SECURE SYNOPSIS

TOPIC: Case Studies

Q) You are a trainee accountant in your second year of training within a small practice. A
more senior trainee has been on sick leave, and you are due to go on study leave. You
have been told by your manager that, before you go on leave, you must complete some
complicated reconciliation work. The deadline suggested appears unrealistic, given the
complexity of the work. You feel that you are not sufficiently experienced to complete the
work alone. You would need additional supervision to complete it to the required standard,
and your manager appears unable to offer the necessary support. If you try to complete
the work within the proposed timeframe but fail to meet the expected quality, you could
face repercussions on your return from study leave. You feel slightly intimidated by your
manager, and also feel pressure to do what you can for the practice in what are challenging
times.
 Discuss the key ethical issues involved here.
 Discuss your future course of action along with the justification.
(300 words)
Reference
Why this question
The question is related to GS4 syllabus ( Case studies )
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to discuss in length the key issues involved and what should be done in this
regard.
Directive word
Discuss- we have to write in detail about the key ethical issues involved and what should be done to
solve the given dilemma and why so should be done.
Structure of the answer
 Key issues involved.
 Simply highlight and briefly describe the key issues involved.
 What should be done.
 Chart out a strategy to handle the given situation and justify your stand with proper reasoning.
 Take the help of the reference attached to the question to form your answer.
Answer:-
The Key ethical issues involved here with multiple stakeholders like myself, client, the manager the organisation
and its other employees etc deals around the issue of professional competence, integrity , accepting responsibility,
lack of empathy from manager’s side, professional behaviour etc.
 Integrity:- In this particular case study when me as an accountant know that I am not well experienced to complete
the work without adequate supervision but still if I go ahead with it is lying to myself and doing injustice to the
job.
 Accepting responsibility:-At the same time without trying and trusting my abilities with the job I cannot just give
it up. In a professional situation new challenges emerge and I need to be up for the task rather than quitting.
 Competence :-In this case study the ability to assess the job by myself in an objective way is needed.
 Professional behaviour :- My behaviour should be in sync with the needs of the organization . The complicated
situation will test my mental strength.

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 Lack of coordination between manager and accountant:- Employees need to work towards organizational goals
first but the relationship between these two seems to be in contradiction as the work is being compromised or
employee is facing stress and is not receiving any help.
Future course of action:-
 In the first instance I would like to resolve the issue with the manager by explaining to him/her that I need
additional time and experience to complete the work satisfactorily .So I will try to get adequate supervision or
manpower by advising the manager to provide with some new trainees to help me complete work. This can ease
my job and I can start without apprehension after my study leave but this might create my image as incompetent
in the organization and lack of responsibility.
 Then I would try to convince manager to engage with the client regarding the extension of time limit so that the
senior trainee comes back from leave and finish the work with good quality. This is an option with no predictability
and takes more time as I will be left in lurch till the decision is arrived by manager and client.
 Even though manager appears unsympathetic its better I tell the reality for the benefit of the organization. I can
be clear that there is a need for experienced help and I cannot do it alone. I will also make it clear that I don’t want
my work to be completed on time but with below par standard. This is a feasible option as the manager is also
answerable to the superiors and he would ultimately want to satisfy the client. Even though I might be criticized
initially but being a trainee the organization would understand the risk I have taken in upholding the organisation’s
reputation.

Q) Dibyalok Kumar knew he was smart. His classmates always turned to him for help on
assignments and he always knew the answers to the questions his teachers asked in class.
Dibyalok just didn’t study for tests so his grades were often mediocre. He knew he could
do better in school, it was just that school was so… well, boring.
School was coming to an end for the year and Dibyalok needed to get a good job this
summer, after all this was the end of his junior year. He desperately wanted to work at
the famous Research Institute. Dibyalok felt that if he got a job there as a summer intern,
it would really boost his chances of getting admitted to the graduate engineering program
of his choice. He knew the institute hired very few summer interns and generally these
were students from private schools who had excellent academic records and high
standardized test scores. So, Dibyalok decided to “tweak” his resume. He rounded his GPA
up from 3.0 to a more respectable 3.5 and listed his SAT scores as 700 verbal and 820
math (in reality they were 600 verbal and 720 math). Dibyalok reasoned that these
changes really didn’t matter because he would show them who he really was through the
quality of the work he did for the Institute once he was hired…
 Discuss the various ethical issues raised by the action of Manish.
(250 words)
Reference
Why this question
The question is related to GS 4 syllabus ( case studies part).
Key demand of the question
The question wants us to write in detail about the various ethical issues involved in the above case
study.
Directive word
Discuss- we have to be exhaustive in our approach and write in detail about various ethical issues
involved in the above case study.

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Structure of the answer ( Approach)

 Refer to the article attached with the question in order to get an idea about the ethical questions
raised under the given situation. However, you should not restrict yourself to the issues raised
in the article only. You should think harder and add a few more issues, in order to increase your
analytical skills.
 Frame your answer in points and discuss each issue separately.
Conclusion– You can add your viewpoint on what Dibyalok should do in this situation.
Answer :-
 The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values which seems to be neglected in the given
case study. In a competitive world students resort to unethical means to gain marks in the examinations which
was even visible in the recent CBSE question paper leaks. There are many ethical issue in the given case study:-
 Dibyalok resorted to false data in his resume .This shows the lack of honesty and integrity in his approach
where he does not value the importance of truthful data to be mentioned in such instances.
 Despite being an intelligent person the action he has taken shows the lack of responsibility and hardwork and
overconfidence .This complacent attitude can lead to big sins later leading to him being corrupt .
 He is setting a wrong example to others as they can also resort to such unethical means. He is unaware
that means are more important than the ends.
 His approach is also unfair to other candidates who have worked hard to get those grades and get admission
in the institute. His approach can affect his family adversely as well.
 Dibyalok need to understand that achieving the goal with the rightful means ensures greater satisfaction than
winning by any other means. He needs to work hard to improve his marks and get in to the institute. Even if
he does not get into it it is not the end of the world he can still work hard and gain knowledge which will
ensure success to him ultimately.

Q) In 2003, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched a new campaign,
named “Holocaust on Your Plate,” that compares the slaughter of animals for human use
to the murder of 6 million Jews in WWII. The campaign centers around the power of
emotion, and Lisa Lange, the vice president of PETA communications, stated that “The
idea for the effort came from the late Nobel Prize-winning author Isaac Bashevis Singer,
who wrote: ‘In relation to them [animals], all people are Nazis; for them it is an eternal
Treblinka’ — a death camp in Poland”
Is “Holocaust on Your Plate” ethically wrong or a truthful comparison? Critically Comment.
(250 words)
Reference
Why this question
The question forms a part of case studies portion/ aspect of GS 4 syllabus/ question paper.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to dig deep into the issue and analyze the ethical issues involved in it. We
have to form a personal opinion on the issue based on our discussion.
Directive word
Critically Comment- We have to look at both the aspects of the act- Why it is right and why it is
wrong. We have to argue in favour of both of them. Based on our discussion, we have to form a
personal opinion on the issue.

