Step $3$: Being Responsible with the Responsibilities Lens

Part $1$Act with Courage

Just to review...we've determined that you have the following duties owed your stakeholders in this problem:

Duty to propose a course of action to the CFO and COO.

Duty to set reasonable and realistic goals for your employees.

Duty to issue monthly progress reports to shareholders and investment analysts until the earnings crisis is resolved.

Duty to honestly assess the current situation and outlook when communicating with investors and investment analysts.

In addition to these duties, an ideal option for the Responsibilities Lens will be reversible. The reasons behind your action should be reasons you would willingly accept as ethical if you were on the other side of the decision.

Of the six options listed below, one of them is an ethically mature action using the criteria of the Responsibilities Lens, one is ethically acceptable, and one represents an ethically immature action. The other three options define ethical behavior through the perspective of the Results Lens, which we'll explore next.

Best Option: An ethically mature option is one where your reason for acting is consistent with your duties. In addition, the option should treat the other stakeholders with care and respect.

Good Option: A good ethical option is one where you meet your responsibilities to the stakeholders.

Poor Option: A poor ethical option is one where you think only of yourself.

I've made a list of what I think are the possible choices in this situation. Considering your duties to the stakeholders, choose the option that you think is the most ethical using the principles and values of the Responsibilities Lens.

Which option best fulfills your duties?

Option $1$

Require the Chief Operating Officer to accelerate the introduction of new products in the pipeline to this quarter in order to meet more aggressive earnings goals.

Option $2$

In order to please G$-$BioSport shareholders and investment analysts, drive the Chief Financial Officer to commit to more aggressive earnings estimates and hold the Chief Operating Officer and his leadership team to achieving them.

Option $3$

Require the Chief Operating Officer to commit to cost savings through downsizing, or find other ways to cut costs in order to achieve a more favorable earnings outlook.

Option $4$

In order to promote the interests of the company as a whole, require your Chief Operating Officer to commit to higher revenues by restructuring pricing and sales to increase volume.

Option $5$

Resign from the company. While market conditions are in large measure beyond your control, someone has to take the blame for the good of the company and executive leadership.

Option $6$

Communicate and recommit to the earnings projections as currently stated in the company$$s business plan, emphasizing there are new products in the pipeline that will improve the company$$s results in future quarters. Doing so fulfills your obligation for transparency without damaging the company's interests.