Question 1

_____ is the social, psychological, cultural, or physical distance of a decision maker from those affected by his or her decisions and is one of the factors that need to be taken into account when determining the ethical intensity of an action.

Accepted Answer

Proximity of effect is the social, psychological, cultural, or physical distance of a decision maker from those affected by his or her decisions. The proximity of effect influences the ethical intensity of an action as individuals are more likely to feel a stronger moral obligation to those who are closer to them or are more directly affected by their actions. Therefore, decision makers must consider the proximity of effect when evaluating the ethical implications of their decisions.

Question 2

Johnson has a quick temper and is known to shout at his coworkers when they try to talk to him. In the context of workplace deviance, this is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

Personal aggression is a form of workplace deviance that involves verbal and physical assaults directed at coworkers. Johnson's behavior of shouting at his coworkers indicates personal aggression.

Question 3

According to psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg, people at the _____ of moral development make decisions that are based on selfish reasons.

Accepted Answer

According to Kohlberg's theory, the preconventional level of moral development is characterized by a focus on self-interest and personal gain. Individuals at this level make decisions based on avoiding punishment and satisfying their own needs and desires.

Question 4

Benjamin steals lunch from his coworkers and shouts and throws tantrums when confronted about this. In the context of workplace deviance, this is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

Personal aggression involves hostile or aggressive behavior towards others, such as shouting and throwing tantrums when confronted.

Question 5

Which of the following statements best explains the carrot-and-stick approach of the U.S. Sentencing Commission Guidelines for Organizations?

Accepted Answer

The carrot-and-stick approach of the U.S. Sentencing Commission Guidelines for Organizations suggests that companies that take proactive measures to encourage ethical behavior are imposed with smaller fines. This approach inspires organizations to strive for ethical behavior by offering incentives or rewards for desired conduct and punishments or penalties for unethical or illegal behavior. However, the other options mentioned in the question are inaccurate and do not explain the carrot-and-stick approach.

Question 6

The U.S. Sentencing Commission Guidelines for Organizations impose smaller fines on companies that:

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Sentencing Commission Guidelines for Organizations provide for a reduction in fines for companies that voluntarily disclose their illegal activities to federal authorities. This is seen as a sign of taking responsibility for the wrongdoing and cooperating with law enforcement in addressing the issue. Companies that are unaware of or not concerned with the ethical behavior of employees are not likely to receive a reduction in fines, as they are seen as being negligent in their oversight responsibilities. Similarly, having no history of violations of ethical principles is not enough to warrant a reduction in fines if the company is found to be involved in illegal activities.

Question 7

In the context of ethical intensity, unlike proximity of effect, concentration of effect is:

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the context of ethical intensity, unlike...

Question 8

When addressing an issue of high _____, managers are more aware of the impact their decision will have on others.

Accepted Answer

Ethical intensity refers to the degree of urgency or importance attached to an ethical issue. When an issue has high ethical intensity, it is perceived as having significant moral consequences, which makes managers more conscious of the impact their decisions will have on others. Ethical congruence, ethical pluralism, and ethical subjectivism are all different ethical concepts that do not directly relate to the level of concern managers have for the impact of their decisions on others.

Question 9

Which of the following factors should be taken into account when determining the ethical intensity of an action?

Accepted Answer

Temporal immediacy refers to the time between an action and its consequences, which is a factor in determining the ethical intensity of an action.

Question 10

Unlike the instrumental exchange stage of the preconventional level of moral development, in the punishment and obedience stage of the preconventional level of moral development, _____.

Accepted Answer

In the punishment and obedience stage of the preconventional level of moral development, the primary concern is to avoid trouble for oneself, often through obedience to authority and adherence to rules to avoid punishment.

Question 11

Identify a difference between social consensus and magnitude of consequences.

Accepted Answer

Social consensus is about agreement on whether behavior is perceived as bad or good, whereas magnitude of consequences refers to the actual harm or benefit derived from an ethical decision, regardless of social agreement. In other words, social consensus is about perception, while magnitude of consequences is about the actual impact.