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Structure of the answer

Introduction – Mention that such ethical dilemmas are common in our world and sometimes we
are enticed to go through any means to achieve something of value to us.
Body–
 Discuss why the act is right- e.g it will achieve the noble end of protecting animal rights and life,
save them from cruelty, motivate people more emotionally and better etc.
 Discuss why the act is wrong- wrong means for right ends is not always justified, it makes the
issue proportionately much more emotional thereby liable to exploit rather than guide human
behaviour, sets a wrong precedent, etc.
Conclusion- Form a fair, concise and a balanced conclusion based on your discussion.
Answer :-
 Animal rights, also referred to as animal liberation, is a concept based on the idea that the basic interests of animal
species should be given equal importance like the basic interests of humans.
 PETA argues that it is making its argument based upon principles of truth. PETA essentially claims that
its campaign uses a comparison relating the murder of Jews and animals in a truthful and justified manner.
 Treatment of animals within the food industry resembles a form of slavery, and everything that usually
accompanies it: murder, torture and abuse. Female cows are forcibly impregnated on a routine basis, and
separated from their newborns. When they can no longer produce milk they’re then disposed of, which is at a
relatively young age.
 PETA’s campaign is protected under freedom of speech and ethically sound since it is rooted in fact and historical
data, both from the Holocaust and slaughter house records. The comparison between the murder of Jews and
animals is justified, due to the inherent and quantifiable nature of the slaughtering of innocent lives.
 However, when considering the case by applying the principles of deontology the mass murder of millions of
humans cannot be compared to an animal. While PETA’s claims may be justified, and the comparison between the
murder of humans and animals deemed quantifiable, the harm caused by the campaign overrides the intended
message.
 The mass-murder of millions in a catastrophic historical event is better not be utilized as a communication tool to
gain support for one’s organization. The comparison, while arguably similar in quantifiable terms, looks insensitive
and takes advantage of others suffering to make a point.
 The whole point of veganism is that animals are equal to humans, after all but it’s hugely offensive and
insensitive to co-opt another group’s history of brutal oppression.
 Meat is a huge part of many cultures and religions and it is very hard to move away from that. It’s important to
keep in mind that comparing Holocaust with animal slaughter will only insult and hurt a lot of people. What vegan
activists can do is tell people directly what the issues at stake are. Society cannot ignore the fact that animal
cruelty is a horrible part of modern life. The world should be able to fight against it without exploiting the wounds
of holocaust, and the horror that it inflicted.

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Q) Mr Ranbir Sinha, a distinguished structural engineer, received a phone call from an

engineering student at a nearby college. The student expressed concern that Mr. Ranbir’s
famous skyscraper had a serious technical design flaw. At first, Mr. Ranbir’s dismissed
the student’s concerns outright but the conversation gets him thinking. Over the weekend,
Mr. Ranbir sifts through his data and realizes the student is indeed correct – strong winds
could cause this famous landmark to topple and in the process kill thousands of innocent
people. Rectifying the problem would be no small task and would require notifying the
building’s owners, city officials, and the press and might negatively impact Mr. Ranbir’s
professional reputation.
Consider each of the following questions and evaluate the case study:
1. What is the action or inaction that is the cause for concern?
2. Who or what may be affected?
3. How will they be affected? (i.e., what are the possible consequences?)
4. Are there any laws, regulations written or unwritten that may apply?
5. What actions might be taken and what would the consequences of these actions be?
6. Can anything be done to prevent this from reoccurring or to minimize the severity
of the consequences?
(250 words)
Reference
Why this question
The question is related to case studies part of GS 4.
Structure of the answer
The answer may be framed as per your own convictions, understanding and knowledge. However,
for your guidance, answers for each question is also given here. You may further add to it and refine
your answer.
1. What is the action or inaction that is the cause for concern?
The cause for concern is that the building Mr Ranbir designed could potentially topple in strong
winds.
2. Who or what may be affected?
The building’s owners and occupants of whom there are thousands (large number).
3. How will they be affected? (i.e., what are the possible consequences?)
The building occupants could be maimed or killed. The building’s owners would be ruined. Mr
Ranbir’s professional reputation and career would certainly be ruined and he could also face
imprisonment and civil lawsuits.
4. Are there any laws, regulations written or unwritten that may apply?
Certainly if the building collapsed and people died, Mr Ranbir would be guilty of many counts of
murder. There are likely many laws and regulations that would also apply. Likely the code of
ethics for Mr Ranbir’s profession holds its members responsible for ensuring public safety.
5. What actions might be taken and what would the consequences of these actions be?
Mr Ranbir can go to the building owners and inform them of the problem and of what needs to
be done in order to fix the skyscraper.
6. Can anything be done to prevent this from reoccurring or to minimize the severity of the
consequences?

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Certainly by informing the owners as soon as possible Mr Ranbir will minimize the severity of the
consequences. Mr Ranbir should also carefully review his calculations to determine how/why he
made the error in the first place. This will allow him to make sure that he doesn’t make the same
mistake again in the future.
Answer :-
 Ethical values ensure honest and open transactions in the profession, and that the professionals are able to work
without external pressure or biasedness. The role of ethics, therefore, in engineering is imperative because the
integrity of the profession depends on it. Engineers must perform under a standard of professional behavior that
requires adherence to the highest principles of ethical conduct.
1. Action or inaction which is cause for concern is:-
 The action which is a cause for concern is that the skyscraper built by Mr.Ranbir could topple due to strong
winds and kill many innocent people.
 Also despite being a distinguished engineer the lack of having to ensure good quality building is a cause of
concern.
 Despite knowing his flaw, Mr.Ranbir is not quick enough in looking for an effective solution and save thousands
of lives is a cause for ethical concern.
2. Who or what may be affected?
 The building if collapsed can lead to loss of thousands of innocent lives and property. Even the building owners
would be adversely affected. This incident can lead to loss of reputation and trust on such engineers and can
affect his future work endeavours.
3. Possible consequences:-
 The technical flaw in the design of the structure can lead to destruction of lives of many people also impacting
their property.
 The engineer reputation will be at stake and can face criminal and civil lawsuits as his work is responsible for
deaths of innocent people .
4. Are there any laws, regulations written or unwritten that may apply?
 Due to loss of lives Mr.Ranbir can face trial on murder charges and be guilty of murder. Also the ethical code
of his profession is violated as he could not ensure public safety. He might also be facing charges for negligence
of duty.
5. What actions might be taken and what would the consequences of these actions be?
 The immediate action needed is for Mr.Ranbir to inform the respective authorities as it is a public issue and
the authorities need to take necessary action immediately to ensure safety for the people.
 He needs to convey to the building owners of the flaw in the design and explain them the problem and
immediate measures needed to ensure that the issue is fixed.
 The consequences of these actions might be that Mr.Ranbir might be looked at a s a honest man who is making
effort to rectify his mistake at the same time raising questions over the command of his knowledge regarding
structural engineering
6. Can anything be done to prevent this from reoccurring or to minimize the severity of the consequences?
 By letting the authorities know the issue on his own the implications for his punishment might be less severe.
Also the issue can be handled quickly and preventive measures will be taken before the act of building
collapsing itself saving many lives.
 To prevent this from recurring Mr.Ranbir needs to analyse the design issues he committed and assess his
calculations.
 Also the respective authorities who give permission for building plans need to carefully examine the plans
before giving permission.

