ENG103 for Critical Thinking and Communication in Business
Prof. Bauer-Ramazani

Type of Assignment: individual research paper (in memo form) and critical analysis of the impact on stakeholders in the case of the Walmart Supplier Factory Safety controversy; includes an ethical analysis of core values involved and actions taken.

RESEARCH: Check the SMC Librarians' BU113 Stakeholder Assignment site for information on sources and citation guides.

NOTES/READINGS: Print out and use the Stakeholder Analysis & Impact Grid to take notes on your readings.

1.     Ethics case/situation:

Definition--Ethical Dilemma:
An An ethical dilemma is a predicament in which a business person must resolve whether an action, although benefiting the organization, individual, or both may be considered unethical.  An ethical dilemma may arise when two norms or values are in conflict.

2. Memo:

Part 1: The Situation

• Describe the situation/state the facts. What has happened to date?
• Include background on Walmart.

Part 2: The Impact on a Stakeholder group: the company itself (including employees), customers, investors, the local community or society
            - How was each stakeholder group involved or affected? (Note: Consider Walmart as the company stakeholder, the customers of Walmart as the customer stakeholders and Walmart shareholders as the investor stakeholders.)
            - Analyze the effects of decisions made by Walmart on your stakeholder group.
            - Discuss actions taken by your stakeholder group to deal with the situation.

Part 3: Ethical Dilemmas

• What ethical values (norms/pillars of character), as outlined by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, relate to each stakeholder group?
• What ethical dilemmas did the company(s) face with respect to your stakeholder group? Discuss the ethical values in conflict.
• How did the company(s) deal with these ethical dilemmas?

Part 4: Analysis of Solutions/Actions

• Analyze actions taken by the company(s) using at least two (or more) of the 7 Guidelines for Making Ethical Decisions.
• What other alternative actions could have been taken?
• What do you feel should have been done?

3. Writing Guidelines:

   • Format: Use memo format for spacing, section headings; no indentations.In a single-spaced memo with no indentations (following the memo-writing guidelines in Writing a Business Memo), analyze the impact of the situation on the stakeholder group you chose and apply the concepts of ethical values/norms to discuss the dilemma that your stakeholder group faces.
   • You will write at least one paragraph (5-7 sentences) for each part.
   • Begin with an introduction that states the purpose of the paper and end your paper with a conclusion that summarizes the key points you addressed.
   • References and in-text citations: Include at least 6 in-text citations and 6 references. All in-text citations must have a reference, and you should only list references which are cited in the text. Use the library's BU113: Stakeholder Assignment page for relevant databases and search terms to find authoritative and credible sources. Up to three references may be from the Internet (non-scholarly sources). The remaining sources must be obtained from the library databases and include a combination of newspaper, magazine, and journal articles.

4. Reference Citations: You may use the following methods to create your Reference List - Use Citation of Electronic Resources <http://academics.smcvt.edu/cbauer-ramazani/BU113/citation_electr_references.htm>) as a guide for in-text and reference citations.

                          A. Use the APA citation given from your library database search.
                         B. Use a citation engine to "build" a citation or use the Library's link to a citation builder.
                         C. Refer to the APA Manual in the library or the APA Online Guide.

3. Spell-check your paper and proofread it for wordiness, sentence fragments or run-on sentences, and mechanics (format, punctuation).

____________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

Write an introduction (2-3 sentences) which briefly states the situation.  Then write your thesis statement, which should include the purpose of the memo and give a preview of what the body of the memo will discuss.  You need to include, as keywords, all of the headings/topics you will address in the memo (highlighted below).

Briefly describe the situation and briefly mention the ethical dilemma.  (Then write: )The purpose of  this memo is to ___________________________________________________ (use the keywords discuss, ethical dilemma).  (Next, write a sentence that includes all of the headings/topics highlighted  below.  Use future tense and state what you will describe, state, express, argue, etc.). 

Part 1: The Situation

In short, simple sentences, write a paragraph describing who was involved, where the situation took place, when this happened, and what was going on.  Use the appropriate discourse markers/transitions from Techniques of Sentence Combination and check them for grammar and punctuation.

