Overview:
Ethical reasoning helps differentiate between right-thinking decision-making and actions
that are wrong, hurtful, and harmful. In this writing assignment, you will consider your
own decision-making processes and evaluate application of those principles to other
scenarios.
Instructions:
Choose one of the following three assignment options for your essay:
1. Select a corporate leader in the news who acted legally but immorally, and one
who acted illegally but morally. Explain the differences in the actions and
behaviors in each of the two examples. What lessons can be learned from the
examples? Cite Weiss in your response and incorporate at least one other
reference you locate in the Post University library or online source into your
essay. Provide a clear introduction, an organized set of paragraphs, and a
conclusion.
2. Read Case Study 1, “Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC: Wall Street
Trading Firm,” and Case Study 3, “Ford’s Pinto Fires: The Retrospective View of
Ford’s Field Recall Coordinator.” Compare and contrast the ethical decisionmaking principles applied or violated by Bernie Madoff and Dennis Gioia. Use the
table on pages 56-57 to guide your thinking. Prepare your essay incorporating
points from Weiss in your response in addition to one other reference source you
locate in the Post University library or online source. Provide a clear introduction,
organized body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
3. Read Case Study 4, “Jerome Kerviel: Rogue Trader or Misguided Employee:
What Really Happened at the Societe Generale?” Write an essay in which you
first provide a 200-250 word summary of the case study using your own words.
Then respond to questions 2, 3, and 5 on page 105. Cite Weiss in your response
and incorporate one other reference you locate in the Post University library or
BUS340 – Business Ethics
Ethical Principles and Decision-Making
online source into your essay. Your submission should be written as an essay
with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Do not include the
questions in your response.
Requirements:
• A Word document, written in third person with no use of first-person “I.”
• 2-3 pages, excluding the Title and Reference page.
• APA format, including in-text citations for referenced works.
• Two resources cited, the textbook by Weiss and one additional source.
Be sure to read the criteria by which your work will be evaluated before you write
and again after you write.
