Please Answer by 8:30AM Eastern! (7 hours) I will rate quick! **If the image is
ID: 2435129 • Letter: P
Question
Please Answer by 8:30AM Eastern! (7 hours) I will rate quick!
**If the image is too small here are is the text***
Laura McAntee was just hired as the assistant treasurer of Dorchester Stores. Thecompany is a specialty chain store with nine retail stores concentrated in one metropolitan area.Among other things, the payment of all invoices is centralized in one of the departments Laurawill manage. Her primary responsibility is to maintain the company’s high credit rating by payingall bills when due and to take advantage of all cash discounts.Danny Feeney, the former assistant treasurer who has been promoted to treasurer, is trainingLaura in her new duties. He instructs Laura that she is to continue the practice of preparingall checks “net of discount” and dating the checks the last day of the discount period. “But,”Danny continues, “we always hold the checks at least 4 days beyond the discount period beforemailing them. That way we get another 4 days of interest on our money. Most of our creditorsneed our business and don’t complain. And, if they scream about our missing the discount period,we blame it on the mail room or the post office.We’ve only lost one discount out of everyhundred we take that way. I think everybody does it. By the way, welcome to our team!”
Instructions
(a) What are the ethical considerations in this case?
(b) Who are the stakeholders that are harmed or benefitted in this situation?
(c) Should Laura continue the practice started by Danny? Does she have any choice?
Explanation / Answer
(a) What are the ethical considerations in this case?
Laura McAntee, as a new employee, is placed in a critical position of responsibility. She has been indirectly pressured by Danny Feeney her supervisor to continue an unethical practice previously performed by him as an assistant treasurer (the position Laura holds now). The unethical practice is taking undeserved cash discounts. Her dilemma is either follow her boss’s unethical instructions or offend her boss and may lose the job she just got.
(b) Who are the stakeholders that are harmed or benefitted in this situation?
The stakeholder or the affected parties are :
1) Laura McAntee, the assistant treasurer.
2) Danny Feeney, the treasurer.
3) Dorchester Stores, the company.
4) Creditors / Suppliers of Dorchester Stores (suppliers).
5) Mail room employees (those assigned the blame).
(c) Should Laura continue the practice started by Danny? Does she have any choice
1. Tell the treasurer (her boss) that she will attempt to take every allowable cash discount by preparing and mailing checks within the discount period—the ethical thing to do. This will offend her boss and may jeopardize her continued employment.
2. Join the team and continue the unethical practice of taking undeserved cash discounts.
3. Go over her boss’s head and take the chance of receiving just and reasonable treatment from an officer superior to Danny. The company may not condone this practice. Laura definitely has a choice, but probably not without consequence. To continue the practice is definitely unethical. If Laura submits to this request, she may be asked to perform other unethical tasks. If Laura stands her ground and refuses to participate in this unethical practice, she probably won’t be asked to do other unethical things—if she isn’t fired. Maybe nobody has ever challenged Danny’s unethical behavior and his reaction may be one of respect rather than anger and retribution. Being ethically compromised is no way to start a new job.