OVERVIEW: In this assignment, you will review a code of ethics of a well-known company or organization and answer questions about the strengths and potential weaknesses of the code.
ASSIGNMENT: Download the submission template below, which further breaks down the steps involved in this assignment. You will return the completed template as your Touchstone submission.
Touchstone 2 Template
In order to foster learning and growth, all essays you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review this tutorial for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert: Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
A. Directions
STEP 1: Choose Code of Ethics
Select ONE code of ethics from the list provided. You may not use a code of ethics not on this list. Note: Some of these require following additional links within the page to read the complete document. You should follow all links and read the complete contents of the code of ethics you select.
3M https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/ethics-compliance/code/
Berkshire Hathaway https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/govern/ethics.pdf
Starbucks https://livingourvalues.starbucks.com/
Society for Human Resource Management https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/pages/code-of-ethics.aspx
American Society of Association Executives https://www.asaecenter.org/about-us/policies/code-of-conduct
Step 2: Evaluate Code of Ethics
Answer the following questions, applying the vocabulary and concepts from the tutorials.
1. Name the company or organization whose code of ethics you have chosen.
2. Review the code of ethics you’ve chosen and find the part of the code that addresses each topic below. Write 1–2 sentences paraphrasing the company policy on each topic. (See Employee Conduct Code.)
Basic conduct
Confidentiality
Competition
Giving and receiving gifts
Insider trading
Social media usage
Disparagement
For example, in the American Red Cross code of ethics, they state, “Any single gift or entertainment accepted must have a nominal value no greater than $75 and meet all of the guidelines in our Business Gifts and Entertainment Policy.” This would relate most closely to “giving and receiving gifts.” In the space provided in the template, you could write, “Employees may not receive gifts that are worth more than $75.”
If you cannot find a particular policy after carefully searching through the entire document or website, you may instead write a sentence or two about why this particular business has chosen not to include a policy in their code of ethics. For example, the lack of a social media policy may be intentional or may be an oversight. Which do you think it is, in this case? What potential problems might occur because the company has not included this concern in their code of ethics?
3. After reviewing the code of ethics (especially the sections listed in question #2), write a paragraph (5–7 sentences) describing whether the code describes an ethical minimum (legal compliance) or a higher ethical standard. Support your answers with specific examples from the code. (See Working Conditions.) For example, the American Red Cross code of ethics states “nondiscrimination.” In this case, it would be a legal duty of the organization not to discriminate because of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, so this is an ethical minimum.
4. After reviewing the code of ethics (especially the sections listed in question #2), write a paragraph (5–7 sentences) describing what kind of culture the company seems to have based on the competing values framework (adhocracy, clan, market, hierarchy). Support your answers with specific examples from the code of ethics. (See What is Business Culture?.) For example, the American Red Cross code of ethics asks employees to “…embrace the rich diversity around us and strive to be inclusive….” This relates most closely with clan culture in the CVF.
5. After reviewing the code of ethics (especially the sections listed in question #2), write a paragraph (5–7 sentences) describing what ethical theory they seem to follow. (See Origin of Ethics and Modern Ethical Theories.) Support your answer with specific examples from the code of ethics. For example, in the American Red Cross code of ethics, the element of “harassment-free workplace” relates most closely with virtue ethics because the reasoning behind the policy is to help people flourish.
6. Based on this organization’s code of ethics, write 2–3 sentences in response to each question.
Do you feel they are reasonable and employee-centered?
Do any of the policies give you concern?
Would you want to work here?
What additional information would you find useful before making a decision to work here or not?
Refer to the checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
❒ Did you select a code of ethics from the ones listed above and read it carefully in its entirety?
❒ Did you locate each topic in the code of ethics and describe it in your own words?
❒ If any policy is missing, did you explain in your own words why they may not have included a policy and what problems may occur because of this?
❒ Did you answer all of the subsequent questions using both language from the code of ethics and the concepts and terms covered in the tutorials?
❒ Did you meet the length requirements for each question?
❒ Did you review the rubric to make sure you are meeting all of the goals of the assignment?
❒ Did you review your Touchstone to ensure no grammar errors exist?
B. Rubric
Advan
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