1-What should Escobar do? (Scenario 1)

3. How can we help ensure that moral considerations are factored into important dissonance?" How can you ensure that you will hear from those with different opinions? organizational decisions? 4. How open are you to "uncomfortable 5. Why do so many disgraced executives excuse their behavior? 6. What are some strategies for recognizing our "inherent weakness and frailty?" Source: Soltes (2016) CASE STUDY 3.2 Scenarios for Analysis Scenario 1: Is It Better to Ask Permission or to Ask Forgiveness? Anselmo Escobar is the owner of Stately Homes, a small residential contracting firm. Stately Vistas is the company's biggest project yet. Escobar is eager to begin building this new sub- division after a series of costly delays caused by a backlog in the city zoning office. He plans to remove nearly all the mature trees in the area so that can build more homes and recoup his losses. However, the contractor knows this move will be unpopular with current residents, who believe that the trees enhance the neighborhood and improve property values. Escobar is under no legal obligation to con- sult with the neighborhood association about his plans. Further, he fears that notifying neigh- bors might lead to additional delays. A success- ful protest could force Anselmo to retain some of the trees scheduled for removal. Yet the builder unilateral action could generate negative pub- licity and increase opposition to future Stately Homes developments. More important, Escobar wonders about his responsibility to current residents. He knows that he would be upset if another contractor removed trees in his neigh- borhood without notifying anyone. As he ponders what to do, Anselmo is reminded of the old saying, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission." He is torn between consulting with the neighbors before removing the trees asking for permis- sion) and removing the trees and then dealing with the fallout (asking for forgiveness). What should Escobar do? Scenario 2: When the Good News Is Bad News feels uneasy about moving ahead without talking to neighborhood representatives. Taking Employees and administrators at Kentucky College were excited to hear that the incoming freshman class was the largest in the small pri- vate school's history. Years of slumping enrol- ment had left the college, which depends heavily (Continued) CHAPTER THREE - ETHICAL DECISION MAKING AND ACTION 89