Overview
Length: 2000 words (+/-10%)
Weight: 40%
Due date: End of Week 3 (11.59pm Sunday)
During the first three weeks of this unit, you have studied and discussed the place of ethics in society in general, and in the contemporary workplace specifically. In this assessment, you are required to reflect on your learning across the first three weeks and provide a critical analysis of the opportunities and challenges ethics presents for leaders, managers and staff.
Submit a written assessment of no more than 2000 words addressing either Topic A or B.
Topic A: ‘Credo, value and conduct’ for the Johnson & Johnson Company. Read the Code of business conduct (PDF 4.1 MB) (Johnson&Johnson Company 2017) to access the statement.
Topic B: Choose a multinational business from an industry you know well and examine its equivalent 'credo, value and conduct statement'.
This assessment supports unit learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7.
Your assessment submission should include a cover page. Download the Cover page template (DOCX 12 KB).
Task
Topic A
Identify the reasons why and how ethics is of importance to the business of Johnson & Johnson overall noting that J&J encompasses medical devices, pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods (500 words).
Discuss the relevance and ramifications of J&J being a global enterprise and a global employer for its approach to business ethics (500 words).
Identify and assess alternative perspectives of business ethics and corporate social responsibility in relation to J&J and one of its business units (500 words).
Develop a brief alternative value statement replacing J&J’s ‘Our Credo’ statement (page 2) so that it reflects employee, customer and shareholder interests in a well-balanced and modern way and responds to global and local challenges, including climate change and human rights (500 words).
OR
Topic B
Choose a multinational business from an industry you know well and examine its equivalent 'credo, value and conduct statement' and answer the following:
Identify the reasons why and how ethics is of importance to the business of your choice (500 words).
Discuss the relevance and ramifications of the business being a global enterprise and a global employer for its approach to business ethics (500 words).
Identify and assess alternative perspectives of business ethics and corporate social responsibility in relation to the business and one of its business units, if applicable (500 words).
Develop a brief alternative value statement replacing the business ‘value statement’ so that it reflects employee, customer and shareholder interests in a well-balanced and modern way and responds to global and local challenges, including climate change and human rights (500 words).
You may consider each of these questions separately, in which case the suggested word limit for each section should be taken as a guide, along with your introduction and conclusion. Alternatively, you may address the four questions using an integrated approach.
In your response draw from the relevant literature and research to support your analysis. A minimum of ten (10) references is required. Illustrate your points with examples from relevant case studies about ethics and organisations (these can be included within your ten references), as well as your own experience.
Correctly use the Harvard referencing style and include a Reference List at the end of your assessment.