Individual Work Resolving Ethical Business Challenges
For this week’s individual work, you will be examining a practical case study that
involves some of the concepts that are discussed within the week. Please relate
the answers to ethical decision making and discuss legal and ethical issues
within the case. Think about the relevance this case has to ethical business as
you explore the questions about the case.
After reading "Resolving Ethical Business Challenges" (at the end of Chapter 4),
answer the questions.
Each answer should be between 100-200 words and supported by evidence in
the case and/or ideas from the text or outside research.
Cite all direct quotes or paraphrased ideas from the case in APA format (author,
year) or (author, year, p. x). Include a reference list at the bottom of your
homework as well as an APA formatted title page at the top of your work.
RESOLVING ETHICAL BUSINESS CHALLENGES*
Like most students at Arizona University, Ahmed was a student and spent 20 hours each
week working at the university library. He liked the library because it was quiet and he could
study some of the time. One interesting aspect of the library was the access to incredible
databases, some of which were only for the professors. As a student worker he was privy to
all the database codes, and soon discovered large amounts of materials for almost every class
on campus.
Bill, one of Ahmed’s fellow library student workers, was constantly talking about doing
weird stunts and antics to put on YouTube. He was a nice person to be around but sometimes
he was a little overbearing. One evening when Ahmed started work, Bill was talking about
the many ways to download pirated music, movies, and books from the library’s system. “It
is very easy and untraceable. I just route my requests to a professor’s IP address, then send it
to several other faculty IP addresses so it is difficult to trace. I then go to one of the library
computers, log in as someone else, put in a CD or Blu-Ray DVD, and burn what I want. The
people’s computers I route through get a message that someone logged into their account, but
the IT guys just tell them it’s no big deal and it happens all the time. IT never really looks into
it because of the many systems and IP addresses on campus. Do you want me to get you any
movies or CDs?” Ahmed politely refused, knowing full well this could get a person expelled
from the university.
Several months passed and Bill became more popular. Every day someone stopped by the
library desk where he worked and talked to Bill. The person walked to one of the library’s computers, stuck in a disk, and several minutes later was gone. Ahmed looked at Bill and
shook his head. Bill responded with a smile. One day, Ahmed found an envelope with his
name on it when he went to his usual desk. When he opened it, there was $500 with a note
saying, “Enjoy.” He started to ask people about the money, but then saw Bill smiling. At that
moment, Ahmed knew the money was from Bill. He tried to give it back, but Bill refused to
take it or admit he had given it to Ahmed in the first place.
Ahmed became increasingly uncomfortable with Bill’s behavior. He knew what Bill did
was wrong and possibly illegal. He didn’t want to be involved with it in any way, but he also
didn’t want to become a snitch. Now he was receiving money for his involvement. Ahmed
felt the situation was escalating and he should say something to his supervisor before
something really bad happened, but he didn’t want to be the one to get Bill in trouble. Ahmed
knew Bill could be expelled for something like this, which could potentially damage his
entire future. Then again, Ahmed had his own future to worry about. Could he be expelled
just for knowing what kind of activities Bill was involved in? What should he do with the
money Bill gave him? What might happen if he doesn’t blow the whistle?
QUESTIONS | EXERCISES
1.
Describe the stakeholders involved in this ethical dilemma. What stake do they
have in the situation?
2. Are Bill’s actions an ethical issue, a legal issue, or both? Explain your reasoning. 3.
What are some of the risks Ahmed faces if he becomes a whistle-blower? What
are the risks if he remains silent? (Ferrell, 20160101, pp. 121-122)
Ferrell, O. C. (20160101). Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making, 11th Edition [VitalSource
Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781337269131
Like most students at Arizona University, Ahmed was a student and spent 20 hours each
week working at the university library. He liked the library because it was quiet and he could
study some of the time. One interesting aspect of the library was the access to incredible
databases, some of which were only for the professors. As a student worker he was privy to
all the database codes, and soon discovered large amounts of materials for almost every class
on campus.
Bill, one of Ahmed’s fellow library student workers, was constantly talking about doing
weird stunts and antics to put on YouTube. He was a nice person to be around but sometimes
he was a little overbearing. One evening when Ahmed started work, Bill was talking about
the many ways to download pirated music, movies, and books from the library’s system. “It
is very easy and untraceable. I just route my requests to a professor’s IP address, then send it
to several other faculty IP addresses so it is difficult to trace. I then go to one of the library
computers, log in as someone else, put in a CD or Blu-Ray DVD, and burn what I want. The
people’s computers I route through get a message that someone logged into their account, but
the IT guys just tell them it’s no big deal and it happens all the time. IT never really looks into
it because of the many systems and IP addresses on campus. Do you want me to get you any
movies or CDs?” Ahmed politely refused, knowing full well this could get a person expelled
from the university.
Several months passed and Bill became more popular. Every day someone stopped by the
library desk where he worked and talked to Bill. The person walked to one of the library’s computers, stuck in a disk, and several minutes later was gone. Ahmed looked at Bill and
shook his head. Bill responded with a smile. One day, Ahmed found an envelope with his
name on it when he went to his usual desk. When he opened it, there was $500 with a note
saying, “Enjoy.” He started to ask people about the money, but then saw Bill smiling. At that
moment, Ahmed knew the money was from Bill. He tried to give it back, but Bill refused to
take it or admit he had given it to Ahmed in the first place.
Ahmed became increasingly uncomfortable with Bill’s behavior. He knew what Bill did
was wrong and possibly illegal. He didn’t want to be involved with it in any way, but he also
didn’t want to become a snitch. Now he was receiving money for his involvement. Ahmed
felt the situation was escalating and he should say something to his supervisor before
something really bad happened, but he didn’t want to be the one to get Bill in trouble. Ahmed
knew Bill could be expelled for something like this, which could potentially damage his
entire future. Then again, Ahmed had his own future to worry about. Could he be expelled
just for knowing what kind of activities Bill was involved in? What should he do with the
money Bill gave him? What might happen if he doesn’t blow the whistle?
QUESTIONS | EXERCISES
1.
Describe the stakeholders involved in this ethical dilemma. What stake do they
have in the situation?
2. Are Bill’s actions an ethical issue, a legal issue, or both? Explain your reasoning. 3.
What are some of the risks Ahmed faces if he becomes a whistle-blower? What
are the risks if he remains silent? (Ferrell, 20160101, pp. 121-122)
Ferrell, O. C. (20160101). Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making, 11th Edition [VitalSource
Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781337269131
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