Begin with a topic sentence that contains the keywords and answers the questions who? where? when?  Then in short, simple sentences, answer the question what happened/what was going on?  All supporting sentences that follow must provide more details, facts, explanations about these questions. Please note that this is most likely in PAST TENSE, so check all verb endings!

NOTES: Research/Paraphrasing/Referencing: To learn how to incorporate sources in-text and cite them properly, both in-text and in the reference section, please refer to Writing a Paraphrase.

Part 2: Impact of the situation on each stakeholder group

Write one paragraph on a stakeholder group of your choice following the paragraph format. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that uses the  keywords in the questions. Then give specific explanations, supporting your sentences with information from research. All supporting sentences that follow must provide more details, facts, explanations about these questions. Use the appropriate discourse markers/transitions from Techniques of Sentence Combination and check them for grammar and punctuation.

• Use in-text citations for your research sources.

• Use CAUSE-EFFECT structures and vocabulary to discuss the impact of the situation on your stakeholder group. See Techniques of Sentence Combination.

  • Examples: If ......., then....... .   

  •                 ......., so .........  . 

  •                 .............; therefore, .............  

  • VERBS: lead to, cause, create, generate, result in.

• Grammar: Please note that this is most likely in FUTURE TENSE, so check all verbs carefully!

NOTE: Research/Paraphrasing/Referencing: To learn how to incorporate sources in-text and cite them properly, both in-text and in the reference section, please refer to Writing a Paraphrase.

Part 3: Ethical Dilemmas and Ethical Norms

Describe in detail what the ethical dilemma/issue is. Why is this a problem? Refer to the key points in the lecture.

Begin with a topic sentence that contains the keywords from the heading (ethical dilemma) and answers the questions what is the ethical dilemma confronting the stakeholder group?  Then in short, simple sentences, answer the question which ethical values are in conflict?  Who will be hurt?  Who will benefit?  All supporting sentences that follow must provide more details, facts, explanations about these questions.  For ethical norms (or 6 Pillars of Character), see Chapter 2, p. 43 for the 4 ethical norms of UTILITY, RIGHTS, JUSTICE, CARING, or use the 6 Pillars of Character from the Josephson Institute). In the rest of the paragraph, answer the question How is each core ethical value involved?  Write supporting answers for each core ethical value that you identified in your topic sentence.  Use the appropriate discourse markers/transitions from Techniques of Sentence Combination and check them for grammar and punctuation.

NOTE: Research/Paraphrasing/Referencing: To learn how to incorporate sources in-text and cite them properly, both in-text and in the reference section, please refer to Writing a Paraphrase.

Part 4: Analysis of Solutions/Actions

Discuss how the dilemma should be solved.  Use the 7 Guidelines for Making Ethical Decisions (see below).

Begin with a topic sentence that states which course of action would be the best solution.  To make a decision, use 1 or 2 of the 7 Guidelines for Making Ethical Decisions and apply them to each of the solutions.  If the solution passes the test, it is the ethical solution!  If the solution does not pass the test, the decision is unethical.  Please discuss the tests you used and the result.  Also, consider the following questions: How many stakeholders will benefit from this alternative vs. the other ones?  Who will be affected negatively?  Which values are more important?

Discuss 2 alternative ways to solve the ethical dilemma/issue(s).  What benefits and costs would each alternative have for the stakeholders (who will benefit and how; who will see negative consequences and which ones)?

Begin with a topic sentence that mentions the keywords alternative courses of action and tradeoffs. In the rest of the paragraph, discuss each alternative in detail and show how this alternative will affect each of the stakeholders involved positively or negatively.  Use CAUSE-EFFECT vocabulary, e.g. If ......., then....... .    ......., so .........  .  .............; therefore, .............   verbs: lead to, cause, create, generate, result in

Express what should have been done in the situation. Indicate which of the 7 Guidelines toward an Ethical Work Place offer the best solution (see below). Explain why these particular guidelines are the best. 

NOTE: Research/Paraphrasing/Referencing: To learn how to incorporate sources in-text and cite them properly, both in-text and in the reference section, please refer to Writing a Paraphrase.

Conclusion
Write a concluding paragraph (2-3 sentences) in which you restate the thesis statement from the introduction.  Briefly restate your suggested solution and why this is the best solution.