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Q) Three teenagers and two adults are arrested on burglary and stolen goods charges.
The goods: $23,000 in computer equipment. The victim: Their high school.
The youths used a stolen key to enter the school and one later tells the newspaper that
the burglary started out as fun, but the sight of the computers made grand larceny “just
too easy.”
Among the suspects are the son of your newspaper’s general manager, the son of an
elementary school principal in the same district as the burglarized school and the son of
a state government division manager.
Will you mention the name of your general manager in the related news of burglary by his
son? Discuss why/why not.
(250 words)
Reference
Why this question
The question is a part of GS-4 syllabus ( Case Studies).
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to bring out the issues arising out of including the name of the father in the
news of his son being caught in a burglary incident. We have to present our opinion and write in
support of the opinion.
Directive word
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key
demand of the question. Here we have to write about the ethical issues involved, what should be
done and why so should be done.
Structure of the answer
Take the help of the article attached to the question to frame your answer.
Discuss
 The Ethical issues involved here. E.g Reputation of the father, close relation of the agents (father-
son), son is adult etc.
 Mention your opinion on whether you would mention the name of your general manager in the
related news. Support your opinion with proper justification.
The stakeholders involved in this scenario are the three teenagers and their fathers, two adults, newspaper
management etc.
The ethical issues involved in this case study are:-
 Reputation of the father
 Father-son relationship
 Teenagers are involved in the crime
 Employee loyalty vs truth telling
 Journalistic objectivity in reporting
The following arguments can be considered:-
 Reveal the identity of the father: In this scenario one is already justifying that the son is convicted even before
conviction itself .Many people attempt to commit a crime because they think they can get away with it. The same
goes for teens committing a crime: They do it, most of the time because they anticipate getting away with it. This
is no reflection of one’s upbringing – only the way that person views right from wrong. Unless the parent assisted

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in helping the child commit the crime the adult cannot be held responsible for the child’s actions hence name need
not be disclosed especially for minor crimes
 Father’s identity can be hidden:-There’s a misconception that juvenile names are strictly off-limits but there are
valid reasons for not naming minors even if it’s legal. For example, many news organizations do not, as a rule,
publish the names of young people accused of less serious crimes. For Children, the thinking goes, that they should
not be stigmatized for the rest of their lives for an error in judgment they made while growing up. However
teenagers need to undergo trial as per law and attain punishment as their activity has been for fun which highlights
the lack of ethical values in them.
As the enlisted scenario shows the lack of judgment of the teenagers they need to be reformed rather than be
severely punished which can even make them serious offenders in future.
Also the reputation of the newspaper will not be at stake as the case is still under investigation and the teenagers
are not convicted yet.

Q) Meena, an employee of Great American Market, was warned about her excessive
absenteeism several times, both verbally and in writing. The written warning included
notice that “further violations will result in disciplinary actions,” including suspension or
discharge.
A short time after the written warning was issued, Meena called work to say she was not
going to be in because her babysitter had called in sick and she had to stay home and
care for her young child. Meena’s supervisor, Sylvia, told her that she had already
exceeded the allowed number of absences and warned that if she did not report to work,
she could be suspended. When Meena did not report for her shift, Sylvia suspended her
for fifteen days.
In a subsequent hearing, Meena argued that it was not her fault that the babysitter had
canceled, and protested that she had no other choice but to stay home. Sylvia pointed out
that Meena had not made a good faith effort to find an alternate babysitter, nor had she
tried to swap shifts with a co-worker. Furthermore, Sylvia said that the lack of a babysitter
was not a justifiable excuse for being absent.

Questions:
1. Was the suspension fair?
2. Did Sylvia act responsibly?
3. Should Meena be fired?
4. Should the babysitter be fired?
5. Was Sylvia fair in her actions?
(250 words)
The above case study highlights the conflict a mother faces in upholding her professional and personal duties.
1. Was the suspension fair?
Meena has already exceeded the allowed number of absences and was warned adequately before itself. Also she
could have asked her supervisor to accommodate some one else in her shift and she would work in their shift if
possible but she has not requested that. She could have even asked supervisor for some time to come to work so
that she can make alternate arrangements for the safety of her child and then attend office. In strictly
administrative sense the suspension is fair as the supervisor followed the rules. Even the suspension meted out is
not extremely harsh as she has not lost her job.

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2. Did Sylvia act responsibly?

As Meena was adequately warned earlier of the consequences of her actions Sylvia only followed her company’s
rules by suspending Meena for a few days. Being in a responsible position she has adhered to her job requirements
as she is answerable to her superiors for her actions as well.
3. Should Meena be fired?
Meena made an effort to contact the supervisor and inform that she would not be able to attend the work that
shows her dedication towards her job. Firing is an extremely harsh step in this case as her reason was very genuine
as for any mother child is the first priority. She is already facing suspension so firing is not an apt decision in this
case.
4. Should the babysitter be fired?
Babysitter had a genuine reason to skip the work as she was sick and even if cared for the child being sick there is
a chance that the child might be sick as well. So firing her is not right as compassion is necessary to understand
why she could not attend the job. As she could not come only for one day Meena could have given some
responsibility to her husband as it is equal right of father to take care of his child.
5. Was Sylvia fair in her actions?
Even though Sylvia acted as per her work requirements, being a woman it would have been better if she had acted
in a more empathetic way by understanding the agony of a mother .Also the company should have had a maternal
leave policy along with creches in office as well.

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 www.insightsonindia.com SECURE SYNOPSIS

Absence of graft:-
‘Absence of graft’ measures relative absence of corruption among government, political and bureaucratic officials;
of bribes related to securing of permits and licences; of corruption in the judiciary; of corruption that scares off
foreign investors.
There is a perception that the public services have remained largely exempt from the imposition of penalties due to
the complicated procedures that have arisen out of the Constitutional guarantee against arbitrary and vindictive
action.
Good governance must be founded on moral virtues ensuring stability and harmony. Confucius described
righteousness as the foundation of good governance and peace. The art of good governance simply lies in making
things right and putting them in their right place. Confucius’s prescription for good governance is ideally
suited for a country like India where many of our present day players in governance do not adhere to any
principle and ensure only their own interests.

