Deck 15: Business Ethics and Social Responsibility

Question 1

The principle of justice is an ethical principle that results from the question, "What would the world-or my company-be like if everyone were to do this?"

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Ethics deals with how behavior should generally conform to cultural ideals of right and wrong.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

People with high self-esteem are more likely to seek the short-term gains of unethical behavior.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Value statements are formalized sets of ethical guidelines developed by some companies for use at all levels of an organization.

Question 5

Codes of ethics are based on the principles of justice.

Question 6

The principle of justice focuses on making sure that all decisions are consistent, unbiased, and based on fact.

Question 7

The principle of individualism focuses on basic human rights and the dignity of the individual.

Question 8

The common perception is that profit and morality simply do not mix, and that one can't make money without becoming corrupt.

Question 9

One of the four basic rationalizations that leads to unethical behavior is that they are within ethical and legal limits.

Question 10

One of the four basic rationalizations that leads to unethical behavior is the belief that nobody will notice.

Question 11

A general fact about ethical problems is that they have simple solutions in which right and wrong are always obvious.

Question 12

Copyright infringement is one of the leading issues in Internet ethics.

Question 13

Morality deals with the standards of conduct and morals in a particular society.

Question 14

The principle of utilitarianism means making decisions that promise to do the greatest good for the largest number of people.

Question 15

Ethics and morality are not identical concepts.

Question 16

Laws are different from moral standards because they are always set down in writing, and descriptions of them are available to the public.

Question 17

Rationalization is often done with conscious thought.

Question 18

The most ethical course of action is always clear-cut and obvious.

Question 19

A common misconception is that ethics is just a matter of complying with a set of rules and regulations.

Question 20

Rationalizing is the preferred way to handle an unethical situation or incident.

Question 21

The principle of _____ holds that a person's primary goal is to achieve long-term self-interests.

A)utilitarianism
B)individual rights
C)relativity
D)individualism

Question 22

Research by social scientists shows that many people change their ethical standards between home and work.

Question 23

Ethics:

A)merely deals with an organization's performance guidelines.
B)addresses the deeper issues of fairness, equity, and compromise.
C)deals with how behavior should generally conform to cultural ideals.
D)refers to disciplinary practices mandated by the safety requirements of a company.

Question 24

The practice of future favors can be found in cultures that ignore the inner circle concept.

Question 25

Laws are different from ethical standards because:

A)laws are based on common knowledge, while ethics is a subject of study and contemplation.
B)laws are specific codes of conduct while ethics deals with how behavior should generally conform to cultural ideals of right and wrong.
C)law violations carry specific penalties, while ethics violations are not always punishable.
D)laws refer to specific acts, but ethics is more of a feeling.

Question 26

If the community is the enforcer of law, one can easily see why tradition would overcome any written law in most cases.

Question 27

Most people do not judge those who play "boss massaging" because it is so common.

Question 28

People who find themselves in a boss massaging situation should remember that no one can force them to act unethically.

Question 29

The common perception that business and ethics do not go together is based on the misunderstanding that:

A)one cannot make money in business without being corrupt.
B)it is difficult to pin down when ethics violations occur.
C)one cannot mix ethics that is rooted in religion with business.
D)it is not always possible to punish ethical violations.

Question 30

Future favors refer to the practice of currying favor with a manager to achieve one's own goals.

Question 31

People with high self-esteem are more likely to feel a healthy connection with others around them.

Question 32

Which of the following questions forms the basis for the categorical imperative?

A)What should I expect in return for a future favor?
B)What would the world-or my company-be like if everyone were to do this?
C)What is the right course of action in a situation like this?
D)What financial benefit will I receive if I go ahead with this decision or action?

Question 33

_____ are formalized sets of guidelines, which deal with the standards of conduct and morals in a particular society, developed by some companies for use at all levels of an organization.

A)Articles of association
B)Mission statements
C)Ethical codes
D)Value statements

Question 34

If compromise is necessary to continue as an employee, make sure that the compromise translates into a tangible gain for your personal or professional future.

