Ethics Portfolio
Please ensure that your ethics portfolio is complete for the final project. As a reminder, you were provided an ethics portfolio template in week one and have added to it each week during the course. Now that you have finalized the ethics portfolio you should assess and correlate the information to synthesize how you can you this portfolio for your future. For the final ethics portfolio project, you will need to;
The assignment should be submitted as a Word document and APA format is required. The title page and reference page are not counted in the 4-5 page requirement. Here is a template.
You will also be required to submit a PowerPoint presentation of 5-10 slides that highlights the key elements and essential learning points of your ethics portfolio.
View your assignment rubric.
Ethics Personal Assessments
Staci Barfield
ETH560 Business Ethics
Instructor Dr. Joni Sabb
March 19, 2024
The first assessment was the Pre-Test which included various knowledge questions. I passed the
assessment with an average of 83.33. The questions that I answered incorrectly were the following:
1. Which of the following statements about power is true?
a. The five bases of power are mutually exclusive
b. People generally use only one base of power to effect change in others
c. The use of power may raise ethical issues
d. The use of power is unethical
e. Expert power exist when one person takes actions that will lead that person and others to
achieve their mutual objectives
2. Fostering ethical decision making within an organization requires improving the firm’s ethic
standards and
A. Conducting simulation exercises
B. Securing ethical suppliers
C. Terminating unethical persons
D. Terminating ethical persons
E. Improving unethical persons
My response to the first question was “E” which was incorrect. My response to the second question was
“D” which was also incorrect.
The second assessment was the Pre-Test of Values Inventory. This assessment allow me to view
how I prioritize my values and morals. My results reflect that I find assistance, environment, and
perseverance to be the most important values to my behavior. The leas important values to my behavior
are compassion, integrity, and truthfulness.
The third assessment was the Pre-Test of Moral Philosophy Items which allowed me to see how
my morals influenced my decision- making in an ethical dilemma. The action that I selected was “I would
help him/her die.” The factors that contributed to my decision is the justification for killing because it
brings a peace of mind and comfort to those close to the dying person. Another factor is that the person
will be able to overcome physical pain and suffering.
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Discussion comments
Staci Barfield
ETH560 Business Ethics
Dr. Joni Saab
March 27, 2024
2
Discussion Comments
The discussions I choose to analyze are two students, Mathew Wheeler and Robert
Kinne, each presenting two contrasting case studies.
Response to Mathew Wheeler,
The discussion from Mathew Wheeler uses articles from the TV programs “Banking on
Nature” and “Employee Microchip,” which will allow different viewpoints on the common
denominator for ethics, innovation, and business models in our workplaces. Mark Tercek offers a
fascinating example of his business model in “Banking on Nature,” which clearly shows that the
interests of businesses acting can be coupled with a conservation effort. The conversation on the
moral responsibility of enterprises focuses on adopting ecologically rightful techniques by the
businesses not only as a moral necessity but also as a way of improving the enterprise’s
environmental reputation and stakeholder relationships (Kaiser, 2015). Also, this line is a common
practice of CSR, which means that a company must somehow include social and environmental
issues in its operations. This is a tremendous representative case study that explicitly shows
business sustainability as a part of the core criteria to be incorporated into main business strategies,
which could be seen as a practical use of ethical principles. It is also possible to argue that the
“Employee Microchip” case concerns privacy, autonomy, etc. Still, at the same time, it arouses
ethical doubts regarding confidentiality, freedom, and informed consent. Depending on the
microchipping program, which is voluntary, however, cases of coercion and perception as a
challenge might arise. Therefore, the idea of the volunteers’ consent to the program should be
denied.
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Response to Robert Kinne,
Through Robert Kinne discussion one can understand that self-directed ethics play an
essential role in business. It is a process through which one analyzes the different ethical problems,
foresees the implications, and takes ethical steps to address them. In the context of the “Employee
Microchip” case, this could be seen as raising questions about employee rights and employer
motives. After implementing this system, employees might start questioning their employer’s real
goals and whether they should be allowed to do something like this. Also, it requires organizations
to realize their roles in the lives of stakeholders and their nature and champion them to impose
ethical principles in their decision-making processes (Ferrell et al., 2019). Among the possible
alternatives are implementing strict privacy policies, undertaking an extensive risk assessment,
and creating an open conversation platform for the staff so that we can discuss their concerns.
