the file as “PC3” and then your last name, first name initial, and middle initial. For example, my last name is “Jones,” my

first name initial is “C,” and my middle initial is “C.” Therefore, I would save my file as

“PC3JonesCC.” If you are working on this assignment with another student, have one

person save the file as if they were working on the assignment individually. Then, at the

top of your file before any headings, put both of your names (see the Assignment Answer

Format section of these instructions). DO NOT LEAVE SPACES IN YOUR

FILENAME because it prevents me from properly archiving your file. Points will be

deducted from your assignment if you use an improper filename.

4. Type your answers according to the instructions in the Assignment Answer Format section below. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU FORMAT YOUR PAPER AS SHOWN IN

THE “WRITING TOOLS” ITEM AT THE TOP OF THIS FOLDER. (Instructor’s

Note: Failure to follow the instructions or properly format your assignment can cost you a

significant number of points, including resulting in a zero on your paper.)

5. Proofread your paper before you submit it. VIEW THE FILES IN THE “WRITING TOOLS” ITEM AT THE TOP OF THIS FOLDER. (Instructor’s Note: Grammatical

errors in your assignment can cost you significant points, including resulting in a zero on

your paper.)

6. Save your file according to instructions 2 – 3 above, and submit it BEFORE the deadline as explained in instruction 6 below.

7. Submit your file by clicking on the Assignments/Cases Submissions Tab in the left frame in Blackboard. Then click on the “Practice Case 3 Individual/Team Assignment” and scroll

down until you see the words “Attach File” and the “Browse My Computer” button. Click

the Browse My Computer Button and attach your file (DO NOT type your answer to this

assignment in the “Submission” text box). When you see that your file has been

properly attached, click the “Submit” button.

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Assignment

Read the Rescue Link case included in the previous item. Complete step 3 and step 4 of the case

analysis process using the sample answer provided for step 1 and step 2 of the case analysis as

shown in the Assignment Answer Format below.

Step 3: Ethical Decisions (10 points)

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

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 (20 points)

Nonconsequentialist Analysis of Decisions (10 points):

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 (10 points):

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.

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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.

Assignment Answer 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.

• 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

[Student Name]

[Student Name]

Step 1: Ethical Issues

One ethical issue in this case concerns unfair, deceptive, or abusive promotion techniques,

specifically concealment of facts (Chapter 6). Marketing promotions that conceal facts neglect to

mention or they distract consumers’ attention away from information, knowledge of which

would probably make their products less desirable. Concealment of facts is a deceptive

marketing promotion technique because it conflicts with businesses’ responsibility to provide

adequate and accurate product information. As the head of marketing for Rescue Link, I have

just been given a transcript of a commercial that my organization intends to run during the Super

Bowl. I must decide whether to run the advertisement as presented, modify the advertisement, or

cancel the advertisement. The advertisement is based on an actual case where our Rescue Link

system saved a person’s life. However, there has been only one out of more than 77,000 calls

made to Rescue Link over the program’s first three years of operation that has directly led to

rescuing a customer from a life-threatening situation, which is not mentioned in the proposed

advertisement. Therefore, I must consider whether the failure to mention this fact constitutes a

deceptive concealment of facts.

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Another ethical issue in this case involves Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act

(FTCA) (Chapter 6). Section 5 of the FTCA prohibits unfair and deceptive practices. To be

deceptive, the representation, omission, or practice must be likely to mislead a reasonable

consumer under the circumstances. Marketing promotions containing “half-truths” —

information that is true but incomplete — may be deceptive. In addition, the representation,

omission, or practice must be material (i.e., something that is important to reasonable consumers

and is likely to affect their choice of a product or service). As mentioned above, the proposed

advertisement where Rescue Link directly led to rescuing a customer from a life-threatening

situation has only occurred in one of more than 77,000 calls in the program’s first three years of

operation. Therefore, I must consider whether the failure to mention this fact is an unfair or

deceptive practice under Section 5 of the FTCA.

Step 2: Key Stakeholder Analysis

Head of Marketing (Decision Maker)

1. I want to be sure that our advertisement is a fair representation of our product. 2. I fear losing the $5.1 million nonrefundable advertisement fee paid to the NFL for the right

to run the advertisement during the first quarter of the Super Bowl.

3. I want the advertisement to increase sales of Rescue Link. 4. I hope to make a decision that upholds the ethical values of our organization. 5. I hope to make a decision that will help enhance my future career aspirations with our

organization.

Marketing Team

6. They hope the designed advertisement will increase sales of Rescue Link. 7. They want the advertisement to be a fair representation of the product.

Rescue Link Company/Upper-Level Executives

8. They want the advertisement to increase sales of Rescue Link. 9. They hope to avoid any legal or ethical controversy with the new national promotion

campaign.

Future Rescue Link Customers

10. They want to purchase a product that performs as advertised. 11. They do not want to deal with a company that acts illegally or unethically.

Step 3: Ethical Decisions

Decision #1

[Block Paragraph]

5

[Decision #2]

[Block Paragraph]

…

How These Decisions Resolve the Ethical Issues

[Block Paragraph]

Step 4: Ethical Decisions Analysis

Nonconsequentialist Analysis of Decisions

[1st Subcharacteristic: Definition from the Chapter 2 Outline and explanation.]

[2nd Subcharacteristic: Definition from the Chapter 2 Outline and explanation.]

[3rd Subcharacteristic: Definition from the Chapter 2 Outline and explanation.]

[4th Subcharacteristic: Definition from the Chapter 2 Outline and explanation.]

Consequentialist Analysis of Decisions

Costs:

[Costs in outline form.]

Benefits:

[Benefits in outline form.]

Analysis: [A summary explanation as to why the benefits outweigh the costs.]