Question 35

The principle of utilitarianism focuses on making sure that:

A)all decisions are consistent, unbiased, and based on fact.
B)all decisions should do the greatest good for the largest number of people.
C)all primary goals should achieve long-term self-interests.
D)all members have easy and fast access to legal assistance.

Question 36

Even the most ethical people are sometimes faced with ethical and moral dilemmas because:

A)ethical issues require expert knowledge to help identify the right course of action.
B)ethical violations are very easy to spot.
C)ethical violations are easily punishable.
D)ethical courses of action aren't always clear-cut and obvious.

Question 37

The _____ is an ethical philosophy that holds that all decisions should be consistent, unbiased, and based on fact.

A)principle of justice
B)principle of utilitarianism
C)principle of individualism
D)principle of relativity

Question 38

Whistleblowing refers to the practice of turning in the offending person or people and exposing the truth.

Question 39

The values and customs of countries other than those of the western developed world are inferior, primitive, or degraded.

Question 40

_____ deals with how behavior should generally conform to cultural ideals of right and wrong.

A)Social responsibility
B)Fudging
C)Ethics
D)Morality

Question 41

Traditional social responsibility says that a company or organization:

A)is responsible for generating more jobs for the general public.
B)is responsible to the stakeholders of the organization.
C)is responsible to the government and general public.
D)is responsible only to itself and to making a profit.

Question 42

_____ refers to a clique of trusted family members, tribal members, or friends who are at the center of power or influence.

A)Trust territory
B)Inner circle
C)Power group
D)Primary network

Question 43

The _____ was established in 1977 to help employees who blow the whistle on unethical corporate practices.

A)Government Accountability Project
B)Project On Government Oversight
C)Lloyd-La Follette Project
D)Nonprofit Forum of Whistleblowers

Question 44

People with high self-esteem:

A)tend to seek the short-term gains of unethical behavior.
B)engage in rationalization to justify unethical behavior.
C)seldom feel good about themselves.
D)are more likely to act in a socially responsible way.

Question 45

Gift exchange is a strong tradition in many cultures, in which giving gifts creates a _____ to the receiver.

A)partnership invitation
B)future obligation
C)status statement
D)sense of responsibility

Question 46

Which of the following views on social responsibility is based mostly on materialistic ideals that emerged with the Industrial Revolution in the late 1880s when large corporations were first formed?

A)Traditional social responsibility
B)Corporate social responsibility
C)Stakeholder social responsibility
D)Affirmative social responsibility

Question 47

According to Saul Gellerman, unethical behavior in the workplace often starts with any of these rationalizations EXCEPT:

A)a belief that the unethical behavior is within ethical and legal limits.
B)a belief that because the chosen behavior will work for the best interest of either the individual or the company, the company would expect that it be carried out.
C)a belief that the behavior is the only course of action available for the situation.
D)a belief that because the chosen behavior helps the company, the company will go along with it and protect the person.

Question 48

According to ____, companies would be expected to avoid creating social problems such as pollution and poverty, and to work toward goals that improve conditions for everyone.

A)reciprocal social responsibility
B)traditional social responsibility
C)affirmative social responsibility
D)private social responsibility

Question 49

_____ is a term that means finding an excuse for behavior that causes embarrassment, shame, anxiety, or pain.

A)Whistleblowing
B)Rationalizing
C)Dissonance reduction
D)Social loafing

Question 50

Which of the following statements is true of future favors?

A)This practice is called inner duty by the Kenyans and inner relationship by the Japanese.
B)This practice refers to the use of company expense budgets for items of doubtful use to the company.
C)This practice translates into "making decisions that promise to do the greatest good for the largest number of people."
D)This practice can be found in nearly any culture that respects the inner circle concept.

Question 51

Which of the following managerial policies involves the use of the company's budget for personal expenses?

A)Manipulation
B)Favoritism
C)Utilitarianism
D)Fudging

Question 52

A piece of advice for people who find themselves having to employ boss massaging is to:

A)seek the short-term gains of unethical behavior.
B)remember that no one can force them to act unethically.
C)justify an action that seems unethical.
D)mentally manipulate the facts.

