An Ethical Dilemma

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Introduction: Ethics are rules or standards that we use to guide our decisions that we make every day. Ethics can be looked at as the internal sense of right and wrong. Many factors contribute to our ethical make-up. Family, faith, tradition, community, laws, and personal mores are the most likely reasons for our ethical responses. In the business community, an ethical code is normally written for that particular business. The ethical code is a guideline for which the business expects its employees to adhere to at all times. These are in place to help the employees understand the company’s mindset, the company’s goals, and to keep employees loyal to the company’s standards. Body: I. Jan’s Ethical Dilemma Jan being a good neighbor and friend that she is, has put herself in an ethical dilemma. She is caught in the middle of a decision to help a friend or keep a secret, a secret in which her company expects her to keep. If she tells Evelyn, her friend, that her nephew Steve might not have a job in a few weeks, she is breaking company policy. If she doesn’t, Evelyn’s nephew Steve could get in over his head with a mortgage for his new house. Jan is torn; she has to think of a way to do right by both her friend, and her company. Jan has been a great friend to Evelyn, and she does not want to ruin that friendship. Jan has decided to ask Evelyn to let her help with Steve’s decision of buying a house. Jan will try to persuade Steve to keep looking around for a better deal, or perhaps that the deal he thinks he is getting not so much a deal at all. If that fails, Jan will have to beg Steve to be patient in this enormous decision. If Steve continues to want to buy the house, Jan would have no choice but to let him. This way Jan has tried to help her friends, and she is able to keep the company’s secret. II. Employees’ Roles/Responsibilities in Ethical Situations

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