BUSN20017 – Business Ethics and Corporate Responsibility Assessment 2: Ethical Decision-Making Case Study Analysis

Course Code: BUSN20017 Course Title: Business Ethics and Corporate Responsibility Institutional Context: Standard undergraduate business unit used in Australian, UK, US, Canadian and UAE universities Assessment Type: Individual Written Case Study Length: 2,000 words Weighting: 30 percent Due Date: Week 8 of semester

Assessment Context

Modern organisations operate in environments shaped by social expectations, regulatory pressures, and global scrutiny. Business graduates must be able to recognise ethical problems and respond with structured professional judgment. This assessment mirrors a common task used in business programs across multiple countries. You are required to analyse a real-world corporate ethics case and apply formal ethical frameworks to recommend practical actions.

Purpose of the Assessment

This assessment measures your ability to evaluate complex ethical situations in business. You must demonstrate critical reasoning, apply ethical theories, and communicate recommendations in a professional written format. The task develops skills in analysis, research, argument construction, and evidence-based decision-making.

Assessment Task

Select one contemporary corporate ethics case from the last five years. Suitable examples include data privacy breaches, environmental misconduct, misleading marketing, supply chain exploitation, whistleblowing disputes, or conflicts of interest. Using credible academic sources, prepare a structured analysis that explains the ethical issues and proposes justified solutions.

Core Requirements

Your written case study must address the following elements:

• Clear description of the organisation and situation
• Identification of the main ethical dilemmas
• Application of at least two ethical theories
• Evaluation of stakeholder impacts
• Assessment of legal and social responsibilities
• Well-reasoned recommendations for action
• Reflection on long-term organisational consequences

Required Structure

Organise your paper using these headings:

1. Introduction and background to the case
2. Explanation of key ethical issues
3. Analysis using ethical frameworks
4. Stakeholder impact assessment
5. Alternative courses of action
6. Final recommendations
7. Conclusion

Research Expectations

• Use a minimum of eight academic sources
• Include at least six peer-reviewed journal articles
• Use Harvard referencing style
• Sources must be published between 2018 and 2026
• All claims must be supported with citations

Formatting Guidelines

• 2,000 words plus or minus 10 percent
• 12-point professional font
• Double-spaced with standard margins
• Title page and reference list required
• Submit as a single Word document

Marking Criteria

Issue Identification – 25 percent

• Accuracy of case description
• Depth of problem identification
• Clarity of ethical focus

Application of Theory – 30 percent

• Correct use of ethical frameworks
• Quality of critical reasoning
• Integration of academic literature

Recommendations – 25 percent

• Practicality of proposed actions
• Justification of decisions
• Consideration of stakeholders

Academic Presentation – 20 percent

• Structure and coherence
• Quality of written expression
• Referencing accuracy

Submission Rules

This is an individual assessment. Collusion, contract writing, and use of pre-written online materials are strictly prohibited. All submissions will be checked using academic integrity software. Breaches will be managed under institutional academic misconduct policies.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

This task assesses your ability to interpret ethical problems, apply theoretical models, evaluate business responsibilities, and present reasoned professional arguments in written form.

Corporate ethics cases require careful evaluation of competing interests and responsibilities. Data privacy breaches present clear examples of conflicts between profit motives and consumer protection. Ethical theories such as utilitarianism and deontological ethics provide structured methods for evaluating organisational behavior. Stakeholders including customers, employees, regulators, and shareholders experience different levels of risk and benefit from corporate decisions. Transparent governance systems help organisations prevent repeated ethical failures. Strong internal reporting mechanisms encourage responsible employee conduct. Long-term reputation depends on consistent ethical leadership. Research confirms that ethical corporate cultures reduce legal risk and improve organisational trust (Treviño & Nelson, 2021, https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Managing+Business+Ethics).

Scholarly References

Treviño, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2021). Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How to Do It Right. Wiley. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Managing+Business+Ethics

Crane, A., Matten, D., Glozer, S., & Spence, L. (2019). Business Ethics: Managing Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability in the Age of Globalization. Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com

Valentine, S., & Godkin, L. (2019). Moral intensity, ethical decision making, and whistleblowing intention. Journal of Business Ethics, 155(1), 85-99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3521-7

Kaptein, M. (2020). The effectiveness of ethics programs. Journal of Business Ethics, 165(4), 561-582. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-4094-2

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