Write ideas for a code of ethics based on the situation below.

Consider This Case: Code of Ethics for Sporting Gear Manufacturing

Situation

Margaret and Nolan Berstein have bought Sporting Gear Manufacturing, a small sporting goods company in their home town of Rock Springs. Sporting Gear's specialty is gear for contact sportshelmets, knee pads, and shoulder pads. The Bersteins have found a new padding that does a better job of absorbing impact than padding used in the past, so they believe they can produce safer equipment than other companies manufacturing similar products.

Like other small manufacturers, Margaret and Nolan are in business to make money, but they also have a mission. Their nephew sustained a concussion during a football game and now has permanent brain damage. They want to manufacture gear that will protect athletes from injury. They also grew up in the Rock Springs area and want to be contributing members of the communityas their parents were before them. They have been in business for about a year when they decide to write a code of ethics and publish it on the company website.

To begin the writing process, Margaret and Nolan set up a series of focus groups to gather ideas from their employees and some of their customers. Using the rough notes from the focus groups, they sit down with their team of managers to write the code of ethics.

By yourself or as part a team, look at these ideas and help Margaret and Nolan write the code of ethics. Notice duplication among the groups. Duplication means an idea is important to a number of people. Also look for ideas that might be unusual. If you think those ideas fit with the Bernsteins' plans for the company, include them. You may not include every idea here, but you can consolidate similar ideas under a single heading. For example, timely service, accurate orders, and quick and fair response all fall under customer service.

Summaries of Focus Group Notes

Commercial Vendors

Fair pricing, timely service, accurate orders, quick and fair response when there are problems with orders; quality products are easier to sell; guarantees the company is willing to stand behind; extra help during busy times of the year; quality products; safety first

Sales Staff

Compensation: fair base pay, incentives that truly motivate, good benefits, job security, reasonable leave, a way to advance in the company

Products: products shipped out quickly, a company to stand behind the products, a company they can be proud to represent

Company Culture: want to know the company cares about them and their families; corporate structure that is organized but still has the feel of a small business; put a human face on corporate management; hear what we say and consider our suggestions; understand the value of hard work from everyone, but also want to have fun at work; want to feel valued and accepted

Schools and Colleges

Products: want safe products for their athletes, durable products, aesthetics are important (attractive school logos on helmets, for example)

Costs: reasonable costs because schools do not usually have a lot of money to spend, value for their money

Service: good service, someone to listen to a complaint and resolve the problem quickly, timeliness of orders, understand how billing systems work in public schools, keep communication lines open, let us get to know and trust you, do not let concerns of a small school get lost

Production Workers

Compensation: good and fair benefits, a way to advance, training, equal pay for equal work, no layoffs, some vacation and sick leave, rewards for hard work, a merit system of pay

Family: understanding of family needs (maternity, sick children and parents), onsite daycare

Working Conditions: clear guidelines applied fairly to everyone, no favoritism, safe working conditions, comfortable working conditions, safe working conditions, competent supervisors with a human touch

Culture: an employer who really care about our issues and troubles, an employer who knows our names, occasional socials to get to know everyone, feeling as though we're a part of things and not just low person on the totem pole, someone who will listen to us