I'm working on a business writing question and need support to help me learn.

Select one of the issues outlined below and answer the questions. There
is no page minimum or limit, but your grade will be based on the depth of analysis, (i.e.,
is your answer supported by thoughtful reasoning?).  Please call or email if you have any
questions or concerns.  
 

ISSUE 1: Does blowing the whistle violate company loyalty?
 

Is  blowing  the  whistle  a  breach of  loyalty  to  the  employer or  is  attempting  to  stop  unethical
company  activities  the  very  definition  of  company  loyalty? (Whistleblowing  is  an  employee’s
disclosure  to  government  authorities,  upper-level  managers,  or  the  media  that  the  employer  is
engaged in unsafe or illegal activities.)Discussing the Issue
 

1. Is blowing the whistle acting in…[explain why or why not for each of the following]
 

a. the best interests of the public?
b. the best interests of the individual (the whistleblower)?
c. a manner that is least harmful to the company?
d. the best interests of the employer?
 

ISSUE 2: Is employer monitoring of employee social media justified?
 

Although an employer  needs to  be  respectful  of  their  employees’  privacy,  it  also  has the
responsibility to avoid negligent hiring and negligent retention. Monitoring of an employee’s, or a
potential employee’s, social media is a viable way to avoid these potentially serious problems.  
 

Discussing the Issue
 

1. Negligent hiring and retention is an issue if a company knew or should have known an
employee was dangerous or could pose a risk for the company to employ in whatever
capacity  they  held.  Do  these  concerns  justify  employers  accessing  workers  social
networking personas and to what extent? Is there an equal danger of over and under
reaction?
 

2. Do you consider social networking sites in the context of current or future employment?
Are  you  careful  to  ensure  that  appropriate  privacy  settings  are  in  place,  or  are  you
generally unconcerned about protecting your privacy?
 

ETHICAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS
 

ISSUE 3: Is CEO compensation justified by performance?
 

This issue takes on the debate over excessive compensation for corporate leaders.  The media
has focused attention on a few instances in which CEO pay has been excessive. These reports
have highlighted instances in which executives were extravagantly rewarded while their
companies went bankrupt or became embroiled in huge corporate scandals. In general, the pay
of the CEO tracks the company’s performance, so in general CEOs are simply paid to do what
they were hired to do–bring up the price of the stock to increase shareholder wealth.  
 

Discussing the Issue
 

1. Are  compensation  packages  deservedly  high  due  to  the  unique  nature  of  executive
talent? Are CEOs truly taking a significant financial risk when they choose to lead one
company rather than another competing for their services?
 

2. In  a  country  with  great  income  inequality,  such  as  the  United  States,  are  there  some
people  who  deserve to earn tens  of  millions  of dollars  each  year?  Is there something
wrong, or distasteful, about these levels of wealth?  
 

ISSUE 4: Are sweatshops an inhumane business practice?
It seems reasonable to speak out on behalf of the countless workers around the world who are
subjected to dreadful working conditions and pitiful wages, and yet the situation is perpetuated
daily by business practices that many feel are actually defensible.  According to the World Bank,
about one-fifth of the world’s population lives below the international poverty line. Many of these
people work for either multinational companies or the subcontractors for those companies.
Discussing the Issue
1. Should  multinational  corporations  be  held  to  our  developing  world  standards  in  their
treatment of employees in nations with lower standards?  
 

2. Does a company have a duty to act in socially or politically beneficial ways?
 

3. When the news media expose the sweatshop practices of a leading manufacturer, should
we  immediately  rally  around  the  story  and  let  the  corporation  know  that  we  soundly
disapprove  of  such  practices, i.e., is it the consumers’ responsibility?    Imagine  that  our
major corporations were to tell us, “OK, we will continue to use the labor resources in
developing  countries,  and  we  will  improve  their  working  conditions  and  provide  better
hourly wages, but you, the consumer will have to pay higher prices (perhaps much higher
prices) for our products.”  What do you think the consumer response would be?