Answer to Question 1
The first ethical yardstick is utilitarianism, which proposes making decisions solely on the basis of their outcomes, ideally to provide the greatest good for the greatest number. This view dominates business decision making. It is consistent with goals such as efficiency, productivity, and high profits. Another ethical criterion is to make decisions consistent with fundamental liberties and privileges, as set forth in documents such as the Bill of Rights. An emphasis on rights in decision making means respecting and protecting the basic rights of individuals, such as the right to privacy, free speech, and due process. A third criterion is to impose and enforce rules fairly and impartially to ensure justice or an equitable distribution of benefits and costs. Union members typically favor this view. It justifies paying people the same wage for a given job regardless of performance differences and using seniority as the primary determination in layoff decisions.
Answer to Question 2
Students' answers may vary. The following is a sample response. Since Karen cannot quit her job, her responses will be to passively neglect her work. She could manifest this in a number of ways, from increased absenteeism to workplace deviance, such as surfing the Internet during work hours or stealing work supplies. If Karen's manager were to catch her surfing the Internet, he/she would most likely reprimand Karen, increasing her level of dissatisfaction and level of job neglect. A better solution would be to question Karen regarding the reasons behind her job dissatisfaction and open up lines of communication which would allow her a chance to actively and positively voice her grievance.