Business Ethics Essay

Words: 969
Pages: 4

Ethics and moral obligations are issues we all encounter at one time or another. In the professional setting, all people should act in a manner that would uphold the good of society. To be ethical, one has to determine their obligations, moral ideas, and moral philosophy (Boatright, p. 19, 2009). The case analysis involving Jacob Franklin was a perfect example of how an individual can face the dilemma of doing what is right or wrong. Businesses have their own code of ethics, and the employees within the business have to determine whether or not they will follow the company’s code of conduct. I will discuss several ethical issues in the case analysis including; failure to report information, remaining silent regarding faulty equipment,
Jacob has a lead role in the contract closing for the ARMCO deal, and after signing the contract he slipped Jose Ortiz an envelope filled with five crisp $100 bills. The acceptance of cash after the contract deal involves manipulation, and the appearance of buying the contract deal from Jose Ortiz. There are no ethical issues with a company making revenue, and completing a sale of a contract with a client. The ethical issue is how the contract deal was closed, and the actions of Jacob. Unethical behavior can be considered illegal, or merely against the norms of society. If I were Jacob, under no circumstances would I be involved with a conflict of interest. The contract should have been completed on the basis the Richardson Drilling contract was the best option for the company. Jacob interviewed with a competitor located in Seattle, and during the interview revealed sensitive information regarding a client. The employers, both current and former, expect an employee to treat sensitive and confidential information ethically (Boatright, 2009). The disclosing proprietary client information during Jacob’s interview is ethically wrong. I would diplomatically decline to comment on any prospective client information to avoid any ethical issues. I would conduct myself with a high degree of integrity and in a professional manner. The business practices reflect the values, attitudes, and behavior patterns of an organizations culture, ethics are as much