Reference no: EM132292339

Found iPod: What Would You Do?

Imagine that you are the first person to arrive for your business ethics class. As you sit down at your desk, you notice an iPod on the floor underneath the adjacent seat. You pick it up and turn it on. It works just fine, and it even has some of your favourite music listed. Looking around, you realise that you are still the only person in the room and that no one will know if you keep it. A quick check suggests that the iPod’s security features have not been activated, so nothing is preventing you from using it. Not being able to decide immediately, and seeing that other students are beginning to enter the room, you place the iPod on the floor next to your own backpack and books. As the class begins, you realise that you have the full class period to decide what to do.

1. What would you think about as you sat there trying to decide what to do?

2. What are the key facts you should consider before making a decision?

3. What would you do?

Now let us change the scenario. Instead of being the person who finds the iPod, imagine that you are a friend who sits next to that person. As class begins, your friend leans over, tells you what happened, and asks for advice.

4. As the friend what would you advise the person to do?

5. What are the key facts you should consider before making a decision?

Finally, imagine that you are a student representative on the judicial board of your school. The student decided to keep the iPod and is later accused of stealing. How would you, as a board member, make your decision?

6. As a board member what are the key facts you should consider before making a decision?

7. To what extent is this an ethical issue? a. What exactly are the ethical aspects involved in your decision?

8. Who else is involved, or should be involved, in this decision? a. Who has a stake in the outcome?

9. What alternative decisions are available to you as the judicial board? a. What are the consequences of each alternative decision?

10. How would each of your alternatives affect the other people you have identified as having a stake in the outcome?

11. Where might you look for additional guidance to assist you in resolving this particular dilemma?