Create a powerpoint on the topic: Research a company and its commitment to Ethics.
Group Project
· Visual Presentation (Powerpoint or similar)
· At least three research sources, and the sources can include the topic company’s website
Students must create a powerpoint on the below topic:
· Research a company and its commitment to Ethics.
· Is the company doing right by the public and its customers, or has the company engaged in unethical behavior?
STEP 1 – Definition of the term Ethics
· Create a title slide showing all group member names
· USE THE SJC library, the web, or use the module materials and provide a source that defines the term ETHICS – create a slide for this definition
· Present 2-4 slides that discuss the topic ETHICS in relation to your project (refer to course module for this concept – what is Ethics and how does your company apply?)
STEP 2 – Ethical or Unethical company?
· Research the news and the library for companies that have Ethical problems
· Do the same for companies that follow ethics
· Look at company websites for positive news about community involvement, charity and other beneficial actions.
· Present 6-10 Slides that develop your argument
· Present 1-2 Slides that conclude the discussion
· Present 1 Works Cited slide showing all sources used in MLA format
COURSE LINKS/ MODULE INFORMATION ON ETHICS
· Ethics Defined:
Ethical behavior, including ethical technical communication, involves not just telling the truth and providing accurate information, but telling the truth and providing information so that a reasonable audience knows the truth. It also means that you act to prevent actual harm, with set criteria for what kinds and degrees of harm are more serious than others (for example, someone’s life outweighs financial damage to your company; your company’s success outweighs your own irritation).
· Textbook Reading Ethics:
· Ethics Reading – Minimum Wage:
https://newrepublic.com/article/133302/improve-mental-health-america-raise-minimum-wage
· Ethical Violations:
A classic example of unethical technical writing is the memo report NASA engineers wrote about the problem with O ring seals on the space shuttle Challenger (the link provides further links to a wide range of information, including ethics analyses; the first link is the overview for what happened).
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1986/03/16/why-i-blew-the-whistle-on-nasas-o-ring-woes/d1711a71-7581-4c66-b037-5ed98a24583d/
· Suppressing Relevant Information:
No matter how you feel politically, a clear instance of this argument in the news this year was President Trump’s downplaying of the dangers of Covid-19. Agree or disagree, this instance illustrates the point our text makes.
· Presenting visual information ethically:
Visuals can be useful for communicating data and information efficiently for a reader. They provide data in a concentrated form, often illustrating key facts, statistics or information from the text of the report. When writers present information visually, however, they have to be careful not to misrepresent or misreport the complete picture. This ad from the 1960s shows NFL star Paul Hourning enjoying a cigarette, implying that smoking poses no danger to a person’s health.
· What is Business Ethics?
Business ethics is the study of standards of business behavior that promote human welfare and the good. Please click the image below for a webpage discussing this and view the video descriptions provided:
https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/business-ethics/resources/what-is-business-ethics/
· Corporate Code of Ethics:
Many organizations and employers have a corporate code of ethics. If you present a company that follows sound ethical principles look for this information on their website (but also search for conflicting ideas) such as the Shell Corporation Code of Ethics linked to the image below (click on the image).
https://www.shell.com/about-us/our-values/code-of-ethics.html
· Ethical Violations-2:
Of course, companies also violate ethical standards, and the Enron scandal is one of the most notorious of these instances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwollZoVmUc&feature=youtu.be
· Corporate Ethics Reading 2:
The image below shows the concept of corporate ethical responsibility. Click on the image for a webpage reading on the subject. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/business-ethics.asp