Topic– Case studies on ethics.

Q) One of the partners from an accounting firm, goes to one of the computer technicians, and recommends
him to go to one of their clients from the firm and installs a computer program with one of the licenses from
the firm. The technician tells the partner that he cannot install the program, because it is illegal to install
programs in other computers without the right licensing. The technician also recommended that it would be
better for the client to buy the license and that he would install the program for his company. His boss
answered that he is one of the most important clients in the office and that the client wasn’t interested in
buying the program. Nevertheless, he promised that they would install the program, and that he shouldn’t
worry because he would make himself responsible.

What are the possible solutions available to the technician and what should he do?(250 words)

Key demand of the question.

The question is an example of a typical problem concerning ethics, that we encounter in our everyday life. Its main
purpose is to test our ability to identify the key ethical issues involved in the question and form a practical yet ethical
opinion as to what should be done in this regard.
Structure of the answer
1. Discuss in points the possible alternative solutions available in this situation. E.g installing the software; not
installing the software; installing as well as informing all the stakeholders etc.
2. Discuss the ethical, legal and professional implications of each of the decisions/ solutions.
3. Based on your discussion, form a personal opinion as to what should be done in this regard.

Answer :-
The above case study deals with the employee facing the ethical dilemma whether to follow his employer’s orders
or do the job ethically.
The possible options available to the computer technician are :-
The computer technician can follow his superior’s orders and install the program for the client’s company. This
would ensure the job of the technician is not lost and as the employer itself has already told the technician that he
would take responsibility if any thing goes wrong so he can install the software freely without any liability.

The computer technician can reject his superior’s orders and act ethically by rejecting it. He can make the employer
understand the consequences of the move adversely. Even when the employer does not listen then he might reject
the order.

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 Social skills:-
 Proficiency in managing relationships and building networks, and an ability to find common ground and build
rapport. Hallmarks of social skills include effectiveness in leading change, persuasiveness, and expertise
building and leading teams.
Especially in administration emotional intelligence is necessary because:-
 Social responsibility
 When a leader cares about others, he is not a centre of attention and keeps everyone in the loop by making
their intentions known.
 Stress tolerance
 To stay focused, stress should be managed and it involves own reactions to stress or the reactions of others
to the stress.
 Impulse control
 Independent people evaluate the alternatives and initiate the work by taking appropriate action by
executing the right options. People who manage their impulses avoid being distracted and losing control of
the situation.
 Optimism
 Optimistic people have a target that they’re aiming toward. These people are confident in their ability to
carry out the required actions and meet the target by looking for successful solutions to problems.

Topic: Case studies on Ethics.

Q) You are a jurist deciding an ethical case involving allegations that, Mrs. Sandy Tyson
had helped her husband obtain a University fellowship to which he was not entitled. She
is a former employee of the University. Mrs. Tyson is an African-American black lady
married to Mike Tyson and both have denied the allegations and termed them as racist
and baseless.
 What are the ethical issues involved here ?
 What will be your decision ? (250 words)
Reference
Key demand of the question.
Same as mentioned in syllabus- This paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and
approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to
various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society.
Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects.
Structure of the answer
 The question involves both legal as well as ethical issues. The legal aspect will be determined
by the level of involvement of Mrs Sandy Tyson- how she managed to influence the award.
She may have thereby violated any law, statute , code of conduct which would necessitate
legal action against her. The ethical aspect involved is that of the conflict of interest and also
misuse of the office.
 After discussing the issues in detail, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the issue. Be
considerate to all the the key facts of the case and form an opinion accordingly.
Answer:-
 The case study deals with the situation of one doing their job with probity .The stake holders are Sandy, Mike,
Jurist and the University .

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The ethical issues involved are :-

 The allegation is that Mr. Mike Tyson was not entitled to that particular university fellowship but yet due to
his wife’s influence he obtained that fellowship so here there is lack of probity with respect to the employee.
 Also the ethical issue is whether Mrs. Tyson has misused her position to gain unfair advantage for her husband
so it is an act of nepotism vs whether the fellowship was given to her husband due to merit.
 Also whether the allegation that both Mr and Mrs Tyson are racially discriminated.
 Lack of transparency and accountability in the process of giving fellowship.
The following are the decisions that can be taken :-
 Being a jurist it is my duty to find out the truth and uphold justice. So there is need to order for proper enquiry
to find out whether the fellowship was awarded solely on merit and whether due process was followed or Mr.
Tyson was awarded the fellowship due to Mrs. Tyson’s influence.
 Also regarding the allegations made by Mr. Tyson and Mrs. Sandy that the allegations are made against them
due to her being African American. Both her and her husband are subjected to racial discrimination. So these
allegations need to be enquired properly with an independent committee and then decisions need to be taken.
 If in the enquiry it is found out that Mrs. Tyson is guilty of misusing her position in the university to get her
husband the fellowship then Mr.Tyson’s fellowship need to be cancelled and Mrs.Sandy need to be punished
for the action she did.

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Topic– Case studies.

Q) Epimetheus was particularly proficient at recognizing music, advertisements and
human voices. Unlike previous apps using dynamic sound identification, Epimetheus was
also adept at picking up subtle auditory signals and sorting through environmental noise
in order to accurately identify natural phenomena, such as the changing tides. This
functionality was meant to benefit scientific researchers who could employ Epimetheus as
a tool to track ecological change in remote locations. It also proved popular among
students and casual hobbyists who enjoyed the app’s educative and informative
capabilities. In addition to identifying sounds with a high degree of accuracy, Epimetheus
incorporated a machine learning algorithm that adapts to new inputs and provides users
with useful information about the sounds being processed. For example, the app might
identify personal information about those speaking, links to websites selling a product
being advertised on television, encyclopedic entries about bird calls in the wild and other
relevant resources.
One company, Cronus Corp., was especially impressed by these demos, and was eager to
acquire Epimetheus and incorporate its sensing technology, databases and information
provisions into its own products.
You are the Head Ethics Officer of Cronus Corp. What questions will you have regarding
such a deal.
What do you think are the possible issues involved here. Discuss. (250 words)
Reference
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key
demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the
question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail as to what questions would you think are appropriate and
sufficient to come at a decision about the desirability of the project.
Structure of the answer
Form the questions that you think are required to come at the decision about the project,in the form
of points and discuss about each question briefly. E.g
1. The company should show what they have done as much as reasonably possible to
“minimize” the risk of unanticipated harms. While developers cannot predict everything,
they should be able to anticipate common discriminatory harms; What are examples of such
harms? What might companies do to minimize these risks?
2. how inclusive is the project in term of its accessibility to people.
Answer :-
 The Cronus Corp can alert the Epimetheus team to several ethical dilemmas they thought the company ought to
consider prior to any sort of major expansion or buy-out as low margins of error that may have seemed fine
initially may no longer be acceptable when Epimetheus is scaled up and out.
 These centered around questions of cultural insensitivities, concerns about the act of categorization, itself, and
the lack of control over Epimetheus’s uses once it had been made publicly available.