Consequently, analyzing the “Banking on Nature” discussion case has helped me explore
ethical self-consciousness, which is essential to making traditional business ethics. The discussion
stresses the significance of transparency and authenticity in relaying information concerning this
technology to workers about the risks and implications (Kaiser, 2015). It may be read as a signal
that employees should be able to identify ethical concerns, ethically report them, and thus act in
harmony with the highlighted values of integrity, honesty, and truthfulness disclosed in the VIA.
Technological disruptiveness and sustainability challenges necessitate a shift in value systems,
ensuring that people and organizations view character traits like honesty, integrity, and
transparency in the highest regard. By analyzing these and examining alternative ways, one can
develop ethical knowledge and play a part in improving ethical culture in the workplace.
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References
Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2019). Business ethics – ethical decision making and
cases (12th ed.). Cengage.
Kaiser, C. (2015). NatureVest: Natural Capital Investment Solutions to Transform the Way We
Protect Nature. Social Research, 82(3), 749–760.
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Article Analysis
Staci Barfield
ETH560 Business Ethics
Professor Joni Saab
May 7, 2024
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Article Analysis
(Sroka & Szántó, 2018)
Sroka & Szántó (2018) reveals an ethical outlook model where businesses, especially
pharmaceutical, tobacco, and alcohol, are now supposed to incorporate ethical considerations
into their operations. The alternative perspective that the article points out is the changing nature
of the business ethic from ten to twenty years ago. Companies have been playing profit game
only, but today – there is a realization that responsible behavior – could actually lead to long-term
success of the business and business reputation. This transformation in cognition implies that
business entities can cease to be profit-centric and bring to the surface an ethical character in
their Strategies and also consider other alternatives than merely capitalizing.
From the standpoint of the problem, the study examines the cross-country and sectorbased disparities in the establishment of the ethical institution. It is a merely range of the
incidence of ethical behaviors that is typically different in the Polish firms from the Hungarian
corporations. This examination evidences the necessity of the culture and regulation of the
approbation of moral ethical frameworks. Having for instance applied research methods such as
online survey and collecting data from prospective companies in the area of interest, the study
does not only give a theoretical study but also practical approaches to the study of business
ethics. The concentration spreads on the ethical and control organizations within the companies
and relationships with the stakeholders which have led to practical recommendations to handling
ethical issues.
From the standpoint of action, the study points out two possible options. Firstly,
companies are to put ahead ethical business and CSR initiatives, starting with sensitive areas.
Through enacting rules of conduct, having staff available to address ethical issues and by
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participating in ethical training businesses are able to not just improve their image but also
reduce the cost of immoral practices. Discussing this content, I realized that my ethical
awareness of self, has been strengthened as it emphasizes the necessity of considering ethical
aspects when any kind of business processes are being made. It depicts how it becomes vital to
include the influence of the business activities upon the community and the environment, which
go beyond the mere profit-making goals.
(Ugwuozor, 2020)
The results of Ugwuozor’s (2020) suggested the considerable influence of gender and the
comprehension of BEE on the perceptions of students towards CSR, pointing to the fact that the
opinions of female and male students were not uniform and hold an important place in ethical
education impacting the perception of CSR in a specific way. On the other hand, we found that
academic status exerted a slight but significant effect on the perception of CSR but there was
only a minor effect of age and experience on the campus towards the views of students
concerning CSR. The study reveals an alternative perspective concerning the role of the variety
of factors that can shape individual perceptions of CSR, indicating the influence of both social
and educational backgrounds on overall CSR sensitivity. The above insight points to
unconventional vigilance contrivances in diremption to the purview of the sustained CSR
cultural among learners, such as directed projects and sensitization campaigns.
In terms of analysis, the article is able to assess the influence of gender, level academic
and BEE exposure of the students well through the application of solid & statistical procedures.
