PT Assignment Sep 16 Higher National Diploma in Business Management Unit 45: Business Ethics Outcome 1: Understand different ethical perspectives in business Outcome 2: Understand business objectives from an ethical perspective Outcome 3: Understand ethics in workplace relationships Outcome 4: Be able to assess a current ethical issue in a business You are the newly appointed manager of a hypothetical company Choice Tea Products Ltd, a grower and trader of tea and tea products . You are considering whether to reposition the company and promote it as an ethical organization. Task 1 LO 1 (1.1, 1.2 & 1.3) Written report 16th October 2016 Outcome 1: Understand different ethical perspectives in business 1.1 explain the background and development of theoretical ethical approaches 1.2 compare and contrast absolute and relative ethics 1.3 explain the ethical issues which can affect the operational activities of a business You have been asked to give an introductory talk to new Business students about the meaning of ethics and its role in the Business world. You are going to base your talk on the answers to the following questions. Write a report which can be given as a talk, based on all parts of all 6 questions: 1. What is the meaning of 'business ethics'? 2. Explain the background and development of the following ethical theories: (a) Deontological / non consequentialist theories (b) Teleological / consequentialist theories (c) Natural Law theory of individual rights and duties. 3. Explain the meaning of (i) absolute ethics and (ii) relative ethics. Describe the differences between them. 4. A business person applies for a licence to start a new business and is asked to pay a bribe to obtain the licence. What would his response be if he applies (i) absolute ethics, and (ii) relative ethics? 5. What is the meaning of 'Corporate Social Responsibility'? How could it affect the operations of a business? 6. Explain the ethical issues which may affect the way a business runs its operations with respect to: (a) advertising (b) the environment (c) customers (d) employees Task 2 LO2 and LO3 (2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2) – Online Forum Posts 11th to 30th September 2016 and Written Report 16th October 2016 Outcome 2: Understand business objectives from an ethical perspective Outcome 3: Understand ethics in workplace relationships 2.1 explain how business objectives are affected by ethical considerations 2.2 evaluate the implications for a business and its stakeholders to operate ethically 3.1 assess the role of the company acting as moral agent 3.2 analyse the development of mechanisms for achieving employee involvement and empowerment You are keen to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of implementing a more ethical approach to running Choice Tea Products Ltd with your colleagues. You decide to prepare a report and discuss the pros and cons in an online forum. You may choose to argue for the company to take a more ethical approach or to argue against it. You need to report on the following points (i, ii and iii) with respect to each of the three areas of concern (1, 2 and 3) where ethics can have a significant impact on business decisions: (i) the ethical objectives of the company and how they affect other business objectives, AND (ii) the options and mechanisms for taking a more ethical course of action, AND (iii)the impact on the stakeholders and the business from taking that course of action; as applied to: 1. The environment 2. Trading fairly 3. Workplace relationships – include an assessment of the moral obligations owed by the employer to an employee and analyse how mechanisms can be developed to increase employee participation in decision making You are required to contribute at least 2 posts to the online discussion forum on Moodle between 11th and 30th September 2016 putting forward your arguments for supporting or not supporting the proposal that the business should follow ethical guidelines when making decisions which impact in the 3 areas listed above. In addition, you are be required to hand in a full written report following the guidelines above and identifying whether you are for or against the organization taking a more ethical approach to business in each of the three areas and explaining the arguments you propose. You can complete the report first and adapt 2 parts from it for contributions to the forum on Moodle. you should be able to: • Show that you have used several sources to research the topics • Use clear, well-reasoned, logical arguments put forward at the forum and in your written report • Make effective judgments at the forum about the issues raised by you and your colleagues you should be able to: • Justify the conclusions you have reached when delivering the arguments for or against the proposal • Show that you have independently contributed to the forum Task 3 (4.1, 4.2, 4.3)-Report 16th October 2016 Outcome 4: Be able to assess a current ethical issue in a business 4.1 research a current ethical issue affecting a selected business 4.2 report on how the business could improve the ethics of their operations whilst meeting objectives and ensuring good employer/employee relationships 4.3 design a suitable ethical code. To assist with your inquiries about ethics in business you are asked to prepare a report about a current ethical issue which affects any well-known company you choose. You are required to do the following: (1) Research the ethical issue affecting the company you have chosen to research (2) Produce a report about how that company could improve the ethics of its operations while meeting its objectives and making sure there are good employer/employee relations (3) Design an ethical code for the chosen company. The intention is to apply the results of your research to the tea company, so it is important that your research, report and proposed ethical code are accurate, factual, clear and well-referenced. you should be able to: • Show that you have used several sources to research the topic • Consider complex problems with several variables • Use an appropriate approach and structure for your report you should be able to: • Show that you have independently planned, managed and organized the research and the report • Demonstrate that you have applied convergent and lateral thinking to prepare the ethical code. Online Forum Discussion Contribution: From 11th to 30th September 2016 TASKS 1, 2 AND 3: WRITTEN REPORTS Hand In: 16th October 2016