Resolving Ethical Business Challenges on pages 235-236

Read, “Resolving Ethical Business Challenges” on pages 235-236 of your text.

1. Identify the ethical and legal issues of which Jim needs to be aware.

Jim needs to be aware of the fact that failing to report the information that he has discovered goes against society’s moral compass. Jim deciding to remain quiet, just like that of his colleagues, about the water contamination is just as bad as if he poisoned the water supply himself. Perpetuating the lie can lead Jim in a whole heap of trouble. If his superiors were to find out the branch’s failure to report the true water pollution levels, it is likely that everyone, including Jim, will end up losing their jobs and the company just may be fined.

2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each decision that Jim could make.

One way of handling the situation is to keep paying off the state official that Jim’s receptionist had been doing for quite some time now. After all, these issues occurred way before Jim was hired and assigned to that specific branch. The upside to keeping the contamination levels quiet is that Jim will receive his promotion. If Jim does not inform the company of his horrifying discovery then the company will be under the assumption that Jim did not experience any difficulty during his temporary placement. But the downside to paying off the state official includes the effect that it may have on Jim’s personal reputation. Being that Jim was placed at the branch at which he currently works in order to prove to the company that he has the ability to handle the occurrences that are known to transpire at a bigger and better branch, he could very well ruin his chances of ever getting promoted if word were to get out about the misconduct that Jim has been doing at this branch. In addition, Jim may become debarred in the industry (since one’s reputation is known to follow them) and he may never be able to obtain another job in his field ever again.

On the other

3. Identify the pressures that have brought about the ethical and legal issues.

Another way of handling the situation is for Jim to inform his superiors about the water contamination that he has encountered. Because he is new to the firm, Jim would not be faulted for the contamination that has happened to the branch’s water supply. This would be the perfect time for Jim and his colleagues to come clean about all of the misconduct that has been transpiring behind the company’s back. The downside to admitting to the manner in which Jim’s predecessors have handled the contamination levels is the backlash that Jim’s coworkers may endure. Although Jim may not be punished, those who participated in covering up the water contamination may face severe repercussions that involve being temporarily suspended or maybe even fired. However, coming clean will help to Jim to maintain his credibility, which he will desperately need in effort to succeed in the field of management.

4. What is Jim’s power structure and leadership position at the plant?

Jim is not afforded much power at the plant that he has been summoned to work until proving his ability to effectively manage. The plant is ran on a decentralized power structure in which the tasks are distributed amongst more than one individual who are also employed at the plant.