CHAPTER 16
Case Studies: Personal Decisions THE
ME ASU R E OF A M AN ’ S C HA R AC TE R I S WH AT H E WOU L D
D O IF HE K NE W H E N EVE R W OU LD BE F O U ND OU T .
– BARON THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULEY, CENTURY
ENGLISH
EARLY
19 T H -
HISTORIAN
is the case study. They are used to illustrate how individuals should analyze situations they are likely to meet on a regular basis in the performance of their duties—especially those tricky “gray areas.” As in real-life situations, the cases presented in this chapter do not always have a “right” or “wrong” answer. The key point to many of these cases is that when dealing in an international environment, a manager or businessperson must consider many different factors before deciding on a course of action. Culture can, and often does, play an important role in formulating what an individual may view as the best ethical course of action. And not all cultures, nor individuals within a single culture, will agree what that course is.
THE HEART AND SOUL OF ETHICS TRAINING
Case One: The Super Salesman You are the marketing director in the Eastern European region for a large British-based multinational manufacturer of consumer retail products. Competition from other multinationals, as well as from locally branded products, is particularly intense in home cleaners. You have a salesman in Romania who not only meets his monthly sales targets of cleaners, but also exceeds them by a wide margin. It comes to your attention (from a competitor, no less) that this super salesman may be involved in some practices that are against your company’s basic ethics code. You know that these practices, like promising a small “rebate” to the customer against the salesman’s commission, are common practice in Romania. What course of action would you take? A. Fire the salesman. He is in clear violation of the company ethics code and should be dismissed. B. Look the other way. After all, you know that his practices are acceptable in Romania, and besides, he is producing. C. Explain to the salesman that your corporate ethics code and the company’s global ethical standards supersede those often followed locally and he needs to bring his practices in line with company standards, even if it will cost him and the company sales.
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