You are part of an ethical units team; you have been tasked with producing a case study
Question:
You are part of an ethical unit’s team; you have been tasked with producing a case study based on the following scenario:
A&B is a company that designs and manufactures process equipment for the oil and gas industry. The company has a code of ethics that prohibits the payment of bribes. However, the company has been struggling to win contracts in the past two years. The company's sales team has been trying to secure a contract with C&E company. After several unsuccessful attempts, the sales team discovers that the company's main competitor has been winning contracts by paying bribes.
The sales team presents this information to the management, and they decide to offer a bribe to secure a big contract. However, Salim, who has recently been hired as a junior process engineer, was introduced to the Code of Ethics as outlined by A&B when he joined. He is working closely with the sales team to provide them with technical support. Salim works closely with the sales team to understand client needs and to ensure that the equipment and systems meet those needs. As a new employee, Salim is still in the process of learning about the company's culture and values, including its commitment to ethical business practices. He comes to know about the plan to offer a bribe. Salim is now facing a huge dilemma!
The following questions must be addressed in the case study report:
1. What ethical considerations are relevant to the case study?
2. Are there any ethical violations present?
3. Has the company followed its own policy?
4. Who are the stakeholders in the case study? And how would they be impacted?
5. Are there any pressures that may have influenced decision-making?
6. If you were Salim, what would you do? What options would you have? What would be the possible implications of each option?
7. If you were a manager working for A&B, what would you do? What mitigation measures could have been put in place to prevent or address this unethical conduct?
8. Recommend a course of action that is ethical and serves the best interests of A&B.
9. If you were working for a C&E company, what would you do? How might the outcome of the case study impact your company?
When writing your case study report, make sure to clearly address each of the questions listed above. Additionally, provide relevant background information about the industry and the companies involved, as well as any other information that you think is important for understanding the situation. Any legal issues should be examined from the standpoint of Corporate Omani Law.