Through singling out critical effects and correlations, the study adds to a comprehensive
understanding of relevant factors affecting ecological attitude of the Nigerian-born students. The
outcomes of this study can be applied at institutions offering higher studies and also can form a
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basis for policy-makers in Nigeria. It emphasizes the need of ethics education input in the
curriculum and the construction of interventions to emphasize CSR among students no matter
what their academic status of gender is.
From a hands-on review, it manifests a necessity of more research to discover other
demographic and socioeconomic factors that influence the students’ CSR conception. This
implies that there is an active attitude towards the endeavor of addressing the complex aspects of
students CSR behavior in Nigeria and other countries with identical situation. reflecting over this
piece obviously enhanced my appreciation of the critical role of context in the formation of
people’s opinions on CSR. It focuses on different customized intervention programs and
educational instruments as they can elicit an ethical culture among the students due to prevailing
ethical issues like corruption.
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References
Sroka, W., & Szántó, R. (2018). Corporate social responsibility and business ethics in
controversial sectors: Analysis of research results. Journal of Entrepreneurship
Management and Innovation, 14(3), 111–126. https://doi.org/10.7341/20181435
Ugwuozor, F. O. (2020). Students’ perception of corporate social responsibility: Analyzing the
influence of gender, academic status, and exposure to business ethics education. Business
Ethics (Oxford, England), 29(4), 737–747. https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12306
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Discussion Analysis
Staci Barfield
ETH560 Business Ethics
Instructor Dr. Joni Saab
April 9, 2024
2
Discussion Analysis
Reply to Matthew Wheeler:
Thanks, Matthew, for your perceptive and intelligent thoughts on Theo Chocolate Company’s
problem case. You off the screen made the statement wide-ranging consequence of morality
factor of an entity into its operation. It is definitely what I appreciate the most about you that
elaborates on comprehensive concept of Theo Chocolate’s humane business, which is beyond
mere compliance and has an impact not only on the life of cocoa farmers but also on
environmental sustainability. You’re saying that ethical reflection may be considered as one of
the brand image’s drivers and the trust built between consumers and the brand is an idea that
have made me very impressed. After all this, the case study surely breaks the stereotypes in
respect of business ethics which are simple constraints for the profit but alternatively ethical
practices can be the pillars of success and sustainability in a firm. The finding provides a
platform for the argument that the company should not separate ethical considerations from its
business strategies in order to form the value that would serve all the stakeholders. I believe
your attitude extends my outlook not only enlightening but also encouraging the idea of to
promote ethical business ethics in many business undertakings. As we progress ahead, I
maintain that a deeper investigation of alternative methods of good decision-making could be
a boon to the group. It could also form the backbone of effective ethical leadership goals. Your
contribution in this discussion has provided me a greater understanding of ethical selfawareness and it has granted me the conviction that assigning ethics to the business core
operations is more than just mere necessity.
Reply to Robert Kinne:
Through your comments, you throw light on the metamorphosis of CVS’s business strategy
into focusing on health care above profit generation. I am glad that you recognized CVS’s
unethical practices in the past and also saw the necessity to find and implement the solutions
to correct the previous mistakes and restore credibility with the stakeholders. Besides, I am
inspired by your concept of business responsibility, which comprises of honesty and
accountability, as these aspects are necessary in building trust and preserving ethical values
within the corporation. That corporations are beginning to take the initiative to correct the old
wrongs and organize their businesses based on principle is great encouragement. Your personal
inclination to ethical leadership and social responsibility mirrors the common goal of the
communities to achieve social good through business activities. Going ahead I consider it
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important to investigate deeper into the ways businesses can embed ethical principles in their
daily operations and create a morally reflective environment in the organization. The feedback
you gave me on the discussion has strongly increased my ethical self-awareness and reinforced
the importance of coherence between organizational ethics and personal values. Thank you for
sharing your thoughts, and I will be happy to continue the dialogue about these vital issues in
the future.