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 Cultural Insensitivity :-
 Epimetheus identification of sounds and subsequent labeling had been well trained on American cultural
norms and the subtleties of the English language. However, this training would not necessarily translate to
non-Anglophone societies and different cultures.
 While privacy laws had been mapped around the world and were taken into account when processing
the sounds, the researchers had not foreseen every culturally specific ethical issue at play.
 Categorization as Harm
 Beyond causing offense when categorization goes wrong, the mere act of sorting people and ideas
into groups can struck some reviewers as wrong.
 Where these categorization schemas are used to inform decisions or actions within a larger, more complex
information system, the results can be real material harm.
 Unforeseen Uses:-
 Epimetheus’ engineers had designed the app to do good. But there are chances that bad actors might want
to use the technology for more nefarious purposes.
 Neutrality:
 By choosing certain categories rather than others, and by defining those categories in particular ways,
Epimetheus is implicitly making value judgments about what is good, right and possible.
 For example, to categorize one sound as “music” and another as “noise” indicates something about what
Epimetheus believes both those ideal types represent. These kinds of value judgments may then go on to
influence the values of those humans who use Epimetheus, creating a self-reinforcing pattern.
 Downstream Responsibility:
 Once a system has left the hands of the original engineers, they may not have much say in how their
technologies are used. Sometimes, this means systems that were designed to produce positive social ends
get coopted to negative purposes, such as facial recognition software being used by authoritarian regimes
to identify and persecute political dissidents.

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Q) The Drinking Water Monitoring Programme initially detected the presence of a chemical
pollutant in the well supplying a coastal resort whose economy was based primarily on
tourism. The analysis results showed a level of contamination that exceeded the limits
established in the applicable legislation. After taking fresh samples and analysing these,
the results were confirmed and recorded in the regional Water Quality Information System.
The public health officer responsible for testing this supply issued a report in which,
despite recognizing that the limits established by law had been exceeded, he stated that
consumption of water from the well did not pose an imminent, extraordinary threat to the
health of the population. Despite this, the technical report concluded with a proposal to
take the precautionary measure of closing the well and informing the population about
the ongoing situation. Upon receipt of the technical report, the health authority with
competence for adoption of the precautionary measure evaluated the scale of the violation,
its imminent impact on the health of the affected population, the economic impact on the
locality of closing the well, and the social alarm that this would cause at the start of the
tourist season. Following this, it met with the public health management team to inform
it of its decision not to ratify the proposed precautionary measure in view of the fact that,
having taken into consideration the other public interests at stake, it took the view that it
was preferable that the well should continue to supply the population with drinking water
while alternative solutions were sought. When the officer responsible for monitoring the
supply was informed by his management that, despite the report, the proposed measure
would not be adopted, he asked himself what he should do.
Discuss the ethical issues involved in the above situation ? (250 words)
Reference
Directive word
Discuss- This is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key
demand of the question.
Structure of the answer
Discuss individually the ethical issues involved in the question. E.g
1. Protection of public health: Protecting the health of the population, an intrinsic value of the
greatest importance, is not just an ethical imperative for health authorities but also a legal
obligation.
2. Information: Citizens have the right to be informed about factors that affect individual and
population health and, in particular, significant biological, chemical and environmental
hazards, together with their potential impact on health. Information enables the population
to exercise its freedom of choice.
3. Transparency: Transparency is an essential aspect of health information. Both from an
ethical and from a legal perspective, public health actions must be clear and comprehensible
for the general population, so that citizens can exercise their autonomy when making
decisions on the basis of the information provided.
4. Precaution: The existence of clear evidence of a potentially serious impact on the health of
the population, even where there is scientific uncertainty regarding the nature of the risk,
places the competent authorities under an obligation to decide whether to suspend or
restrict the activity. Failure to do so would violate the principle of nonmaleficence.
5. Legality: the public authorities are obliged by this principle to comply with the applicable
legislation, without exception.
6. Hierarchy: Hierarchy in public health organizations is expressed through the principle of
competence. Political decision-makers and technical staff have different spheres of
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competence and their fields of action are clearly delimited. Violating this principle of
hierarchy or competence has both ethical and legal consequences. Action taken by those
who lack the competence to do so is invalid, and all those involved in public health must
therefore act within their powers. Hierarchical competence is related in this case to the
principle of justice in the widest sense etc.
Read the document attached to the question carefully and frame your answer accordingly.
Answer:-
The process of taking decisions in complex settings, in which different and sometimes contradictory values are at play,
is characterized by uncertainty. Bioethics can act as a tool to help search for the optimal course of action, that which
best safeguards (or causes least damage to) the conflicting values.
The decision-making process must start with a detailed description of the facts, and this then provides a basis for
identifying the main ethical values and principles involved.
The following conflicting ethical values and principles exist in the given situation:
1. Protection of public health:
 Protecting the health of the population, an intrinsic value of the greatest importance, is not just an ethical
imperative for health authorities but also a legal obligation. The value of health protection is directly related
to the ethical principle of beneficence.
2. Information:
 Citizens have the right to be informed about factors that affect individual and population health and, in
particular, significant biological, chemical and environmental hazards, together with their potential impact
on health. Information enables the population to exercise its freedom of choice.
3. Transparency:
 Transparency is an essential aspect of health information. Both from an ethical and from a legal perspective,
public health actions must be clear and comprehensible for the general population, so that citizens can
exercise their autonomy when making decisions on the basis of the information provided.
4. Precaution:
 The existence of clear evidence of a potentially serious impact on the health of the population, even where
there is scientific uncertainty regarding the nature of the risk, places the competent authorities under an
obligation to decide whether to suspend or restrict the activity. Failure to do so would violate the principle
of nonmaleficence.
5. Legality:
 The public authorities are obliged by this principle to comply with the applicable legislation, without
exception. In the case described, the legislation places an obligation on the water authorities to make the
public aware if the quality of drinking water is modified with the effect that, either temporarily or
permanently, it is unfit for human consumption, and to take the corrective and preventive measures
necessary to prevent any risk that may be posed to public health. Violation of this value is directly related
to the principle of non-maleficence.
6. Hierarchy:
 Hierarchical competence is related in this case to the principle of justice in the widest sense.
7. Proportionality:
 Public health actions should be commensurate to the scale of the health problems they seek to correct,
justifying their necessity on the basis of principles of proportionality, efficiency and sustainability.
 Violation of this value in the case described, in which no extraordinary and imminent risks to the health of
the population had been found, would cause unfounded social panic that would, in turn, have a significant
negative impact on the local economy and would clearly contravene the ethical principle of non-
maleficence.

