TOPIC: Analysis of Erin Brocovich
After reviewing the Movie, assess the actions, ethics and situation using critical thinking as outlined. For your Business Ethics course, you will review, assess and report the ethical dilemma in real business situations.
The two movie analyses require you to do several things.
1. Watch the assigned movie
2. Note where and when the ethical breeches occurred. What where they and when did they happen. When evaluating a business case from an ethical perspective it is important to note when an unethical breech occurred. What was it and when is important in relationship to other unethical acts. For example, the first unethical decision was to use a known cancer producing agent C6 to line the pipe gaskets. Other unethical actions followed in a sequence to cover up the first unethical decision.
3. Answer the three basic questions below. Please use ethical concepts to enhance your analysis.
The following assessment criteria shall be used for the case study. More importantly, this ABC 3 step critical thinking process may help you throughout your career:
1. (A) what were the factual antecedents that preceded an ethical breach, crisis, accident, crime or poor judgment that made the ethical dilemma(s) transparent to those outside the specific enterprise? This paragraph should illustrate the sequence of unethical actions or decisions.
2. (B1) what behavior was highly unethical? I expect you to describe a singular breach of ethical conduct. (B2) What behaviors followed the initial breach of ethics? In other words, did one ethical breach motivate or inspire more ethical breaches? For this portion of your case study, please utilize ethical terms such as justice, fairness, welfare, freedom and virtue. Do not just list them in a sentence. Use the word and then describe how the word clarifies the situations. For example if you refer to JUSTICE what is out of balance between personal freedom and welfare or equality of society?
3. (C) What was the outcomes or consequences? Consider both short term and long term, financial, reputation, relationships, image and/ or trust. Report if the cultural, social and legal landscapes have changed for the better or worse based on this case.
This case study should be 1 to 1.5 pages. Answer each of the 3 questions (ABC). The majority of your writing should address question 2, behaviors. What did the executives decide to do? The layout is single spaced paragraph(s) for each of the 3 steps. Use the Movie and other articles. Cite your sources. Submit your report when DUE. Printed is expected. Email gets confusing, so PRINT your case study or lose 1 point. The movie case (Erin and Short) study is worth 6 points.