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Article Analysis
Staci Barfield
ETH560 Business Ethics
Instructor Dr. Joni Saab
April 16, 2024
2
Article Analysis
In political sciences research, a very high regard for the ethical issues that would arise in the
context of field experiments with politicians should be given top priority. The article “Ethics
Audits in Cross-National Research: The article “Experiences from Correspondence Study Field
Experiments with National Politicians in Four European Democracies” by Helene Helboe
Pedersen, Tom Louwerse, and Thomas Zittel reveals that ethical dilemmas are an unsettling part
of the research process when scientists undertake their studies in the field within European
democracies (Pedersen et al., 2021). Lab studies illustrate how much more difficult manipulating
and identifying the variable is than to actually collect data from representative or balanced
samples. The experiments involving humans are constantly a cause for ethical dilemmas,
especially with regards to deceiving the subjects and the consequences of such experimental
findings may have on the society. This analysis is intended to dredge the ethical questions in the
research article and compare feedback got in my ethics assessment. This research aims at
critiquing ethics issues associated with the cross-national political science research to create a
high degree of awareness of ethics about researchers and to create a clear-cut understanding of
the complexity surrounding ethical conditions in the aftermath of political turmoil. Secondly, it
considers various alternative routes and possible measures that may be imbued in the current
rules and regulations to ensure that the ethics of all the parties is not compromised in any way.
Correlation with Personal Ethics Assessment Results
I find several correlations with my personal ethics assessment results. One of the key ethical
principles I prioritize is ensuring that research involving human subjects upholds their dignity,
autonomy, and well-being. In the case discussed in the article, the researchers chose not to seek
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informed consent from participants to prevent social desirability biases and backlash. While this
decision raises ethical concerns about transparency and participant autonomy, it also highlights
the complex trade-offs researchers often face between scientific rigor and ethical considerations.
Another aspect of my ethics assessment involves considering the broader societal impact of
research and striving to minimize harm. The article highlights the potential risks and benefits
associated with field experiments involving politicians, including the distortion of the
representative process and the potential for backlash against the profession. This resonates with
my commitment to conducting research that contributes positively to society while minimizing
potential harms to individuals or communities.
Increased Ethical Self-Awareness
The article was intriguing enough to pique my moral curiosity and forced me to consider some
difficult moral questions regarding global research that political science must address. Because
of this, practitioners would be cautious when selecting organizational decision-making
procedures or approaches that may have a negative impact on real-world experimentation. It is
clear from such publications that researchers now need to routinely discuss research ethics with
ethics committees and that it is important to strike a balance between various ethical
considerations (Pedersen et al., 2021). However, in order to maintain the highest standards of
research ethics, the case study has emphasized the necessity of ongoing open communication
between researchers and ethics committees.
Alternatives and Application
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One possible alternative which researcher could attempt is a participative research design which
incorporates the politicians as key members of the research process. This can be achieved
through working with policy makers from the time they make research questions and analytical
methodologies to ethical protocols. Researchers may therefore be more competent at dealing
with ethical problems while their findings will be more practical and appropriate to the local
needs by involving politicians as partners rather than as subjects of research. Besides that, the
explore to alternative to apply ethical approval, such as to seek approval from only one national
ethics review boards or to involve in interdisciplinary groups with ethical specialists to perform
comprehensive and multidimensional evaluation of ethical issues can be considered.
Action
As a researcher, I promise to uphold ethics at every stage of the investigation, and I collaborate
closely with research ethics committees and other relevant stakeholders to thoughtfully consider
ethical matters. The need of approaching research ethics with empathy, modesty, and, above all,
a desire to advance the well-being and dignity of every individual involved in the process has
been amply demonstrated here. One of the things this course has taught me is to always do my
research with the utmost ethics, and to advocate for more ethical rigor, accountability, and
openness in political science on a worldwide scale. I have an acumen of the ethics dilemma of an
international researcher: collecting data from politicians in different regions. Scholars can be
promoters of knowledge which features reliability in research through practicing of ethical
principles and fairness in methodology and decision-making processes.
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References
Pedersen, H. H., Louwerse, T., & Zittel, T. (2021, August 13). Ethics Audits in Cross-National
Research: Experiences from Correspondence Study Field Experiments with National
Politicians in Four European Democracies. Political Studies Review, 20(2), 184–191.
https://doi.org/10.1177/147892992
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