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8. Social panic and the economic interests of the population:

 Strict compliance with the duties of information and transparency may harm other values that are worthy
of protection, and politicians must weigh these competing claims when deciding whether or not to
temporarily close the well and inform the population. In this case, the values referred to are directly related
to the principle of freedom of choice.
9. Fairness:
 Public health actions that have an impact on the population should promote the reduction of social
inequalities in health. Closing the well could generate inequalities between citizens who are able to buy
bottled water and those who are too poor to do so, when the technical report states that consumption does
not pose a serious and extraordinary threat to the health of any citizen. Harm to this value under the
conditions described could imply violating the ethical principle of justice.
10. Responsibility:
 Implies the obligation (legal or moral) to repair any damage caused. In this case, responsibility could arise
from the refusal of the health authorities to adopt the precautionary measure proposed by the technical
officer, and also from the subsequent action of the officer, once he became aware that the precautionary
measure proposed in the report would not be adopted.
11. Professional autonomy:
 The technical officer proposing the precautionary measure feels that his professional autonomy has been
undermined by the political decision not to agree the closure of the well or to inform the population of the
presence of a chemical pollutant in the water supplying the locality, and this leads him to question whether
the hierarchical relationship linking him to the authorities, and binding him to respect political decisions,
should prevail over his duties as a health professional, particularly as regards the ethical principles of
nonmaleficence and autonomy.
12. Personal interests of the technical officer:
 At times, the professional or personal concerns of technical officers are treated as a value (corporate or
individual) that is harmed by political decisions which, in cases such as this, ignore a technical proposal to
adopt precautionary measures. This value is related to the ethical principle of autonomy.

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Six principles of the Citizens Charter movement as originally framed, were:

▪ Quality : Improving the quality of services
▪ Choice : Wherever possible
▪ Standards :Specify what to expect and how to act if standards are not met
▪ Value: For the taxpayers’ money
▪ Accountability : Individuals and Organisations
▪ Transparency : Rules/ Procedures/ Schemes/Grievances.
The Charters are expected to incorporate the following elements :-
▪ Vision and Mission Statement
▪ Details of business transacted by the organization
▪ Details of clients
▪ Details of services provided to each client group
▪ Details of grievance redress mechanism and how to access it
▪ Expectations from the clients.

The citizen’s charter on successful implementation was expected to have the following features:
▪ Improved service delivery
▪ Greater responsiveness of officials towards the public
▪ Greater public satisfaction with the services offered.

Topic– Case study

Q) One year after becoming CEO of Starbucks, You are faced with a leadership test when
two black men were arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks. The men were waiting to meet
a business associate, but they didn’t purchase anything while they were waiting. The store
manager asked them to leave, and they refused, explaining that they were there to meet
someone. The manager called the police because the men refused to leave, and the police
arrested them.
Another patron at Starbucks recorded the arrest on her cell phone, and it quickly went
viral. In an interview after the arrest, the woman who took the video mentions that she
had been sitting there for a while, and she wasn’t asked to leave even though she didn’t
order anything. Additionally, the video shows the business associate of the black men
show up during the arrest, and he asks the manager and the police what the men had
done wrong. The general public and those who witnessed the arrest labeled it as
discriminatory and racist.
1. What should be your response in this matter.
2. Discuss the ethical issues involved in the incident.(250 words)
Reference
Structure of the answer
Introduction–
Discuss the ethical issues at hand. E.g Bias and racism; lack of application of mind and retrieval of
facts necessary for action etc
Discuss what would be your response and how will you handle various ethical issues involved in the
question.
Take the help of the article attached to the question and frame your answer.
Answer:-
1. What should be your response in this matter.
▪ As the CEO of Starbucks first I would issue a statement of apology to the people who were arrested in the incident
due to bias and also apologise to the stakeholders as Starbucks does not have any company policy for asking the
customers to leave if they have not bought anything.
▪ I would take full responsibility for the actions of my employees, and acknowledge that Starbucks customers were
hurt by the arrests.
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▪ The apology also would have a detailed actionable steps Starbucks leadership would follow to learn from the
situation, including meeting with community stakeholders to learn what they could have done better.
▪ I would ensure that employees would receive more training, including about when to call authorities, and ensure
that the company would conduct a thorough analysis of the practices that lead to this incident.
▪ I would also meet with the two men arrested face to face to involve them in dialogue on what Starbucks needed
to do differently.
2. Discuss the ethical issues involved in the incident.
▪ Bias towards certain community:-
▪ In this scenario the manager was suspicious just because the men were of particular community.
▪ Lack of ability to retrieve facts correctly:-
▪ As an organ of law enforcement the police should have found the truth and then take action but they
just believed the words of the store manager and made arrests.
▪ Even the customers have not made efforts to convince the officers that the men in question have not done
anything wrong
▪ Lack of clear policy guidelines by Starbucks on which managers need to act before taking any action.

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Topic– Case study

Q) A woman died recently, after a short, unhappy life. She wanted her ashes to be scattered
in the ocean near a place she lived during one of the brief happy times of her adult life.
Her parents and immediate family had already passed away, so she discussed her wishes
with her mother-in-law, who said she would comply with her daughter-in-law’s wishes. In
her will, the woman gave control of her estate to the mother-in-law. The will stated that
the woman’s ashes should be scattered in the ocean, as described above. Instead, her
mother-in-law buried the ashes in a family plot near her home, because she wanted to
keep the ashes close to her because of her own grief.
Assume that the mother-in-law is legally required to follow the wishes stated in the will,
but that no one will check and it is very unlikely that the mother-in-law will have any
problem with the law.
1. What are the issues of integrity, ethics and law posed in the case study?
2. What options does the mother-in-law have, and what should she do and why? (250
words)
Structure of the answer
Guidelines
Some of the issues raised by this case study include;
• whether the mother-in-law is acting ethically and with integrity;
• the relevance of her promise to her daughter-in-law, and
• whether the promise is still relevant after the daughter-in-law dies;
• the impact of the law on the mother-in-law, and
• what difference it makes that the mother-in-law’s illegal activity is not likely to be
discovered.
Frame your answer by the help of the guidelines provided but don’t restrict yourself. Try to
incorporate the important terms related to ethics in your answer. Be critical and ethically eloquent
in your approach.
Answer:-
• The issue revolves about the promises, commitment made by the mother in law and how she upholds her
promise and what are ethical issues that need explanation if she does not comply with her daughter in law’s
request.
The stakeholders involved in this case study are mother in law, daughter in law, law and the society as a whole
1. What are the issues of integrity, ethics and law posed in the case study?
• The commitments people make to other people don’t perish when they do. It’s through words of
promises that we keep the memories and legacy of a person beyond mortality. In this case there was
no obstacle to doing what the mother in law requested. There was a will. There was a way. The way,
this bereaved mother in law might object, would have deprived her of a focus for her grief. The daughter
in law’s request deserved compliance.
• The mother in law while complying to her daughter in law when alive and yet not doing the deed shows
breaking of trust and faith despite her intentions.
• As it is already declared in the daughter in law’s will regarding the ashes ,law can take its course if it is
found that mother in law’s has not followed the will.
2. What options does the mother-in-law have, and what should she do and why?
The following options are available for mother in law :-
• She can just stay quiet. In this case there is no chance anyone might ever come to know that the
daughter in law’s will has been compromised. But at the same time over the period of time mother in
law may feel guilty that she did not comply to her daughter in law wishes. There is always a risk for her
that her act may be found out by legal authorities.
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• She can report to the authorities herself. In this option there are chances that the buried ashes of her
daughter in law can be taken out and then mixed in the ocean and mother in law might have to face
legal discourse.
• Based on the above arguments the mother in law need to take the buried wishes and comply with her
daughter in law’s wishes as the integrity of the relationship is based on the promise she made to her
daughter in law.

