Assignment
The Problem: The Case of the Educational Weekend
You are preparing to introduce a new product on the market during a time when everyone is nervous about the economic future of the country and health care expenses. Because of the economic skittishness, people are unlikely to try a new product. Thus, you need to figure out how to create demand with the public and woo the leaders in the sports medicine field to give your new product a try. You have a request for a $30,000 increase in your budget to the CEO to meet the need. Accounting is also being very conservative and doesn't want to raise your budget until they feel more secure about the projected sales.
One of the investors in your company has a ranch in Idaho. This investor has offered to let you use the ranch, all expenses paid, and bring some of the potential customers and purchasing agents to the ranch for a skiing vacation and the chance to learn about your new product. While the weekend will be billed as a "thank-you for our valued customers", you hope that you can generate enough good will to get more sales. This offer would be the equivalent of a $30,000 infusion into your marketing budget.
Although other materials could be used, the primary reference material is:
Baird, C.A. (2012). Everyday Ethics: Making Wise Choices in a Complex World. 2nd Ed. Denver, CO. Ethics Game Press.
Now respond to the following questions:
PART 1
Be Attentive: Set the Context
1. Ethical Actor - At least 300 words
The first step is to identify the ethical actor. In a sentence identify the ethical actor for this problem
In at least 1,300 words respond to number 2 & 3 below
2. Stakeholders
The next step is to identify the stakeholders. List the other stakeholders for this problem.
3. Assumptions
In two or three bullet points, identify any assumptions you are making about the problem.
PART 2
Be Intelligent: Identify the Issue and the Values in Tension
1. Issue
In one sentence, identify the issue for this problem.
2. Values in Tension
In three or four bullet points, identify the values in tension.
PART 3
Be Reasonable: Explore the Options
1. Motive
Choose three options to analyze. You will analyze multiple options to help ensure that you choose a reasonable option to implement.
After brainstorming with the leadership team, you have identified five options:
1. Accept the $30,000 valued weekend. Invite your potential clients to the "skiing" weekend and send informational material about the products you are going to pitch with the confirmation of the weekend.
2. Accept the $30,000 valued weekend. Invite your potential clients to the "skiing" weekend and pitch the product when they get there.
3. Reject the notion of an educational weekend and continue traditional sources of marketing.
4. Have the company pay for the weekend at your investor's ranch. Invite your potential clients to the "skiing" weekend and send informational material about the products you are going to pitch with the confirmation of the weekend.
5. Reject the notion of an educational weekend and hold a trade meeting at a hotel with traditional sources of marketing.
In this step, identify your reason for acting -- your motive. Explain your reason for implementing these options.
Total point by point response should be not less than 3000 characters
1. Universalizability
Now consider whether everyone could adopt this reason for acting without our social structure falling apart. This step invites us to think about universal principles that cross all cultures and communities.
2. Reversibility
Next -- think about whether you would be willing to have someone use the reasons you just wrote for how they were going to treat you. Explain why you would be willing to accept these reasons.
3. Prior Agreements
Next, consider whether you are treating the stakeholders the way they have agreed to be treated List your stakeholders and your agreements and explain why you believe that through these options you are treating them fairly.
4. General Expectations
Finally, consider whether these options meet the general expectations in the community. Explain specifically how these options show that you are being responsible.
Each point response should be at not less than 3000 characters
PART 4
Be Responsible
1. Choose an Option
Select one option to implement within your Division:
Accept the $30,000 valued weekend. Invite your potential clients to the "skiing" weekend and send informational material about the products you are going to pitch with the confirmation of the weekend.
Accept the $30,000 valued weekend. Invite your potential clients to the "skiing" weekend and pitch the product when they get there.
Reject the notion of an educational weekend and continue traditional sources of marketing.
Have the company pay for the weekend at your investor's ranch. Invite your potential clients to the "skiing" weekend and send informational material about the products you are going to pitch with the confirmation of the weekend.
Reject the notion of an educational weekend and hold a trade meeting at a hotel with traditional sources of marketing.
2. Explain Your Decision
Using the guidelines for how to write a memo, write a memo to be shared with the rest of the leadership team which explains your decision.
Response not less than 4000 words.
PART 5
Return to Awareness
1. Reflection for Networking
Write a reflection which discusses whether or not the ethical analysis made sense. In this reflection, also indicate how you have corrected for personal bias, attended to the common good, and acted with courage.
Response should be not more than 2100 words.
The marketing department is in dire need of $30,000 for the introduction of the new product. Considering how urgently the department needs an increase in the budget by $30,000, a request was submitted for the CEOs approval. However, due to the delay of the CEOs approval and with the notion that Accounting do not want to raise the budget by $30,000, the department is now faced with the situation of maybe discontinue the project which is not realistic as there is the conviction that irrespective of the economic crisis, people will buy the product. The ethical actor here is accepting the investor's offer to use his ranch for a skiing vacation. The investor has the right to offer his ranch to anyone as he pleases. The company's relationship with the investor should remain as such. On accepting the use of the ranch for a commercial purpose to transport potential customers for the skiing vacation, the idea is that it would eventually generate more sales which will be equivalent to the $30,000 which is needed for the marketing budget.