Case Problem Analysis: Business Ethics

Jackson Grey owns a commercial bakery in Blakely, Georgia that produces a variety of goods sold in grocery stores. Grey is required by law to perform internal tests on food produced at his plant to check for contamination. During one three$-$month period, three tests of food products containing peanut butter were positive for salmonella contamination. Grey was not legally required to report the results to U$.$S$.$ Food and Drug Administration officials, so he did not. Instead, Grey instructed his employees to repeat the tests until the results were negative. Meanwhile, the products that had originally tested positive for salmonella eventually were shipped out to retailers. Five people who ate Grey's baked goods that year became seriously ill, and one person died from a salmonella infection.

Apply It: Business Ethics

Total points: $--/5$

Attempts left: $2$

Identifying the Facts and Issues

There are four different aspects of a decision that a business should evaluate in order to maximize profits and be a good corporate citizen. In evaluating the first of the four factors, Grey should determine whether his failure to report the results to the Food and Drug Administration is a violation of

$.$ In this case, Grey

have a legal duty to perform internal

tests on food produced at his plant to check for contamination.

Grey have a legal duty to report the initial test results to the U$.$S$.$ Food and Drug Administration. Merely complying with the law is known as the

moral minimum $..$