Ben is an experienced sales representative at a large multinational information technology company. He$$s worked there

for years and has developed strong friendships within the company, especially with other sales reps. Ben has been good

friends with Michael, another sales rep, since they joined the company around the same time.

Over the last months, Michael shared some personal struggles with Ben, and Ben was doing his best to be a supportive

friend. Ben knew that Michael was dealing with some serious financial issues at home and that he was barely making

ends meet, trying to support his wife and young kids while also having to financially support his aging parents. Michael let

on that he was taking some risky moves at work to come up with some more money and that he was really starting to

worry about it$.$ But he never fully disclosed what that entailed.

Unexpectedly, Michael abruptly left the company, leaving Ben shocked and suspicious about the true nature of his

colleague$$s activities. Ben was assigned to take over Michael$$s sales territories and get back on track. During the

transition, he discovered the extent of the financial harm that the company suffered as a result of Michael$$s actions.

Through careful examination of sales transactions and accounting records, it became evident that Michael had engaged

in a fraudulent scheme.

Michael had orchestrated a deal with an external company whereby he booked a large number of orders with delayed

delivery dates. He received upfront commission payments $($meaning he was paid the commission when the sale was

made but not when the order was fulfilled$)$ by his own company for nearly one hundred orders, and then split that

commission with the external company. In collaboration with the external firm, Michael continuously pushed back the

delivery dates every few months, ensuring the orders were never fulfilled. Despite the absence of payment from the

external company, the tech company continued paying commission to Michael for these fictitious sales. Essentially,

Michael was being compensated for sales that were listed as orders but that were never actually fulfilled $($payment for the

sale was due on delivery$).$

Reflecting on their past conversations, Ben grew increasingly uneasy, realizing that Michael$$s desperate need for quick

money through sales commissions had likely driven him to engage in this fraudulent behavior. Ben felt a sense of

responsibility and questioned whether he could have prevented the situation, and now, with Michael gone from the

company with no repercussions, he wondered what all of this would mean for him.

As Ben assumed the responsibility of taking over Michael$$s sales territory, the company began an internal investigation to

seek any information that could shed light on the issue. This presented Ben with a moral dilemma. During the

investigation, Ben was asked if he knew any information that might help the company understand and resolve the issue.

Michael$$s actions $-$ the deceit, dishonesty, and disregard for responsibility $-$ deeply troubled Ben as they clashed with his

own moral compass.

While Ben wanted to uphold his personal integrity as an individual and an employee, and disclose all he knew to the

company, he worried that doing so might jeopardize his own position and potentially lead to termination if he were

deemed complicit in Michael$$s actions. Additionally, Ben empathized with Michael$$s difficult circumstances, understanding

that he only resorted to fraud out of desperation. A part of him felt inclined to protect his friend and maintain their

friendship, despite the wrongdoings committed.

Feeling caught between conflicting interests, Ben wondered: should he choose to remain silent and move on as quickly

as possible, now that Michael has left the company, and avoid giving any information? After all, exposing the truth could

lead to serious consequences for Michael, who was already dealing with significant challenges. It could also cost Ben his

friendship. But, even if the fraud was wrong, Ben knew his huge company wouldn$$t really feel a big financial hit from the

loss and that the product in question was not a life or death matter. Not every wrong can or even should be righted, Ben

thought. Moreover, his job and his reputation as a sales rep and his company$$s image might all be at stake if he speaks

up$.$

Aug $10,2023$

Article attained from:

Truth, Friendship, and Ethical Responsibility in the Workplace $-$ Markkula Center for Applied Ethics $($scu$.$edu$)$

QUESTION ONE $(15$ Marks$)$

Identify what you think are the most significant ethical values at stake in Ben$$s decision? It will be important to identify

these values on all sides of this dilemma.