Exercise $5\mathrm{.}3$

It is $9$:$00$ p$.$m$.,$ it is raining, and you are hungry. You are on your way home from a long workday. You only have $$5$ in your wallet, so you decide to go to a fast$-$food drive$-$through to get dinner. You carefully order so as not to exceed your $$5$ limit$.$ You hand the drive$-$through employee your $$5,$ and he gives you change and your meal. You discover that the fast$-$food employee gave you change for $$20.$ What do you do$?$

Apply the three levels of ethical decision making to this scenario.

Is it legal to keep the money?

Is it fair to keep the money?

Do you feel bad about keeping the money?

$$

continue working for the organization.

TOPIC SITUATION

Tony finds out that a certain coworker received a smartphone from a vendor for personal use. No other employee received a smartphone. The coworker said the device was an incentive for the company's good standing with the vendor and, because he was the employee who made the purchases, it was his right to keep the device. Tony thinks this is unfair and unethical. Tony politely checks with the human resource department, and they tell Tony that the coworker can keep the smartphone. Although Tony construed the situation as unethical, the company found no conflict with its policies. Tony decides the offense is not extreme, and because it was accepted by management, Tony accepts management's decision.

Topic Response

Do you believe it was fair for the coworker to keep the smartphone? Why or why not?