Question 53

_____ holds that companies are responsible to any group they interact with as a business.

A)Traditional social responsibility
B)The practice of hacktivism
C)Stakeholder social responsibility
D)The practice of fudging

Question 54

The best solution against whistleblowing is:

A)stating the terms of whistleblowing at the recruitment or induction stage.
B)having the kind of leadership that makes whistleblowing unnecessary.
C)declaring a moratorium on whistleblowing.
D)discouraging whistleblowing through posters opposing it.

Question 55

Which of the following terms refers to putting ethical standards to work in all areas of the global community in which the individual lives?

A)Social responsibility
B)Hacktivism
C)Best practices
D)Moral responsibility

Question 56

Which of the following statements is true of the influence of group goals?

A)People who have learned helping behavior in their families and communities do not face difficulties transferring those behaviors to the workplace.
B)There is no evidence suggesting that people change their ethical standards between home and work.
C)When encountering someone in need, many people look the other way because other people's goals or a group's pressures override the need.
D)Employees seldom need to examine how their personal ethics fit into the ethics of the firm.

Question 57

Carol works as an operations manager for a reputed organization. She is aware that her team members use the company's budget to pay for their personal travel expenses. Which of the following terms best describes this unethical practice?

A)Fudging
B)Social loafing
C)Hacktivism
D)Whistleblowing

Question 58

_____ is a practice seen in developing countries based upon mutual obligation and resulting in the exchange of privileges over years and even generations.

A)Laissez faire
B)Future favors
C)Whistleblowing
D)Categorical imperative

Question 59

Which of the following refers to the practice of turning in or otherwise exposing people who behave unethically in your company?

A)Social loafing
B)Scapegoating
C)Ostracizing
D)Whistleblowing

Question 60

Which of the following is the most broadly based perspective of social responsibility?

A)Traditional social responsibility
B)Individual social responsibility
C)Stakeholder social responsibility
D)Affirmative social responsibility

Question 61

_____ holds that companies are not just responsible to their profit margin and their stakeholders, but they are also responsible to the general public and society at large.

Question 62

_____ deals with standards of conduct and morals in a particular society.

Question 63

Depending on the culture, those who are in the _____ could be family members, tribal members, or trusted friends.

Question 64

_____ is the term used to refer to the practice of currying favor, or kissing up, with a manager to achieve your own goals.

Question 65

The practice of future favors can be found in nearly any culture that respects the _____ concept.

Question 66

_____ refer to any group that a business interacts with, such as customers, competitors, unions, suppliers, consumer groups, and government agencies.

Question 67

_____ is a practice commonly seen in developing countries based upon mutual obligation and resulting in the exchange of favors over years and even generations.

Question 68

The ethical tone of an organization nearly always originates in _____ and moves downward.

Question 69

_____ means putting ethical standards to work in all areas of the global community in which you live.

Question 70

People who volunteer for beach clean-up activities, recycling centers, child-mentoring activities, and so on are demonstrating _____ at the individual level.

Question 71

_____ occurs when one employee is given extra privileges and allowances.

Question 72

_____ results when people encounter someone in need and look the other way because other people's goals or a group's pressures override the need.

Question 73

One strategy to counter unethical practices in the workplace is ____, which involves turning in the offending person or people and exposing the truth.

Question 74

Managers should be careful not to set a bad example by engaging in ______; using company expense budgets for items of doubtful use for the company.

Question 75

A boss who is being massaged should make it clear that employees' performance is based on ____, and he should be consistent in the application of that philosophy.

Question 76

According to ____, a company is responsible not just to make a profit, but also to answer to customers, competitors, unions, suppliers, consumer groups, government agencies, and so on.

Question 77

The first law passed to protect whistleblowers was the ____.

Question 78

Gift exchange is a strong tradition in many cultures, in which giving gifts creates a _____ to the receiver.

Question 79

According to ____, the government and general public are responsible for solving social problems, not companies.

Question 80

When one is trying to find an excuse for behavior that causes embarrassment, shame, anxiety, or pain, it is called ____.