Q) A woman is sexually harassed by a top-level senior executive in a large company. She

sues the company, and during settlement discussions she is offered an extremely large
monetary settlement. In the agreement, the woman is required to confirm that the
executive did nothing wrong, and after the agreement is signed the woman is prohibited
from discussing anything about the incident publicly. Before the date scheduled to sign
the settlement agreement, the woman’s lawyer mentions that she has heard the executive
has done this before, and the settlement amount is very large because the company
probably had a legal obligation to dismiss the executive previously. The company however
wants to keep the executive because he is a big money maker for the company.
1. What are the issues of integrity, ethics and law posed in the case study?
2. What options does the woman have?
3. What should she do and why? (250 words)
Structure of the answer
Some of the issues raised by this case study include initial issues of unethical and unlawful conduct,
by the executive and the company; whether the company should allow the executive to continue
working because of the revenue he generates, in view of his propensity to harm co-workers, and
whether this action is ethical or reflects integrity; whether the company should require the woman
to state that the executive did nothing wrong as part of the settlement agreement; whether the
woman should agree to this settlement in view of the harm future employees are being exposed to;
and whether the woman is prioritising justice for herself over harm to future employees in an
acceptable way.
Discuss about these issues and give the best ethical solution possible under such situation.
Answer:-
• Although, campaigns like #MeToo acted as an eye-opener, sexual harassment at the workplace still remains
behind the closed doors of glass cabins. The above case study involves the woman victim, the senior executive,
the company and the other employees who were harassed by the senior executive before as stakeholders.
1. Some of the issues raised by this case study include
• Initial issues of unethical and unlawful conduct, by the executive and the company
• Whether the company should allow the executive to continue working because of the revenue he generates,
in view of his propensity to harm co-workers, and whether this action is ethical or has integrity or even legal
is under question.
• Whether the company should require the woman to state that the executive did nothing wrong as part of the
settlement agreement
• Whether the woman should agree to this settlement in view of the harm future employees are being exposed
to
• Whether the woman is prioritising justice for herself over harm to future employees in an acceptable way.
2,3. The woman has the following options :-
• She can accept the settlement offered by the company :-
• By doing this she not only degraded herself and gave an opportunity for the company and executive that their
unlawful acts can avoid legal discourse. This can have repercussions for the future as other employees
continue to suffer from such actions of the executive.
• She can sue the company and make sure the executive is punished :-
1. By suing the company and ensuring that the executive punished the woman has fought for justice
against the heinous act of sexual harassment at workplace. This might put some sense in the executive
that such actions are bad despite him being a successful executive. The company is also reminded that
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its actions of supporting an executive who has done wrong is unpardonable and justice prevails. Her
actions also empowers other employees who face similar situations and gives them the courage to
fight against such wrongdoing.
2. This course of action would be a precedent for many other companies and senior officers to prevent
abuse of power and abide by the company rules and the woman need to follow this option.

Q) An international soft drink company has a signature soft drink that it sells all over the
world. In India, the version of the soft drink complies with Indian food and health
regulations, but is less healthy than the drink sold in the European market where the law
is stricter. The soft drink company is obeying the law in India, but it is selling an inferior,
less healthy product in a developing country.
1. What are the issues of integrity, ethics and law posed in the case study?
2. What options does the soft drink company and the government of India have
3. What should they do and why? (250 words)
Guidelines for the answer
Some of the questions raised by this case study include;
• how the issue first arose, including globalization, and why the company and the country would
benefit and not benefit from the current position;
• whether the company and country are acting ethically, with integrity, and consistent with law;
• the role that consumers in India and elsewhere play in this case study;
• and the different approaches the company could take to health standards, e.g. establishing its
own standard to meet even if that standard exceeds what is required in a particular country.
Take the help of these guidelines and use your own critical understanding to frame your answer.
Answer :-
• In the era of globalization there are different standards adopted by different countries. In this light the
companies take advantage of the standards set by the developing countries which are mostly inferior to the
many developed countries like EU/ US.
• The stakeholders involved in the above case study are the company manufacturing the soft drink , Indian
government and the consumers of the soft drink.
1. Issues of integrity, ethics and law posed in this context :-
• The soft drink company even though complying with the Indian law is aware that the drink is of inferior quality
showing the utter lack of responsibility from its side and the motive towards profit . This also shows the
unethical means adopted by the company neglecting the health of millions of people.
• Even the Indian government need to realize that Indian food and health regulation standards are inferior to
European countries. This can threaten the lives of people.
2. Options with government:
• Government can revise its standards further that put public lives as priority and ensure that the supply of soft
drink of the inferior quality is immediately terminated in India.
• It can avoid taking any action as the adverse effects on the people are not visible.
Options available with soft drink company :-
• Soft drink company need not change its stand as it is following Indian laws.
• Soft drink company can ensure their product in India is of same quality in Europe.
3. The Indian government need to stop the supply of inferior quality soft drink and revise the existing standards even
though there are no bad effects of the drink yet visible in India. The proactive stand of the government can send a
warning to the companies of not circulating inferior products in India. Also the government need to make people
aware of the food safety standards for better transparency.
Soft drink company need to increase the quality of the soft drinks in India as inferior quality product can adversely
impact the customers and the company itself in the long run.

