Case Study: Workplace behaviour

Vuyo is a highly educated top executive in charge of research and development. John is her underpaid assistant, struggling to support his family. His performance evaluations have always been more than adequate.

As one of his research projects, John designed a creative software package that can be used as a cost$-$saving problem$-$solving tool within the company. He shares this program with Vuyo, hoping it will bring him a much$-$needed promotion and raise. Vuyo's manager has asked her to design an innovative and efficient program. However, pressures in her job keep her from setting aside sufficient time to do the requested work. This might put her and her career in the spotlight. This won't be good for her in her following performance review.

Vuyo, anxious to complete the job her manager assigned, is considering presenting John's program to her manager and passing it off as her own. If John objects, she can threaten to lower his performance evaluations or even fire him. If he agrees to go along with the arrangement, she can give him a raise and a promotion.

$6\mathrm{.}1$ How should Vuyo respond? Why? What assumptions form the basis for your decision?

$6\mathrm{.}2$ What are the ethical issues that she is confronted with?

It would help if you wrote a detailed essay on the ethical dilemmas or decisions that can result in ethical issues when Vuyo needs to decide what to do$.$ Base your answer on the theory that you have learned in the course. $(50$ marks$)$