Question 12

Delayed product delivery is less of an issue when compared to delivering a faulty product, which can potentially cause harm. This is because delivering a faulty product has a _____.

Accepted Answer

Delivering a faulty product has a high magnitude of consequences, as it can potentially harm customers and damage a company's reputation, leading to legal repercussions and financial losses.

Question 13

_____ is the degree of concern people have about an ethical issue.

Accepted Answer

Ethical intensity is the degree of concern or importance people have about an ethical issue. It is influenced by various factors such as the magnitude of harm or benefit, social consensus, probability of effect, temporal immediacy, proximity, and concentration of effect.

Question 14

Wade, an avid reader, wants to read the latest book by his favorite author. The book is set to release next month, but he finds an illegal copy online. At first, he is tempted to download it, but later decides against it when his father informs him about those who were caught by the police for downloading the pirated version of the book. In the context of Kohlberg's stages of moral development, Wade is at the _____ of moral development in this scenario.

Accepted Answer

In this stage, individuals obey rules to avoid punishment. Wade is refraining from downloading the pirated version of the book because he is afraid of getting caught by the police and facing punishment. This shows that he is at the punishment and obedience stage of moral development.

Question 15

In the context of ethical intensity, unlike temporal immediacy, probability of effect:

Accepted Answer

The probability of effect refers to the likelihood that a particular action will result in harm to others. This is different from temporal immediacy, which is about how soon the consequences of the action will be felt. Ethical intensity takes into account different factors that can impact the severity of an ethical dilemma, including the probability of harm.

Question 16

Matthew refused to illegally download a new video game even though all his other friends were downloading and playing it. He told his friends that they should not download games illegally as their parents would get mad at them if they find out. In the context of Kohlberg's stages of moral development, Matthew is at the _____ of moral development in this scenario.

Accepted Answer

Matthew's reasoning is based on avoiding punishment from parents, which aligns with the punishment and obedience stage of Kohlberg's moral development.

Question 17

Red Spark Inc., a multinational electronics manufacturer, recently came under close scrutiny after it was involved in a major money laundering scam. The scam had adversely affected the careers of more than two hundred employees of Red Spark despite the fact that they were not involved in the scam. This scenario illustrates that the scam had a:

Accepted Answer

The scenario suggests that the scam had adverse consequences for more than two hundred innocent employees, despite not being directly involved in it. Therefore, the magnitude of the consequences (i.e., the number of people affected) was high. The other options do not adequately describe the scenario: A) low probability of effect indicates that the likelihood of the scam affecting anyone was low, which is contradicted by the given situation, B) high peer acceptance is irrelevant to the scenario, and C) low concentration of effect suggests that only a few individuals were affected, which is not true.

Question 18

According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission Guidelines for Organizations, which of the following steps should be followed immediately after the standards and procedures for an effective compliance program have been established?

Accepted Answer

Upper-level managers should be given charge of the program to ensure that it is effectively implemented and overseen, as they have the authority and responsibility to enforce compliance and ethical standards within the organization.

Question 19

In the context of ethical intensity, unlike probability of effect, magnitude of consequences:

Accepted Answer

Magnitude of consequences refers to the total harm or benefit derived from an ethical decision. This means that it considers both the positive and negative impacts of the decision, and the overall impact on individuals or society as a whole. Unlike probability of effect, it is not focused solely on the likelihood of harm or benefit occurring.

Question 20

Pink Cheques, an insurance company, recently came under close scrutiny after its top management was involved in a major scam. The scam led to the company shutting down and many employees, consequently, losing their jobs. This scenario illustrates that the scam had a:

Accepted Answer

The scenario suggests that the scam had a high magnitude of consequences as it resulted in the insurance company shutting down and several employees losing their jobs. Therefore, the correct option is D. Options A, B, and C can be ruled out as they do not justify the given scenario.

Quiz 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility