Answer 6-18, 6-19, 6-20

exercising your ethics I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE The Situation Assume that you are a divisional manager at a large high-tech company. The company has just lost a large contract, and the human resources direction has just advised company executives that they must cut the workforce by 10 percent within three months to preserve their financial position. You are distressed at the prospect of losing long-time employees, especially those nearing retirement or with young families. The Dilemma As you ponder the situation, another regional member has brought up a potential solution that will spare you from actually laying off employees. "The grapevine has worked against us in the past, so let's make it work for us this time. If we leak word that the company is planning to cut pay by 15 percent for most of the workforce as a result of the loss of this contract, people will get scared. They'll start looking for jobs or reevaluating retirement and the layoff will take care of itself. Once we've reached the desired level of resignations, we will reassure the remaining employees that their jobs are secure." QUESTION TO ADDRESS 6-18. What are the ethical issues in this situation? 6-19. What do you think most people would do in this situation? 6-20. What would you do in this situation