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Q) You’re a manager of a nonprofit organisation. Your supervisee has been a planned-

giving fundraiser there for five years. Four years ago, his performance was poor because
he was undergoing chemotherapy. Since then, it’s improved to average but, in the past
few months has declined severely again—He’s raised only half as much money as before.
He explains that his cancer has recurred and has spread to his lymph nodes, so he’s in
the middle of a six-month round of chemotherapy and his prognosis is not good. He says
he prefers to keep working but if you terminate him, he won’t file a claim under the
Americans with Disabilities Act. He is his family’s sole source of income and his non-profit
salary is modest and so he has little in savings. He’s just getting by.
Discuss the options available to you and what would be your decision.(250 words)
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key
demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the
question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the possible options available to us in the given
circumstances and the ethical implications of those options. It also wants us to discuss as to what
should be our response in such situation.
Structure of the answer
Discuss the issue in detail and what are the options available. E.g
a) retaining him: Most organizations but especially nonprofits espouse putting people above
profits. To let him go when he’s been an acceptable performer and now has to endure
treatment for recurred cancer would be hypocritical, especially since you know he is his
family’s sole support and he’s saved little because he’s worked for nonprofits. From a
pragmatic standpoint, letting him go would hurt the organization’s morale. Besides, with
his cancer having recurred and in his lymph nodes, it’s unlikely he’d want or be able to stay
employed for very long. Retaining him would be an appropriate “cost of doing business.”
b) Firing him: Less money raised means less services to the many needy people the nonprofit
services. He’s only one person. Yes he’s an employee but the wise person makes decisions
mainly based on what will do the most good, not giving extra consideration to the person in
front of you. You can mitigate the toll to staff morale by telling the employees the ethical
basis for letting him go and giving them ample opportunity to process it. To help him
financially, you might give a generous severance package. That would still save much money
compared with keeping him on.
Discuss your response along with the reason for such a response.
Answer :-
• The case study deals with ethical issues based on compassion and empathy vs efficiency and has the following
people as stakeholders i.e.., the employee, manager, society etc
The options available are :-
• Retain him :-
o Most organizations but especially nonprofits espouse putting people above profits.
o To let him go when he’s been an acceptable performer and now has to endure treatment for recurred
cancer would be hypocritical, especially since I know he is his family’s sole support and he’s saved little
because he’s worked for nonprofits.
o From a pragmatic standpoint, letting him go would hurt the organization’s morale.
o However as his cancer has recurred and in his lymph nodes, it’s unlikely the employee would want or
be able to stay employed for very long. Retaining him would be an appropriate cost of doing business
as well.
• Not retain him :-
o Less money raised means less services to the many needy people the nonprofit services.
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o Even though he’s an employee but the wise person makes decisions mainly based on what will do the
most good, not giving extra consideration to the person in front of you.
o I can improve the staff morale by telling the employees the ethical basis for letting him go and giving
them ample opportunity to process it.
o To help him financially, I can give a generous severance package. That would still save much money
compared with keeping him on.
• I would follow the following course of action i.e., I can give him leave for the duration of the treatment and
can ask him to join once his treatment is over :-
o I would choose to give the employee a holiday and tell him to focus on his health and permit him to
join after the treatment is over.
o The credibility of NGO would only be legitimized due to this course of action as the organisation’s
primary goal of welfare to people also means welfare to its employees.
o I will also ensure that he files a claim under Americans with disabilities act so that he can get
compensation or insurance for expenses of his treatment.
o When the organization is true to its motto and its employees there are greater chances of people
donating more to the NGO fund as well .

Q) An undergraduate course required for graduation has a reputation for being extremely
hard to pass, much harder than similar courses. When posting materials to the class
website, the teacher accidentally posts a test with answers indicated at the end. The
teacher notices the error immediately and deletes the test, but before she does so a student
downloads the test. The website does not allow the teacher to see whether the test was
downloaded, and because she deleted the test with the answers so quickly, the teacher
later uploaded the same test without the answers and required students to take the test.
The Student Code of Ethics prohibits students from taking a test when there is reason for
them to believe they have confidential information regarding the answers to a test they are
not supposed to have. Violations of the Student Code of Ethics are punishable.
1. What are the issues of integrity, ethics and law posed in the case study?
2. What options do the teacher and the student have?
3. What should they do and why? (250 words)
Guidelines for framing the answer
Some of the issues raised in this case study include
• the reasons why the teacher reposted the same test;
• the undue difficulty of the course, and whether that or the teacher’s actions justify a student
who uses the answers accidentally disclosed by the teacher;
• the relationship between ethical concerns and the Student Code of Ethics;
• and the relationship of the student to the teacher and fellow students,
• and the effect the student’s actions may have on fellow students etc.
This list is not exhaustive and therefore it is directed to critically study the issue and bring out the
issues involved therein.
Answer :-
• The case study revolves around the concept of responsibility and integrity of the respective stakeholders
(teacher, students and the particular student who downloaded the test)
1. Issues involved:-
1. Why has the teacher reposted the same test despite being aware that answers were attached to the
original test that was posted . This shows the sense of irresponsibility and lack of professional
competence of the teacher.
2. Also in the context of the student who has downloaded the test it is to be seen whether she informs
the teacher regarding the issue or she circulates the answers among other students .The latter shows
the utter lack of integrity and ethics on the part of the student.
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3. The Student Code of Ethics prohibits students from taking a test when there is reason for them to
believe they have confidential information regarding the answers to a test they are not supposed to
have. Violations of the Student Code of Ethics are punishable.
2. Options left with the teacher and the student:-
Teacher :-
1. The teacher can reload a new question paper. This will be better as there will be no doubts
that anyone has downloaded the test .
2. The teacher need not upload the new test. This would put some doubts whether the test has
been downloaded or not .As one of the students has downloaded the test and the teacher is
not aware of it.
• Also the teacher has the option to ask if any of the students has downloaded the answers. But
this option does not ensure clarity as students might not reveal the truth.
Student :-
1. The student need not inform anyone and just prepare the answers downloaded and attend the test.
This will not lead to any chaos as teacher and other students are not aware of the issue. But the
student can face guilt of cheating and getting marks which is of no use for her in long term. Also the
students who have actually worked hard for the exam are affected adversely.
2. The student can send the answers to other students and this can ensure everyone clear the test but
ethical integrity is lacking and in future they don’t gain anything with such utter lack of integrity.
• The student can go reveal the truth to the teacher.
3. The course of action :-
1. The teacher need to ensure that a new set of questions are uploaded as this is the only fool proof
mechanism that can ensure the guarantee that none of the students have access to the answers. The
teacher need to request the authorities to make the website transparent so that there is more
transparency in the system.
2. The student need to make teacher aware that the answers have been downloaded by mistake and
then the teacher can take necessary action by uploading new set of questions. The student is following
the code of ethics and he/she will not be punishable for the actions.

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