Wanda looks back at Carson from across the table and says, "You're joking, but it's not a bad idea to just go around the table and talk about our initial ideas." She turns to you, "How about it? What's your first instinct about what we should do?"

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

• To uphold the principle of fidelity, you have a duty to provide a recommendation to the leadership team that promotes G-BioSports goals and upholds its values.

• To uphold the principle of honesty, you have a duty to insist that Vracit only use legal means in obtaining market research.

• To uphold the principle of privacy, you have a duty to refrain from supporting or encouraging the distribution of others confidential information.

• To uphold the principle of accountability, you have a duty to allow Vracit to explain and defend their actions before assuming they broke the law.

In addition to these duties, an ideal option for the Responsibilities Lens will be reversible. That is, 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, a perspective based on ideal goals and happiness, 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 as they also responsibly fulfill their obligations. Showing care and respect is important even to your competitor, or to the marketing company that put you in this predicament.

• Good Option: A good ethical option is one where you meet your responsibilities to the stakeholders in order to get their approval and avoid blame. A good option might address the immediate problem but fail to go any farther to address the systemic issue or the root concern.

• Poor Option: A poor ethical option is one where you are using a double standard for acting, such as finding excuses for not being ethical, or believing that the motive for your action justifies the behavior. Here, there are many ways to act unethically, but even a seemingly 'good' action can be a poor choice if the reasons behind it are unprincipled.

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

Do not use Annettes memo to harm FRP. You cant trust Vracits information because their violation of the principles of confidentiality and their methods are clearly questionable. Publicly report Vracits actions and assist in filing formal charges of hacking. You know right from wrong even if they dont.

Option 2

In order to meet the publics goals as quickly as possible and to help G-BioSport maintain its market advantage, leak Annettes memo to the press or those who would get the information out both to the FDA and the public. To protect Annettes privacy, remove her name from the memo you send.

Option 3

Ask Vracit how they obtained the memo. If it was illegally obtained, cease working with them your principle of working with people who value honesty. Do not use the memo to harm FRP because the principle of privacy is more important than the material gain.

Option 4

Do not use the memo to harm FRP because the principle of privacy is more important than the material gain. Because Vracit otherwise did good work, continue working with them but carefully check any other information they send you. Youre not responsible for ensuring that they live into their own core values.

Option 5

In order to achieve G-BioSports goals and maximize your profit, use the memo to build a marketing campaign against FRP. When their drug is released, deploy the marketing to discredit their product. The public may have to deal with an unsafe drug for a short time, but only a small percentage of people will be affected.

Option 6

In order to create the greatest good for the largest stakeholder groupthe publicconsult with your friend Norman in the FDA on the best means of proceeding. He is best positioned to find a win-win solution that ensures public safety. Youll also meet your goal of keeping G-BioSport safe from repercussions.

Only one of the options is correct.