Ethics & Social Responsibility

Question 1

Define ethics

Answer 1

The set of moral principles or values that defines right and wrong for a person or group

Question 2

Define ethical behavior

Answer 2

Behavior that conforms to a society’s accepted principles of right and wrong

Question 3

Define workplace deviance

Answer 3

Unethical behavior that violates organizational norms about right and wrong

Question 4

Define and describe production deviance

Answer 4

Unethical behavior that hurts the quality and quantity of work produced

Production deviance is a minor organizational form of workplace deviance; examples include leaving early, taking excessive breaks, intentionally working slowly, or wasting resources

Question 5

Define and describe property deviance

Answer 5

Unethical behavior aimed at the organization’s property or products; includes employee shrinkage (employee theft of company merchandise)

Property deviance is a serious organizational form of workplace deviance; examples include sabotaging equipment, accepting kickbacks, lying about hours worked, or stealing from the company

Question 6

Define and describe political deviance

Answer 6

Using one’s influence to harm others in the company

Political deviance is a minor interpersonal form of workplace deviance; examples include showing favoritism, gossiping about coworkers, blaming coworkers, or competing nonbeneficially

Question 7

Define and describe personal aggression

Answer 7

Hostile or aggressive behavior toward others

Personal aggression is a serious interpersonal form of workplace deviance; examples include sexual harassment, verbal abuse, stealing from coworkers, or endangering coworkers

Question 8

Define ethical intensity

Answer 8

The degree of concern people have about an ethical issue

Question 9

What are the six factors that determine ethical intensity?

Answer 9

> Magnitude of consequences (the total harm or benefit derived from an ethical decision)
Social consensus (agreement on whether behavior is bad or good)
Probability of effect (the chance that something will happen that results in harm to others)
Temporal immediacy (the time between an act and the consequences the act produces)
Proximity of effect (the social, psychological, cultural, or physical distance between a decision maker and those affected by his/her decision)
Concentration of effect (the total harm or benefit that an act produces on the average person)

Question 10

What are Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development (six stages)?

Answer 10

> Stage 1: Punishment and Obedience
> Stage 2: Instrumental Exchange
> Stage 3: Good Boy, Nice Girl
> Stage 4: Law and Order
> Stage 5: Social Contract
> Stage 6: Universal Principle

Question 11

Define the preconventional level of moral development

Answer 11

The first level of moral development, in which people make decisions based on selfish reasons; includes Stage 1 (Punishment and Obedience) and Stage 2 (Instrumental Exchange) of Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

Question 12

Define the conventional level of moral development

Answer 12

The second level of moral development, in which people make decisions that conform to societal expectations; includes Stage 3 (Good Boy, Nice Girl) and Stage 4 (Law and Order) of Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

Question 13

Define the postconventional level of moral development

Answer 13

The third level of moral development, in which people make decisions based on internalized principles; includes Stage 5 (Social Contract) and Stage 6 (Universal Principles) of Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

Question 14

Define social responsibility

Answer 14

A business’s obligation to pursue policies, make decisions, and take actions that benefit society

Question 15

Define social responsiveness

Answer 15

A company’s strategy to respond to stakeholders’ economic, legal, ethical, or discretionary expectations concerning social responsibility

Question 16

What are the four types of social responsiveness strategies?

Answer 16

> Reactive strategy: a company does less than society expects
Defensive strategy: a company admits responsibility for a problem but does the least required to meet societal expectations
Accommodative strategy: a company accepts responsibility for a problem and does all that society expects to solve that problem
Proactive strategy: a company anticipates a problem before it occurs and does more than society expects to take responsibility for and address the problem

Question 17

True or False: There is a trade-off between being socially responsible and economic performance

Answer 17

False

Being socially responsible usually won’t make a business less profitable. The costs of being socially responsible (which can be high, especially early on) can be offset by a better product or corporate reputation, which results in stronger sales or higher profit margins.

While being socially responsible is the right thing to do and is usually associated with increased profits, it doesn’t guarantee business success.