Business Finance Homework Help

Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

• Differentiate between matters of law and matters of ethics in business situations

Scenario

A few years ago Clare Applewood started a small outdoor equipment  business called Mountain Top View. The company is a sole proprietorship.  The company began as a single storefront and has grown rapidly to  include online ordering through the company website. The company’s  website includes the statement, “We are committed to keeping customer  information secure and protected.” Clare also uses social media sites to  market the company.

Carlos Rodriguez has worked for the company since the beginning. He  oversees both store and online operations. Clare and Carlos make most  decisions together.

Steve, the company’s Information Technology lead, discovered that the  company database of customer information was hacked. Customer names,  addresses, and phone numbers were accessed for only those customers who  placed online orders in the first quarter of the year. Steve was able to  correct the code that allowed the hack and is confident that the  database is now secure.

When Carlos overhears Steve talking about the database fix in the  store break room, he questions Steve about why he did not bring the  breach to anyone’s attention. Steve explains that because he was able to  quickly correct the code that led to the breach, and because only  address and phone number information for a handful of customers was  accessed, he didn’t think it was necessary to say anything.

Clare asks Carlos to evaluate whether the company has an ethical  and/or legal obligation to report the breach to their customers and to  recommend a course of action. She also asks Carlos to select an ethical  test or framework that all employees can use in the future to help guide  their decisions.

Directions

Report

Evaluate whether the company has an ethical and/or legal obligation  to report the breach to its customers. Your evaluation should be framed  as a report for the owner, Clare, that includes the following sections  and information. Cite your sources using APA style.

1. Introduction 
   1. Include a definition of ethics and explanation of how ethics compares to law.
   2. Provide an explanation of corporate social responsibility and how it relates to ethical business practices.
2. Analysis 
   1. Provide a summary of the ethical and/or legal issues involved in this situation.
   2. Briefly describe the relevant stakeholders, the key facts, and the potential implications or impact of the situation.
3. Recommendation 
   1. Provide your recommendation for a course of action supported by  relevant resources, such as specific laws and commonly accepted ethical  practices.
   2. Explain the reasoning behind your recommendation and use reliable  sources, such as the textbook and other course resources, to support  your position.
4. Conclusion: Describe how advances in technology in today’s business world have both legal and ethical implications.

Ethical Test or Framework

Select a test or framework for all employees in this company to use.  Demonstrate how it can be used when faced with an ethical dilemma. Cite  your sources using APA style.

1. Test or framework 
   1. Select a text or framework option from among those described in the textbook.
   2. Name the option you selected and describe the test or framework, including its advantages and potential shortcomings.
   3. Explain why the test or framework that you selected is appropriate for this company; justify your selection.
2. Apply the test or framework to the scenario to demonstrate how Steve could have used it to guide his decision making and actions.