Module 1 - Case

BUSINESS ETHICS AND DEONTOLOGY

Assignment Overview

In the Module 1 Case, we will be exploring the means by which deontological ethics may be used as a useful theoretical lens through which an organization’s sense of business ethics may be critically assessed.

Please begin by reading the following two journal articles:

•Barlaup, K., Hanne, I. D., & Stuart, I. (2009). Restoring trust in auditing: Ethical discernment and the Adelphia scandal. Managerial Auditing Journal, 24(2), 183-203. Retrieved on November 19, 2012, from ProQuest.

•Markon, J., & Frank, R. (2002, July 25). Adelphia officials are arrested, charged with ‘massive’ fraud – three in the Rigas family, two other executives held, accused of mass looting. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from ProQuest.

Case Assignment

Using the two articles in the Required Reading section above and the readings provided in the Background page of Module 1, please write a 5-6 page paper in which you address the following:

Drawing upon deontological ethics, discuss how Adelphia Communications’ executives violated the trust of the company’s shareholders and the trust of that of the larger public.

Keys to the Assignment

The key aspects of this assignment that should be covered in your paper include the following:

•Briefly describe the Adelphia Communications scandal.

•Identify and discuss two key ethical problems raised by the Adelphia Communications case.

•Describe what is meant by “deontological ethics” generally (e.g., duty and rights), and by Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative more specifically.

•Apply the deontological framework of business ethics to the two key ethical problems you identified above.

•Apply Kant’s Categorical Imperative to the two key ethical problems you identified above.

Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated on the following seven criteria:

•Precision: Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?

•Breadth: Is the full breadth of the subject (i.e., the Keys to the Assignment) addressed?

•Depth: Does the paper address the topic in sufficient depth and include the background reading and other background resources as references?

•Critical thinking: Is the subject thought about critically (i.e., accurately, logically, relevantly, and precisely?).

•Clarity: Is the writing clear and are the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the questions or are points conveyed through excessive use of quotations?

•Organization: Is the paper well written? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are headings included in all papers longer than two pages?

•Referencing (citations and references): Does the paper include citations and quotation marks where appropriate? Are the references from the background reading and assignment present and properly cited? Are all the references listed in the bibliography present and referred to via citation? While you do need to include any references you use in your paper, do not be concerned about use of proper APA citation (as we will cover use of APA style in Module 2).

Tips and Suggestions

1.In writing up your Case, be sure that you use the Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper guidelines.

2.Please note that the 5-6 page minimum length requirement does not include your cover page and references.

3.Be sure that you cite all of the sources you use in your paper, and that have been taken from the Background section Module 1 and/or any other external references. As it relates to the Module 1 Case, however, please do not be overly concerned as it relates to use of proper APA referencing -- we will be learning use of APA Style in the next module.

4.You are required to analyze the Case. This entails that you should not simply recount the facts you read in the above articles, but that you perform a critical analysis of the case using deontological ethics and Kant's Categorical Imperative.

5.In preparing your initial Case, you may find the document compiled by Dr. Susan Gunn to be quite useful. In this paper, Dr. Gunn provides excellent guidance related to the formatting and writing of this sample Module 1 Case: Dr. Susan Gunn's Module 1 Case Samples