Business Ethics: 4 Pages Essay

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1) The essay should contain a brief abstract summarizing its contents and a clear thesis that states the
position you are defending.

2) It should offer arguments for the point of view you are defending and
entertain objections to its thesis.

3) The essay should conclude with the main point you are making.

The Assignment

Pick ONE of these issues and write 4 pages essay on your subject:

1) Pick an episode from your work history that illustrates some of the predicaments
we have been studying in class. Recount the situation and the business ethics issue,
some possible strategies for action, and the resolution that you chose to pursue.

2) In a recent Sunday NYT edition there were several business ethics stories —
workplace sexual harassment, whether Internet firms have a duty to protect user
information, problems at the workplace when the worker feels bored and
disengaged, risk vs. reward in 401K planning, warnings to first-time home buyers
regarding suspect mortgage lending practices, arguments for and against tax cuts
and trade wars, international political instability as a break on economic progress,
income inequality, and the role of business/corporate donations in the politics.

Choose one of these topics to write an essay about. (a) Define the issue in terms of
contemporary American life — Why is this topic controversial? — What is it that
people disagree about in relation to this issue? — What are some of the opposed
positions that people take on these issues? — (b) What is your view about this
controversy? (c) What are some strong arguments on the other side? (4) What —
after review of the above — is your reasoning in support of your point of view?

3) In Google, Yahoo, Ask and the like, the search algorithm is software that scans for
data based on given criteria. Organic search (natural search) displays links on a
results page in order of frequency or relevancy to the criteria. Contrast this idea
with “paid search,” where results are displayed (out of sequence to frequency or
relevancy to the search criteria) because they were “selected” (i.e., paid for by an
advertiser)—thus for a larger fee, there is a more frequent display of the result. This
is a relatively new form of an old idea. What are some of the potential and actual
ethical issues that you see arising in the new media landscape? How does the old
idea of caveat emptor (buyer beware) apply to the new world of Internet commerce?